I had a good amount of fun with Chorus. I walked in looking for a take on the space combat genre that could finally get me invested. There was definitely a good amount of love and care put into this title. The team at Fishlabs has put together something flawed but ultimately really exciting. For years, games based on flying around in space and shooting other space ships just did not appeal. Chorus has changed that and I hope that it does well so the developers will capitalize and make it’s next chapter even better.
Riders Republic at first glance seems like something that’s too good to be true. An action sports game with real attention to detail that showcases the true, adrenaline filled spirit of the sports it features.
As someone who grew up with all of these characters, it’s beautiful to see them re-contextualized in a game that shows them the love and care they deserve. While it lacks content and a key component of Nickelodeon’s formula in the absence of voice acting, it is a fun, inviting fighting game. If you’re someone who holds Nickelodeon and it’s character’s close in any way at all, or if you’re just a fan of the Super Smash Bros. style fighters and need a break from them specifically, I would pick this one up.
Overall, NBA 2K22 is serviceable, if not slightly better than average. The game functions as it should, but it’s clear where the focus is. The graphics become more impressive each year, especially for the newer platforms. Gameplay isn’t very different, but it definitely has a level of polish that I didn’t see in previous years. It’s just too bad that the fun of the game is bogged down by the clunky transitions and the constant nagging to spend real money on in-game items. NBA 2K22 is exactly what the franchise has been; a fun, familiar, and accessible competitive sports title.
Truly, I love Deathloop. It's the most exciting new AAA title I've played in quite a while. The learning curve is always challenging, but never frustrating. From the moment it started, the premise sucked me in and made me care about what was going on. I'm happy to say that this is a case in which delays really did a game a lot of good. Deathloop is easily one of the best titles to come out this year. Arkane Studios put their best foot forward in trying times and delivered an instant classic.
Golf Club: Wasteland caught my eye as a game that was visually pleasing with an interesting twist. It was far more than I expected, showcasing a ton of value. I found it to be a fun, challenging and interesting spin of what our future could be. While it is short, roughly four hours or so, it’s exceptionally effective with the time it provides. With over 30 stages and tons of dialogue, Demagog Studio has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the future. Here, they’ve made a game to represent that.
I would argue that Urban Trial Tricky is one of the simpler, yet more fun games that I’ve played in recent memory. It’s got a straightforward formula that works well and has a nice visual sheen. While it won’t be graphically stunning, the gameplay more than makes up for it. Overall, it’s quite one-note, but in a way that’s serviceable, fun, and unoffensive.
Generally, I enjoy Destruction Allstars. It’s a fun, high-energy, launch window title with a future that simply relies on the attention to content moving forward. There’s a great formula to start with, but if this game is going to become as big I want it to be, the content roadmap needs to be promising. If you have a PlayStation Plus subscription, I’d oblige you to give it a try. You never know, it might just be your thing.
Generally, I would describe Spirit of the North as a nice and easy, low-pressure game to play. It’s also a great tech demo for next-gen open world games. With the winter coming and indoor time inevitable, I recommend picking this one up.
I’m happy to say that Insomniac has impressed me in their ability to pull off such an entertaining title to kick off the next generation of gaming. Even if it isn’t that long, the fantastic gameplay and stunning visuals make this title shine. Maybe it’s just my love for Spider-Man, but Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales has pushed the standard even higher. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this Miles and this Spider-Man universe.
Aggro Crab has really outdone themselves here. This is a fun, seamless, quick-paced dungeon crawler with beautiful aesthetics and great writing. I say, no matter who you are and what you play; please do yourself a favor and pick up Going Under.
Spellbreak succeeds at being what it is. A magic based role-playing battle royale that’s just different enough to separate it from everything else. With cross-play and cross progression, not to mention being free-to-play, it’s definitely an easy one to get into. If you’ve been into the battle royale craze the last three years or any point leading up to now, please check this out.
While not big on content, Skater XL provides a fresh take on the skateboarding genre with hours of mindless fun pulling off any skate trick you can think of based on its excellent physics engine and variety of spots to skate. If you like skateboarding even a little bit, pick up this game.
In Death: Unchained is a faithful VR title that does what it’s supposed to, albeit with noticeably less visible finesse. However, it feels stale in long playthroughs. I would recommend picking this one up if you consider yourself a fan of VR shooters. Otherwise, maybe skip this one.
This game offers a lot for the relatively low price tag, and free updates are on the way. With reoccurring updates, you’ll always have more content to look forward to. Do yourself a favor and pick up Rocket Arena.
This game is a short and sweet reminder of why the One Punch Man IP is so popular, but there’s a lot left to be desired. A more refined combat system and a longer campaign would serve this title well. As it stands, the $60 price tag is far from worth it. If you love Saitama as I do, check this one out. If you’re a casual fan, give a few months to go on sale.
In short, Dreams has been an honor to play. It’s a console-based creative suite unlike any that’s come before it. It has spectacular visual options, user-friendly controls, and literally endless possibilities.
If you have an hour or two to spare, give Eclipse: Edge of Light a try. There are interesting things to discover behind the lore of the game. While the world feels a bit empty, the serenity of it all is really something to admire. Just remember, it’s not a lengthy game, but it doesn’t need to be.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is enjoyable in short doses, but before long, it begins to feel like a chore. While I loved this game as an 11-year-old, I would find it incredibly difficult to suggest this to someone who wasn’t already a big fan of the Ghostbusters franchise.
Realistic racing with a brilliant learning curve and destruction as far as the eye can see. No other racing game on a console that's dropped this year so far has what's been put together here.