Asymmetry somehow brings it all together.
Wasteland 3 takes players to a new location and presents them with equally unfamiliar challenges, yet still perfectly demonstrates all of the reasons why this series has had die-hard fans for over three decades, and is absolutely worth playing for anyone looking for their next post-apocalyptic fix.
Only a few new sights in the universe.
For situations where players have exhausted all their available options and brainpower, The Case of the Golden Idol also offers a fantastic in-game hint system. It doesn't overreach and offer solutions blatantly, but instead uses phrases like "consider the food on the dinner table, and everyone's personal eating habits" to point confused players in the right direction. None of the puzzles presented in the game are impossibly difficult (except for one late game chapter which suddenly threw maths in, but that could be my own personal shortcomings) and the story it tells about the golden idol itself is delightfully weird and fleshed out despite the game's short runtime. For anyone looking for 3-6 hours of cryptic crossword-like murder mysteries, The Case of the Golden Idol is a solid choice.
Resident Evil 4 Remake looks great on PS5, plays smoothly even with fancy hair effects turned on, has very few glitches, and is still a lengthy game that somehow gives you the urge to replay it as soon as it's over. It feels three times as large as the Resident Evil 3 remake, and is absolutely deserving of praise. It's also not as silly, not as unique, and not as necessary as the original. Resident Evil, RE2, and RE3 all benefited from an increase in graphical fidelity and modern controls. Resident Evil 4 didn't need it. Nor will RE5. Or RE6. Enough is enough, Capcom. Please stop.
We've had a great time playing Disney Illusion Island in multiplayer as a family, and I can't help but think that's the only "right" way to play it. It would be nice if there was a bit more voice acting, since the gameplay is simple enough that even kids who can't quite read yet are able to pick it up and play mostly effortlessly, but even considering these few flaws it's still one of the best family games of 2023. It's a well-made adventure that, despite the many assistance features and lack of combat, still manages to be entertaining and enjoyable to players of varying ages. While it probably won't be everyone's favorite Metroidvania of all time, it's absolutely worth playing if you have kids.
At the time of this review, I have yet to actually beat Astral Ascent in full, so I can't speak to the game's ending. If it's anything like most roguelikes I've played over the years, though, it's not getting to the ending that matters; it's about how enjoyable the trip is. As someone who has put in hundreds of hours in Dead Cells, Hades, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Slay the Spire, and countless others, I really thought I was kind of done with the whole genre. Astral Ascent, though, is the first game since Starfield was released earlier this year that has hooked me. It's always hard to put into words what that "one more run" feeling is the best roguelikes inspire, but Astral Ascent undeniably nails it.
For a free game that shows the first glimpse of what Konami is truly going to do with the franchise, Silent Hill: The Short Message is absolutely worth experiencing. That's not to say it's perfect. The "walk around and find the only interactable object in the room" gameplay brings nothing new to the table, and after being caught by the monster two or three times the escape room segments become far more tedious than they do scary (especially the final one). The dialog is a bit too on-the-nose, and all the social media references that seemed pretty important in the beginning are quietly shoved to the side once the real story reveals itself. That all being said, it's a far better start than it could have been, and it is undeniably the best new Silent Hill media since 2014.
Madden 20 boasts a new X-Factor system and story mode, but does it stand up next to previous titles?
While not recommended for casual gamers, anyone who can look past some technical imperfections and appreciate well-executed tabletop-style role playing mixed with cosmic horror will get at least a dozen enjoyable hours out of Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones.
Rebel Cops is a well-made, difficult game that could benefit from some mechanical restructuring.
Argonus and the Gods of Stone tells a fantastic Greek myth with a danger-free point-and-click interface.
Enhanced editions of the first two Baldur's Gate games have finally arrived on consoles.
Planescape Torment & Icewind Dale adequately explore the weirder elements of Dungeons & Dragons.
Disney Classic Games is perfectly preserved depiction of the video game movie tie-in culture of the 90's.
Shenmue III has finally arrived, and it is exactly what fans of the series have been asking for.
Aftermath gives MK11 the ending it needed.
Battle royale comes for Pac-Man.
Mortal Kombat 1 reboots the series for the second time in 30 years, and while the fighting is good it's clear everyone is unsure how to move forward.
Resident Evil 4 Remake: Separate Ways is just as fun to play as Resident Evil 4 Remake was, although it's much shorter. There are some great set-pieces and moments of camp that you won't find in any other series, and it is nice that Capcom is at least giving Ada and Wesker to the base game's Mercenaries mode for free. But. This whole part of the game used to be free. This was an add-on, a bonus, something Capcom initially packaged in with Resident Evil 4 on the PlayStation 2. All you had to do was beat the game once - there was no extra money involved.