Diablo 4 launched with Season 0 just over a year ago now, but with Vessel of Hatred’s release, the game today is nearly unrecognizable. Virtually every system has felt the gentle caress of the quality-of-life bat, and the game is far better suited for it. Season 6, the one just before the expansion’s launch, was absolutely the best the 4th installment in the storied franchise has ever felt to date.
World of Warcraft: Legion goes a long way towards fixing the issues plaguing the series. While it doesn’t quite squash them all, it’s leaps and bounds ahead of the last two expansion packs in terms of content and all round fun. Even now I can’t wait until I can next dive back in to Azeroth and continue my journey through the Broken Isles.
Shadowkeep is a big stride forward for Destiny 2, and it shows that Bungie cares about its game.
F1 22 brings a whole suite of improvements to what was already a very good series, and I look forward to it consuming my life for the next few months.
While your mileage will undoubtedly vary, Cult of the Lamb is an easy recommendation – now excuse me while I get back to vibing to River Boy’s banging soundtrack.
With a flashy and visually spectacular art style, excellent music and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humour, Street Fighter 6 should be on the radar of anybody looking to take a swing at a titan of the genre at its best.
Diablo 4 is the triumph an embattled Blizzard needs to steady its ship, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
There’s never been a better time to dip into the Monster Hunter franchise than with Wilds. Hope to see you out there, hunter.
Whether you’re a fan of Formula 1, a die-hard sim enthusiast or even just a casual racing game fan then it’s hard to go past F1 2021. There’s something for everyone in this years offering, and I can’t wait to get stuck in to the new tracks later this year.
Back 4 Blood doesn’t just imitate the Left 4 Dead formula like these titles, it elevates it past its predecessor. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia for the 12 year old title, or maybe just poor memory, that fuels our rose-tinted retrospection and distaste for something new. Regardless, Back 4 Blood takes the concept to the next level and builds in layers of cool ideas and just plain fun gameplay.
The AC series is one that rewards your ability to adapt and persevere in equal measure. To overcome it’s challenges you have to learn its systems and soldier on in the face of inevitable defeat. Series veterans will dine well, and if you’re signing up as a newcomer then do yourself a favour – don’t expect Armored Core 6 to be something it’s not. Try enjoying it for what it is instead.
Dragon Age The Veilguard is the epitome of 'better than the sum of its parts'. It’s been so long since I experienced this level of joy in a long-form RPG; I have a compulsion to keep playing and finish one more quest.
At the end of the day and despite its flaws, DiRT 5 is fun; a lot of fun, in fact. Even after churning through hours of races, enduring near constant game crashes and even being deprived of that rocking soundtrack, I still had a blast. If you’re after a fun little splash around in the mud while listening to some excellent pop punk and rock, then you’ll love what’s on offer here. If the Forza Horizon games are the festival of speed, then surely DiRT 5 is the festival of fun.
STALKER 2 is stable and runs consistently at a high framerate on my higher end system. Guns make noises, the gaping wounds in the earth have been knitted over and characters models no longer desync in cutscenes.
In the end, Capcom hasn't built this game for me. It's hard and frustrating… but for some, that's exactly what they want. While it may be more accessible to newcomers, this is still a Monster Hunter game made for the series' faithful.
Extraction is an above average experience. The gunplay is top notch – expected when it’s pulled directly from Siege – and overall is fun, if a bit shallow. While I can’t speak to its long term lifespan, it’s easy to recommend jumping in and giving it a whirl.
When you’re in it and smashing around the track against expert AI or other players, this is where Gran Turismo 7 excels. All of the weirdness that Polyphony Digital has bolted on to this quality car game fades away into obscurity. But sadly, that’s not all this is. Instead, it’s a jumble of well-made car racing and strange design decisions, coupled with his tonally odd take on what it means to be a car nerd. For now though, Gran Turismo 7 is the best console racing game for the masses, at least until another contender comes along.
It’s an easy recommend for series fans, just don’t expect it to be the lumbering behemoth that was Payday 2… yet.
Ultimately, I think there’s too much here to fully judge the game off one playthrough. Those who dive headlong into this somewhat niche presentation of Australiana are sure to find joy amongst the rough. For gamers like me, boring min-maxers who like to “get it right” the first time, things can be a bit harder – but there’s still plenty here to love.
At least the gameplay is fun. Finally.