While it might not be the perfect FMV game, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is pretty darn close. With the entwined stories, spectacular acting, and lengthy scenes, it truly is an interactive experience fans of the genre should not miss.
After watching the credits roll on Akito and K.K.’s journey, I still find myself itching to finish up every single thing in Ghostwire: Tokyo. Pray at those last few Jizo statues. Find the remaining tanuki. Figure out how to get inside of the 24th floor of the shopping complex so I can take out its pesky corruption spot. I’m forty hours in and counting and one hundred percent willing to do it all over again.
It may not be the next great JRPG, but if you’ve been looking for a tactics style game that provides a decent challenge, I’m going to recommend picking Monark up when your budget allows.
If your action-RPG library has felt a little lacking as of late,Maglam Lord might be what you’re looking for. This story of a long-slumbering Bladelord awakening to a new world order combines dungeon exploration with side-scrolling encounters and a splash of romance.
Despite those small things, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection blew me away on the PS5. The breathtaking landscapes and fluid gameplay heighted by the addition of improved feedback from the DualSense controller took a fantastic experience to another level.
Ever Forward could be a great addition to your PS5 (or PS4) library if Pathea Games is able to swiftly correct the performance issues. If not, I would suggest picking it up for PC instead. There is a lot of promise here and I really want to finish out Maya and Ann's tale. Preferably sooner than later.
It's unfortunate that Koei Temco has no intention of remaking or remastering the Fatal Frame series from the beginning. This slightly upscaled and modified port from Nintendo Wii U to current gen platforms puts forth a subpar experience that doesn't sell me on the series. It seemed to just be the most convenient installment to make available for the 20th anniversary and it shows. If you're like me and Maiden of Black Water is your first Fatal Frame game, I recommend you keep those expectations low.
My love of Doctor Who could not compel me to play another minute of this game. It feels like an extremely lazy conversion from VR to console game. It's sloppy, frustrating, and for three hours of this mess, not worth the download in its current state.
The only downside to this Roki PS5 port is that it fails to use any of the new technology available to it via the DualSense. I would have loved to hear the crunch of snow come via the controller instead of my TV, and maybe let me use the touchpad to select/drag/combine items from Tove's backpack-things that would have enhanced the experience and made it stand out from Roki's other releases. That said, this is a solid puzzle game and one I highly recommend devoting an afternoon or two to.
Can the Gardeners of the Galaxy save the flarking universe? Magic 8 Ball says "I am Groot."
Up until that bizarre glitch, enjoying Alan Wake Remastered was like the best kind of deja vu. Muscle memory steered me toward the hidden caches, triggered reminders to backtrack just a little here and there or look around that corner for collectibles. Alan's somewhat stiff voice, the ancient rockers, Barry-all of these things, campy as they were, welcomed me home. Those cold waters of Cauldron Lake sure are impossible to escape.
The overall story is fine but lacks that punch to push it over the top. If it were a movie it would sit comfortably with in the B movie section next to Pooka! and The Babadook-which is damn good company, if you ask me. Depending on just how long it takes you to solve the various puzzles, In Sound Mind takes an average of 12-ish hours from start to finish. Not too shabby if you are looking for a game to run over a single weekend. Could be just the thing you want this Halloween.
Every new line of code written enhances the original experience, bringing new ways for existing players to enjoy Death Stranding again. Whether you're here for exploring the factory and playing with the new toys like I am or want to challenge friends for top spot on the racing and firing range leaderboards, odds are there is a reason for you to come back. Reworked missions will aid new players into the world more smoothly than the original release, too. I definitely felt as though the difficulty spike wasn't nearly as harsh thanks to this. Keep in mind that while the Director's Cut expands and adds delicate touches here and there, this is still a game that requires patience and time for the best results.
Tales of Arise is gorgeous. The lands are lush and vibrant, even those trapped in extreme weather patterns. Calaglia's arid landscape makes me thirsty and trudging through Cyslodia's tundra reminds me of long Canadian winters. Sadly this all seems to be lost when it's time to throw in some anime. The switch from game graphics to anime cutscenes is actually rather jarring and I'm not a fan. I like the anime separately as its own entity, just not within the game itself. If the coloring matched the game, sure. But it washes out all of the hard work the level design team put into the game. Pair this with just way too much going on with the artes system and you can see how, though a fantastic game, it falls just shy of hitting a perfect ten.
Perhaps the biggest downside is that, as of right now, Monster Harvest isn't particularly long for a farming sim game. I think I finished it in just over twenty hours or so. To be fair, I was grinding so I could write this review, but by the time I finished the first year in-game, I had already reached my maximum XP cap and unlocked the bunker. In the first week of Year Two I had fully upgraded all of my tools and had enough materials (just short on cash) to finish upgrading all of my farm buildings. In week two I beat the SlimeCo boss. If the developer doesn't have plans to make events a real part of the game or expand the story and dungeons, this unique experience just isn't worth a full price investment.
I wish Tormented Souls had a story to match the amazing visual work. I get imparting the tale via personal journals but pairing that with characters that pretty much ignore Caroline's direct questions and statements regarding it is just sloppy and uninspired. This could have been a game that left me with my hairs standing on end and delicious goosebumps. Instead, when Caroline's screams persisted through the continue screen and bled into my game it ate away my desire to pick the controller back up. Not enough morphine in the world to make me want to suffer through this again.
Greak: Memories of Azur provided me the opportunity to experience a beautiful hand-drawn world in a way that best suits my gaming time and style. As I get older and find myself more and more selective with my gaming, intimate experiences like Greak are so much more rewarding than the biennial installment of a huge triple A title. Perhaps you're noticing the same habit forming with your gaming. If so, this hidden gem might be exactly what you've been looking for, too.
Cris Tales' number one selling point is its use of time manipulation as both a plot device and battle mechanic. It's what makes the entire experience. It's a solid mid-range game, great for teens and adults looking for a fairly breezy thirty-ish hour adventure. However, there are better games out there that you should experience first, especially if you have to be more selective with your cash.
I appreciate Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed for spawning a sequel that I fondly remember. I just have an extremely hard time overlooking so many glaring problems that were glossed over to repackage and sell it in this state. Unless you really loved Undead & Undressed or just don't want a hole in your collection, this is one to pick up on sale.
Having finished Kasane's version of the story and getting ready to experience Yuito's side, I'm truly appreciative of the storytelling. Japanese sci-fi has long been a genre I enjoy. Last year players were spoiled with 13 Sentinels, and Scarlet Nexus has delivered another wonderfully woven narrative worth playing. Do not sleep on this game! JRPG July is just around the corner and the perfect time to spend 60 hours playing video games.