I may be done with this review, but I'm not done with Tetris Effect: Connected. I may not be seeing tetrominos during my day job, but I do have a newfound obsession with Tetris. Since starting this game, I've gone down YouTube rabbit holes learning about t-spins, tips, and tricks to improve my Tetris game. I've replayed modes to beat my previous high score, which I don't normally do in games. Even after this review, I'm eager to jump back into Journey mode to hear some of my favorite songs before booting up another title. As an added bonus, the multiplayer options make for a solid package that should offer players tons of hours of Tetris.
What a wild ride it is. I didn't want Yakuza: Like a Dragon to end. A part of me wonders if I grinded out battles and business minigames more than was intended, simply because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Ichiban and friends. Fortunately, the story wraps up nicely and leaves the door open for a possible sequel - even though it wavers a bit near the end. This isn't farewell to Ichiban. With a new cast of charming characters, Like A Dragon feels like the start of a new saga in the Yakuza franchise. Until next time, Kasuga-kun.
These gripes didn't detract too much from my overall enjoyment of Call of the Sea . With a gripping, well-paced story that isn't afraid to delve into the realm of surreal and weird, Call of the Sea is an adventure title that's sure to please fans of the genre. You won't feel like the next Einstein when completing its puzzles, and the love story won't bring you to tears, but there's something charming about it for that very reason. It's a concise, seven-hour journey that progresses at a steady rate without ever overstaying its welcome.
I enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 despite its warts. Underneath all of the bugs, broken AI, and questionable Reeves voice acting is a gem of a game that would greatly benefit from additional polish. Considering the developer's track record, I fully expect CD Projekt Red to release voluminous updates to address the title's many issues, but until the inevitable "Game of the Year" edition, prepare yourself for a fun cyberpunk playground that's currently marred with a litany of issues.
These faults weren't enough to deter me from sinking over 10 hours into Forgive Me Father. There's a lot to love about the game, especially if you turn down certain elements in the audio options. Classic shooters live or die on a handful of core elements, and for the most part, Forgive Me Father meets those needs: a strong shotgun that decimates enemies, fast-paced action that constantly has you adjusting tactics, and hidden secret areas scattered across the levels. Some of this falls to the wayside when you're craving the next ammo drop that the game refuses to provide you, but it's an otherwise enjoyable shooter that's dripping with character. It provides plenty of joy with a dose of Cthulhu madness on the side.
The Humankind - Cultures of Latin America DLC doesn't seem to add much to drastically change the core gameplay of Humankind. Some of my favorite features were part of the free Bolivar update that every player receives, such as the ability to see how beneficial a facility is to your city upon completion; it's a nice data point that every strategy game should adopt. If you already own Humankind and want to add more cultures that boast some very strong early-game army units, the Cultures of Latin America DLC is a worthy pickup given its low price point of $8.99 USD.