Khurram Imtiaz's Reviews
Monster Hunter World was already a great game but with Iceborne, Capcom has made it even better. It is easily one of the best expansions released for a game this generation and worthy enough to be considered on its own.
Going all the way back to the golden age of JRPGs, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is one of the more admirable efforts by Square Enix to bring their classic games lineup to a modern platform. Minor issues aside, it is not a bad way to experience this gem.
While it lacks the scare factor, the concept of a horror anthology series with co-op multiplayer is pretty unique and executed in a great way. The writing is rather weak for this first entry but the gameplay with its branching narrative offers sufficient replay value.
Oninaki fails to present its story in a meaningful manner, but the combat system has its moments. The overall quality of the game is held back due to its repetitiveness and ideas that fail to materialize properly.
Control is a fascinating insight into what a developer like Remedy Entertainment can pull off based on their experience in creating cinematic story games mixed with action gameplay. It ranks among one of their best works released so far.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses feels like the culmination of a decade of experimental Fire Emblem games that bring the best out from each entry into a single package. It might not be the best one in the series, but it is easily the most enjoyable one so far.
Wolfenstein Youngblood suffers from a myriad of issues including bad game design, unnecessary gameplay clutter, and a forced shift to co-op gameplay that hardly feels ideal. It is a disappointing entry in the classic Wolfenstein series that has delivered some of the best first-person narrative-focused shooters this generation.
What it lacks in gameplay is made up with a huge playable character roster and a fun story. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is a great fanservice game especially if you have enjoyed the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle doesn't improve the base game much aside from adding new story content and some minor gameplay tweaks. It is still one of the best anime video game adaptions that is worth a recommendation if you are a fan of the show.
Expanding on the foundations set by the first game, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a sequel that takes full advantage of its source material. Not only is the scope of the game several times bigger now, but the improvements that are made to the story, characters, and gameplay lead to a vastly superior experience.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is a great Kart racing game with a difficult learning curve. It suffers from some minor technical issues on the Nintendo Switch but overall, it is a solid port that plays beautifully on the hardware.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night succeeds in continuing the legacy of the Castlevania series but with a different name. As a Metroidvania, it easily ranks in among the best in the genre offering a fairly comprehensive overall package.
Samurai Shodown is one of the better 3D fighters available on the market that has managed the transition from its original 2D style to a 3D one rather well. It is a technical fighter that leads to a satisfying result if you can master its in-depth mechanics.
Collection of Mana is a nostalgia-fueled ride through three classic games. There is no additional bonus with each of the ports, but all three games are handled well and offer some nice quality-of-life features. If you can't wait for Trials of Mana Remake, this is not a bad way to play through arguably one of the best Mana game.
Atelier Lulua is a significant entry in the Arland series with many noticeable improvements made for the gameplay. The story just acts as a stepping stone to send the player on an adventure with a charming lead and memorable cast.
Sumo Digital has delivered a solid Kart racing game based on the Sonic brand. They have succeeded in creating a sense of speed with the races, providing a good amount of content for replay value, and an entertaining track design encouraging you to explore every corner for secrets.
RAGE 2 offers an incredibly stylish and pleasing combat system with a variety of weapons and skills, but the open world traversal and a disappointing story make it a less than stellar experience.
The concept of making a co-op focused third-person shooter based on the World War Z movie is exciting in theory, but the execution here is clearly flawed. Nevertheless, it is a solid shooter that works out mostly in its co-op mode with a group of friends.
A Plague Tale offers a compelling narrative that revolves around the emotional bond shared between a brother and sister. The excellence in storytelling overcomes its shortcoming in gameplay where stealth takes the main focus.
Mortal Kombat 11 feels like a highly polished fighting game with a great story campaign. There are certain issues with the game balance and economy that make it somewhat less appealing, but the developers so far have been quite vocal and open about resolving it, which is encouraging and shows a promising future. Given some time, this could be an easy contender for the best Mortal Kombat released so far.