Essentially, what I’m telling you is that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is indeed a bad video game. It’s not fun when it works, it’s even less so when it doesn’t, and the overall concept of the game is one that ultimately makes it feel unnecessary altogether.
I cannot overstate how bland I found Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters to be, I was actually pretty surprised by how bored I found myself hour after hour.
The DioField Chronicle is a game that I had little trouble sticking with throughout the review process, and could easily see myself going back to in order to finish up the few remaining trophies I have left. The fun gleaned from this strategy title is almost entirely due to the engaging battle system, which while a bit basic compared to other titles, is still a lot of fun to play. It's not a game that I'd wholeheartedly suggest picking up at full price, but I'd certainly suggest giving it a go after a sale or two.
I wouldn't call Moonscars a must play game, but I can appreciate that it tries to do a couple of new things with a sub-genre of Souls-like games that has become increasingly popular over the past few years. I think there are better examples of 2D Souls games out there, but Moonscars doesn't overstay its welcome and the combat/exploration is fun enough that I found myself willing to overlook most of the other issues.
This is very much a racing game focused on competition, both online and off, that drops any and all fluff or extraneous content in favor of doubling down on lots of car options, some really stellar track redesigns, and just the general thrill of competitive track racing. It’s not going to be a racing game for everyone, falling very much into the category of sim racer, but there are enough accessibility options and difficulty sliders that even the most inexperienced racing player will manage to eke out some enjoyment here.
While Avenging Spirit might not be my top '90s arcade game by any stretch, I do think the low price point and attention to detail on this release make it worth picking up.
It can be daunting to take on another RPG in a year that’s already seen a hefty number of popular releases, but Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg might be the perfect palate cleanser if you’re burned out on 40+ hour adventures at this point. It’s not the longest RPG in the world, nor the most complex, but it does offer a charming adventure that also serves as a new starting point for the long-running series from developer Gust.
Front Mission 1st: Remake seems to mark a possible resurgence for the strategy mech RPG in the West, and while I'd like to have seen a little more done with the concept of a remake here, I still enjoyed my time spent with one of the two campaigns for this review. It's not perfect by any stretch, but it was nice to revisit the original game again.
I’ve found The Expanse: A Telltale Series to be a solid attempt to re-establish Telltale as the king of adventure games once again. They were able to consistently hit their release deadlines for each episode, and with all now available, it’s the perfect time to check this one out. If you’ve ever had any affinity for the show, or Telltale’s prior efforts, you’ll likely find something to enjoy here.
While not the most innovative of the Shin Megami RPG spin-offs, Soul Hackers 2 is an enjoyable, lengthy, amalgamation of what you'd expect out of these games at this point.
I see little reason to not check out High on Life when you get a chance. It's a solid shooter that often manages to nail its jokes, has a unique visual style, and feels pretty great to control the further into the campaign you get. It isn't going to be the best shooter of all time, but it's certainly fun while it lasts, and worth checking out.
Fire Emblem Engage is worth checking out. It'll be a pretty appealing entry for both long-time and new Fire Emblem Fans, the Engage mechanic adds a fun layer to the already excellent combat system, and the bevy of new characters introduced are all generally entertaining. The look of the game is fantastic on the aging Switch hardware, bolstered by the excellent character designs, and the music is really well done. It might not be the best Fire Emblem on the Switch, but it's still a really solid adventure regardless.
if you're willing to look over some of the rough patches or have any love for checking out older classics, then you'll likely find Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is right up your alley
I found myself fairly engrossed with Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, and would argue it's the best of the Omega Force/Nintendo collaborations so far. It runs really well in both handheld and TV mode (certainly far better than Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity) and the combat is propelled to another, more interesting level when you start utilizing the ability to command your various units as objectives appear. So even if you've not played through a single musou game before, I think Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes would make a pretty great impression for brand new players, while also breathing some fresh air into the formula for returning fans.
As someone who is a fan of Forza Horizon and didn’t care a great deal for The Crew 2, this latest entry in The Crew certainly works for me. I’ve had a lot of fun driving around the island of Oahu, and the Hawaii setting is a great backdrop for all the racing this game contains. While maybe not the most original racer on the market, this approach for The Crew Motorfest makes for a better experience overall, and helps fill the void for AAA arcade racers this year.
The story is weird and interesting enough to also keep you entertained, which certainly helps make Gunbrella feel fresh despite there being a number of retro-themed action-platformers on the market today. I’d highly recommend checking out Gunbrella when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Starfield is, overall, a very good RPG from a studio known for making very good RPGs. Not the most surprising news I’m sure, but it’s nice to see that they’re able to break away from the Elder Scrolls and Fallout settings successfully, and I do feel like their take on space exploration is a breath of fresh air for this type of RPG experience. It’s a huge game overall, so if you’re the person that believes time played = value, you’ll be pretty happy with this one for sure, but at the same time if you’re worried about overall quality, I think you’ll still enjoy your time with Starfield.
I really, really dug my time spent with Arcade Paradise, and thought the sheer variety of arcade games was pretty impressive, as was the actual amount of upgrades and story content available.
I really found myself engrossed with Metal: Hellsinger, and the solid FPS gunplay paired with a challenging rhythm mechanic keeps you pretty engaged throughout. It's a neat concept that certainly hasn't worn out its welcome so far, and I'd certainly like to see it expanded upon in the future, so hopefully a sequel or DLC won't be out of the question. Definitely check it out Metal: Hellsinger if any of this sounds intriguing, you won't be disappointed.
While not as shocking of a change as 2018?s God of War reinvention, God of War Ragnarök has proven itself a fantastic follow-up over the 40+ hours I?ve spent playing it. Ragnarök, like a good, traditional sequel should, expands upon ideas and mechanics from God of War in ways that feel like a natural evolution of the 2018 game. Kratos and Atreus’ journey across the Nine Realms is fully realized here, making for a fantastic visual and gameplay feast that is sure to please the many fans that God of War: Ragnarök's predecessor gained.