After living in Wii purgatory for 11 years, it’s nice for other console owners to finally experience Sonic Colors. The Ultimate edition brings some graphical flourishes and a forgiving difficulty curve that would help benefit beginners. However, the myriad of both visual and audio glitches dampen the overall experience. I do hope that Blind Squirrel can polish the game down the line and provide a more consistent experience. Unfortunately, as it stands, Sonic Colors: Ultimate doesn’t quite reach for the stars.
Whether you are a squire or a samurai lord, Ghost of Tsushima is still as excellent as it was a year ago. If you haven’t played the game before and are debating if to pick up the PS5 version at full price, I’d still recommended it. The sheer amount of content from the main game, the expansion island, and the fantastic multiplayer make it a worthwhile purchase.
WarioWare: Get It Together! gets a lot of points for reinvigorating the classic formula. Controlling characters in microgames adds a new layer to the gameplay without making the simple goals too convoluted. Unfortunately, the uneven characters and obtuse controls can result in some frustration. The multiplayer offerings are fun when the main games are the focus, but the variety pack doesn’t add much interest despite its namesake. Still, with all the warts, this is still WarioWare, and it’s still as hilarious and fun as it’s always been. Even if it couldn’t get all of its ideas together, it’s still better than having a rotten time.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a major step up from Banana Blitz HD. Thanks to a better source material, both the single and multiplayer content is great. There are some changes with the physics that can lead to very frustrating moments, but as a whole, this is a return to form. Not every new idea lands, but the sheer amount of content for every kind of player will ensure there is something for everyone.
For a series with such a high pedigree, Dread hits all the high notes and leaves very little to be unsatisfied with. Even after experiencing its bombastic finale, it has many secrets to discover that warrant multiple playthroughs. Even if the additions are subtle, it’s the refined sheen of polish that makes Dread not just one of the best games in the franchise, but one of the best games in recent memory.
Halo Infinite had a lot going against it due to a lot of behind the scenes issues. But against all odds this game manages to deliver. Not all of its ideas work, like the bloated open world, repetitive environments and especially the abysmal progression system in the multiplayer. But at the end of the day, the core mechanics are excellent. They are so excellent, in fact, that I enjoyed the action far more than nitpicking every issue I had.