The remaster is just a timeless reminder of its importance in the pantheon of sneaking games.
The Doom Slayer has faced many nightmarish opponents and toppled them all, yet his greatest victory might be slaying the impossibly high expectations set by his genre-defining precursors.
Crash Bandicoot 4‘s stellar level design, responsive controls, deep replayability, and superb animation all come together to create such an outstanding experience that not only brings this bandicoot back to life, but also removes it from the dusty shelf where all the other taxidermied ’90s platforming mascots go to be forgotten.
If Control was “weirdness, perfected” then Control: Ultimate Edition is weirdness, perfected and fully realized. Bundling all of its content in one place is a decent proposition as it was supported supremely well after its launch, but the technical advancements are what make this “ultimate edition” so ultimate. Its swift combat is finally stable enough to move at the pace it was supposed to originally move at. The immersive world is made even more immersive with its many visual upgrades. Control was so obviously built ahead of its time as these enhancements aren’t just surface-level touch-ups; they’re instrumental improvements that help this game become its fullest self and the best Director of the FBC it can possibly be.
For a game about garbage, its wholesomeness and "holesomeness" make it the very opposite of trash.
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.
But the game also lets you become Michael Bay by giving you total control over the chaos you can create on the screen. That may not be a flattering comparison in the cinematic world but for a game like Just Cause 4, it’s one of the highest compliments.
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.
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.
Mortal Kombat 11’s toned down yet more tactical play gives it its own style that also remains true to the heart of the series. Although the franchise has been all about ripping out beating hearts, MK11 thankfully knew to leave that heart intact.