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 a focus on multiplayer, Red Solstice 2: Survivors tackles the action/tactical genre, offering up hordes of foes and beautiful presentations in the field. Where it lacks is connection with the player, bugs, and some difficulty spikes that make it infuriating.
Occasionally obtuse and sporting a few UX/UI barnacles, Port Royale 4 could use a little more dry dock time before setting out on the high seas. AI trading bugs and occasionally unfair combat sequences discourage combat, which takes the wind out of the sails of this pirate adventure. Developer Gaming Minds can patch the hull, but they need to do so before people find another ship on which to set sail.
At $17.99 on Steam at the time of writing, it's hard to beat up The Academy: The First Riddle too much. It's a lot of fun, it's value priced, and the developers are actively engaged with the community and prepping patches for much of the things I've mentioned. Could it be better at launch? Certainly. Does it deliver a compelling stack of puzzles that'll have you scratching your brain for hours? Absolutely. We have to give credit to Pine Studios for trying something new, even if they might have gotten a C on that "Debugging" class.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is a mid-tier game with a top-tier Netflix tie-in. Where it delivers on tactical combat, it falls down in being overly grindy for resources, and a direct-from-mobile interface. If you like tactics, and you think Hup is the cutest thing ever to wield a soup spoon, then you'll like Age of Resistance Tactics.
Rebel Cops is a solid tactical game with a somewhat cliche storyline. While some of the mechanics are a little half-baked, the progression system and combat are engaging and tense. The game forces you to really think through your actions thanks to the limited save system, I just wish there was more impact to playing it loud.
I came away from Hunt: Showdown a little let down. The premise is good, the setting is something new, and many of the gameplay loop elements are unique. Better still, the combination of PvPvE sets the stage for something amazing, but that stage is just too damned small. With too deep a grind, and too few maps, Hunt: Showdown has just too little content (currently) to match its ambition. But hey...at least the hunting is cool!
Warhammer: Chaosbane is a solid first entry into the ARPG genre for the franchise. There are some cool twists on the theme like the God Tier system, but there are equally as many baffling decisions such as the matchmaking system, lack of economy, and decidedly absent customization options. There are the makings of a solid ARPG in here, but it needs a little more time in the oven to bake.
Apex Construct provides some excellent exploration and exposition in a compelling and beautifully bizarre world. While there is a fully-baked experience here, the engaging story and compelling gameplay is marred by PSVR's limited control scheme. It represents a step forward for the platform, and for storytelling, but a bit of polishing or patching would bring the controls to heel.
There's absolutely nothing new to push Virtual Reality and roomspace VR forward in Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-Ality, and it is painfully short with little replay value. Those indictments aside, it's a must-have for anyone who enjoys the dark humor of the show. Perhaps we can Get Schwifty with another run at VR with a longer run time and harder puzzles in the future.
Though it is a little light on content, Super Bomberman R scratches the retro itch for hectic action. Voice repetition is a bit of a turnoff, but the charm and multiplayer focus help to make up for it. If you and your friends like purely chaotic action with up to eight players, Super Bomberman R might be right up your alley. If you aren’t investing in extra controllers, you might want to nab this after a price adjustment.
Simple and safe, Tumble VR provides a nausea-free virtual reality block stacking puzzle experience suitable for gamers and non-gamers alike. Intuitive and reasonably challenging, it should keep you busy for a few hours. Just don’t expect a lot of variety.
While I applaud Blizzard’s effort to provide fans of the StarCraft 2 campaign a reason to jump back in, the large amount of time between each mission pack’s release is a massive buzzkill. The gameplay is a bit stale at this point, and this second mission pack is less adventurous than the first, but the cut scenes and soundtrack are still phenomenal and almost alone worth the price of entry. I recommend Nova Covert OPS DLC 2 to only the most ardent of fans, but otherwise urge you to wait until all three mission packs are available before deciding to jump back in.
With a proper DM, Sword Coast Legends feels every bit like the pen and paper game come to life. On the other hand, running modules or playing through the 40-hour single player game makes it feel like more of a standard fare dungeon crawler than a Dungeons & Dragons game. Multiplayer with a DM realizes the promise of Sword Coast Legends, conveying freedom of storytelling and imagination in real time. Come for the co-op and live-DM, but be patient with the tools as they evolve.
There are some genuinely terrifying, nightmare-inducing moments in this game. Unfortunately they are few and far between, which is frustrating because the concept here is solid. A little restraint would go a long way here. Stop throwing hordes of enemies at me and just let the game be scary.
While the UI takes a huge step backwards, new ways to play are a step forward, making Just Sing 2024 is a marked improvement over both predecessors.
Ultimately, what Project Wingman lacks in VR visuals or realism, it makes up for its unwavering devotion to gameplay.
A solid improvement over the Meta Quest 2 version, Cities: VR - Enhanced Edition brings with it improved visuals, rebuilt UI and controls, and a far larger build surface. Virtual city building may sound like watching paint dry on paper, it may be precisely the relaxing activity you need after a long day in the real world.
Tentacular is a fun little sandbox game that manages to be as genuinely fun as it is funny. Filled to the brim with moments, it's great for VR newcomers, or those who just want a break from all the super-serious shooters and world-saving simulations.
While the early game's repetition doesn't match the second half, there's something to be said about the experience of evading dinosaurs while solving puzzles. I just wish they'd have taken more advantage of Sony's new hardware with this port.