Do you think you know all the words to Killer Queen? You probably do not, and Freddie Mercury almost assuredly sings it better. That doesn't mean that it isn't fun to try. Let's Sing Queen has a great, deep track list and offers some simple fun. If you enjoy hyper difficult karaoke, you'll get a kick out of this title. Warning: "Under Pressure" is much more difficult than you think it is.
Good game design is good game design, regardless of age or platform. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 takes the levels from the amazing original PS1 titles, and blows out the scope in every direction. Adding a ton of modernizing touches without ever losing sight of what makes these games great, THPS 1+2 is a riotous success. Lock in for some extended play sessions, and get your blister band-aids ready because this game is additive beyond belief.
With a well-written story, fantastic world building, and great, bloody combat, The Walking Dead Onslaught is a fantastic companion piece to the beloved AMC show and a great VR game in its own right. Supply runs provide a perfect mix of speedy action and tense combat, while the narrative portions feel carefully and artfully constructed. While the VR-level budget peaks through on occasion, this is an amazingly well-made and entertaining game.
It is wonderful to revisit the setting and characters of The Outer Worlds. But due to the way the expansion is nestled within the greater story, the admittedly entertaining and well-written adventure ultimately feels a bit hollow. Fans will enjoy hanging out with Parvati for a few hours – and some narrative twists keep things lively – but some changes or expansions to the gameplay would have been very welcome.
With a stellar campaign and set pieces that rival anything in the MCU, Marvel's Avengers already delivers a ton of value. But add on the endless multiplayer and future characters, and this game is poised to be a classic. Some early bugs distract from the fun, but the bones of the game are solid. Marvel's Avengers is an amazing achievement.
Inmost delivers a variety of gameplay styles, delivering three thoughtfully discordant narratives that tie together with a gut punch at the end. Beautifully constructed pixel-art graphics set a surprisingly somber tone, and the music is top notch at setting the horrific yet contemplative mood. Recommended.
Control AWE does a great job of bringing the events of Alan Wake into a shared universe, without ever breaking its own identity or gameplay conventions. Almost all of Control's technical issues are gone, leaving behind a great nugget of gameplay that pushes the universe forward into interesting new placed. Highly recommended for fans of either franchise.
Without much reward for playing single player-and an obtuse and difficult to navigate multiplayer system-Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition simply creates too many barriers to entry for the player to overcome. While the simple gameplay could be fun with an easier interface, the complicated multiplayer will likely only be enjoyed by the most hardcore of fans. Not an outright bad game, but certainly a difficult game to play.
Windbound is a delight. With a few UX issues and a bit of repetition holding it back from all-time-great status, this game is still a wonder to explore and discover. The sailing is fantastic, the island exploration is intriguing, and the sting of dying isn't so bad that it should scare away roguelike-haters. The world of Windbound is so well made that you may want to dip into it just to hang out for a while. Fun, exciting, and rewarding.
Wasteland 3 is a stunner of a game. All the strategic combat and twisted story choices the series is known for are present here -and done better than they ever have been before. Some technical issues hold the game back, but with time to patch things up, Wasteland 3 will be a stone cold classic.
Despite a few rare difficult moments with finicky controls and timed puzzles, Helheim Hassle is well worth a look. The humor is lively, surprising, and wickedly funny, while never feeling mean. The majority of the puzzles are engaging and fun. Helheim Hassle is a good-natured good time.
Metamorphosis is a solidly made puzzle-platformer with a few adventure mechanics on the side for good measure. Taking a literary classic that some consider to be interminable and creating a lively and amusing game world from it, the devs at Ovid Works have create a deeply creative work that delivers a satisfyingly original experience.
Banner of the Maid is a genre-defying tactical RPG that challenges players to discover the one way the game will allow them to win battles - and bitterly punishes those that attempt other strategies. With a strong focus on visual novel-style storytelling, the game creates a unique alternate universe version of the French Revolution as a setting for a detailed story with rich characters. Not entirely welcoming for newcomers, Banner of the Maid is an interesting alternative for genre fans.
Don't be fooled by the nice-looking world, fun characters, or interesting story. Skully is a clever game with fun puzzles, and some of the most blisteringly difficult 3D platforming I've encountered in years. Be ready to challenge yourself as difficulty spikes put you in a blender and spit you back out. Skully is fun, satisfying and well-made, but not for the faint of heart.
Pistol Whip is a triumph of game design. Rather than trying to wedge a bunch of mechanics onto a platform that doesn't welcome them, Pistol Whip instead focuses on what makes VR fun – color, sound, and motion. This is a game that connects players with the developers' intentions through its simple interface, leaving the player sweaty, inspired, and triumphant. Masterpieces come in all forms – and Pistol Whip qualifies.
Taking Superhot's amazing and addictive gameplay and expanding it in several directions, Superhot: Mind Control Delete feels exactly right.
Interesting story beats can't overcome the fact that Maid of Sker looks and plays like a frustrating game from an earlier era.
With a strict adherence to the style and performance of the original game, Destroy All Humans! brings all the fun of 2005 (and the frustrations) of the original. This is a game that was fun 15 years ago, and that fun still holds up, only now it has a shiny new coat of paint. Though some cultural references are a bit wince-worthy and there are some ridiculous difficulty spikes, in general Destroy All Humans! is a rollicking good time.
Rocket Arena is a stripped-down online multiplayer 3v3 shooter. While there are only a few game modes at launch, they are fun – and EA says there are more on the way. A nice variety of characters keeps the action fresh, and the friendly atmosphere keeps the proceedings fairly cheerful. A great starter shooter for younger kids, but skilled players will also enjoy Rocket Arena quite a bit.
Orcs Must Die! 3 contains a ton of the tower defense/shooting hybrid gameplay that fans love – all delivered in a very polished package. The new war-sized levels deliver a massive jolt of fun, and there is plenty of content here to keeps players busy for quite a while. Though progression feels a little unbalanced in single player, perseverance or grinding will eventually overcome obstacles.