The Lord of the Rings: Gollum doesn’t do anything fun or interesting like similar (better) games like A Plague Tale: Innocence and Requiem. It’s hard to say if even the most loyal Lord of the Rings fans would actually find something worthwhile here. Considering good Lord of the Rings games exist, this one feels incredibly out of place.
In essence, In Nightmare is a narrative heavy puzzle game where all too often you must engage in more action heavy scenes in order to progress. That, coupled with frequent sections where you must navigate a room of either a single monster or multiple and avoid detection, caused the game to wear out its welcome sooner than it should have. When it’s just puzzles where you have have all the time in the world to reason out is when the game works best, and I found myself wishing for more of that as the game went on.
The true problem of Babylon’s Fall is that it has no sense of identity. There’s nothing that sets it apart from games like it, and it only shows itself as a poor comparison to other, free, games. Babylon’s Fall feels like it was made to check a box, because it is just so empty and slapped together. The cookie-cutter levels only serve to wear you down as you just want to make it through main missions that are just about your only way to play the game. At the end of the day, Babylon’s Fall is a live-service game, assuming it survives this rocky launch, there’s enough potential to maybe transform it into something much better in the future.
If you’re a massive FAIRY TAIL fan and want to experience one of the most climactic arcs in the series, FAIRY TAIL 2 will be right up your alley. I just don’t feel like there is enough here for the average RPG fan, especially considering the bland overall combat experience and it being the grand finale of a long story. It’s not the type of game you can power through because it will wear you down, and I liked it more after taking breaks, and that’s not always the best experience you would want for an RPG.
Mato Anomalies is a solid visual novel with an engrossing story that will keep you hooked as you meet new characters and experience how they interact. While other mechanics in the game fall somewhat short, players are afforded certain options to clear through them faster and get back to the story without much hassle.
Scars Above offers a rather condensed third-person shooter adventure. While I was surprised at how quickly I breezed through the game, considering the other titles it was borrowing ideas from, it was still an interesting journey. I wouldn’t say there’s anything refreshing about the game, but there’s enough there for those wanting a jaunt through an alien world.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood starts off on the right note, engaging players with the type of action I imagine werewolf fans will find exciting. It quickly runs out of puff, though, and what excitement there is to be had is spoiled by too much tedium in between. Ultimately, enthusiasts of the Apocalypse TRPG are unlikely to feel satiated by what is a rather shallow video game experience overall, which makes it difficult to recommend to those outside the hardcore fanbase.
If you want a pretty easy anime game with a fun story and an honestly very easy platinum, this game is for you, but it is hard to recommend outside of a preexisting base of Fairy Tail fans.
There is enough variance to make sure for a large majority of story battles you have a way of coming in with a fresh look, but the battles kind of always play out the same way, so it’s frustrating when the build you brought isn’t good enough and you struggle to get through what you were clearing before without any problems.
Space Marine 2 is a sequel I never expected to happen, but it has indeed done the original justice. I booted my PS3 up once I finished the campaign just for a comparison, as it had been years since I played the original, and I thought the sequel had changed something up. Nope, it is a faithful (and extremely well-made) sequel that fans of the original will certainly enjoy.
If you’re a fan of the Aliens universe and want a closer approximation of what being boots on the ground during an outbreak would be, this is probably your best option on the market. There’s something for everyone, whether you are doing this for the strategy aspect or just to enjoy an Aliens story from a fresh perspective.
Lego 2K Drive is a neat little racing game with quite possibly the coolest car creation tools I have ever encountered. While I find myself unable to make anything besides the most rudimentary vehicle, there will be some astonishing creations in the game before long. Despite some issues with side activities, this is still a decent game if you want to ditch the realistic racing games for bricks on wheels.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is an excellent step forward for the series and should mean plenty to longtime fans. Between the changes to combat and the enhanced exploration abilities, there has never been a better time to sink your teeth into this action RPG series. However, Divine Force doesn’t shy away from delivering a lengthy, epic journey that might wear players down before they ever get to the finish.
The story of Soul Hackers 2 is, by all means, the biggest highlight for the game. That’s not simply because the game is rather content light in every other area, either. Getting to experience Ringo discover the depths of humanity while navigating a strange new world was fun. Every character feels very well written with their own depth.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is an exceptional grouping of semi-connected detective stories. Experiencing a whodunnit while marginally helping piece the mystery together was a great combination. While much of the investigation is much too guided, getting to watch the suspect react as you place down piece after piece of evidence is completely worth it. The game never works better than it does when you just get to sit back and enjoy watching the story unfold.
The best thing that can be said of Atelier Ryza is that it is accessible. Down to its core it is meant to be enjoyed by new players or by series veterans who might be looking for a nice light addition to the franchise.
Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop provides an interesting mechanic simulator and expects you to figure things out as you go. This is the perfect undertaking if you’re a fan of taking things apart to see how they tick and diagnosing issues. The difficulty can be a little offputting, especially when you think you’re doing well, but that’s all part of the job.
The biggest highlight of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is that it takes a bold step forward and tries new things. The open world is fun to explore and makes ingredient gathering incredibly satisfying, while the new action-focused combat mixes things up and keeps you engaged. As a longtime fan, this is possibly the best Atelier has ever been.
The biggest surprise of Ys X: Nordics is that it didn’t just give me the Ys game I was expecting, and I did love that. Sure, not everything it tried (ship-based traversal, multi-island exploration) quite worked, but it was a new experience. I’m exceedingly happy to see a series that has been going since 1987 continue to grow and change. If nothing else, picking this up gets you a solid action RPG, even if you might not jive with everything the game attempts.
The beauty of Helldivers 2 is in its simplicity. You’re just a single soldier tasked with the impossible job of contributing to a whole galaxy’s defense. But that’s also where the game shines, as you don’t play as Commander Shepard or someone massively important. You’re essentially just a grunt who survives long enough to get better gear and further fulfill their duty. Whether you want to sink hours into the war effort or just take on a few missions, this game is perfect for as much or as little as you want to give it.