Jason Rodriguez's Reviews
Immortality is Sam Barlow's most ambitious project. It presents an engrossing narrative, with numerous moments that will amaze you as you discover them. The only downside is that you can end up with repetitive scenes without knowing what to do next.
Will the frustrations continue to mount? Will the Saints Row reboot establish its identity? We’ll see. For now, I’ll continue to play more to see the campaign through to its conclusion. I might also try some co-op activities with our Review Editor, Andrew Farrell, and maybe some drop-in multiplayer, too. You can expect a finalized review score within the week.
Thymesia has some refreshing ideas to set it apart among a packed field of Souls-like games. Sadly, many of these mechanics don't mesh well with the action or are completely useless. Exploration also feels generally unrewarding.
Cult of the Lamb relies on its demented humor and zany ideas that add charm. Sadly, some mechanics are either too streamlined or troublesome. You're bound to enjoy it for several hours until it becomes repetitive to a fault.
Hard West 2 has some refreshing ideas to consider, such as perks based on your deck of cards, and consistently refreshing action points by way of kills. Unfortunately, its over-reliance on a puzzle-like, kill-all-in-one-round concept also leads to a repetitive and tedious romp as time wears on.
Stray is a fairly short game with a few notable flaws. Still, it's a joy to experience the wonders of playing as a cat in a marvelously designed world.
Loopmancer has some nifty concepts and flashy combat. However, it's also bogged down by some simplified mechanics and a hammy narrative.
Starship Troopers: Terran Command tries to capture the campiness and action-packed thrills of the movie, but it falters just like the invasion of Klendathu.
The Quarry is still filled to the brim with thrills, tough choices, and brutal deaths. Unfortunately, it still suffers from the same pitfalls that have plagued past titles. It's worsened by poorly written character relationships and a rather unsatisfying ending.
Sniper Elite 5 reuses a tried-and-tested formula that has made the franchise a hit. Unfortunately, that familiarity can wear thin as you continue to progress. Still, some multiplayer modes might keep you engaged.
Clunky combat, boring progression, threadbare plot, unrewarding exploration, and a laughably bad healing mechanic. All of these lead to a soulless Souls-like that is Dolmen.
Salt and Sacrifice is enjoyable in short bursts. It retains certain core concepts from the original, including a fairly controversial one: the lack of a map. This is further compounded by repetitive Mage Hunts that become tedious after a while.
Despite having some interesting concepts and refreshing mechanics, Galactic Civilizations IV suffers from an unintuitive UI, lack of tooltip information, and production queue bugs.
Weird West does have some interesting and novel ideas. Sadly, bugs, AI issues, and questionable mechanics prove to be problematic.
While Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok has some brilliant ideas, it's far from the epic expansion that you'd want it to be. It's hampered by reused mechanics and a story that's woefully disconnected from your main character's arc.
WWE 2K22 does have some notable problems, such as modes that feel lacking or tacked on. Thankfully, it manages to excel in other departments, including visuals, controls, and performance. Although its predecessors set a very low bar, WWE 2K22 still cleared it and exceeded expectations.
Elden Ring is a spectacle and a marvel to behold. Although there are some issues, the overall experience remains deeply engaging. It's one of the best open-world games I have ever played.
While it does have some notable flaws, namely a somewhat messier campaign progression, Total War: Warhammer III still manages to impress. With multiple factions and legendary lords to choose from, along with a plethora of improvements to existing mechanics, you're bound to have one hell of a good time.
Crusader Kings III: Royal Court offers a plethora of customization options and more role-playing flavor. Sadly, it's bogged down by its reliance on random events that can get tiresome later in your campaign.
Dying Light 2 still retains many of the key factors that made the original enjoyable and exhilarating. Unfortunately, it's also bogged down by technical issues, janky mechanics, and a restrictive save system that prevents you from readily seeing outcomes.