I do truly wish I could call this a diamond in the rough or some classic in the making, but that’s just not the case. Aragami 2 is fine and while I am likely to revisit it one day, I wouldn’t say you need to rush out and play it right now.
Guilty Gear Strive is another solid addition to the long-running series, but certain concessions make the overall package feel lacking.
There are areas where things can improve in the future and I do feel the story is maybe not as malleable as it could have been, but that doesn’t ruin what is another solid and emotional story of teenage love and angst set to the backdrop of early internet communication. If you have any memories of this era, you’re bound to find something to appreciate about Emily is Away <3. Just beware that you may end up smashing your head against the wall as you relive some of the stupid mistakes you made in your youth.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a worthy successor to the original and something that both veterans and newcomers alike are sure to find entertainment with, even if it's not as fresh as before.
Nioh 2 doesn't dramatically alter what came before, but wisely updates the first game to create a stunning sequel and absolute must-play for fans.
A surprisingly polished and experimental game for developer Omega Force, Persona 5 Strikers is overall fairly solid but is hampered with clunky pacing and a lackluster plot.
Rushed is basically the best way to sum up Serious Sam 4. In development for around eight years, I imagine the current global pandemic played a big role in how scattershot everything is. At its core, the weapon feel and early level designs aren't bad. There's a solid game buried under these weird choices, but Croteam seems to have shoved it out the door with little finesse.
Hellbound is a retro FPS with some neat ideas that suffers from lacking execution and a lack of content.
There is more I can delve into, but I'm at a loss for words. Ghost of Tsushima is something I was drawn to because of its inspiration from classic Samurai cinema. What I ended up getting was a Hollywood interpretation of that. It isn't bad in the strictest sense, but it truly fails to live up to the films that inspired it.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's PC launch is mostly good, though some curious issues hold it back from true excellence.
It's not a perfect game, but John Wick Hex still lives up to its premise and creates a new blueprint for how to adapt a film property. Hopefully, it does well enough for a sequel because I'm dying to step back into the shoes of John Wick.
Really, that's how I could sum up Trine 4. It's an easy recommendation for platform fans, but it's also just a plain fun time. It's not revolutionary or trailblazing, but it does what it needs to prove that Frozenbyte hasn't lost its touch. I wouldn't necessarily expect a Trine 5 or anything, but clearly, this series has some life left in it.
As a longtime fan of the series and as someone that honestly tried to give this a shot, I'm sorry to say that Breakpoint is a failure. I suppose the game can only get better from here, but it is not currently in a shape to even be considered finished.
I’m pretty confident in saying River City Girls is the best game to use the River City IP. It has a fantastic understanding of why people play beat-em-ups but typically avoids the pratfalls this genre can fall into. You can also pick up giant fish and smack people in the face with them. That makes this game good enough for me!
To some, I might sound a little harsh on what is a budget title, though. For $19.99, I can't claim the content on offer is spare. It's just that maintaining interest in what is available is a tough prospect. With matches taking around 20 minutes to finish, it becomes a slog to play for extended periods at a time. During my review process, I'd play for roughly an hour and then get bored, stopping for a bit and returning later. It only took me as long as it has to write this because I just don't feel compelled to keep playing.
Ion Fury not only recaptures what made retro shooters so memorable, but it improves on them in a number of ways. While not as excellent as some other recent entries in the same genre, this is a game that fans of the past should not miss. It's brutal, lightning-fast, and always putting fun before anything else.
Ultimately, though, I'm just not as smitten with Electronic Super Joy 2 as I was with the first. The free price tag makes this a lot more palatable, but I do believe more could have been done here. It's a little disappointing, but still a fun time that fans of the first are sure to get something out of. Just don't go in expecting anything dramatically different.
So unless you're in the mood to ruin your day and possibly take a few years off of your life, do yourself a favor and skip Turok: Escape from Lost Valley. Whatever the core concept was, it has not turned out well.
Maybe I just expected too much, but I find myself missing the careful balance of story and gameplay that The New Order had down pat. Youngblood makes plenty of strides forward for this series, but it also takes some steps backward that end up hurting the overall package.
Ultimately, though, the game ended up not being for me. I do believe it's worth a look to the right person, but you should know what you're getting into before taking the plunge. I'd also recommend you check this out on PC because that random bug in the Switch version could wind up causing you to waste a ton of time without you even knowing it.