Scott Ellison II's Reviews
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.
This is a bizarre game. There’s very little redeeming qualities with V-Rally 4, but there’s still something about it that kept me coming back as quickly as I kept putting it down. V-Rally 4 does well to emulate what came before it, but does nothing to make the resurrection worth it, or the wait. The only thing consistent is the inconsistency. There’s far better rally games out there, but if you’ve played them all, I can see some enjoyment with V-Rally 4 after you take the time to learn its quirks and nuances that are honestly not worth the trouble.
Playground Games have set a standard that other racing games will have a hard time following. Forza Horizon 4 is all about the freedom of choice, and there’s absolutely something for everyone in this game. Forza Horizon 4 caters more to how you play than how the game wants you to play it. This is absolutely the most exciting entry of the series, a feeling I haven’t felt since the first game. It is a fluid game with a lot of moving parts that feels truly alive with the weather and seasons. Leave no cobblestone wall unturned, because Forza Horizon 4 is breathtaking at every turn, and rewarding at every stop. Ralph was right.
The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep is a wonderful RPG that is immersive and grandiose. inXile Entertainment has done this incredibly well to update the series with modern conveniences while maintaining that classic PC RPG feel. It’s great to see a series return after three decades and be such an entertaining, beautiful, tactical, and strategic RPG that will have players of any skill thinking on their feet. Without having played the prior games to compare it to, its depth and length in every aspect is on par with what you’d expect. The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep will make new fans out of it, and old fans will rejoice in this fourth installment that hearkens back to the original games as if they never left.
The original Frozen Synapse taught us that depth is only measured by the tool that you're using to measure it with. Frozen Synapse 2 shows that depth is only one part, and how that depth can be spread across a surface the size of the city to be bigger and better. Mode 7 calls Frozen Synapse 2 "open world tactics", I call it a freedom gambit – because everything you do is a risk, but has the potential of a reward powered by the freedom of your choices. Frozen Synapse 2 is everything you'd want in a sequel, and more.
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.
Whether you’ve played Theme Hospital or not, Two Point Hospital will grab you almost immediately. Two Point Studios leaves you to discover things on your own, whether you succeed or fail. You can’t resist Two Point Hospital‘s charm. Everything is so cleverly and smoothly done, with modern sensibilities and systems. This is the sequel to Theme Hospital we’ve wanted for so long, but never got — until now.
Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron won’t blow you away, but its variety and co-op gameplay will have you coming back to best high scores. HandyGames have made a game that feels like classic arcade gameplay but on modern systems. The achievements keep calling the campaign “Allied campaign”, so I’m hoping there’s DLC in the works for an “Axis campaign”, or something that is added to the game to play more. Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron should be in your library.
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.
HYPERGUN is oddly most enjoyable when you’re not doing a complete run. The further you get in the game, the more exhausting it gets, and it’s absolutely frustrating to make it so far and lose to cheap bosses. HYPERGUN is impressively deep yet unrewarding. NVYVE Studios defies convention and bucks trends for all the wrong reasons. I believe these issues can be fixed via patch or update. This is a case where you want to believe the game is better than it is. As it stands, the current state of the game is unbalanced in the game’s favor and simply not enjoyable over a long duration. HYPERGUN is worth playing, but not in its current state or price, even if it feels somewhat modest.
Phantom Doctrine captures the look and feel of the 80s and re-creates the paranoia that drove the Cold War up until its end. It's like all the best parts of an espionage film or novel come to life. Whether playing as an American, or a Russian, you'll get two radically different campaigns each and every time. This is simply CreativeForge's best work to date. Phantom Doctrine is ambitious, bold, and creative; paying off in every way.
Dead Cells is equal parts roguelike and Metroidvania, and plays in a beautiful symphony with one another, never feeling unfair or too gated.
Pool Panic makes me question the developer’s sanity, but not having to go it alone is a huge deal. It’s got a swath of party modes for multiplayer. The singleplayer content is weird, lengthy, and where the game truly shines. True to the “panic” portion of the name, Pool Panic doesn’t know when to calm down. Remember in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory when Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka takes everyone on the psychedelic boat ride? That’s Pool Panic the entire time you’re playing it – and it’s awesome.
Enlightenment is a unique game from developer LizardKing. It wears its influences on its sleeve while injecting their own style into the mix. The game doesn’t do much different than you’ve seen before or elsewhere, but you’ll be hard-pressed to put it down. That said, Enlightenment has some issues, most of which can be resolved in patches. There’s a low barrier of entry which makes it easier to get into. If you’re looking for a game that tries something new, does a good job at it, doesn’t break the bank but feels familiar, then check out Enlightenment. So, consider yourself enlightened.
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.
Mugsters is an impressive outing from this single developer, but the game is also is hampered by the same thing it is praised for. This is an enjoyable game, but it depends on the person playing it. Whether you choose to play solo or coop, you’ll have unfettered fun completing the game’s puzzles. While Mugsters has this “top-down Grand Theft Auto” style, you’re not able to execute the frenetic chaos that the game suggests. It instead is a game that invites you to turn your brain off, and do everything your way.
MOTHERGUNSHIP is dripping with personality and style. It excels in its end game when it reveals it has an Endless mode, then “Nightmare” difficulties, and ways to grind XP to make you stronger and faster. Crafting guns is far and away the best thing about the game. It’s a shame you can’t save any of them as a favorite, but knowing that you can form a window, or something that looks out of a cartoon is just such a highlight. MOTHERGUNSHIP is one of those games that you keep going back to see what other crazy shit you can make.
Danger Zone 2 improves upon the original in every way, and it pays off so well. This microgame is really something you should play, more so than the previous. Three Fields Entertainment is building up to something big, and that’s coming later this year, known as Dangerous Driving. It’ll be the game we’ve been waiting for, and have been seeing bits and pieces of from these veteran developers of the Burnout series. “If you want something done right, you do it yourself”, and Three Fields Entertainment is doing just that.
It's amazing to see a game like Hand of Fate 2 on the Switch, as it makes perfect sense for portability and presentation. While the sequel is everything from the original Hand of Fate and more, I'd still like the original end up on here for completeness. Defiant Development have done a great job at making the game work well on the Switch to be comparable to the other systems the game appears on. You'll likely not play anything like Hand of Fate 2, and is absolutely worth the purchase no matter where you can get it.
The Crew 2 reinvents the series for the better. Ubisoft realized they had something special with The Crew, but focused on the wrong parts. We again get the entire (albeit condensed) United States of America to drive through, in this nationwide celebration of racing is something worth remembering. The Crew 2 has a generic social media system combined with over-the-top live television acting that gets away from itself. It does however come together in all the right ways this time. The Crew 2 is far and away better than the original, and has systems in place to keep you coming back for more.