I really want to like this game more. NiCO's a fun new character to add to the mix, and the DOA Quest mode is a lot of fun. But the middling story, and ridiculous costume grind kind of shows how little new content there is to this game. Maybe down the line it'll be a fully fleshed out experience, but at least it's off to a better start than Street Fighter 5.
I've gotten some sense of closure after the credits rolled in Kingdom Hearts 3 and it wasn't quite what I wanted, but that doesn't make it unworthy of being experienced. It's hard to say this game was worth the long wait, as the story is still a mess, but Square-Enix showed some real love in crafting this experience. There's definitely some highs, and quite a few lows, but seeing this journey through is ultimately satisfying. And if you've been in it for the long haul, then you'll probably come away pleased.
It felt shorter than the past episodes, but also satisfying to see this story arc come to an end. The surprise cameo was much appreciated, but I think we all knew that character wasn't really dead.
Playing Valiant Hearts now feels like a crime, but being on the Switch is a boon for this wartime marvel.
It's actually really hard to pick between the two which might be a better game, but for me, that Last Surprise remix in Dancing in Starlight really steals the show.
This DLC content comes off feeling a little 'more of same.' It doesn't introduce anything terribly new, and feels like it has less content and depth than the first chapter. I'm holding out hope that the third chapter can wrap this up neatly.
Deracine is one of the better experiences on the PSVR with a compelling story and some interesting gameplay. It feels like a complete experience from start to finish and has an interesting world that begs to be explored further.
The Heist is a good bite-sized morsel of content that kept my attention throughout, and I'm excited to see where the rest of these chapters go. I just hope the Insomniac team can keep things interesting throughout.
There are a couple of technical issues that hold back Life is Strange 2, it's got some weird visual glitches, and I encountered a few crashes in the short, but ultimately interesting story of two brothers, and their suddenly upended life.
Dragon Quest XI is the perfect game to kick off the annual Fall glut of games, simply based on the merits of it being a massive sprawling JRPG that could easily carry you into the Winter months if you want it to. There's so much to do and it's so easily to get lost for hours just exploring the world trying to find the right materials to craft some better gear, or to finish up that side-quest that you picked up in Puerto Valor, or maybe the casino is more your style? Dragon Quest XI is easily one of the best JRPGs this generation, and it would be a shame if you missed it.
XBox One owners have no excuse to miss out on this game. It is one of the best examples of video games as a medium of entertainment and needs to be played by every person possible. I cannot stress enough how important this game is, or how good it is.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux is a really long title for a really long game. But this game is a great swan song for the 3DS hardware and the perfect JRPG for on-the-go gaming next to Persona 4 Golden.
I had hoped that after a few initially rocky hours, The Alliance Alive would somehow turn it all around and be a game that I would love. Unfortunately that's not quite the case here, and on a system with no shortage of good RPGs, it's hard to sell The Alliance Alive to anyone but the most ardent of fans.
Okami HD is just as good now as it was when it launched in 2006, but now in beautiful 4K. There's no excuse not to own this game in some fashion now.
Fallen Legion+ is a great value for an indie game, and it also happens to be a pretty good title to boot. If you're over turn based battles and want something a little more fluid that also looks great, then this is a great investment of your time and money.
Once you get your VR legs, then maybe you can grok the terrible controls, but then you have to see how awful this game looks. Yes it is technically impressive that Skyrim is in VR, but it's not the best way to experience it.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a great game to finish off the Switch's stellar first year, and offers a massive adventure that will scratch the itch felt by both MMO and JRPG fans.
In what is easily one of the best expansions of the year, Guerrilla Games gave us an interesting new story arc, some great new characters, and most importantly a reason to revisit a game that was probably shelved months ago for most gamers because there is literally too much good stuff this year.
The Evil Within 2 get so much right that it's predecessor got wrong, and it's actually a great game on top of that. The initial chapters of the game start off slow, but then once things get rolling, this game is really hard to put down.
Dishonored: Death of The Outsider is a great follow up to Dishonored 2. It offers a really rich experience with a fair amount of replay value—which is really rare in add-on content these days.