For better or worst, Microsoft Flight Simulator is as deep and as accurate as they come. Asobo Studios has created a lovely-tailored simulation meant for anyone with aspirations to fly planes. But as an actual game that should be accessible since it has a generally appealing premise? I’m still on the fence about it.
No Straight Roads is a culmination of great ideas and good intentions that mostly succeeds. I’ll be up-front: it ain’t perfect and it’s got a little bit of that 3rd party jank. However, its earnest charm & plot, brilliantly unique aesthetics, and innovative music-slash-combat hybrid are too hard to put down and ignore.
If you want a smooth cruise with hand-holding for the first half of the game, this isn’t the place. But for everyone else who long for a late 80s and 90s challenge that’s made somewhat fair and tailored for this generation, Battletoads (2020) is a surprising effort if you think this era’s crop of games aren’t hardcore enough.
Fae Tactics is clearly meant for old-school gamers and even sorta-new turn-based gaming fans who want to experience a 90s style of gaming with a 2020 touch. It’s not a huge reinvention, but it’s an enjoyable diversion.
As it stands, Panzer Paladin is a good tribute that comes with rockin’ music and a lovely dose of 2D action. It needs a bit more work to rise above the many 2D clones, but it still warrants a playthrough or two if you’re curious about this year’s “neo-retro” offerings on PC and the Switch.
This indie title can’t decide if it wants to be a tough-yet-relaxing puzzle game or a momentum-based platformer, and it suffers from such an identity crisis. “A” for effort.
If you’re sick of playing victims in horror games, watching thrillers through the lens of a hapless protagonist, and instead just want to vent your frustrations on them, this role reversal of a game will sate your bloodthirst.
This ronin rumble is a gaming masterpiece for the second half of 2020 and the perfect PlayStation 4 capstone title. Ghost of Tsushima is as close as you can get to the perfect Kurosawa tribute in modern interactive form.
This Mr. Driller entry is a must-buy for anyone who injects puzzle gaming juice in their veins, especially for anyone who hasn't played a Mr. Driller game before. Come for the catchy music and remastered artwork, stay for the drilling.
Disintegration is solid, but incredibly uninspired. The gravcycle and squad gameplay that defines it works when it’s allowed to, but it suffers due to slow pacing in single-player mode. Its multiplayer is also just that; serviceable.
Seeing as the game will cost you US$19.99, you’re paying for what you’re getting: a simple action RPG spin-off using one of the world’s most renowned video game IPs. Is it a game-changer? Nope. Is it even an action RPG to beat pioneers like the Diablo and Borderlands series? Hell no. But it’s still pretty fun and is a great gateway drug for people curious about the genre.
[T]his is the true sequel to the Streets of Rage/Bare Knuckle series that’s a long time coming.
Gears Tactics is a fun and cerebral-challenging addition to the turn-based strategy line of games that go beyond what is expected. While it’s not wholly original, it presents a lot of time-tested mechanics in a streamlined and intuitive way while also not being afraid of challenging its audience.
Final Fantasy VII: Remake is a grand experiment that succeeds on all fronts. It may seem like a blatant cash grab at first, sure. But dig a little deeper into this Northern Crater, and you’ll find a lot to fall in love with.
In an attempt to expand its universe like how Universal did with the Fast & Furious series, id Software never forget why people played Doom back in 2016 in the first place: because you want to play an arcade shooter that’s challenging, fast, frenetic, and fun. Doom: Eternal hits all of these pillars and then some.
While Vitamin Connection needs work on its controls and some of its repetitive aspects, it succeeds at entertaining a gaming group with its combination of influences and cutesiness on most accounts.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a triumph in 2D platforming this year; arguably for this generation of gaming. It supersedes everything its prequel does and then some, it challenges you and even kicks you to the curb at times without coming off as mean-spirited, and it’s an absolute joy to watch and hear. A powerful trifecta combination indeed to complement 2020’s early game offerings.
I am impressed with 2020’s first fighting game offering. Not only will veterans enjoy the best of both a Street Fighter and an anime fighter title, but newbies will have fun getting into an accessible fighting game that gets deeper over time.
For those who played these games to death, you’ll still want to get this, provided you have no other means of revisiting them in their original GBA and DS forms. Long story short, I do hope this spells a resurgence for X’s BFF Zero and the future of the Mega Man series because this is one legacy worth preserving.
All in all, this is one comfortable drink worth ordering. Just don’t expect it to blow your mind if you’re looking for a transcendent experience.