The Outer Worlds is an awesome game, so it's nice to have the option to enjoy it with all the amenities of a new generation of hardware. While the performance is a bit iffy, the visuals really pop, and the updated character models add to your immersion in this imaginative space adventure. It's no surprise we've got a second one on the way, and now you can get ready for the sequel on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in style.
2MD: VR Football Unleashed ALLSTAR isn't going to wow you, but it's a fun experience. Throwing the game winning pass will always be a highlight, but there isn't a lot more to 2MD than that. Still, it's a nice extra when rounding out your PSVR2 lineup.
Pistol Whip is super cool, and the best way to play it is on PSVR2. Not only do you get the most optimized experience on PSVR2 in performance, you also have a plethora of ways to play the game, with thirty tracks to enjoy. It's a perfect pick for something both unique and familiar for VR enthusiasts picking up a PSVR2.
The Last Clockwinder is one of the more chill games to check out on your new PSVR2, and it's worthy of the purchase. This is the definitive version, with crisp visuals and motion controls backed by an emotional story you connect with even without seeing any of the characters. If you're looking to decipher a few puzzles with the help of a few cute little robots, this is the game for you.
2023 has already been strong with Game of the Year contenders, and Atomic Heart is another one of them. It lives up to all of the hype and all of its promises; an amazing debut game for Mundfish. Nailing down a few things Atomic Heart is phenomenal at is nearly impossible because it's extraordinary in all of them. This isn't just my favorite game of this year, it might be one of my favorites of the decade.
Warzone 2.0 is every bit the sequel you hoped it would be. While minor improvements could still be useful, Al Mazrah is arguably the best map to ever grace the Call of Duty battle royale experience. The tactical pacing is a welcome change, DMZ is a revelation for the casual space, and it's all built on the best gunplay in first-person shooters. Infinity Ward has knocked it out of the park.
Evil West doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have to. It's fun and a great time, which is all it needs to be. It reminds me of a wonderful B-movie; I watch it because I like to turn my brain off and just enjoy myself. Evil West is just a blast, and worth sinking your teeth into.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a triumph of a game, and now even more people can experience it. That experience may not be as stable as on PlayStation 5 given the diversity of hardware, however there's also a lot more under the hood than you'd get on a console. With all of that in tow, including gorgeous ray tracing and a glut of accessibility options, it's like Miles getting Venom abilities: more power to an already powerful entity. Just like Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered before it, Miles Morales makes the leap and sticks to the wall.
Pentiment does what it does with a magnificent blend of dialogue, characters, and narrative. The winding path you'll take has plenty of off ramps, and while all roads lead to Rome, the journey there feels unique to you. It's so fascinating getting to your specific ending, you'll probably even play it again to see what other decisions look like. Pentiment might not be for everyone, but for the genre, it's a magnificent and compelling work of art.
Overall, this campaign brought me back to the beginning. There’s a deja-vu here, with familiar missions and faces, but that takes you off the beaten path into something more awe-inspiring than it’s ever been. I felt completely immersed in the seven or so hours I spent with Ghost, Price, Soap, and the others I grew up with, riveted to the screen, and I kind of want to do it again. Modern Warfare II is not something you’re going to want to put down, and I get the feeling this is just the start of it.
Being able to play one of the best games in a generation on any platform is great, but when it's optimized to perfection it's even better. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is one of those, a masterpiece that is a masterclass of a port. PC players rejoice, you're once again getting PlayStations greatest at their absolute best.
Steelrising is another gem from the mine that is Spiders. The choice of the steampunk, alternate history French revolution setting is amazing, and somehow the Soulslike formula works beautifully in tandem. Throw in a distinctive story and phenomenal assist mode, and Steelrising is a sleeper hit in a year where we could use another.
We do need to take a beat and talk about the bugs in Saints Row, and there’s plenty of them to go around. My gun flipped around and wouldn’t fire while facing the wrong direction. The car physics are more springy than a Super Bouncy Ball. Running over a fire hydrant will shoot a tank-sized vehicle upwards and onto a nearby roof with little effort. Vehicles disappear and reappear. I even had a moment during a mini-boss where Eli went down, and once resurrected stood there doing nothing repeating his lines for being downed. That and the boss wouldn’t get to his cooldown for me to damage him, and for whatever reason I wasn’t taking any damage. And none of that addresses the current state of cooperative play.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is one of the best superhero games of its generation, and the move to PC gives it an arsenal of new settings to play with. While the frame rate can fluctuate a bit, the fact that it hits the marks advertised and even exceeds them is good news for everyone that owns a computer and is worried they might fall short. Ray tracing is a dream, and while expensive shows the prowess of Insomniac and Nixxes. Even better, this game is available on the go, Steam Deck ready at launch. Just being obtainable would be enough for most, but the above and beyond approach taken in this project is one Peter Parker himself would look at and smile.
A delightful journey behind the whiskers of a fuzzy feline friend, Stray is a wonderful game for both cat enthusiast and indie enjoyer alike. The story, while simple, is enchanting with each new discovery – with some that may just make you shed a tear. Gameplay doesn't break new ground, but feels unique from the perspective of a cat, which is handled purrfectly. Stray is incredible, and one you should be playing right meow.
Outriders Worldslayer is more Outriders, and that's not a bad thing. While the story doesn't do much, the game as a whole is still one of the most fun third person shooters out there right now, with a feel to the gameplay that is a blast to play. The addition of the Trials of Tarya Gratar end game content is worth every penny, and the new gear, skills, and Apocalypse tiers ensure you'll want to stick around and grind for a good while.
Gas Station Simulator feels like a weird game to want to play, but you want to play it. Like most simulators, the tasks at hand are menial and repetitive, but it's generally a fun game to keep progressing through. The upgrades and tools are well placed to keep you from feeling like you're dealing with too much busy work, and the humor the game injects keeps things lighthearted. Although, if we could just get rid of Dennis, I wouldn't complain.
There's really no redeeming quality for the teams behind CrossfireX to look at and say, "We can build off of that". It's a bland shooter that doesn't do anything special, and now that I'm done reviewing it I have no plans to ever touch it again. Maybe if they drop another campaign piece I'll try it, but if I'm Remedy I'd get as far away from this one as possible.
It's not just that Horizon Forbidden West is bigger, it's better. Guerrilla had already crafted an incredible title in Zero Dawn, but they've graduated into building an immaculate one in Forbidden West. Its strengths are taken to new heights, tuned to being the best they can be, and what were once weaknesses transform into pillars the series can build on. Besides a few minor technical issues, Horizon Forbidden West is the perfect example of what you want a sequel to an already great game to be, and it's certainly a challenger for best game in 2022.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human may begin like the shuffling corpses you run into during the day, but evolves into the ferocious horde you encounter in the shadows of night. With an engaging gameplay loop of parkour and combat, the exploration of Villedor is something you’ll enjoy for hours on end, and with up to three friends at that. Yeah, it may take a little bit to get hooked, but once you’re infected, it’ll be all you can do to stay human.