Dalton Cooper's Reviews
'Cat game' Stray accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, delivering an authentic cat experience in the form of an adorable puzzle/platformer.
Interactive drama game As Dusk Falls has a strong start, but it's quickly bogged down by pacing issues and an uninteresting second half.
Rabbids: Party of Legends surpasses Mario Party in some ways, but it has a few major flaws keeping it from reaching its full potential.
The Jackbox Party Starter features three of the best Jackbox Party Pack mini-games, but one would be better off buying a full game instead.
Mario Strikers: Battle League's core gameplay is a blast, especially with friends, but the game suffers from a severe lack of content.
Evil Dead: The Game is one of the better asymmetric multiplayer horror games out there, but it's severely lacking content in its current state.
It's possible that Nintendo will improve Nintendo Switch Sports with future updates, but that remains to be seen. It's known that Nintendo Switch Sports is adding golf in a future update, but otherwise Nintendo's post-launch plans for the game remain a mystery. There's a lot of work to be done to make Nintendo Switch Sports even half as fun as its predecessors, and as it stands now, it's a game that Switch owners can safely skip.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is an easy recommendation for Borderlands and D&D fans, but those who have had their fill of the franchise may get tired of the repetitive combat and constantly looting useless items. The technical problems are the biggest issue, so hopefully, Gearbox Software releases new Tiny Tina's Wonderlands updates to address them soon.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an adorable 3D platformer that feels like a major step forward for the long-running franchise.
The next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto 5 is a new way to play one of the best games ever made, but the upgrades may not be worth it for everyone.
From Showcase to MyGM, WWE 2K22 is stuffed with content, and in terms of graphics and polish, it's a huge improvement over its predecessors. But the game has some notable drawbacks, especially with the botched MyGM, which could have been the crown jewel of WWE 2K22's game modes. The foundation is there for a future WWE game to provide a more fleshed-out MyGM experience, so hopefully, it isn't abandoned again.
Time will tell how fans will react to Gran Turismo 7's microtransactions, but putting them aside, what's there is still a deep racing game experience that will keep fans of the genre busy for hours on end. It's a gorgeous racing game and while it's not going to be knocking down any boundaries to convert non-racing game fans, Gran Turismo 7 should greatly appeal to its target audience.
There's room for improvement in a potential Pokemon Legends: Arceus sequel, but what's here will still keep Pokemon fans busy for hours on end. Pokemon Legends: Arceus's gameplay is simple but incredibly rewarding, stripping away much of the tediousness that has plagued recent entries in the series to focus on what's fun. Those who grew up with Pokemon should like it especially, as while it makes dramatic changes to the core formula, it somehow feels truer to the spirit of Pokemon than the older releases.
CrossfireX is a complete misfire with poor controls, painfully generic campaigns, and an uninspired multiplayer experience.
Open world zombie Dying Light 2 from Techland nails its parkour traversal mechanics, but unfortunately gets little else right.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection makes two of the best PlayStation 4 games even better with significant visual and performance enhancements.
The Gunk has its flaws, but it's still a mostly enjoyable way to spend a few hours. It's a short but sweet adventure with gameplay reminiscent of PS2-era platforming games and so fans of the genre should certainly give it a look through Xbox Game Pass.
Solar Ash is repetitive and short, but that doesn't take away from how fun the core gameplay is. The developers have nailed Solar Ash's traversal system, making it genuinely fun to explore and complete the various platforming challenges. The art style is striking, the bosses are impressive, and while it may not have the same lasting impact Hyper Light Drifter did, Solar Ash is still worth checking out for fans of Heart Machine's work and the 3D platformer genre in general.
There are great stories here, memorable characters, fun missions, and the tools players need to create countless hours of their own entertainment. The foundation of GTA Trilogy is comprised of three of the best games ever made, and so there is inherent value, especially for newcomers. But while the core gameplay of GTA Trilogy is truly incredible, the overall package feels rushed and haphazard. Those desperate for old school GTA on modern consoles should check the collection out, especifically if the promised Grand Theft Auto Trilogy fixes come through, but everyone else can safely skip it.
Call of Duty: Vanguard will get better with time, but the launch game is still an impressive package. The Campaign is short but sweet and the Multiplayer is a blast, though Zombies fans will likely come away disappointed. Even with Zombies failing to live up to expectations, though, Call of Duty: Vanguard still has a lot to offer fans of the franchise and is very much worth the price of admission.