Street Fighter 6 is a redemptive sequel that’s more complete and has a distinct style. Street Fighter 5 did eventually get better, but Street Fighter 6 has come out the gate swinging with a suite of deep mechanics with more intuitive ways to learn and master all of them. The single-player modes are lacking, and, in World Tour’s case, disastrous, but it’s a strong fighting game that packs quite a punch.
Humanity’s presentation only augments the satisfying puzzle mechanics at its core. Leading around an array of humans through a series of shrewdly planned commands is open enough to lead to many different types of brain-teasers that consistently challenge players. A handful of these ways can be a little frustrating, especially near the end, but they’re outnumbered by the copious amount of stages that push players to think creatively as the most important Shiba Inu to ever live.
But instead of realizing its potential, Survivor squandered it by repeating many of the same problems and introducing new ones.
Dredge is a remarkable blend of polar opposite genres that benefit greatly when mashed together like this. It’s not the deepest fishing game nor is it the scariest horror game, but it blends these two distinct halves well enough so that it doesn’t rely on one tone or style for too long. And because of this, much like the aberrational fish that plague its sea, Dredge is unique enough to be quite the catch.
As ironic as it seems, gliding around a tropical archipelago is a tiresome chore because of its empty world and how its core Soul Jumping power falls well short of its potential. Tchia may jump into souls, but Tchia, as a game, isn’t good enough to jump into any hearts.
Capcom fundamentally understood why Resident Evil 4 is a classic and used that knowledge to develop a scarier and more action-packed version of the game that also honors the puzzle-oriented nature of the other installments. The harmonious fusion of these pieces has made it the ultimate Resident Evil game, a top-tier remake, and an overall masterpiece.
Wo Long carves its own path because of its distinct and rich combat system. Parrying is always fulfilling and the game’s many new systems are built around that rock-solid foundation. And while not quite the sharpest sword Team Ninja has crafted, it’s still as deadly as ever.
Motive Studio didn’t just reanimate a well-loved cadaver, but intelligently modernized the horror classic by highlighting and expanding upon what worked and changing what didn’t. This combination means that Dead Space is far scarier and more action-packed than the original while also having a more nuanced narrative that is able to build off what worked in the following games.
Hi-Fi Rush’s combat is nuanced, responsive, and utilizes its musical conceit well to give it its own unique identity.
Giving players the freedom to capture anything sounds liberating, but its lack of structure makes it all a hollow endeavor, a feeling that’s only made even more extreme during its general, unsatisfying ending.
Frey may “do magic” and “kill jacked-up beasts,” but she can’t overcome the mediocrity that surrounds her and spills out of her mouth at nearly every turn.
Outside of some trippy, awe-inspiring vistas that throw Yara into space, the only impressive thing about this DLC is that it is the fourth time Ubisoft has failed to turn Far Cry 6 into a compelling roguelite.
With a vivid and extraterrestrial setting, combat that uses its bizarre tools well, and a straightforward campaign that doesn’t demand to be played eternally, Squanch Games’ first shooter is impressively able to claim its own space within the genre.
With such a rushed story and sloppy mechanics, The Callisto Protocol betrays the legacy it was built upon.
Pumping out tired horror adventures annually instead of taking the time to develop more refined, original experiences has led to an overall disappointing Dark Pictures season with a finale that fittingly encapsulates that unrealized potential.
God of War Ragnarök’s successes with its finale can be applied to the game as a whole since it is also an exquisite end to this Norse saga.
The Winters’ Expansion is inconsistent in a way Village wasn’t, yet it still has plenty of Village’s qualities and is a decent sendoff to a standout game.
What started out as a humble new series has expanded into something much more ambitious. But while that ambition is admirable and sometimes extraordinary, it’s also the root cause of many of its problems since it lacks focus and seems like Asobo spread itself thin going this much larger.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope expands on almost everything else Kingdom Battle did much more successfully. Its tactical combat is more open and customizable, which leads to engaging battles where player resourcefulness is always rewarded and rewarding.
Unless the studio reverts its unwise focus on individuality and five-on-five play, then Overwatch 2 will likely remain a disappointing and fundamentally unfulfilling game that has frustratingly taken the place of its vastly superior predecessor.