Far Cry 6 is a familiar yet fun outing for the franchise. What Ubisoft has crafted generally fits within the confines of the blueprint first put into place in 2012’s Far Cry 3.
STRAFE will certainly attract a very specific crowd, likely one filled with gluttons for punishment. The core game provides a solid offering, but nostalgia and gory gunplay need a bit more to make this game rise above the monotony and frustration that settle in over time.
Everspace blends enough new and old to create an enticing package for both longtime fans and newcomers to the genre. The bleeding-edge graphics pair nicely with buttery-smooth maneuvering and together they are able to overcome the game’s lesser parts, such as the story. To wrap it up, Everspace provides one of the most satisfying experiences this side of the Milky Way.
Serious Sam’s Bogus Detour is a nostalgia-filled romp with familiar characters tossed into a new genre. The game loses little in its move over to the twin-stick shooter category, maintaining the components that we have all come to know and love over the past decade and a half. While not every new ingredient to Sam’s formula adds significant value, the end result is a lovingly-crafted shooter that retains the soul of Serious Sam.
Yakuza Kiwami is positioned as a perfect jumping on point for newcomers just now discovering Sega’s gang-centric criminal drama. Series veterans will still find plenty to love in the carefully handcrafted remake of Kazuma Kiryu’s first appearance, with a wealth of new and enticing content. Regardless of which category you find yourself a part of, Yakuza Kiwami is hands down one of the finest remakes ever made of an already extraordinary game and provides an experience that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
Absolver is a unique blend of deep martial arts combat, RPG systems, and social interaction. Sloclap’s dedication to their combat mechanics is obvious and it has paid off. The game boasts one of the deepest systems for skirmishes I have yet to encounter. This lies at the heart of Absolver and it is a solid foundation on which to build the rest of the game. Thanks to the quality of combat and the visual appeal of the striking art style, the shortcomings found within the AI and narrative do not hinder the overall experience to a crippling degree. Absolver definitely gets far more right than wrong, weaving a worthwhile venture for all but those looking for a strong single player outing.
The Long Dark takes an interesting approach to the bustling survival genre by adding a story-heavy campaign, and it looks to be paying off so far. The tale being told in Wintermute has not developed into anything wildly deep at this point and there has yet to be given much of a reason to care for the characters in play, but by the end of the second episode I still felt the desire to see everything through to the end. I needed to know how this unique apocalypse pans out, so the developer is clearly doing something right. The slow, methodical pacing may turn some potential players away, but those that can carry the weight of the game’s encumbering systems will find a gorgeous adventure worth the time investment.
Battlefield 1‘s In the Name of the Tsar DLC has set the expectation for all future expansions, providing ample content to enjoy for the coming weeks. The expansion hits its target center mass far more often than it misses the mark, delivering a shining example of the quality that DICE can produce. You would be hard-pressed to find an add-on of this caliber elsewhere. To put it plainly, In the Name of the Tsar’s focus on the Russian Empire yields one of the most satisfying multiplayer experiences in recent memory.
RUINER is a competent cyberpunk shooter, dripping in stylish presentation and teeming with ruthless engagements. These components manage to provide enough of a reason to see the journey to the end, filling the void left by the all-but-absent narrative, and enjoy the time spent doing so. RUINER is an exceptional, adrenaline-filled diversion bathed in neon lights that is sure to please as long as you don’t expect to find more under the surface.
Hob is Runic Games’ first, and only, departure from Torchlight. And by most accounts it is a success. Hob packs so much personality into its world despite never uttering a word, letting every carefully placed object and interaction speak for itself. The game loses itself in moments where its camera works against its own goals and the ease with which a player can become lost before grasping the layout. However, the competent combat and engaging puzzle solving save Hob and make it a notable platformer to lose yourself in.
The Evil Within 2 offers plenty of variety and freedom within its horror-filled town of Union. Sebastian Castellanos’ second outing is a much more fulfilling affair, filled to the brim with some truly inspired design. In a lot of ways, The Evil Within 2 feels like a spiritual successor to Resident Evil 4, giving us the horror experience that other developers had forgotten for a while. An unrefined stealth system and stiff voice over from the rough-around-the-edges ex-cop do little to diminish this terrifying treat, leaving it on the precipice of being something truly outstanding.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War plays to the strength of its predecessor by doubling down on the Nemesis System. In a lot of ways, this works in the game’s favor. Creating rivalries and forced companionship out of the wildly eccentric hordes under Sauron is an absolute joy. Whether Talion is attacking strongholds or defending his own, these personalities punctuate the action. The height of this achievement quickly reveals the areas of Shadow of War that have fallen short, such as the narrative that dips into a monotonous grind and the overly cluttered systems present in the menus. Still, Shadow of War‘s attention builds itself around the Nemesis backbone and it succeeds more than it fails by doing so for the majority of this adventure.
Wolfenstein II is a beautiful blend of classic and modern first-person shooters. It masterfully combines emotional distress and comedic relief with unrelenting violence. You would be hard-pressed to find a more stellar FPS on the market than the comprehensive offering contained here. Single-player is alive and well; MachineGames have proven that.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is raw in its brutality, but refined in its delivery. This is a new era of Assassin’s Creed and one that could serve as a strong basis for further RPG-focused installments in the series. It has re-emerged wearing the same trappings as other video game masterpieces while not losing complete sight of its own image, for better or worse. We have been reminded of the Brotherhood’s place in gaming and we are eager to see where this revitalized journey goes next.
Nioh: Complete Edition houses some impressive gameplay designs and mechanics that are partially undermined by its development choices. Depending on your preferred control scheme for PC gaming, Nioh will either mark an addictive addition to your library or the very bane of your existence. Assuming you can forgo the use of a mouse, this comprehensive Nioh package has plenty to offer that manages to rise above its faults to deliver a memorable offshoot that is able to define itself in a world where the “Souls-like” label usually engulfs all identity.
The Red Strings Club manages to craft a point-and-click adventure that can, at times, be edge-of-your-seat engrossing. The game’s simplistic presentation gives way to deeper systems at play, creating tension in creative ways. Given that most of the game develops in a static bar location, with only a handful of departures from the setting to explore snippets of a well-realized world, it is a testament to the developer’s skill at keeping the player engaged through an endless barrage of text boxes broken up by entertaining bouts as a charming information broker with a knack for mixology. The questions laid before the player will stick around long after the credits roll, which will sadly happen long before you are ready to part with the game. The Red Strings Club rarely fails to impress, but given the brief runtime those short-lived areas may be felt more than they should. Still, this is a notable success from Deconstructeam.
Wulverblade is a solid beat ’em up arcade title that is beautifully wrapped in pleasing aesthetics. It covers a well-trodden path seen in numerous games before, but it manages to deliver an experience that is still its own. The combat is satisfying, especially in terms of sound, but it is held back from being a more rewarding experience due to limiting control factors. Furthermore, the entertaining cooperative play completely forgoes online connectivity, meaning two people will have to play on one machine. Still, hindrances and all, there’s something enjoyable about Wulverblade’s loop that helps carry it through the somewhat short campaign.
Crossing Souls is teeming with personality, even if it all isn’t originally its own. It expertly weaves the nostalgic tones of 80s media, covering its lesser parts to an extent. The crew may not be as lively as the environments they find themselves in, but utilizing them for general platforming and combat is enjoyable enough. Crossing Souls will no doubt pique the interest of those currently enveloped in this re-emerging stylized culture.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance strips away the fantasy from RPG and replaces it with something infinitely more dirty and relatable. This is one role-playing experience that is spilling over with ambition at every turn, even if it gets in its own way from time to time. The hardcore, survivalist, tactical players out there will likely have a field day with everything on offer in spite of the flaws present, while the rest may find themselves turned away by the cumbersome systems connecting it all.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life brings Kazuma Kiryu's long-running tale to an end and does so on a high note. This is the wacky-yet-serious Yakuza vision fully realized, or at least it is damn close to it. Newcomers and established fans alike will find plenty to love in this father figure's quest for answers and revenge in a world where everything can be resolved with shirtless brawls. This powerful conclusion to the Dragon of Dojima's story must not be missed.