It’s fun, it’s fast, it’s spectacular. Do we truly need more from an arcade racer?
More courage wouldn’t have hurt the project, but to be fair this franchise has never really worked when it tried lateral thinking, so going back to the roots was the way to go. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is what it needs to be, a Crash Bandicoot game for our time.
All in all, RIDE 4 is a jack of all trades, one where, however, neither element shines for originality or extreme polish. The driving model is satifying enough and finds a good balance between arcade and simulation, the customization options are notable, there’s plenty of content both for single player and online modes, and the title looks fairly good too. It does lack a driving factor, a unique aspect that makes RIDE 4 something more than a competent and fun racing game, turning it into an unmissable experience. Fans of the 2-wheel races will certainly find the adrenaline they seek, but those looking for the next big thing or the first taste of next-gen can safely drift somewhere else.
It also comes to the market at a time where nearly everyone who’s interested in the genre has several games to play, is invested in a game’s ecosystem and is hardly looking for a new alternative. These are the reasons why Hyper Scape is struggling to find online buzz, not because it’s a bad game. It’s a high-octane, exciting and peculiar online shooter, but perhaps it’s not what players want right now. Ubisoft Montreal can certainly keep the game interesting by evolving the formula, and we certainly are curious to see where the game is going from here.
For what it is and what it wants to be, Maneater is an infectiously fun open world title that follows familiar grounds in terms of design, presenting a unique gameplay loop however that will satisfy fans of these legendary predators.
What is currently in the game is extremely fun, easily one of the most accessible and engaging action RPGs of the generation. The mixture of Minecraft aesthetics and fast-paced ARPG tropes creates a familiar yet unique formula that can satisfy purists and newcomers alike, both in solo and co-op. The choices made to have a game that accodomodates less experienced players takes a toll on the title’s variety and depth.
A brutal sequel to an already great game. Doom Eternal adds a lot of little improvements to the formula with top-notch level design and a fantastic soundtrack. The multiplayer is a disappointment.