Jordan Aslett's Reviews
A simple game premise turned chaotically good fun. The variety in the ways you get your golf ball (or car, or barrel, or egg, or...) to the goal will always keep you on your toes. This might not be a game that you're going to spend your next 80 gaming hours with, but it will be a great game to binge over a day or so.
Ancestors is a great step forward for the survival genre. It has all the pieces you'd expect, including water and food requirements but also a few unique ones. All of these tie into the game in a much better way than in most other survival games. Plus, its narrative of guiding humankind through its early evolution in prehistoric Africa makes for a great story to play in a beautiful place to do it.
If you can throw the story and its unexciting characters aside, there's a fantastic, entry-level space shooter here to be played.
The characters you meet in Night Call are the stars of this noir-style thriller. Interestingly, the crime plot takes a backseat to meeting the residents of Paris and learning about their struggles and success. Unfortunately, the game becomes repetitive after the first case due to duplicated dialog and a lack of gameplay evolution.
The series returns with its incredible first-person shooting, wild gunfights, and a ton of Nazi killing. Unfortunately, that's about all it brings. The narrative is fairly shallow and it does little to add anything new while we wait for the next main Wolfenstein game.
While the controls aren't the most polished and character animations are laughable, the story takes players on a wonderful ride. Hazelight Studios has done a top-notch job breaking the traditional norms of splitscreen gaming and co-op play in general. A Way Out might not be discussed to much come the end of the year, but it is still worth finding six hours of your life to give to the game.
Lost Sphere plays with a lot of tropes of a beloved genre, but doesn't quite make the most of them. The story feels uninspired and it is backed by characters who that are not worth getting invested in. The redeeming factor of the game is a fleshed out combat system that has a ton of options and combinations, making it adapt easily to any playstyle.
The new direction to a more expansive role playing experience is a welcome change. I wish that the modern day story had been crafted to the same standard that the story of Bayak and Aya had been written. If you prefer to ignore the modern day aspect of the story, however, you might find that it keeps these portions short and sweet. I am beginning to really enjoy the new combat system, even though I have issue with its controls. Thanks to new skills and a range of weapons to experiment with, combat is always evolving close to the same rate as the player is developing their mastery. Really though, the most standout thing about Assassin’s Creed Origins is Egypt itself and the people who inhabit it.
'Dishonored: Death of the Outsider' brings to close a chapter of one of the best first-person stealth series of recent year. It utilizes the same deep and experiment-enticing gameplay that fans have come to expect from Arkane Studios. Fans of the series will find themselves engaged by the story and the consequences of Billie's actions throughout the campaign.
'Destiny 2' has largely improved the formula that made its predecessor so addictive, yet frustrating at the same time. The gameplay, specifically the shooting, feels even more satisfying than it did in the original game. With a tangible story and a vastly improved end-game, players who plan to stick with this game for the long term are bound to enjoy the ride.
Everspace is some of the most fun I have had with a game in the last few years, and perhaps even the most fun space-shooter I have ever played.
While 'Prey' tells an great science fiction story inspired greatly by games like 'BioShock' and 'System Shock', it has several key shortcoming that prevent it from being one of the better games to release this year.
Tales of Berseria is the best Tales game that I have played since the series roped me in with Tales of Symphonia. The story exceeded my expectations utilizing the darker tone to emphasize themes of family and betrayal. The combat is easy enough to understand and worthwhile to master, so players who are not familiar with the series’ combat can jump in and learn it easily. At the same time, Tales fans who are more interested in the advanced aspects of combat have a lot to dig into. Tales of Berseria is a game that I recommend for anyone looking for an enjoyable JRPG with memorable characters and a worthwhile story.
Watch Dogs 2 adds a lot to a series that had a poor start. San Fransisco is an incredibly beautiful and fleshed out location for a game that has a much brighter tone that the original. Yet a lot of the good is weighed down by issues returning from past Ubisoft titles (even though those issues had been completely eradicated in the past). While the game feel fun, it is hard to shake the feeling that Ubisoft has taken a step backward thanks to these issues.
Dishonored 2 successfully builds upon an already enjoyable game. The game reached the standard of what a good sequel should try and be. With a story that's satisfying and a world that is open and enchanting, my only major objection is that the ending falls short of being entirely satisfying.
Vermintide's gameplay formula is nothing new, and doesn't bring much to the table. What makes this game worth playing however is the well-crafted world and the level design. Each level has a purpose in the story, and the way that purpose is fulfilled is carefully thought out.
A fun puzzle game that is hindered by problematic controls (especially on a controller) which cause unjust failures.
'No Man's Sky' pairs our love of exploration with a universe of massive scale. While the story takes some sorting out before you feel like you really have a grasp on it, it is deep and thought-provoking. There are many systems and features within the game, and the vast majority of them feel polished and correctly balanced. 'No Man's Sky' is a game that is worth playing.
With a story that delicately balances sadness and beauty, yet never tries to be anything other than a callback to classic games, I am Setsuna lands among the stars of the JRPG genre.
While Lifeless Planet it lacking in gameplay and uniqueness, the story it showcases is worth the time to discover.