Marco Cocomello's Reviews
After hours upon hours of exploring epic locations and fighting deadly demons, DOOM Eternal was done and I had a little warm feeling inside. It is one of the best shooters I have played in a very long time. Its emphasis on exploration and unrivalled fast-paced combat has branched out on its own to deliver an experience like no other. I cannot wait to progress through more weekly challenges, go back and collect the missing items and of course, play the Battlemode. DOOM Eternal has a bright future ahead.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is not for everyone. Its snail-pace progression may turn you off and its tedious mechanics can be an issue to get through at times. However, it acts as an escape from the world for a few hours where you can build your dream island, run around in the rain in your undies and catch a whale shark with a flimsy fishing rod. There’s a lot to love about the game but there’s also a lot to hate. One thing is for sure, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is like adopting a pet, you will be stuck with it for months and years ahead as you nurture it and love it every single day.
Nioh 2 is not your average hardcore RPG. Its combat has become a fast-paced flurry of attacks, parries and abilities which sets it apart from other games in the genre. It successfully improves on the original game’s mechanics and merges some new fun ways to build your character that will see you venturing into new game plus with a beastly build. There is a lot of content to enjoy here too with the first playthrough lasting well over 50 hours.
Two Point Hospital is a great example of a management game done well on console. I was not expecting it to be so darn addictive and feel so great but it did. Its a decent asking price and with the promise of future content coming our way is a great game to pass the time.
Simply put, there is nothing like Dreams. It combines magic and creativity in a world that you never want to escape from. Sure, some nights I sat on my couch trying to find something to do in it but other nights I could not put it down. I wish that there was more dedicated Media Molecule content to experience as Art’s Dream is over way too soon. However, give this game time and we will soon be experiencing the same quality content made by people all over the world. The possibilities are endless and even if you never touch the best tools, you will find countless hours of entertainment in the game’s Dream Surfing mode
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Darksider Genesis. The ending leaves much to be desired but the experience to get there was brutally fun and exciting. It takes around 12-15 hours to complete the main campaign and the arena is added content so overall, the game is a great package. I will be playing this next year on a console just to experience it all over again.
The game may have some clunky moments where the combat just feels unpolished and Cal’s jumping is a bit off, but this can all be forgiven when you realize this is the story-driven Star Wars game we have been asking for.
Not everyone will love Death Stranding and I won’t blame you. The game is not for everyone. Some episodes take over two dozen hours to complete and the rinse and repeat delivering mechanics could be an issue for some. However, it always rewards you in some way or another. Be it with its gorgeous and detailed world that is a joy to explore or the fantastic story that unfolds as you discover everything this ambitious game has to offer. There is simply nothing else like it and to be able to dive into it all is a magnificent experience one which will define this generation of gaming.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a fantastic adventure game and the co-op mode is just an added extra feature here. The story takes a good 15-hours to complete and every floor you enter is a joy to complete. It could be one of the best games on Switch this year.
Concrete Genie is a short but sweet adventure. Its painting features are easy to master and extremely fun to use and there was nothing more satisfying than bringing the town of Denska back to life one district at a time. Do I wish it was a little bit longer? Yes, but the time I spent with the game was enjoyable and I will most likely go back and collect all the other goodies and paint every single wall available.
Instead of feeling like a sequel, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint fails to improve on anything and delivers a boring sandbox game with little to no reason to keep playing. The fact is, Ubisoft has much better games on the market that deliver not only better open worlds to explore but just better shooters including Division 2 and Wildlands. Trust me, you will have a much more enjoyable time playing the 2017 Ghost Recon game.
The magic of Gears 5 is how all this comes together to offer the best entry in the series to date. Right from its exceptional campaign mode all the way to its new simple but effective Escape mode. The Seasonal Ranking ties everything you do across the game together to always deliver new challenges and rewards for completing them. It is simply one of the best games Microsoft has ever released.
Astral Chain is something truly unique. Its characters, combat, world and how it is all brought together made it an action game I could not help but love. Its a meaty game with a lot to experience with every moment filled with something exciting to do.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a fun shooter and that is about it. The story comes across like the scrapings from the bottom of a barrel, the characters are dull and the half-decent world is brought down by tedious missions and terrible backtracking. The game could have been a great introduction to the BJ twins but now I hope I never see them again.
It is a creepy and unsettling horror game that quickly evolves into a clumsy co-op mess and I am okay with that.
Still, the overall experience of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is good. It delivers a fantastic arcade beat em’ up that is a lot more fun with a friend that can actually do something. The roster of character makes it a dream Marvel game and the entire buffet of characters, even the supporting ones and villains, makes it a great adventure of discovery. I had no idea some of these people existed and that was the joy of it all.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 succeeded where the original game failed and kept me involved and in love throughout the entire experience. I never felt as if I was bored and the overall pace got tedious, something the original game suffered with. It is more fleshed out, has a faster pace and its multiplayer, while it takes what feels like forever to unlock, is a load of fun. I will keep going back and working on my Isle of Awakening as there is so much left to explore and discover in the game once you think it is over.
Super Mario Maker 2 could have been perfect if it mastered its local co-op but even without that feature, it is one fantastic game. Its Story Mode alone is worth its asking price and the endless array of courses you can find online and build yourself is just an added addition. I loved every moment of it and was hooked from the second I started building that darn castle. You will find lots to do here in Super Mario Maker 2.
The team-based system might take away from the skill required to master the game but the overall experience is enjoyable. For me, however, it is my least favourite out of the three released.
Even if you never played the original, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is one fantastic kart racer