Summary: If you are a fan of deckbuilding card battlers, with a dash of RPG, then Gordian Quest is the best of the bunch. While there are a few tutorial elements and stability challenges to attend to, the endless replayability and randomization element makes every run unique.
With its incredible gameplay loop, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is as unique as it is addictive. A handful of minor bugs do little to hold back what is an incredibly immersive and rewarding experience.
Rifftrax: The Game is a fantastic way to bring your funny friends together to riff on infamously-bad movies. With over 2000 groan-worthy tracks, and more on the way, it should make for some genuinely funny moments at your next party. Just be prepared to type as the Write a Riff is the best way to play.
Even five entries in, Sniper Elite 5 manages to deliver on the core gameplay sniping loop while managing to provide us with a handful of new features to keep things fresh. There are a few bugs to hammer out, and some movement systems are underbaked, but fans and newcomers alike will find a lot to like here.
Cities: VR delivers a vignette version of the Cities: Skylines experience. The controls take a brief moment to get used to, but the hardware limitations of the Quest 2 are harder to overcome. That said, the experience is here, even if it's in a much-slimmed and slightly blander version of the broader experience. While there are some crucial features missing, what is here is a fun slice of the core gameplay loop, and that's impressive for a self-contained package.
Where so many games in the Warhammer universe feel generic and uninspired, Daemonhunters manages to give us a game with tight tactical combat, a decent story, and a careful balance that is challenging but not punishing. The Emperor demands you pick up this game!
A physics-based platformer on the surface, Time Loader carries a weighty and heartfelt story that is bound to consume far more mental bandwidth than the screenshots and videos might have suggested. It's rare for games to surprise me, but Time Loader did exactly that.
It's somewhat unfair to compare the next-gen console versions to a PC as my video card costs more than both consoles combined. That said, what Rockstar has pulled off here is as close to a PC running at max settings, but with a slightly lower draw distance and less feature-rich anti-aliasing. On the other hand, if you are coming from the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox One, the difference is staggering. Most of the time a next-gen native version of a game is just a higher-resolution minimal-effort wallet hug, but here it's clear that the developers are looking to deliver the best version of their most successful game ever, ahead of finally getting another proper installment in the series.
As is often the case for live service games, what we reviewed today is the launch product and is likely to evolve over time. As such, realize that this title's features (and soundtrack) is likely to have expanded greatly if you read this review a year from now. Still – what's on offer at launch is very much worth an ongoing subscription, and best of all you don't have to take my word for it – pop over to the Oculus store and sweat it out for yourself.
There’s a lot to see and experience in Lost Ark, and the asking price to try it is just your time. It’s very clear that this game is a juggernaut, and even friends of mine who aren’t into the genre have had their interest piqued enough to give it a go. Here’s to hoping Smilegate, Amazon, and Tripod Studios can capitalize on an incredibly strong start and fulfill the promise buried under all these screens.
Praey for the Gods is another showcase of what a small team can accomplish when a far larger team won't. While the controls can be occasionally floaty, the pure enjoyment of tackling these puzzle monsters is an absolute joy. Don't sleep on this one – it's worth your time.
Icarus is an absolutely gorgeous, engaging, and challenging survival crafting game. When it's working correctly, it is a fantastic entry into the genre. When it's not, the problems are deep and varied. Disconnects, corrupt characters, bugs, and balance problems abound. I look forward to seeing it reach its potential, but it's hard to see it as anything other than a game that exited Early Access too soon.
With lackluster modes, and an even more lackluster soundtrack, Let's Sing 2022 needs to take a beat and figure out what fans of karaoke want out of a singing game.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun was one of my favorite games of 2017, and Aiko's Choice is a return to form. Mimimi Games continues to deliver tight gameplay, incredible stealth, and a compelling story to tie it all together.
While the combat may have some holes in it, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall gives us a taste of the battle against the Nighthaunt. It could use a little more polish, but it should scratch the power fantasy itch. Sigmar preserves those who fight, and now you can jump directly into the battle.
If you enjoy Choose Your Own Adventure type games, you'll love This is the President. It scratches a Schadenfreude itch for the dystopian hellscape we currently live in, and it's equal parts fun, funny, and quite disturbing along the way, even with the odd choice baked in..
Put simply, Halo Infinite is a return to form. 343 Industries has managed to deliver a campaign with a compelling storyline, fresh ideas, and familiar gunplay that takes the series in a brand new direction without breaking the formula. It was well worth the wait, even if there are a few bugs remaining to hammer out.
With incredible combat, a solid story and voice acting, and gorgeous graphics from top to bottom, the handful of bugs in Chorus can't hold it back. Come for the story, and stay for the high-speed power drift as you unleash your vengeance.
With a shift from stationary puzzling to action-oriented (but still with puzzles!) Shadowgate VR is an important step for the franchise. It preserves the soul of the original, but modernizes it for a whole new audience. This first chapter is a taste of things to come, and I'm excited for it. Now I've just gotta get over those Buick-sized spiders...
Age of Empires helped define an entire genre, and under the steady hand of RTS masters Relic Entertainment, it may once again wear that crown -- Age of Empires IV is that good.