Scott Ellison II's Reviews
Sonic Mania Plus is the same game from last year, but with the addition of the new story DLC that absolutely makes worth your money and time. Whether you’re buying just the DLC to upgrade, or buying new to experience it, Sonic Mania Plus is excellent in every way. It is now bigger and better by virtue of having more things to do in this insanely well made Sonic game. Sonic Mania Plus is an essential and important game in the history of Sonic the Hedgehog that you must play.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is excellent, and so well balanced; from the combat, to exploring, to solving puzzles. It’s rare to have this balance that even the final boss is evenly constructed, and no difficulty spikes are present at any point during the game. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is constantly challenging Lara, forcing her to survive another harsh location. There are so many great moments, but the stealth is fantastic and so satisfying. With more tombs, more ways to explore and connect with the game world, and less of the junk that soiled prior entries, it’s everything you’d want. This final chapter in Lara Croft’s origin story comes to a close with maturity in tune with the character and the series. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the quintessential action adventure, compounded by human emotion tying it all together to be at the top of its class.
Treyarch eschewed one of the tent poles of every Call of Duty game since the original, perhaps boldly, with removing the campaign to make the game more omnipresent, accounting for all types of players who enjoy multiplayer gaming. The game now has three powerful modes that offers “something for everybody”. This was previously the case when campaign was a part of it, but there is somewhat of a shift away from single-player experiences, and the direction is shown here. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 almost defiantly makes itself known as the ultimate all-in-one multiplayer experience to play – and does so with incredible confidence and execution.
While F1 2018 will feel like an incremental upgrade to F1 2017 for some, it is the nuances that make it a standout. It feels like a more complete broadcast package than ever before. Whether that’s something you’ve cared about before or not, it’s immersive as hell. The career mode is more robust, delivering a more authentic experience. With opportunities to race classic F1 machines around new tracks, it’s all fantastic to experience. Simply put, F1 2018 has it all.
Dead Cells is equal parts roguelike and Metroidvania, and plays in a beautiful symphony with one another, never feeling unfair or too gated.
Oregon as an expansion and DLC is very much worth the price. This, and all state DLC is modestly priced for what you get you out of it. Being able to expand your trucking empire into the Pacific Northwest now extends your time with the game, and lets you do runs from Portland to Santa Fe are now possible, and incredibly fun as you listen to internet radio along the way. If you're going to buy any state DLC for American Truck Simulator, let it be Oregon.
Klei Entertainment have put some serious work into making sure that the game is updated to today’s standards, and is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered is the definitive version of the previous release by including all DLC, and improving every aspect of what came before. Playing this again was a constant reminder of what makes the game so great. From the way vision and sound are incorporated to the basics of gameplay to how you interact with enemies. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered is unmarred by time, is the quintessential stealth game after all these years, and is a mark of 2D excellence.
Diablo III: Eternal Collection is such a perfect fit and excellent port. It should be considered the gold standard for ports and Action RPGs going forward. Blizzard is putting everyone on notice. Diablo III: Eternal Collection is a complete and definitive collection of what’s sure to be the final form for Diablo III. It’s a perfect swan song for this game, because it’s Prime Evil how good this release is.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is absolutely packed with content and things to do, and those things to do never, ever get boring. There’s so much to talk about still, but this is such a wonderfully crafted game. With such a focus on longevity and setting the bar so high for quality of activities, it gives me the confidence in this game, and its future updates. I’ve never before seen such care taken into account for all players at every turn of a game. This is the most improved sequel ever made. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is simply astounding.
The Coalition have changed what it means to be Gears of War. The ambition, drive, and execution on all fronts is to be applauded, this is a Hollywood blockbuster at its finest. Gears 5 has an exceptional campaign that needs to be played. Once you factor in its versus and cooperative modes, this is a package of quality above its value. Gears 5 is absolutely best and most important game in the series across all modes. Do not miss this one.
It's been a long time since Age of Wonders III was released back in 2014, and Age of Wonders: Planetfall reminds me what makes this series so great. This is a strategy game that feels like classic Age of Wonders in every respect, but thrust into the future with a renewed energy. There's essentially two games here that work in concert with one another, and Age of Wonders: Planetfall demonstrates how to do this flawlessly. The missions feel handcrafted, rather than "make your own fun"; the planets are colorful and vibrant, teeming with life, and the factions are unique, silly, and fascinating. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better strategy game than Age of Wonders: Planetfall this year, or in the past few years.
F1 2019 has so many improvements, changes, and a overall fantastic feel. It doesn’t make you feel like anything was left out, and the extra DLC is just that – this is value-packed offering. Codemasters have blurred the lines between broadcast and gameplay, and it offers immersion on a whole new level. The interspersed drama heightens the stakes in all the right ways. F1 2019 is the spectacle it should be, just like its real-life counterpart. This is the best it’s ever been.
Void Bastards is among the very best of the genre, and my favorite game of the year so far — it’s an instant classic. It’s as if you have infinite lives, and upon death you realize your save is 15 minutes old. Sure, you can’t pick up from where you left off, but it’s never anything to feel defeated about when you have to start anew. Blue Manchu has thought of everything when it comes to its systems and how they interact with each other. Centered around the story and progression, this is a wonderful experience. Without hesitation, Void Bastards is exceptional in every sense of the word.
While it doesn’t break boundaries or define this generation, it is extremely refined to be the best version of itself. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare offers an engrossing campaign along with a multiplayer suite you can’t quit. It’s a game that’s heartfelt and genuine in its presentation. I’m so terrifically excited for what’s next for the story, and the multiplayer is calling my name. Infinity Ward has cemented the Modern Warfare series as the best of Call of Duty, and this is one not to miss.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is exactly what it says it is. For all the effort that’s gone into this, it’s kind of insane to get all this game for a mere $20. It plays incredibly well, looks even better, and hasn’t aged a day. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is next to perfect. It’s time to strategize like it’s 1999.
It should come as no surprise that Unity of Command II surpasses the original in every way. Its one-screen UI is still the one to beat, and reflects the original in all the right ways. There’s a lot new to the game, and it offers so much depth where there’s so much to talk about. I adore the strict turn-based time limit, as it gets you to think in a different way. Unity of Command II is wargaming at its finest.
Dead Cells remains great, replete with free updates and free DLC. Now there’s paid DLC in The Bad Seed, it’s a must-buy. The team at Motion Twin and Evil Empire have earned your trust, and treated you well in Early Access and post-release, so I don’t feel bad returning the favor. If you’ve been gone a while, now’s the perfect time to return. If you’ve been playing a while, this is the perfect DLC to be interwoven into the game seamlessly. The Bad Seed is DLC done right, guilt-free and without burden.
BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION offers a weird, and wonderful future of Earth to explore where you can make your mark. The journey is just as exciting and fantastic as the destination. There’s a unique world and game here that’s never been seen before, and THE BROTHERHOOD made sure of that. There’s nothing quite like BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION; it’s an experience you won’t soon forget, and is one of the finest adventure games I’ve ever played.
Whether you’ve played Mimimi Games’ prior game Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, the earlier Desperado games, or you’re coming in fresh, you’ll find Desperados III is just an incredible experience. Every character’s ability is unique, and combining it with another’s in showdown mode for a synchronized attack is always satisfying to pull off. It’s rare you see a game utilize quicksaves as a core feature, though it works to great effect here. Mimimi Games’ touches on the real-time tactics genre for this once-dormant series are elegant and brilliant, and not to be missed. Desperados III is simply one of the best games of the year.
F1 2020 is the most accessible Formula One game to-date. And the MyTeam is hands-down the best mode of the past few years. It allows you to forge a path all your own, and truly get invested in the things that take place as both an owner and a driver. Codemasters strips what didn't work in F1 2019, kept what did, and then built on that. The result is that while the real 2020 season of Formula One is abbreivated, F1 2020 is bigger and better than ever before.