The entire Super Mario World 3D + Bowser’s Fury package is basically a remastered seven-year-old title and a wholly new expansion that truly shines thanks to its disparity from the main entries. It is a particularly fun experience perfect for anyone who might be a fan of the red plumber and who missed the original release on Wii-U. The overall experience, as enjoyable as it is, relies heavily on how much players are willing to replay the older game, with nothing more than a promise of around eight hours of new content. While the same sentiment is true for previous Mario 35th releases, those were much more immediate recommendations due to them being Nintendo Limited Releases. The fact that Super Mario World 3D + Bowser’s Fury is a permanent release means fans can hold off as long as they want before diving in. Therefore, the overall experience is quite good; and does a wonderful job of mixing nostalgia for an older title with some newer gameplay ideas.
Persona 5 Strikers is neat package perfect for anyone who is already invested in the story featured in the Persona franchise. Unfortunately, this does mean it ostracises outsiders and newcomers as the title does not feature any way for players to catch up on the lore and story from the previous titles. Anyone brave enough to look past this, however, will be in for a heck of a treat. The game is pretty, and the gameplay is wonderfully new to the franchise – so much so that it compliments the story in ways previously thought impossible. It is stunning in the way that it just works with every other facet, but the most intriguing part of it, bar none, is how unapologetically Persona it remains.
It may be obvious, but Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity might be one of the best Warriors titles in recent years. It is befitting of the Breath of the Wild timeline (since universes are so last-decade), as it beautifully matches every aspect of the franchise thereafter. The game introduces a whole new way to play as its Dynasty Warriors roots are showcased in full force, but still manages to feel so much like a Legend of Zelda title that it will be very hard to pass up by any Zelda fan. Those who do give it a pass, however, have no idea how good of a game they are missing out on.
It is baffling how a franchise more than a dozen titles in, would suffer from such unusual and strange game design decisions as those found in Harvest Moon: One World. This is unfortunate, given how the premise tries its hardest to intrigue, and its aesthetic is somewhat enjoyable (with a glimmer of a unique gameplay feature here and there for good measure). Unfortunately, it is overshadowed by an overall gameplay design that simply does not work. In a way the charming nature of the game makes sense: it is an indie title meant for the occasional pick up every time someone has a free minute or two to spare. Tackling the game head-on, however, with the misconception that it is a true simulator, thus having in-depth gameplay beyond the huge lore dump at the start; will leave gamers with nothing but seedless disappointment.
Tales From The Borderlands is a surprisingly enjoyable experience with charming characters that draw you in from the start. The Telltale writing team do a great job of making the humour less puerile than other Borderlands games; despite one or two forced moments of ‘Gearbox writing’ raising its ugly head. The overall aesthetic remains quaint and distinctly unique to Telltale. The visuals paired with the constant “humour” are perfect for any longtime Borderlands fans, while also bringing Telltale fans into the fold. It is a decent game with good intentions; and while not amazing at any rate, a sequel would not go unwarranted.
Monster Hunter Rise is a great game with only a few things keeping it from realising its true potential. As the sixth mainline entry, the game should have built upon the positives of Monster Hunter World. Instead, it forgoes things like the narrative element from World in favour of a more streamlined experience akin to older titles in the franchise. Fortunately, it also goes above and beyond by introducing a series of new elements to the franchise. Palicos are cute, but Palamutes are better. The openness of the World is great, but the verticality of Rise is stellar. Combat feels the same as ever, with the exception of the Clutch Claw having been replaced with Wirebug, which are infinitely more useful. Although Monster Hunter Rise just misses being one of the best games in the franchise, it most certainly is one of the highlights of 2021.
It goes without saying, but MLB The Show is one of PlayStation’s flagship video game franchises for a reason. As MLB The Show 21 proves, the game can be enjoyable to both newcomers and veteran players while adding on tiny, yet noticeable, features that make every iteration feel fresh. Now, gamers on Xbox can enjoy the fruits of San Diego Studio’s labour, and even enjoy cross-platform and cross-generation play with their friends. While that last factoid alone should be a cause for celebration, the former reasons add to the fact that it is, truly, a great video game sports title.
The Longing’s strongest aspect is how it encourages exploration while encouraging meditation and introspection. Most players will undoubtedly turn the game into a habitual pick-up, while playing other games. However, once they truly immerse themselves into this fantastically sombre world of the shade, the reflection will come naturally, almost willingly. It is very rare for a game to test the waters of what is considered modern-day video gaming, and even more rare for it to succeed. The Longing is exemplary in this regard; masterfully immersing players into the shade’s world as it spends 400 days in solitude. It is, without a doubt, an exceptional experience.
As an expansion, Wrath of the Druids is extremely good. It adds so much wonderful content to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla that it makes it extremely easy to overlook the few small oddities it brings along. The story is, without a doubt, the strongest facet of Wrath of the Druids. While it may feel a bit short (coming in at around fifteen hours), it does take Evior across the majority of Ireland by means of an engrossing story arc. It also lets players soak up all of the lusciousness of the green and rainy Irish countryside, and hosts a vast number of beautiful vistas to enjoy and get lost in. Lastly, The Children of Danu are a cool new faction adding much-needed flavour to a world previously dominated by the usual bandit or Dane infested roads of England – the new gear is pretty awesome to collect too. Wrath of the Druids feels like Ubisoft tried to one-up Fate of Atlantis, while simultaneously keeping unnecessary waffling in the narrative to a minimum – thus enhancing everything else the expansion has to offer. It is an absolute must-play for all gamers who enjoy Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
There are a lot of things Biomutant does exceptionally well, and one or two aspects that do need a bit of work. Needless to say, the game is a whole lot of fun. From its charming narration to its dark yet beautiful world – the pretty vistas and horrific oil-pits – and even its world-building characteristics showcasing where conflict has been taking place; the game is a joy to play and be immersed in. Player progression is vast and works incredibly well to make players feel powerful, while the game continually throws challenges at players to keep things interesting. There are a large number of puzzles, all of which unlock fancy new gear or crafting materials (the latter of which does need a bit of work), and the Wung-fu is an extremely neat little addition to the mix. All-in-all, players who liked Immortals Fenyx Rising will feel right at home with Biomutant. It is beyond charming and more than worth a play.
At first glance, Outriders may not seem like the kind of game suited to many third-person shooters and cover-shooter players. Given time to reach and be immersed in the game’s best features, however, will showcase incredibly well-written characters, great gunplay, and good RPG-light elements – all of which allow Outriders to stand as one of the better looter-shooters currently available. The game has no hints at all of a live service title, which is a huge breath of fresh air, and has a campaign that is decidedly single-player focused – a rarity these days. All of these facets come together to create the title that is Outriders, and it is great. Sure, there are a few things the game can improve upon, but as far as modern looter-shooters go, Outriders is very good and worth it for the long haul.
Resident Evil Village is both the eighth mainline entry in the long running franchise and also marks the license’s 25th anniversary, and what a fitting celebration it is. From bringing back fan favourite characters to introducing new and memorable ones; taking players to supernatural-laden and ravaged locales that have been pulled straight out of fairy tales, and even giving players who do not play horror games a good entry point; Resident Evil Village does not disappoint. There is simply so much to do, players will likely jump right back in with a New Game Plus not long after the credits have rolled and the twists have been realised. Sadly the game feels much shorter than it rightfully needs to be, but this is only thanks to the subject material at hand – which players will certainly see more of in downloadable content down the road. There is no other way to say it: the game is, truly, very good.
Capcom Arcade Stadium does a wonderful job of preserving some history defining titles for new generations to enjoy. It is a robust package with a large number of options for all kinds of gamers. The games themselves may have been modernised quite a lot, but they still look and feel distinctly ‘old’. Games are essentially classic in all but features, and this is possibly the most enchanting aspect of the collection.
All of the improvements to the franchise in MotoGP 21, make the title one of the best motorsport simulation games currently available. While not perfect, the enhancements Milestone have added to the title help elevate it above the competition, making the game an easy choice when offering recommendations to simulation enthusiasts. The new additions together with the sublime visuals, work together to offer gamers a package that truly brings the franchise into the next generation.
While the franchise is much more deserving of a remake than a remaster, the Mass Effect Legendary Edition still manages to deliver the most wonderful amount of fixes and changes, bringing the games [mostly] in line with more modern titles. With the studio now working on a fifth mainline entry in the franchise, there is nothing better to tide players over than this all encompassing package. For old fans, seeing Tali, Wrex, Garrus, and the others again in high-fidelity graphics is nothing short of amazing. New players, on the other hand, can now go through the franchise in a much more accessible manner, enabling an entirely new generation to pick up the game and learn of the badass that is Shepard — their Shepard. The games (especially the first) are nowhere near perfect, but they are still as memorable, enjoyable and epic as ever. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is good and anyone who can get past the admittedly dated Mass Effect 1 experience, will discover one of the greatest space operas ever created.
Dude, Where is my Beer? serves as a quaint little adventure into the world of the hipster. It is about being a parched foreigner in an era of craft brews, and one who just wants another taste of a ‘nostalgic pilsner’. The game has a few odd, yet forgivable, design decisions; but offers a lot of enjoyment as compensation. It is also short and extremely beautiful, which helps a lot with the unique feel. Ultimately, guiding the dude around puzzles and unique bars is good fun and provides a solid experience for a small indie title.
Space Commander: War and Trade has a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it is let down by the extremely obvious nature of its mobile game heritage. Sure, this may not be the exact same game that launched on mobile platforms years ago, but it certainly feels like it in terms of gameplay and features. Space commander: War and Trade is by no means a bad game; but it does fall short in terms of what is expected from 4X games — even on Nintendo Switch.
Two dimensional (2D) isometric titles have become incredibly common in recent years. Titles like Diablo, Gears Tactics, Bastion, Hades, and various Super Mario Role-playing Games, have proliferated the market and created certain expectations for the genre. Beautiful Desolation meets and exceeds what to expect from these kinds of games, and subsequently elevates the genre to new heights. It does so with a story imbued with alien technologies and time travelling elements, and further raises the bar for what should be expected from South African developed titles. The game is exceptional in many ways, and is a must play title.
NieR Replicant Ver 1.22474487139… is an incredible Role-playing game that transports new fans of the franchise back to its humble beginnings, while offering veteran fans an alternative new look. Its reliance on artificially bloating difficulty by just adding more enemies is a bit annoying, and there are certain areas where the newly added breadth and scale do not translate all too well from the original. However, its unique combat and stunning visuals offering a bleak look into what the future may hold, are truly phenomenal. The game is arguably not for everyone either, given how it does break some classic J-RPG rules. With that said, it does carve a path for itself through conventional gameplay in ways that will hook anyone willing to embrace its unique presentation and gameplay.
Famicon Detective Club is a bundle package going the extra mile to satisfy long term fans whilst introducing newer gamers to the franchise. Although visual novels generally age well, this new port of both The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind wonderfully maintain the original feel of the games with some great new changes to make them future proof. They both feature truly spectacular narration as their stories unfold, and continue to keep things fresh with new themes interspersed at regular intervals. Both games look stunning as well, with superb visuals. Overall, this duology is perfect for lovers of visual novels who enjoy whodunnits with a side of horror and mystery added for good measure.