Jason Rodriguez's Reviews
Despite an overwhelming number of strategic options and features, many of Empire of Sin's mechanics just don't mesh well or they can be completely ignored. Playthroughs will feel roughly similar to what you've done previously, and it becomes a repetitive affair and a chore to see what else you could do.
Although Europa itself is harsh and beautiful at the same time, Destiny 2: Beyond Light suffers from a litany of issues. The unnecessary back-and-forth to do missions on Europa, a weak structure for its campaign, and the sunsetted weapons with barely anything decent that replaced them all combine to lead to disappointments. Worse, although Stasis is a neat subclass to use in PvE, it doesn't seem viable for high-end content and it's extremely annoying in PvP. There's a good chance that Bungie adds more in succeeding weeks, but this has been a rough start for a once-promising expansion.
Torchlight III still suffers from many issues that have been present since its Early Access stage, including a middling endgame and bland core gameplay loop. Worse, its restrictions on character builds and relic usage lead to a lack of experimentation and customization.
Over-the-top action, ridiculous animations and attacks, and a cartoony reimagining of your favorite superstars aside, WWE 2K Battlegrounds is hampered by its lackluster class-based movesets, as well as a system that requires you to grind for a vast majority of superstars that still need to be unlocked. With limited customization options and game modes, it's best played in short bursts, and you'll hardly feel engaged from a single-player standpoint.
Total War: Three Kingdoms - Mandate of Heaven presents a massive conflict and an evolving sandbox campaign, with several features and events to keep you entertained. Sadly, it's also bogged down by its reliance on older concepts that lack strategic depth, glaring bugs, as well as missed opportunities. Though you could expect to log in the extra hours, it becomes repetitious to a fault once the rebellion has been quashed.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has the content to keep you entertained for a time. Unfortunately, the visuals and core mechanics are woefully behind 20 years after its initial release. It's a nostalgia trip for fans given the low price, but it's lacking in this new age of strategy games.
Warsaw is challenging at times to the point of harsh realism and it has an assortment of foes to take out. But, with mechanics that are downright arcadey and odd, Warsaw's missteps mar what could've been a brilliant look at a major event in Poland's history during World War II.
Retrieved dataslate information reveals circa-M03 tech, Warhammer 40K: Mechanicus - Heretek, has disappointed the Machine God. End of datastream.
Repetitive, meandering, and streamlined to a fault, Warhammer: Chaosbane lacks the depth to keep you invested well past the shallow endgame. It's a shame given the rich lore and enemy design.
Stunning visuals and survival mechanics shine in Fade to Silence. Unfortunately, companion management, bugs, crashes, and uninspiring combat lead to an experience that you just want to fade away.
Close to the Sun's bland narrative and lack of challenging mechanics, as well as being light on the scares, makes for a rather dull experience.
Rise of Industry has significant depth with heavy focus on logistics and supply management. Unfortunately, there's not much else for you to enjoy.
Imperator: Rome combines the quirks and mechanics of multiple Paradox titles, but it lacks the charm and depth to stand out on its own. It wore the trappings and regalia of Marcus Aurelius, yet, once removed, out came Commodus instead.
A dungeon crawl with turn-based mechanics. Shows a lot of promise but is ultimately bogged down by repetitive combat and shallow character/skill system.
Disney Dreamlight Valley's whimsy is offset by the frustrations of time management and a monotonous daily grind.
Victoria 3 is, without a doubt, grand in scale and scope, and it's downright gorgeous, too. Sadly, the countless mechanics mean that there are too many moving parts, which lead to more questions than answers. The automation and streamlining of battle is, likewise, a baffling change. Even as a veteran of Paradox Interactive's games, this is still one series that I can't get behind.
Circus Electrique has a plethora of intriguing ideas. Unfortunately, most of these don't mesh well with the core gameplay, leading to a tedious romp.
Weird West does have some interesting and novel ideas. Sadly, bugs, AI issues, and questionable mechanics prove to be problematic.
Rainbow Six Siege starts out strong owing to tactical gameplay and frantic moments. Sadly, the grind becomes tedious down the line. Worse, there's a lack of incentives to keep you excited for the endgame.
King's Bounty II offers numerous options to keep you playing its 40-hour campaign. Unfortunately, it suffers from questionable design, janky movement while exploring, and confusing alignment system outcomes. It can be a treat for long-time fans, but it's also rough around the edges.