The Finals' best moments are measured in milliseconds, and the time spent in between them is always a rush.
Lords of the Fallen copies Dark Souls so thoroughly it feels like game design plagiarism but, astonishingly, it's indeed worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as FromSoftware's brutal dark fantasy classics. Anyone who's survived Lordran, Drangleic and Lothric will find a lot to love here.
Armored Core VI is like getting to put together your own giant Lego robot and sending it out to die before realizing you just needed to attach a few more missile launchers. Freedom in gameplay comes in many shapes and sizes, and the customization of your very own mechs suited to each mission is a niche yet thrilling experience. A thoughtful, intricately-woven story and amazing presentation sure don't hurt, either.
Thanks to this much-needed remaster, a new generation can finally experience the joy, and hope, of We Love Katamari.
Diablo IV tows several lines masterfully, be it in its mechanical complexity or the moral ambiguity of its plot. Its greatest achievement, however, is being a great Diablo game.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun belongs in every game dev's syllabus, filed under "why encounter design is a pillar of any retro shooter."
Atomic Heart is, most surprisingly, exactly what I expected. Its biggest strengths are the ones that treat the eyes, but great writing and exploration are welcome in an otherwise overstretched experience.
Metroid Prime Remastered is a few things, but above all else, it's a timeless masterpiece. It's also the best-looking game on the Switch to date and the birth of an entirely self-contained genre of first-person adventure games. Having missed my chance to play it as a child, I'm humbled by its grand designs, and I'm convinced this remaster will turn many would-be fans into true believers.
2023's Dead Space remake masterfully treads the line between doing too little and too much to revitalize a game that has aged so well. Many of the mechanical changes will go largely unnoticed by the average player, but they do wonders to bring this classic back in line with its contemporaries.
For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a healthy relationship with World of Warcraft. I'm playing because I want to, not because I need to. I'm driven by a new sense of exploration and comradery, rather than seeing a number tick up that I know will be lost to time. It does feel like the start of a new era for the gracefully aging MMO, and I'm excited to see what's next.
One day, Warhammer 40K: Darktide will be a great game. Fatshark, like many developers, has yet to perfect the art of the rough landing. A polished core experience can't overcome woeful performance and blatantly unfinished features, like the (almost) entirely missing crafting system. I'm confident, however, support will continue until Darktide ends up being the game we all hoped it would be.
Modern Warfare II will be easily enjoyed by an average player such as myself. More hardcore fans will be missing exclusions like the titular playlist, but I'm resting assured these will be on the way soon. It's a shame that not even the biggest franchise in the genre can seem to offer up a complete package at launch, but the core is solid and as fun as ever.
Dome Keeper is a well-disguised time-management game with a great atmosphere and plenty of ways to engage with its content.
A lack of proper HDR and the inability to cap the framerate above 30 FPS leaves this otherwise excellent collection feeling a bit mishandled compared to the PlayStation 5 version.
A technical marvel with visuals intended to convey so much information to the player that no amount of gameplay footage will adequately prepare you for them. Hyper Demon is a sequel that expands on and improves a winning formula.
Rollerdrome is a beautiful creation. It’s DOOM Eternal meets Tony Hawk with thoughtful political ruminations and an art style to die for. We’re only about ten or fifteen bad years from a sport like this actually existing, so you might as well practice.
Cult of the Lamb is a Satanic blend of a few genre greats -- the loop of action and settlement management is fueled perpetually by satisfying combat and rewarding unlocks. And it's all adorned with fantastic art direction and music.
Klonoa is stuck in classic-game-port limbo -- not given enough shine to stack up against other remasters, and not quite zesty enough to hold up to modern titles. Still, a helping of nostalgia or appreciation for classic games makes these two otherwise great titles worthy of a playthrough.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a great companion to even out the base game's experience. It never reaches the mountain highs of Iceborne, but jumping in for just a few hunts or basking in the grind has never been smoother.
Neon White is going to make more than a few people realize they're speedrunners at heart. Its brand of competition with the self is enthralling, and it's lifted to greater heights by its presentation, music, and mechanics.