Toys for Bob’s recreation honors Spyro’s roots by using Insomniac’s style as a template and naturally expanding upon it without losing sight of the franchise’s soul. The result is a trio of titles that have brighter visuals, smoother controls, and more expressive animations while retaining the easygoing platformer nature that surprisingly fits quite well in the modern day.
those areas where Tetris Effect drops the ball doesn’t completely negate how good the classic puzzler still is at dropping blocks.
Hitman 2 was obviously meant to be attached to the previous Hitman game as both are nearly identical on the surface. The commitment to replayability, thorough assassinations, and large, packed environments are parallels that worked then and work now.
Castlevania: Requiem is a good reminder of the best parts of the series but the collection also makes it more evident that Konami is maybe currently not adept enough to create thrilling new experiences and is only capable of haphazardly bundling together old ones in hopes that we won't notice the difference.
Spider-Man's first episode is fantastic in almost all the same ways that the main game is.
Project Warlock's speedy gunplay, rockin' soundtrack, and armory of slick weapons combine in a way that make it a bit more than a repeat of past Dooms and results in a game that's bigger than the sum of its many recognizable parts.
The skating dry spell may not have been completely lifted but it's not as dry anymore, thanks to this modest splat of paint.
The remaster is just a timeless reminder of its importance in the pantheon of sneaking games.
There's an elusive elegance to The Gardens Between. It's short, charming, and shows its rewarding puzzle mechanic in just a couple hours without stretching the game to its breaking point. Some people might think it's too short but it's a start contrast to a solid chunk of big budget games that boast nebulous amounts of content over shorter, more authored experiences.
The game is probably close to what you'd expect: a collection of hard-as-nails platforming levels capped off by a boss fight where you get more gear so you can tackle even more hard-as-nails platforming levels and boss fights. However, its new Gear System and difficulty settings simultaneously make it more accessible and deeper while not sacrificing its core identity.
Although it crafts a wonderful narrative in an awe-inspiring world, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, through its stubbornness and familiarity, sometimes feels like a "best of" compilation of its predecessors without being the best of them.
Life Is Strange 2 Episode 1 is a decent introduction this new season. It stumbles and succeeds in the same areas as its predecessor, but those stumbles are a bit less severe and those victories are a tad more successful.
Despite Episode 2's strengths, the cancellation makes it hard to recommend because it is part of something that will probably never become whole.
Coincidentally, Shadow of the Tomb Raider looks content living in the shadow of the other Tomb Raider games, which is good enough in most respects. It's just at its best when it crawls out of that shadow and ventures into uncharted territory.
For a game about garbage, its wholesomeness and "holesomeness" make it the very opposite of trash.
It may occasionally feel like a relic, but like the members of the Strange Brigade have shown, sometimes that's just what you're looking for.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode One's endearing characters and lovely cliffhanger ending have me eagerly anticipating what's coming next, like any good Telltale game of old. But its better camera, updated presentation, and deeper gameplay mechanics have me interested in whatever new things the studio is cooking up after it puts Clementine's story to rest.
Whether it's two players or four, Overcooked 2 is a rowdy cooperative blast that encourages teamwork and adaptation as its constantly changing level design and recipe book keep you and your team on their toes. It's just up to you to find a group of people you're willing to yell at and celebrate with.
While Anamorphine's story is still worth seeing through, it's a shame that its shoddy optimization tries to actively thwart its touching message at every turn.
By pushing for change in a slightly messy way, the game fittingly embodies its revolutionary namesake in a way that will hopefully encourage others to follow suit and improve upon what it has started.