Dishonored 2 is an amazing sequel that fans of the original game should absolutely play, and cements this as a (hopefully) permanent franchise for Bethesda and Arkane Studios. Being able to play a number of different ways, changing the world and story on a whim, and having the ultimate freedom at your fingertips, it’ll keep fans of the series coming back for more for quite some time.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is one of the best in the franchise released thus far. With a truly engaging campaign that makes you really feel for the characters and what is happening both at home and abroad, as well as a villainous group that you’ll love to hate, it has a lot going for it.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is exactly what I have always wanted from a Hatsune Miku game. A simple jump-in and jump-out at your own leisure rhythm game that is insanely addicting to play and fun at the same time. Without having to go through a story mode to unlock various songs and outfits, everything is literally right there for you to enjoy whenever you start the game up and feel like joining Hatsune Miku and her friends with some catchy tunes. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone offers up more gameplay and things to do than any previous entry in the franchise before it, thus clearly making it one of the best, if not the best, Hatsune Miku title on the market.
I sincerely hope gamers everyone give Yakuza 0 a chance. The series has never really been as popular over here like it is in Japan, but I truly do feel as if this game could change that and swing the momentum back around for Yakuza as a series and for SEGA. While it isn't a perfect game, it's one hundred percent worth diving head first in with and getting lost in this world that was created. It's a game that lays everything out on the table for you, and doesn't shy away from being exactly what it set out to be. A silly, serious, fun, and excellent game that explores the roots of the franchise we all have come to know and love. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more dancing and singing to get back to before Yakuza Kiwami releases in the Summer.
Nioh is a clear depiction of Team Ninja being near their absolute best. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so good about a Team Ninja release, and I’m excited to see what they do next after playing through and experiencing Nioh. While it isn’t fair to say that this is better or worse than the Dark Souls or Bloodborne games, I can confidently say that fans of those games will absolutely find something to enjoy within Nioh. Its brutal difficulty yet fast-paced gameplay strike a nice balance that feels very rewarding. If you like what you’ve heard so far about it and have seen in the many videos released about it, give Nioh a chance, especially if you are a fan of FromSoftware’s work. You won’t regret it.
Tales of Berseria feels like a much needed leap forward for the franchise. It still suffers a bit graphically since the game was released on the PlayStation 3 over in Japan, so hopefully the next entry is fully developed for the PlayStation 4 and PC so we can get an advancement in terms of the visuals as well. Fans of the series are absolutely going to adore this game, as well fans of roleplaying games in general. Hopefully we’ll get a taste of what’s to come later this year at the Tales Festival.
Fans of the series were slightly disappointed with how Season Two went down, and I don’t blame them to an extent. It failed to live up to the standards that Season One had set, but Season Three is definitely getting the franchise back on the right track. Telltale Games continues to improve with each new release and series they work on, and after what I experienced with these two episodes, I think they are going to have another hit on their hands. Ties That Bind has set the tone and the bar for the remaining three episodes in A New Frontier, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.
Injustice 2 doesn't really deviate from the formula it has already established. Offering a fighting system that fans have come to know and love, a deep gear and unlocking system to keep pulling people back, and the ever popular online modes, this is a game that is going to see a lot of action out of fans until the next big thing comes along.
What Remains of Edith Finch will keep calling back to you after you’ve finished it, and in a way, you’ll want to return to get a better understanding for the story after you know the what and why things happened. My only complaint is that the game was literally over almost as quick as it began. You don’t get to enjoy the individual room sequences as much as I would have liked, because they end within minutes. Either way though, this is an excellent title, and I encourage you to check it out.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a brilliant addition to the latest remasters that Square Enix has been pumping out, and has satisfied my thirst this year for more Final Fantasy adventures after finishing XV last year.
Without question, this is Drinkbox Studios best outing to date, and will propel them even further in the industry. With a writing style that is absolutely insane and a plethora of nods to pop culture and other video game franchises, a colorful art palette and beautiful graphics, to a soundtrack that is one of the best we’ve heard this year so far, you really owe it to yourself to play through Guacamelee 2.
Capcom is back with a vengeance, ready to reclaim portions of the gaming industry for themselves. If their recent games are anything to go off of, my excitement levels are through the roof for whatever new project they’re cooking up next.
Without question, Capcom has shown the gaming world how to do a remake correctly in 2019. Resident Evil 2 is a much more refined experience than it was 21 years ago, and seeing it run on modern hardware is a visual treat to the eyes.
Heaven’s Vault is a flawed experience, with the flaws jumping out early and persisting until the end of the story. But there’s way too many other things bundled into this package to simply ignore them on that premise alone. I wasn’t expecting to like Heaven’s Vault as much as I did, but it’s honestly one of the more enjoyable games I’ve had the pleasure of going through so far this year.
I like Control. No. I really like Control. The fact that the game doesn’t explicitly hold your hand and guide you on where to go and instead relies on your innate nature to want to explore was a perfect design choice. Backtracking to find secret rooms, hidden items, and unexplored areas was rewarding 90% of the time and oftentimes even added additional layers and craziness onto the already action-packed story that was being presented. For the most part, it all felt right and satisfying. If Remedy can clean up some of the issues with the frames dropping from time to time, I really think this is going to be the one for them that is received universally well by critics and fans alike.
River City Girls really did impress me but how polished of an experience it ended up being while staying faithful to the Kunio-kun world. The minor annoyances we had throughout the game and headaches from moving to areas during combat were quickly forgotten about anytime combat initiated because the gameplay was just so much fun. And when it all boils down, that’s truly what matters in a side scrolling beat-em-up, is it not? Fans of the genre, purchase this game.
Anyone looking for the biggest roguelike of 2019 should probably look no further than Children of Morta. This is an excellent release that just works on so many different levels, with very few minor annoyances in the end. There’s practically something for everyone to enjoy with the many different gameplay styles and ways you can tackle a problem in the dungeons. I didn’t want the game to end when it did, and I’m truly holding out hope that Dead Mage will expand upon the story with some DLC releases in the future, as I feel like my time with the Bergson family just hasn’t fully concluded yet.
Does Gears 5 revolutionize the series and take third person shooters into a new stratosphere? Absolutely not. But it continues to build upon everything Epic Games did right in the original trilogy, and what The Coalition has been expertly refining since taking the helm with Gears of War 4. Anyone that’s been invested in the lives and personal stories of these characters since the beginning owes it to themselves to play through this latest entry. But even if you’re jumping in to the franchise for the very first time, there’s an amazing game to be experienced here that will most likely compel you to go back and play through everything that came before it when you’re done.
The vast wilderness laid out in front of you, with a simple objective to deliver a package. It sounds boring, but it’s far from it. It sounds simplistic, yet it’s anything but. It’s a beautiful capture of the way games are meant to be. The best ones not only provide hours upon hours of entertainment and fun gameplay, but they make you ponder the important questions. They get you to fall for their characters and become so invested that you have to see what happens next as quickly as possible. They deliver upon the premise of being game-changing. That’s exactly what Death Stranding has done. Is it perfect? No. But it isn’t supposed to be. Writing this game off as so many people did initially is one of the biggest tragedies to happen in the industry in quite some time. You owe it to yourself to play and experience everything Death Stranding has to offer. Get lost in the moments that matter, and feel for these characters as we did.
ony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remastered is a return to the past, a small gift for all those players who enjoyed the phenomenon that occurred with the saga at the end of the 90s. There’s nothing new here, but that isn’t what this is about. It’s about appreciating the foundation that would spawn so many games after it and a whole new genre, before ultimately meeting that brick-wall which the quality just wasn’t able to escape. These games feel like their in the right hands now with the crew over at Vicarious Visions. Let’s hope they get a chance to show the world what they can do with a brand new outing. I’m almost afraid to wish for a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 6… but maybe it’s time. Maybe.