Scott Ellison II's Reviews
Operencia: The Stolen Sun is full of charm, depth, and secrets that represents the best of the genre. There’s a lot of satisfaction in completing its puzzles, and overcoming enemies in combat. If you’re not a fan of backtracking or the way the saves work, you might not enjoy yourself as others in the genre. However, I think it’s an obstacle that you can easily overcome. The combat and puzzles are the majority, and the highlight. Operencia: The Stolen Sun shines bright in these dark times.
Remedy takes a step back with the odd happenings in the Bureau, and while the place is in dire straights, it doesn’t overwhelm you with that feeling because Jesse is so powerful now. Over the course of four hours, The Foundation solves its own mysteries in a satisfying way, while leaving the door open for what’s to come in Expansion 2. It also never spends too long on any one thing, and it feels like you’re repairing something over time. CONTROL – The Foundation maintains momentum from the main story without ever slowing down.
HyperParasite is “another one of those”, but it does it well. The fact that you can control one of your enemies for as long as you can last extends the lifetime of not only the game, but each run. A lot of it still comes down to randomness or RNG, but your skills get put to the test that help offset it. When the game becomes a shmup, it’s such a visual and aural treat. This the definition of a Steam Early Access success. HyperParasite excites and delights every time you play it.
Over the course of fifteen or so hours to see the game to completion, Iron Danger offers a good challenge, even on the default normal difficulty. The ability to infinitely bend time to your will to fine-tune encounters to perfection can be really satisfying. Its biggest detriment is how clunky and unpolished it all feels. That said, Iron Danger is really fun, and completely distinct from every other tactical combat game you’ve played. And for that, it should be on your radar.
Exit the Gungeon isn’t a sequel, nor does it pretend to be. I still find 2016’s Enter the Gungeon to be a fuller experience, with more depth and variety. Exit the Gungeon is not a game you should ignore. This Gungeon may have lost a little bit of itself along the way, but enough of its humor and sensibilities are very much intact for enjoying Dodge Roll’s twist on the Gungeon formula for the price point. Exit the Gungeon is a delightful spin-off, a blast to play, and the changes to the gameplay compliment the new perspective wonderfully.
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.
Table Manners gets the experience of dating half-right, capturing the nervousness and awkward conversation in totality. The in-game app meant to cultivate your relationship(s) often leads to disappointment or confusion. Unless you’re out to sabotage everything in the name of a good time, there’s not much room for fun or risk losing the relationship. When trying to do your best, the simulation and physics often get in the way. It’s certainly enjoyable for hours on end, but it doesn’t quite come together like it should.
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.
KUNAI is absolutely kinetic. Momentum, traversal, and combat are the key pillars. They all work in tandem to produce a game that moves at a frenetic pace, and one you’ve not known in a Metroidvania-style of game. TurtleBlaze have something special here, and it’s in your best interest not to miss it. KUNAI is a refreshing take on the genre, and an exciting one at that.
It’s clear with Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3, it is driven by passion and authenticity for the sport. It’s the best in the series, even if it has a few rough edges. The UI takes a few unnecessary extra steps to navigate, but when that’s your largest issue, there’s little to worry about. The bevy of modes, inclusivity of riders, and wonderful simulation of supercross is unmatched. Now go try it with the first-person camera.
The combat is intense, frenetic, and never bogged down by the managerial aspects. The story is solid, and the characters are okay, but the BattleTech lore that begins to unfold throughout steals the show. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries captures the essence so beautifully of what made the MechWarrior: Mercenaries games so great two decades ago. It’s a welcome return for a singleplayer campaign of this storied franchise. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries skips all the pretenses, and lets you manage the finances and the intricate details of your own mercenary units to stomp around the galaxy at your leisure.
The shift from random sniper dude who I don’t care about to shadow sniper with cool tech is a big step in the right direction for the series. As is the segmented contract system, which is something I want to see a lot more of in DLC or sequels. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts is inventive and rewarding, with so many ways to tackle the contracts, challenges, and bounties – this is a game that celebrates its replayability. While there’s rough edges, this is the most satisfying game about being a sniper for a modest price. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts executes with enough precision to reach its target.
Need For Speed Heat is bathed in neon while offering a great sense of speed, fantastic customization, and generates a great level of tension when being pursued by the cops. The car selection covers a wide variety of eras and types that’s never boring, and there’s more than enough to satisfy everyone. Between the actual races and roaming around challenges, there’s hours of things to do you’ll never tire of. Need For Speed Heat is the best racing game of the year, hands-down.
Thief of Thieves: Season One is interesting, but on the Switch is hampered by a myriad of issues on every level. The story comes to a satisfying close, but the inevitable tease to season two is an exciting setup. I look forward to being around these characters more, and performing more heists with them. Thief of Thieves: Season One is fun, intriguing, and tells a great interactive story. You should just do so on any other platform but the Switch.
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.
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.
Tight, responsive controls met with highly detailed environments puts Lonely Mountains: Downhill in a class all its own. I take issue with some of the decision decisions to purposefully block your view, or how hard it is to unlock new bikes, but they’re never enough to take away from my enjoyment. The terrain, physics, visual style, and sound design are deserving of awards. This is a game that’s challenging but fair. Lonely Mountains: Downhill is wonderful, top to bottom.
With a unique control scheme, Into the Dead 2‘s combat is simple yet compelling. You’ll encounter different zombie types, dodging attacks, and avoiding pockets of zombies as you run from one area to the next that’s always exhilarating. There’s so many levels to play, and ways to experience the game that it begs for “one more run”. Into the Dead 2 is a shining example of a mobile to console game done right.
The most disappointing part of The Bradwell Conspiracy is the illusion of choice at the ending, where there's only one outcome despite how things are worded to you. I enjoyed a lot about my time: unraveling the mystery, interacting with my NPC partner, and solving puzzles that felt innovative. The game is clever, interesting, full of style, and most of all, flawed. It lacks polish in a lot of areas that I think can be patched, but for the time being I'm reserved to recommend. I liked The Bradwell Conspiracy more than it would let me, and this is an intriguing universe that I hope we haven't seen the last of.