Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a big, sloppy hodgepodge of AAA video game tropes, nerdy Star Wars stuff, and unearned blockbuster drama.
As the third game in a set of direct sequels, tied into several other games set in the same world and timeline, it’s simply amazing those creative juices are still flowing and coherent. It’ll be over soon, but jeez, hell of a run.
Both the campaign and (currently divisive) multiplayer add a lot of new angles and depth to the usual Call of Duty experience. Unfortunately, that all comes at the cost of a good story, and the last Modern Warfare had a great story.
It’s a light snack in a genre full of hearty feasts. It won’t blow your mind or change your life, but Destiny Connect will help you relax for a while.
Indivisible is exactly what it looks like. It's an indie-funded exploration of familiar, nostalgic genre space, with its own distinct flavor. It features ridiculously clean and complex animations, practically looking like a TV series in motion. It also opens up with some animation produced by Studio TRIGGER which is a real treat. While the combat isn't as meaty as I'd like, and there isn't a whole lot of exploration or nuance in its platforming, Indivisible is a lovely, wholesome, and breezy RPG experience that doesn't come from the usual spots.
It's also totally great on a mobile PS4 remote play rig, which I messed around with as well. Regardless of how you play it, The Alliance Alive is a fulfilling JRPG that isn't afraid to do things a little differently, while still showing its love for that classic 90s style. The Alliance Alive HD puts the game on modern platforms, and it's absolutely a title deserving of a second chance.
Despite my initial hesitation, I found myself really digging Contra: Rogue Corps. My fears that it looked like a cheap, grody-looking, nothing game trying to cruise on a classic IP ended up being completely unfounded. Instead, what I got was a game clearly under Kawazato’s supervision, but with younger blood coursing through its veins.
FIFA 20 feels like it might be a more divisive entry than usual.
I had fun with Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered, but I found myself knocking it down to easy so I could just hit things without thinking too hard, and going through the more compelling sights and sounds without having to dive into a bunch of clumsy systems I didn’t enjoy engaging with.
Root Letter: Last Answer adds even more to it, so fans of the original still have a legitimate reason to look into this new version. Just don’t bother with the live action visuals, unless you want to turn this charming light novel into a corny b-movie.
All I see is a story that embraces its own toxicity, with views on relationships so useless and counterproductive it’s almost suspicious how desperately it wants Vincent to be a hero.
As someone who generally enjoys mindless grinding, there was some comfort in making my way through Black Desert’s massive landscape. But when there are other options that feel more polished, thoughtful, and creative, it’s hard to recommend Black Desert unless the absence of a subscription fee is a key factor.
Control is another game from Remedy that does exactly what you'd expect from Remedy. It's a little off-kilter, but thoughtful and meticulously written. It's a little janky (sometimes a lot janky), but its mechanics amount to solid junk food when everything is functioning as intended. Control is definitely a step back into "AA" territory after the big ambitions that powered Quantum Break, but frankly this is exactly the sort of space Remedy excels in. While it can be rough at times, Control is like a paperback novel you pick up to kill some time, then unexpectedly find a lot of intrigue and charm.
CRYSTAR won’t be competing with Devil May Cry in the video game as video game-ass video game department, but as a story it absolutely earned its spot on my shelf.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood comes off as a big experiment, and attempts to take something people like and do something new with it. I’m glad MachineGames was afforded the creative leeway to make it.
Much like the anime that came before it, Kill la Kill: the Game is weird, wild, and loud, but also a bit shallow. But unlike the anime, the Game doesn’t have the same feeling of scale to it, the same feeling of unrestrained creators working with a healthy budget and top-tier industry names.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a pretty cool game. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome extension of it, adding features that further distills the game's core appeal and adds an entire new game of shockingly excellent storytelling in terms of scale and quality. I don't really know what happens between those two points yet, and I have a long road of Final Fantasy XIV ahead of me yet. But after my experiences so far in learning the game, experiencing its latest expansion, and seeing just how much I have left to see and do, well, I'm in it for the long haul.
With so much to do, fun, engaging play and a cute, lighthearted story that takes its time to breathe, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the best kind of sequel.
Crash Bandicoot fans will certainly be happy, and are likely already on board. Those looking for a challenge will have a good time chasing trophies. Casual/Party players who like kart games probably will want to stick with Sonic and Mario.
Aside from some minor performance issues and localization typos barely worth mentioning, Bloodstained is an incredible feat in independent video game development. I’ll be coming back to this one for years to come.