While its core gameplay loop is strong, Gunborg: Dark Matters doesn’t do a lot to set itself apart in a crowded field. You can definitely have fun for a few hours, but before you know it, you’ll be getting off this ship with your cargo in tow. Still, while it lasts, Gunborg provides a great looking, excellent sounding, adventure that plays pretty well to boot.
Horizon Forbidden West improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, offering a stunning follow-up to an already excellent title which shows just how much a game can improve through refinement. Fans of the original will feel immediately comfortable, but they’ll find a far better adventure waiting for them. If you disliked the original game, Forbidden West won’t change your mind, but this is a must-own for everyone else.
These are nitpicks though. Far: Changing Tides manages to take players on an emotionally engaging journey without a word, with a ship and the seas as your only companions. From beautiful isolation comes an unforgettable experience. If this sounds remotely like something that’s for you, definitely check it out.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus nails the core of what could easily become the core of the series moving forward. Its world doesn’t look great, but it’s a ton of fun to explore and play around in. There’s definitely room for improvement in a next installment. A core quest for players to really sink their teeth into, improved graphics at least around the edges, and slightly rebalanced battles would be a great start. Still, for players who have spent the last twenty six years waiting for Pokémon to try something new, you’ll definitely want to take a trip to Hisui.
While I might have liked slightly more memorable levels or stronger personality from the supporting cast, OlliOlli World provides hours of skating bliss with rock-solid controls and a great sense of progression. Once you’re in the zone, it’s easy to lose hours as your quest for Gnarvana provides a sense of gaming nirvana. This one’s definitely worth a look.
KungFu Kickball has some strong ideas. They don’t really work, though, and the game never quite manages to live up to its namesake. There’s just so little here, and so much of what is here doesn’t quite feel right. I wish I’d been able to have more fun with it, but as is, I would have a hard time recommending it even if you’re in the target audience.
Despite some frustrating design choices around progression and a camera which isn’t as consistent as I’d like, I had more fun with Sifu than the vast majority of action games on the market. At the end of the day, it just feels too good to play for me to deny. Even as I replayed levels dozens of times when I really wanted to see what was ahead, I couldn’t put the controller down. That’s the sign of a master right there.
Windjammers 2 will more than satisfy fans of the original who are looking to take on their friends. The gameplay is tight, wonderfully balanced, and manages to add additional depth without compromising the series’ intuitive feel. A bit of balance on the roster could still help, and I do wish we had additional single-player content to keep those who prefer to play solo coming back, but this one is still well worth your time.
It’s rare that we get a game as strong as Nobody Saves the World so early in the year. With excellent combat, a huge overworld to explore, and a ton of personality, I don’t have a lot negative to say about it. Those who enjoy games like Hades and The Binding of Isaac have found their next fix. Even if you’re not generally a big fan of roguelikes, the game’s more linear overworld and forgiving checkpoints offer an inviting path to entry.
Even after all these years, SNK VS. Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash mostly lives up to what I hoped it could be. A more in-depth single-player mode would have been great and online matches are a glaring omission, but you still have an incredibly deep, rewarding card game with a ton of flavor from series many of us have loved for a very long time. This one could steal a lot of hours from your life.
I’d highly recommend either of Super Mario 3D World or Bowser’s Fury, but when you put them together in the same package, you have a fantastic value. Players who missed Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U should run out and pick this one up. It’s one of the best games available on the Switch. Even those who played it many years ago will find a lot to like in Bowser’s Fury’s different take on the Mario formula. If you still haven’t checked this one out, there’s no time like the present.
Ultimately it’s hard to give The Gunk a strong recommendation. It’s a very old-fashioned game, one that feels like it wouldn’t have truly stood out even in the era it feels like it belongs to. Despite likable characters, the story doesn’t really satisfy either. The core mechanics just plain work, though, and its short length doesn’t overstay its welcome. While it feels like the development team squandered the potential for more, those who can check it out without a significant investment will find a few fun hours. Perfect for Game Pass, indeed.
Nothing comes easy in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX. These are fairly poor ports of two pretty good games, with the best part of them stripped out. I still had fun revisiting these games after so many years, and players able to overlook the poor interface and lack of guidance can still definitely find a good time here, but you’ll need to work for it.
Halo Infinite isn’t a perfect game. It has some rough edges, and you can absolutely feel at times where compromises had to be made to get it out this holiday season. Normally I’d want a game to take its time and release when it’s ready, but this is a case where I’m glad the developers didn’t do so. A year from now, Halo Infinite may be even better than it is today, but right now, it’s still one of the best games of 2021. After many years of trying to find its footing, Halo is back on solid ground. While in the long term, a series of this age will need to try innovating again, after years of struggling to find the right feel, letting players come home to a game that simply feels like a modern version of what they love was the right choice.
Despite some flaws, Rune Factory 4 Special is still a ton of fun for players wanting that mix of combat and farming. After nearly a decade, though, I hope this is the last we see of it being ported around, at least for now. Time has moved a bit past it, and other games in the genre offer smoother experiences. With Rune Factory 5 set to finally hit US shores early next year, hopefully, we’ll soon be enjoying the evolution of Rune Factory 4 we’ve needed for some time.
I had a wonderfully pleasant time playing Before We Leave. While consoles may never be ideal for simulation titles, if I’m going to check one out with a controller, this is exactly the version I’m looking for. A few performance issues and a lack of variety may make this a game to be enjoyed briefly, but the cozy vibe it gives off feels just right. Grab a nice cup of tea, wrap yourself up in a warm blanket, and enjoy.
There’s genuine fun to be had with Jurassic World Evolution 2. Chaos mode and the sandbox give you a lot of options to really build the park of your dreams. When even the game’s best modes are fairly flawed, though, it becomes hard to recommend all, but the biggest Jurassic Park fans dig into this one. Players who can play on PC will almost certainly find a game that controls better, but while that’s an issue, it isn’t the only problem here. Sadly, a different control scheme isn’t going to solve Jurassic World Evolution 2’s most significant issues.
Despite a few minor quibbles, Forza Horizon 5 is a triumph for its series, taking everything the last several titles set up so well and making a bigger and better game than its predecessors. Any fan of racing games needs to check it out now, and even if you’re not usually into the genre, you may surprise yourself with how well it pulls you in. Forza Horizon 5 is a taste of gaming nirvana that is not to be missed.
I had a lot of fun during my time with Blue Reflection: Second Light. A colorful world filled with interesting characters and some of my favorite JRPG combat in a long time makes for a consistently entertaining play. I just wish the main story ever really became interesting. As a slice of life RPG, Second Light succeeds. As an apocalyptic epic, though, it falls short. This leaves a total package that lies somewhere in the middle.
While there’s very little wrong with Age of Empires IV, this is a game that could definitely have been used to take more risks. A part of me wondered what a modern Age of Empires game would feel like. It turns out, like more Age of Empires. You may at some point wonder why you didn’t just go back and play the series’ earlier titles. Excellent production values help to make the case, however, and there’s just so much to do. I fear I’ll pour far too many hours of my life into this game in the coming years. Fans who have been waiting for more Age of Empires or a good RTS that doesn’t feel like it had to be developed on a shoestring budget will find what they’re looking for in Age of Empires IV.