Erickson Melchor
FAR: Changing Tides is more concerned with showing a story rather than actually telling one, and it absolutely works out in its favor. Yet again, the series manages to tell an entire story without a single line of dialog. There aren’t many thrilling moments throughout the journey, but the ones we do have are some of the most eye-opening ones that I couldn’t even imagine being possible, even in the last game. There are very few games that allow you to look inward the way the FAR series does. If you’ve played and enjoyed the first game, you owe it yourself to have this game be part of your collection.
Overall, Souldiers is a unique title that honors old-school tough-as-nails platformers while offering something familiar to contemporary RPG enthusiasts. I wish I knew that going in but I suppose It all worked out well in the end. I ended up liking the game for completely different reasons. And hopefully, other players can give this title a try too. Maybe once the balancing issues have been sorted out.
Overall, Two Point Campus is a stellar addition to the Two Point series of games. The game is a perfect complementary piece to Two Point Hospital. There’s always something new to look forward whether it’s new item unlocks to decorate your campus with or new locations with their own set of challenges, you are guaranteed something new right up to the ending of the game. And just when you thought you had a handle on things, the game throws curve balls at you in ways you never thought possible in a Two Point game. But hey, that’s Two Point County in a nutshell. If you like management games with a light sense of humor, I strongly recommend this game.
Wild Hearts succeeds in areas other games take for granted. Whereas other games focus too much on fitting a mold, Wild Hearts takes said mold and runs with it. The amount of freedom afforded to the player in terms of movement is refreshing and only limited by one’s creativity. Unfortunately, for all its gains, its momentum is slowed down by technical and performance issues. Nothing game-breaking but each one distracts from what could have been an outstanding ARPG. Take some time and allow for patches to clean most of it up. But if you’re a fan of this genre of games, you have more reason than most to pick this up right now.
The slight issues may seem like a deal breaker for some, but truth be told, the good outweighs the bad by a mile. The story and the art style will keep gamers going despite some puzzles appearing to be unsolvable. It just takes a bit more patience to get the most out of this game. All the puzzles in the game are solved by a combination of the shapes. There are no exceptions. As a gamer, sometimes it is better to take a step back and consider the options instead of giving up trying to force a solution that might work. And because of this, I can safely recommend this game to people who enjoy a good story, solving puzzles, and to those who are into precision platforming.
Unforeseen Incidents is a cut above the rest when it comes to presentation. The artstyle is striking and instantly memorable. The music and sound effects fit the game in every aspect. There is something to be said about the game’s slight humor and pop culture references. It is amusing to say the least. Harper Pendrell may not have the goofy charm and the 4th wall breaking powers of Guybrush Threepwood. He does, however, do a damn good job at voicing his thoughts out loud. Which is more than I can ask of this part-time electrician and part-time world saver.
Doom Eternal remains a must-have for players who enjoy the challenge. It is unapologetic when it comes to making the player suffer, but victory through adversity appeal with a certain group of gamers, me included. So, in the words of the Slayer himself, “Rip and tear… until it’s done.”
If you can forgive some flat voice acting here and there, the game is truly worth a complete playthrough. The length of the campaign does little to deter from the best aspect of the game, the combat. I definitely recommend this game to any fans of the genre. If you are looking for a game that all about speed and 3-dimensional combat, then look no further than this title.
Being a narrative-focused game, there is little incentive to replay the whole game. One complete playthrough is probably enough to get all its money's worth. The endgame provides the player an opportunity to tie up loose ends. It's a proper end to a good story. Interesting note - some hidden locations and costumes for Jesse become available post-game. Never a bad thing, to be honest.
I highly recommend this title for everyone regardless of age and skill level. It is well worth the initial asking price. Sure, the visuals appeal to a younger demographic. But at its core lies some of the tightest platforming that hasn’t been seen since the days of a few console generations ago. That is something the young of heart will really appreciate.
I may dislike some things here and there, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this game is faithful to a particular era of gaming. You can put everything into a 16-bit cartridge, plug it in a SNES, and no one’s going to tell that it was made in the late 2010’s. The combat and platforming are very satisfying and rarely did I feel frustrated at any point of the game. The art is beautiful especially with how lively each stage looks and the transition between seasons is seamless. I highly recommend this game to anyone looking to pick up a platformer. Veterans and newcomers will definitely have some fun here.
Though not completely flawless launch, The Division 2 is an amazing game.
Need for Speed: Heat plays it safe in many regards. On the one hand, it tries to distance itself from Payback. And on the other, it is a mesh of carefully put together mechanics from previous games – wrapped in the colors of South Beach. This is not the next step in the franchise, but rather a glorious return to form after taking a hit. It combines the best parts of games such as Most Wanted and Underground. The game itself is an excellent starting point for anyone every curious about the world of Need for Speed. The simplified controls make maneuvering a blast. And keeping the option open to revert back to older controls for series veterans is much appreciated. I highly recommend this game for players of various skill ratings.
If you are looking for a good adventure game with some a bit of combat, this is a good find. It only takes a weekend to complete most of the quests. If you’ve got a couple of days, you might even find out what happens when you complete your mission before going back to Earth. For it’s witty writing alone, I highly recommend this game to players of all ages and skill levels. And do definitely stay for the exploration, it’s definitely worth it.
I recommend this game to anyone’s ever played an XCOM-like game. Veterans and newbies alike will find something they might like, despite the game needing more polish. Just watch that Anarchy meter. The late-game pressure sneaks on you rather quickly.
Burnout Paradise Remastered for the Switch is a solid game. However, being an expensive port of a much cheaper game on other platforms, it’s the best selling point is the fact that you can play this game on the go with no frame rate issues. Which is to say that it also handles pretty well on docked mode. It may not be full HD, but when it runs smoothly as it does, I don’t mind it running at just 720p 60fps.
Othercide isn’t for everyone. It caters to a specific group of players that delight in more than just the art design. It also takes a lot out of you. It’ll leave you feeling drained. But all the sacrifice in the world is worth it just to make it one step further than where you were in the previous run. That makes the whole experience worth it.
AWE may be a teaser for the next game in the series, but that would be disregarding the fact that the contents of the DLC are very well put together. In any case, we got a taste of what a Control game would be like when it enters the realm of Cauldron Lake. I, for one, can’t wait for what’s next in the story of Allan Wake and the Federal Bureau of Control.
All in all, I believe MLB The Show 21 is pretty good at showing us the in’s and out’s of the wonderful game of baseball. the very fact that the controls can be tweaked to the player’s preferences really shows that the series as a whole is very welcoming to players of any skill level. On top of that, the adaptive difficulty setting scales depending on how the player is performing on the field. Potentially making it so that it’s not too difficult or too easy at any given time.
As a whole, Necromunda: Hired Gun is one of the more enjoyable shooters to come out this year. Unfortunately, minor performance issues on the PS4 prevent the title from truly shining. I also draw issues with how boss fights play out, and among other concerns. Other than that, it is a great game to lose yourself in for short bursts. So, it’s a good thing that it doesn’t require the player to stick around longer than necessary.