Erickson Melchor
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Infernax walks a fine line between honoring the classics while adding its own unique stamp to the genre, and I am glad that it did so exceeding well. The game wears its inspiration proudly on its sleeve. And as a game all about stopping a demonic invasion, it is all the better for it. On a final note, Infernax doesn't take a hard stance on difficulty as it has a classic mode and a casual mode. It takes the player's choice to heart and does all that is reasonable to accommodate player preference without butchering the experience. This is one game that deserves a place in your classics library.
There is no more fitting way to close this chapter of Total War: Warhammer II than to end it with two of the most entertaining campaigns in the game. Both Oxyotl and Taurox are overpowered when played to their strengths. Under the right conditions, there is nothing the AI can do to stop you. If you’re looking for a random DLC campaign to pick up, I highly suggest picking this one up, along with all the free DLC content.
For series veterans and first-timers, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a labor of love for more than just the original game, but for the Mafia community whose support made this game possible. Series veterans will also take note of the changes in the story. The changes aren’t groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination, just the framing of some story elements have been changed to make the story more in line with the current series of games. This is yet another amazing remake that fully embraces many of the things that made the original so special to so many people.
Wasteland 3 is an amazing game from start to finish. There is even enough content here for multiple playthroughs, despite the fact that it doesn’t have nearly as many side quests as an Elder Scrolls game. It’s not hard to imagine investing 100+ hours into this game, it is that good. It’s good that the bugs and glitches only serve as a reminder that it is a very big game. One that easily hooks you on the world and its struggles.
I recommend this game to players who enjoy hack-and-slash action games who don’t mind a bit of platforming from time to time. If you enjoy isometric combat games, that’s a great plus. And don’t worry about prior knowledge. If this game truly interests you, you’ll no doubt want to see what the other games are all about.
FAR: Lone Sails is one of the best Indie games to come out in recent memory. The gameplay is simple and effective. Everything you need to know about the character and the world is presented to you in the first 5 minutes of the game. The idea of a completely vast world with no one to interact with may be depressing to some people, but we have to accept this solitude in order complete the journey. If anything, your vehicle is your companion. Without it, you are truly without hope. I suggest not focusing on the destination but on the journey itself. I recommend this game to anyone wanting to try something new and unique. This is one tale that’s going to stay with you for a while.
Far Cry 5 is one of the best works of Ubisoft to date. The developers really kept an ear close to the ground and made changes to the Open World formula where they are needed. I guess they don’t need to be told the definition of insanity. The game appeals to people who are interested in open world games and veterans of the older games in the series.
No matter where you want to hang your hat, be it single player mode, casual multiplayer, or the ultra-competitive mode, you will have a great return for your investment. It’s really fun, no matter what you do, except if you are a Completionist who likes to 100% the whole game… it is going to be a daunting task, no doubt about it.
Shadow Gambit The Cursed Crew hits all the right notes when it comes to a stealth strategy game. It would have been an okay game even without the memory shenanigans regardless. But that simply wasn’t going to cut it. It’s clear that the developers wanted this title to be of the highest quality possible. And it shows. Shadow Gambit is a solidly entertaining game that has the same level of awareness as Guybrush breaking the 4th wall. I can’t recommend this game enough if you are into stealth strategy games.
Remnant 2 is the closest thing to a perfect sequel as far as video games are concerned. It strikes that delicate balance of remaining faithful to the game that came before it while branching out in hopes of not being called a DLC for the game before. If you have played and loved the first Remnant game, you owe it to yourself to experience Remnant 2 sometime in the near future.
Sea of Stars is greater than just the nostalgia that inspires it. If it’s not through gameplay and minigames, then it’s the story that’s going to win you over. It may have had one awkward plot point involving bread but the message behind it was well-received. After 45+ hours of gameplay, I am thoroughly convinced that Sea of Stars is well deserving of all the praises it has accumulated over the years in development. I wholeheartedly recommend this game to more than just RPG enthusiasts.
OlliOlli World is visually beautiful and mechanically fulfilling. The game appeals to both casual and competitive players, all the while wrapped in a charming world inhabited by interesting characters.
This is the most definitive version of the trilogy so far. For series veterans, we have a unified look for your customized Commander Shepard that you will experience adventures with till the bitter end. This not only applies to male Shepard. Female Shepard from the third game is the default model from the beginning. If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will. For first-time players, you will get the best version of the games, complete with all the DLC’s. And a photo mode to boot! What more can you ask for?