At this point, it’s pretty evident that I am digging my time with the remake, and there’s not a lot of “buts” to go along with it, which is a testament to how Bloober Team revived this classic. Clocking in at around 14-18 hours long in your first playthrough, the game features eight endings which means repeated playthroughts are almost a necessity and further adds to its replay value. The outstanding horror remakes started by Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes, EA’s Dead Space remake continues with Konami’s Silent Hill 2, and horror gaming fans should be delighted, as Bloober Team manages to make this horror classic better in every way, and in turn become a classic of its own. Hopefully, this very promising start means we’ll see Bloober Team continue to remake the rest of the series’ games in the coming years. Regardless if you’re a horror fan or not, you owe it to yourself to brave the fog, paint the town bloody red in Silent Hill 2.
At the end of the day, though, XDefiant is free to try and free to own. There is literally zero barriers for entry to try it out. But even so, does it respect the player enough to warrant pouring hours into it? I have to say yes, but barely. Sure, the developers have promised a lot of things that are headed to the game, but we can’t grade a product based on its potential, right? If the devs do manage to add a ping system, adjust objective scoring, etc., then that could make XDefiant one of the year’s best multiplayer experiences. But until that day happens, we need to score it based on what’s on the table. For now, XDefiant is worth the download and disk space. I mean, I’m now at level 80+ and even with the issues I’ve mentioned, I’m still playing it; that has to account for something, right? If its execution matches its ambition, then this could be the start of another long-running Ubisoft franchise.
I have no experience in making games, but I imagine crafting a AAA experience on a new IP is not an easy task, and Don’t Nod manages to do that and then some. Prepare yourself for the first surprise hit of the year, and if the game’s quality is any indication, this looks like the start of a new franchise — one that I can’t wait to dive into yet again. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one haunting you owe it to yourself to experience.
While there are tech issues (a lot, to be honest), Survivor is still a very fun game. There are bosses to vanquish, people to help, and even if the story isn’t the strongest part of the game, you’ll still want to finish it just to see how it plays out. Respawn hasn’t hit the dreaded Sophomore Slump with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but it’s not the massive follow-up that a lot of people (including this reviewer) were hoping for. It manages to keep the status quo in providing a fantastic Star Wars experience, but one that’s marred by technical issues. Don’t get me wrong, this sequel is definitely a must-play for any Star Wars fan, but it could have been so much more, given more time and polish. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a fun action game and a worthy follow-up from Respawn; just be prepared to fight some of its tech issues along the way.
Resident Evil 4 Remake may not be the 1:1 remake that fans may have been hoping for, but for all that Capcom has accomplished with it, it certainly does manage to recapture the very same magic we experienced decades ago. It’s what I remember playing, even though I know how different it actually is, and that, to you, should tell you enough just how good of a remake this ended up being. And sure, there are some changes that fans may not be too fond of, but overall, Resident Evil 4 remake ends up remaining faithful, elevating the original vision to new heights with its overhauled gameplay, improved visuals, and refined story. If it’s even possible, Capcom has made an already excellent game even better, and as it stands now, Resident Evil 4 remake is now the gold standard when it comes to remakes.
Simply put: It doesn’t matter if you’ve played and finished the original Dead Space or not, Motive Studio’s remake is a perfect reimagining of the franchise. This is how remakes should be, and I’m very glad Motive nailed it out of the park. Hopefully, this means that we’ll see a Dead Space 2 remake (which is the best one in the trilogy in my opinion) announced soon. Rejoice, franchise fans! Motive has resurrected the franchise and with style! Dead Space 2023 is a fantastic way to start the year for horror fans, and is one indoctrination worth experiencing.
Don’t expect Inside to deviate much from start to finish, but you’ll find that it doesn’t need to. If you liked Limbo (or even if you didn’t, maybe?), or found yourself piqued just a little by what you’ve seen of Inside, then go snatch it up. It’s a rabbit hole that you’ll find comfort in diving into.