Overall, The Cowabunga Collection is a near-perfect representation of what a fan wants out of the package. 13 great games, an incredible amount of bonus content, and adding optional enhancements make The Cowabunga Collection well worth the $39.99 asking price.
The Jackbox Party Pack 9 is an excellent bundle of games. There are hours of fun and hilarity to be had with this latest Party Pack, and another reason why the Jackbox Party Pack games need to be included in your game library.
Turn10 has another hit on their hands in Motorsport. Where the previous three may have slowly descended with tricks like cards and boosts and the like, Forza Motorsport in 2023 gets us back to what matters: the racing, and with the focus on the CaRPG, ties us even closer to the cars we love to drive. Turn10 plans for this to be an ever-growing game, a live-service title if you will, so if Forza Motorsport is excellent now, one can only imagine how much better this will be down the road.
The Jackbox Party Pack 10 is an excellent bundle of games. There are hours of fun to be had here, and you better believe the laughs and finger-pointing accompanying the Party Packs are here, too. With both Tee K.O. and the new Dodo Re Mi included in Jackbox Party Pack 10, you must absolutely include this Party Pack into your game night itineraries!
After ten years, you’d think I would feel it’s time to hand up the cape and move on, but this series is just too much fun, and this expansion has proven that. If Bungie continues to deliver on this level of quality, Destiny 2 will have a long and exciting future ahead, paving the way for a potential Destiny 3.
Overall, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is an impressive platformer with engaging mechanics, a charming cast of characters, and plenty of challenges to keep you hooked. The lighthearted tone and challenging gameplay make it stand out among other platformers and should be up there with Mario and Sonic. If you loved the first game, you’ll feel right at home, and if you’re new to the series, this sequel is a perfect place to start. It’s safe to say that Grapple Dogs continues to be a very good dog, and this latest adventure deserves all the head rubs.
The premise of The Jackbox Survey Scramble is solid, and its format leaves plenty of room for expansion and innovation. The Survey Scramble could easily have been included in a Jackbox Party Pack 11, but its unique focus on survey-based gameplay justifies its standalone release. With its blend of fun and strategy, Survey Scramble is poised to become a party favorite, standing alongside classics like Murder Mystery Party, Tee.K.O., Quiplash, and Fibbage. If you’re looking for your next party hit, this one is worth adding to your collection! Your Mega Collection!
Regardless, Dynasty Warriors: Origins plants a flag down and marks itself to be a true contender for a great game this year. Even if the series has been the butt of a joke for gamers over the years, its strategic improvements and modernized gameplay gives Origins a true next-gen evolution of the franchise while keeping the same charms of its past. For fans of the series, Origins is an absolute must-play, and for new players, it sets the stage for an exciting future of fandom for you.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows breathes new of life into the aging Assassin’s Creed games, and one that brings back a lot of the stealth aspects the series is known for. Sneaking around and just wiping a base clean before ever being seen is just as satisfying as it ever was. The two protagonists have complement each other and are able to pick up where the other is weakest, but thankfully not to the point where you must rely on the brute force of Yasuke only. For us die hard fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, the ones who mourn for Desmond on December 21st, Shadows offers a refreshing welcome back to hidden ones.
When the game first released, it came out around the time of Dark Souls 3 so it shared some of that same space with a game that already has an established base. With the Switch port of Salt and Sanctuary, I feel like this is as good a time as any to pick this one up and give it a shot. If you enjoy these styles of games you can’t do much better in 2D than Salt and Sanctuary.
The team at Introversion has made a very fun management sim and Double Eleven has done a wonderful job translating the game and it's controls to consoles. It's fun to design a prison and just as fun to run it like a well-oiled machine. That is unless you connect two power generators together causing them to short and lose power to your entire prison leaving the high security prisoners free to wander and kill any guard who happens to cross their path.
My time with Overcooked was a blast and it fully gets my recommendation as a buy, even at full price. But be aware that you won't find nearly as much fun to be had unless you bring together a group who will play in your living room, or kitchen; I'm not one to judge.
Even with the small issues, Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic fans. As it should be though, it was designed by fans for the fans. Sonic Mania is right up there with the best Sonic titles and an excellent throwback that longtime fans have been hoping and waiting for – myself included.
With all these new systems, it distracts from how great Forza is to play and how gorgeous it is to look at. The dynamic weather is magnificently done and the night races are a hoot to race in. You can feel the road surface changing to the weather and your car responding accordingly. It’s such an amazing game to drive. It’s sad that there are now credit draining hoops you have to go through. New level restrictions placed upon you; creating this vision of a roadblock keeping you from playing a Forza game your way. Not something Turn 10 has forced upon players in the past. Then there is the ever looming threat of those pesky loot boxes. Forza Motorsport is my comfort food, my mac and cheese if you will. It always has been. It’s sad that I have to tear into extra layers of packaging before I can enjoy my meal this year.
Even with my issues with the game, it leaves me with a good impression. I enjoyed my time with All-Stars and if you like the Warriors games, you’ll enjoy your time too. I wished they had a wider cast of characters though and decided to dial back the team aspect a bit. But playing All-Stars got me itching to hop back into a Warriors game and definitely has me excited for what Koei Tecmo may be bringing with Dynasty Warriors 9, set to be released in 2018.
Harmonix, the fine folks who brought us some of our favorite rhythm games over the years, has a brand new title available on the Nintendo Switch. A cute family friendly rhythm game that brings the rhythm genre to its basics; a fun and easy one to hop into that the whole family can enjoy.
I think all prices for the game are well worth it and plays great either way. But you’ll have to make the decision of price vs platform on your own. Bridge Constructor Portal is definitely a good way to pass the time in between bigger titles, or even as a nice palate cleanser between long gaming sessions.
Even with my issues, I love this game. I wish it would be more polished than it is, and I wish the voices were what I remember, but I’m still having a lot of fun with it. The combat is engaging enough, the story is still quite good, and the open world lets you explore and just do whatever you want in. Will this actually entice new players into the series? I don’t think it’s got enough there to change the stigma surrounding Warriors games but for existing fans this one not to miss.
That’s about it for the game; it’s all a loop. The end goal for most is to buy your own vacant home and fix & furnish the way you like. But even that will begin to wear thin. With that said, there is something inherently relaxing about the whole ordeal. To me, something is soothing about doing menial tasks like cleaning. It must be something to do with there being a definitive start and endpoint. Add in the fact that they throw in a percentage meter letting me know when each room has been 100% cleaned, and it’s Viscera Cleanup Detail all over again for me. House Flipper is the perfect game to play when you need to distress from the day and one that is good to chill with. It may not be the most engaging game, but it sure is one that hit my inner needs.
Overcooked 2 brings to the table new recipes and fresh new kitchen’s to test you and your group’s mettle. Overcooked 2’s big draw is in it’s multiplayer so buyer beware if you’re planning to play alone. As I said in my review of the first game, “…be aware that you won’t find nearly as much fun to be had unless you bring together a group who will play in your living room; or kitchen; I’m not one to judge.” This time around though, you can hop into other people’s living rooms through the wonders of the internet. And yes, I’m still not one to judge where you play. But hey, the couch is more comfortable than a kitchen counter, just sayin’.