Nazih Fares
- Overwatch
- Persona 5
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Nazih Fares's Reviews
Persona 5 is almost a perfect game and P Studio's best entry in the series, making it a must-buy PlayStation console exclusive. Thanks to an excellent story, charismatic cast of characters, a perfectly calibrated combat system, quality dating sim mechanics, amazing soundtrack and art direction, topped with a monstrous lifespan thanks to a New Game+, Persona 5 might be the best JRPG of 2017, if not the best game released so far.
A compilation of everything that worked in the past with some amazing innovations, Far Cry 5 is easily the best entry in the entry since the third opus. Whether it is the settings, storyline, charismatic villains or supporting characters, this is by far one of Ubisoft's best work this year.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is easily one of the best games of this early 2018 and will probably mark the rest of the year for its great accomplishment. Both a visual and musical feast for all sort of players, Level-5’s sequel to the original JRPG mixes both a bold change of gameplay mechanics, additional depth, and a solid story without harming the legacy of the series. A delight for both fans and newcomers.
Nioh is the kind of action-JRPG that we like, and while it’s heavily influenced by Dark Souls and Bloodborne, it has its own charm and original mechanics. Nioh's level design may be rather simple and linear when compared to the sprawling worlds crafted by From Software, but the combat system is dynamic and lives up to the standards of Team Ninja. In short, Nioh is not a simple clone or reskin of Bloodborne as most thought, but rather it combines Bloodborne’s challenging combat with its own mechanics and world-building to form an amazing gaming experience that will entertain fans of From Software games and newcomers to the genre.
Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition is the definitive version of the award-winning 2016 game, and its additional content, the inclusion of Season Pass and free updates makes it a great buy for those that didn't get the chance to play it on console or PC.
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.
Monster Hunter: World is an episode worthy of the ambitions of Capcom's franchise, finally using modern platforms to do what was needed to upgrade the series, and able to attract both veteran hunters and newcomers. It clearly represents the future of the franchise, and we highly recommend you try it out, as it's a must-have whether you played any of the Monster Hunter games or not.
Final Fantasy XV is a very different title from what the series has offered us so far, but that's not a bad thing at all. Opting for a more compact narrative storytelling which can be finished in about twenty hours, it turns us into spectators of a story that is much deeper than it seems. But it also offers a gigantic and magnificent open world with sceneries that will make you drool like the graphic nerd you are. Topped with many sidequests, bounties and upcoming downloadable contents to extend the lifetime to hundreds of hours, Final Fantasy XV succeeds its bet and proves to be a must for this end of year gaming season.
Red Hook Studios' Darkest Dungeon wins on all fronts by offering a challenging and addictive gameplay. Everything is underlined by a great gothic style art direction and soundtrack, original mechanics and fun blend of rogue-like, turn-based and RPG games.
Forza Horizon 4 is an excellent blend of arcade racing and racing sims, and it’s probably the best installment of the Horizon series thus far. It offers a breathtaking open world to drive through and some very accessible racing for mainstream fans, along with a bit of tinkering for people that like their racers a bit more technical.
D-Pad Studio's Owlboy is everything you love about the indie game industry: a pixel-art visual masterpiece that is supported by a solid story, gameplay and amazing soundtrack. It's available on Nintendo Switch and PC, and you should definitely get it, with no regrets.
It's no surprise that the sequel of a great game is one as well, and Injustice 2 fuses perfectly a fighting game with DC Comics fan service. This love of the comics is everywhere in the game, with the most generous roster of the franchise, an ever-evolving and updated multiverse mode, countless cinematic, a loot system, and of course a complete PvP mode. In short, NetherRealm's Injustice 2 is a a great title for DC Comics and fighting game fans
Tribute Games' Flinthook is a unique take on Rogue-like games, with gorgeous pixel art, catchy soundtrack and addictive gameplay mechanics. Now available on the Nintendo Switch, it's a worthy investment on the console if you haven't played it yet on other platforms.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is the kind of exclusive the Nintendo Switch deserves. Gorgeous, simple to learn, yet difficult to master, this collaboration between Ubisoft and Nintendo is a work of art that nobody should miss on the Nintendo's latest console.
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.
The most beautiful experience in the series, YAKUZA 6: The Song of Life is great way to close the Kiryu's story in style, with a fun and long adventure, full of content and side activities. Even if you didn't play the previous games, you shouldn't miss this goofy yet also mature and serious game.
Dragon Ball Fighter Z is a great fighting game while paying homage to the original Akira Toriyama series lovers by fans. The combat system seems simple but do not get fooled. If you want to master the game, you might have to watch couple of top players videos as it really gets complicated once you must pull out different character synergies and combos. Couple of issues here and there such as the difficulty level being too easy in story mode, but this should not ruin the great work put together by Arc System Works.
If you own a Nintendo Switch or plan to get it soon, it would be inconceivable not to grab Lumines Remastered, unless Puzzle games are not your thing.
Yoku's Island Express is a must-have on the Nintendo Switch. It's a fun fusion between a pinball game and Metroidvania, with great lifespan and innovative gameplay mechanics. Get it now, you can thank us later!
It might not feel that different from last year, but NBA 2K19 continues to be the best there is in terms of sports simulation games with neat updates. A definite pick for fans!