I hope that in the future, the devs take the asymmetrical civilizations further and focus on mechanics that evolve the Age of Empires franchise. There’s a solid foundation here, and if built in the right direction, it could lead to something special. For now, it’s too old school for its own good.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is an improvement over its predecessor in every way imaginable.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging romp through a dark fantasy version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and works well as a Soulslite. Each level is a bite-sized Souls experience to be conquered and moved past. The tight, challenging combat will thrill fans of the genre, but the lack of an interconnected world might turn off those that love the thrill of exploration.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story, but it’s definitely an oddity in today’s gaming landscape. It’s more “interactive film” than a video game, and you should definitely go into it with the mindset that it’s something that’s meant to be watched instead of played.
For those who yearn for the days of platforming yore, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is a dream come true.
Sniper Elite 4 offers more of the same great gameplay that its predecessors were known for while tightening it up for the current generation.
Gravity Rush 2 is a game unlike most of what’s out there on offer right now. It might take a little getting used to, especially if you didn’t play the first game, but if you give it a chance it will absolutely grow on you. Taking on the role of Kat is rush of an experience, and there’s so much here to absorb that you’ll need a couple dozen hours to get through it all. Whether or not you played the original Gravity Rush or are looking for a unique game to add to your PlayStation 4 library, Gravity Rush 2 is certainly a breath of fresh air.
If you have an Oculus Rift headset and Oculus Touch, I heartily recommend Everest VR as a great way to introduce others to VR or as an awesome trip through the history of the world's highest mountain.
For Honor will inevitably be a favorite of mine. It combines easy to pick up, complicated to master fighting and action-style gameplay with compelling gameplay types and there's nothing quite like it. However, if you were looking for a single-player game, you might not want to purchase this title. The heart and soul of For Honor are its multiplayer modes, and unfortunately, at this time, there are enough issues with matchmaking and peer-to-peer connections that you may want to wait until Ubisoft has some time to fix those problems.
Final Fantasy 16 goes too far in trying to be the anti-Final Fantasy 15. For me, this series has always been about the journey, and FF16 makes a beeline for the destination from the very beginning. Valisthea is an intriguing world with rich lore, and the game’s cast is great, from Clive down to the minor NPCs. That’s why I’m so confused by the devs not giving you more opportunities to take it all in. Sure, there are a ton of bombastic moments like the Eikon fights and shocking twists, but it’s missing the quiet and silly moments that capture fans’ adoration.
Like a Dragon: Ishin is worth the wait, and fans of the series are in for a real treat. However, it is a niche entry in the series and not one I’d recommend for beginners. In fact, the more of the main games you’ve played before tackling Ishin, the more you’ll get out of it. Nevertheless, it’s a great spin on the Yakuza formula, and I’m glad Sega took the risk and finally brought it overseas.
The Last of Us Part 1 is the definitive way to experience the original story and Left Behind. However, it’s hard to recommend it over the PS4 remaster.
Fortunately, it’s not a launch that’s 28 years too late. Live A Live is still full of charm, and the graphics and gameplay have been tweaked just enough to give it some modern touches. Hopefully, it’ll get the recognition it deserves alongside Square’s other classics.
There’s a lot of fun to be had here, but don’t expect something vastly different from the previous games in the series. However, there are no glaring omissions either, which is great.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a hearty appetizer for Hundred Heroes. I think Natsume Atari accomplished its mission of giving players a taste of what the world of Hundred Heroes has to offer, and I’ve gotten less enjoyment out of much more expensive games. You can’t ask for much more for a budget title that was created as a stretch goal for a Kickstarter project.
Despite these issues, it has a compelling story, and I enjoyed the journey from start to finish.
The biggest question about this game is whether the player base will stay strong or not. Left 4 Dead still gets a steady stream over a decade later, but it’s still up in the air whether Back 4 Blood will inspire the same loyalty. Fortunately, it’s on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, so there’s little to no risk in giving it a try.
I wish that more quality of life improvements were introduced with this remake/remaster. Just a few more small changes could have rectified some annoyances that stem from it being a 20-year-old game. As it stands, it’s almost too close to the original in all the wrong ways while missing multiplayer options that were removed for no reason.
Those that played the game when it was first released on Wii aren’t missing a ton if they skip this one. There’s no new content, just tweaks here and there. However, those who loved it will find this is the best way to play it now.
It might be a bit obtuse, but Any fan of 2D JRPGs must experience Legend of Mana. It was released when they were at their zenith, a time when it seemed like every month Square Enix was dropping a new banger. Hopefully, if these continue to do well, we’ll see games like Threads of Fate and (dare I say it) Chrono Chross get another chance to shine. These remasters are a way to go back to one of the golden ages of gaming, and they can keep them coming.