Vaccine Rebirth offers little more than mimicking old school gameplay.
Remnant II is exactly what I was looking for. A straightforward soulslike shooter, that takes everything that made the predecessor work and fixed the few things that didn’t. The plot may still be a bit thin, but exploring the interesting worlds and fighting the bosses to get some great loot has been one of this year’s best experiences.
Exoprimal is a game that may not immediately hook into you depending on your expectations. I was initially disappointed in the PvPvE focus that is presented at first, but after just a couple of hours, was hooked into it. The game does manage to deliver a very flawed, but still fun shooter experience. This certainly won’t be for everyone, but despite its fair share of issues, it’s one of my favorite go-to multiplayer experiences right now.
My Friendly Neighborhood is a very surprising game, taking elements from the mascot horror genre and actually making use of its potential. Whilst it’s not really a horror game, and you shouldn’t be expecting much in the way of scares, it’s unique atmosphere and homage to the Resident Evil franchise are worth celebrating. The story, setting, gameplay, and level design all work well together to deliver a unique experience.
Aliens: Dark Descent is one of the best Aliens games, period. That said, there are a few caveats. It perfectly recaptures the same action-horror vibes that made the original movies such a treat to watch. It’s a tactical, hardcore, strategy game that doesn’t hold your hand at all. If you are a fan of the franchise, this is an absolute must-play, but be aware that it is far from perfect and there are still some frustrating decisions here.
It takes the ultra fast-paced and epic combat last seen in F.E.A.R., and dials that up even further. The game does features some of the best first-person combat I have seen since the original F.E.A.R. in terms grounded environments and glorious amounts of destruction. Whilst it does have some issues, Trepang2 dedicates itself to just being a huge amount of fun with as little baggage as possible, and I can gladly say it succeeded at that.
Diablo IV has been an incredibly long time coming and it’s been more than worth the wait. It has a massive world that always offers something to do, even if it is slightly repetitive. Whilst it’s not perfect, the amazingly addictive core gameplay and character building will keep me coming back for more months, or hopefully years, down the line.
Layers of Fear’s ambition was to bring the whole series into one cohesive package, with some additional content. In concept, the premise was interesting. Unfortunately, as horror titles, they really don’t stand up at all, being completely devoid of any scare factor. Bloober Team just doesn’t make the most of some of the more unique and interesting concepts that pop up throughout.
Amnesia: The Bunker is a mix of Alien: Isolation‘s singular persistent threat that follows you around, coupled with elements of the immersive simulator genre, resulting in a horror game with a unique flavour. It’s not the most revolutionary or polished experience stemming from the developers themselves, but Frictional have done what they do best. They have delivered, yet again, a true survival horror experience, but this time around, making a few bold changes I was glad with.
For those who are huge fans of the original release, I am sure that this will be highly regarded as a fantastic remake. But this is more than that: for those new to the franchise, this is also a great point to step in at. Nightdive’s System Shock remake is one that will appeal to both audiences. The core gameplay mechanics may not the best or most polished, but it’s the world design, atmosphere and engaging plot that make for an experience that is still very much unique, and well worth the gigantic wait.
Destiny 2 Lightfall was an important expansion for Bungie to get right. Just as faith was being rebuilt with the phenomenal Witch Queen expansion, it’s a shame they couldn’t keep the momentum going. Lightfall feels like a huge step backwards. There is some fun to be had and the changes that have been made to the core formula but it’s not enough and I feel my time with Destiny is about to come to its end unless we see some massive improvements in the coming year.
Propagation: Paradise Hotel creates not only a fantastic VR title, but also a great horror game in its own right. It takes the old-school Resident Evil formula and adds an extra layer of immersion. Propagation: Paradise Hotel is genuinely scary and engaging, but its short runtime, occasional jankiness and incomplete story are holding it back from being a truly great game.
Meet Your Maker‘s well-realised and unique concept combines two distinctive gameplay styles together. Building bases and raiding others’ creations is a lot of fun, but I do question the longevity of the game thanks to its lacklustre story and progression system. What we have available right now is indeed interesting, with an addictive gameplay loop that is off to a promising start, but it’s a bit lacking in variety.
Ravenbound is a game filled to the brim with unique ideas. It marries the open world and roguelike/lites genres in an interesting way, but doesn’t quite hit the mark, and feels incomplete at almost every step. The open world feels unnecessarily massive, but with very little to do. It’s also filled with annoying bugs. It’s a shame because the concept and combat are surprisingly strong, making this misstep hurt even more.
Once you get over that initial wow factor that Hubris brings in, with one of the most beautiful and detailed worlds in VR to date, it doesn’t offer much else. The combat is shallow, the exploration can be inconsistent, and the story isn’t engaging at all. If all you want is to see what VR is truly capable of on a technical scale, then it might be worth picking up on sale. Or if the updates continue and the game is keeps improving.
When the Resident Evil 2 Remake was released back in 2019, I believed the series had peaked and that it couldn’t get any better. I was completely wrong. The Resident Evil 4 Remake takes everything that worked about the original, taking away the few things that didn’t work, and then bringing in some modern features to create an entirely new masterpiece. Finding a perfect balance between new and old. This is for everyone to enjoy.
If like myself you’ve never played Not For Broadcast, and if you happen to own a VR device, then you are in for a treat. This might possibly be the ideal way to experience this sleeper hit from 2022. Not For Broadcast VR is a darkly humourous FMV game that puts you right in the middle of a propaganda wheel. It’s a textbook example of a VR conversion that makes excellent use of the technology in question to immerse you into its unique story.
For many far of the franchise Fatal Frame Mask of the Lunar Eclipse has been an incredibly long time coming with the first time it’s launched officially outside of Japan. Providing one of the series’ most compelling stories; ambitiously weaving the adventures of four protagonists. Unfortunately, some gameplay issues hold it back from being a true classic. With Fatal Frame finally back in the spotlight there is hope for more.
It might have a compelling concept, but a good premise just isn’t enough to carry an adventure by itself. The game suffers from really lacklustre visuals and a gameplay loop that just left a lot to be desired by the end of its runtime. A bit disappointing, considering how solid its predecessor was.
Wanted: Dead is certainly an interesting game that won’t be for everyone. It’s full of jank, isn’t particularly well designed, and often feels incomplete. However, it is a good time, and I had a blast with it despite its flaws, and it left me wanting more by the time I was done.