Nazih Fares's Reviews
Rock of Ages II: Bigger & Boulder doesn't change much when compared to its predecessor, but at least it's still a decent title. In a way, with the amount of added content, it could've been considered an expansion pack of the original game, full of humor but bogged down a little with its very repetitive gameplay.
Warriors All-Stars is a game content to pile up emblematic characters of Tecmo Koei's franchises around an heavy action gameplay. Suffering from an artistic direction that mixes weirdly, I can only recommend this game to true fans of the franchises and lovers of the Musou genre.
For an independent production, Semispheres is a pretty good surprise from Vivid Helix. The whole dual control concept and ingenious puzzles will give you an entertaining but sadly short experience on the Nintendo Switch.
Lawbreakers has some rough edges and it’s had a bit of a bumpy launch, but under the issues is a really solid arena FPS that has wacky, chaotic, and fun moments. It could use more players and some tweaking, but it has the makings of an FPS classic.
Forma.8 is an excellent Metroidvania from the Italian developer Mixed Bags. A game rich in depth, Forma.8 is a must have on the Nintendo Switch, giving you one hell of an experience that is simple to get used to, but can be dangerous and difficult at times.
This new version of Resident Evil: Revelations is mainly intended for those that never played it before, and have one of the current generation of consoles. It's a simple port with nothing added from previous generations, and you can tell that with outdated textures and graphics.
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is such a large expansion that it feels almost like a game of its own. If adding a little more than 10-15 hours of game time, new settings, enemies, missions and allies, it's the little improvements done to the core that makes this a true strategy delight for XCOM fans.
With this new episode, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite retains its core elements while drastically modifying certain gameplay features in order to seduce as many newcomers as possible. While it might lose some of its core identity, the series gains however in a boost of accessibility, but I wish more work was done on the visual side of the game, especially when it comes to its roster which can be considered a little weak in comparison to previous entries in the franchise.
It's no surprise that this year as well, NBA 2K18 is a very strong entry in the franchise. If the developers bet very much on the Neighborhood, it seemed quite uninteresting and even rather painful to use, but at least the strength of NBA 2K18, as every year, is in the precision of its gameplay, and the richness of its game modes. A must for fans of the NBA and basketball.
Without aiming to revolutionize the recipe, Destiny 2 does exactly what you’d expect of it: to correct the numerous defects of a game which had the base of becoming a legendary experience. With its impressive artistic direction and the beauty of its soundtrack, Destiny 2 offers this time a properly done story experience worthy of the legacy of Bungie. Epic, alone or with friends, the game is simply richer, more complete, and better thought out. A must have whether you are a veteran of the series or a budding guardian.
Whether you're a fan or not, you'll probably dig a lot SteamWorld Dig 2 (all puns intended). Full of challenges and hidden treasures to find, there's a lot more to do than the first game, which will last you for a decent 20 hours or more.
As expected, Project Cars 2 is an excellent racing game, continuing its legacy of appealing to hardcore or simple racers. Full of love for the motorsport, Slightly Mad Studios added so much content that you probably won't get bored for a long time, yet still has its flaws when it comes to AI and illogical collision system, which hopefully will be fixed with future patches.
Without changing the foundations of the franchise, Dishonored: Death of the Outsiders plunges us successfully into a thrilling adventure. Arkane Studios' newest chapter is more about the action than the stealth infiltration formula this time, which can get some people out of their comfort zones, but once used ot it, will enjoy the deadly possibilities of killing your enemies.
If you never played the original, Sine Mora EX is a great way to discover one of the most unique SHMUP from the past 10 years. While this remastered version has the merit of adding couple of extra features to appeal to the veterans, the game is still an easy sell thanks to its great gameplay mechanics, decent price tag and interesting universe.
When you thought that Turn 10 Studios couldn't make it better, they give us Forza Motorsport 7 that is simply divine. An exceptional achievement of gaming technology for the Microsoft first-party console exclusive, the game is impressive whether you can play it in "humble" 1080p at 60fps, or eventually reach 4K with 60fps on the upcoming Xbox One X. Without matching Project Cars 2's LiveTrack 3.0 system and realism, the Forza Motorsports 7 Dynamic Weather engine is a right start, and the "Career" mode is more engaging than the usual versions. A must have if you have the Xbox One!
Cuphead is the most beautiful 2D arcade shooter released in the past decade, and one hell of an exclusive for the Xbox One console. Studio MDHR might have delayed it numerous times, but the end results is full of flavour, ideas, variety and one of the best jazz composition I've heard in a long time.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar has everything an RPG fan would like, whether it's a captivating universe, an original turn-based system or even the plethora of activities. Sadly while the core is great, the game suffers from a weak storytelling, too much grinding and a lot of technical problems.
While Pankapu is not that original, it's a solid start for a first game from Too Kind Studio. The creative direction is beautiful, but the gameplay is not solid enough to incite a sure buy for everyone.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is pretty much the same game as it was five years ago. While it improves on the fluidity when it comes to compare with the original versions, it keeps all of its defects and flaws, without even trying to upgrade the texture or framerate. Grab it if you never played it, but for veterans, that's a pretty pointless pick.
Oxenfree is heavily narrative oriented gaming experience that would be a shame to skip on any platform. While it’s not a revolutionary concept, the Night School Studio game is original with its creative and soundtrack direction, as well as touching some fun topics, and a story full of suspense. Whether you have a Nintendo Switch or not, you should definitely try this game, which happens to be out on almost all gaming platforms.