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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It's definitely better with friends, but Pavlov VR is an absolute showcase for what an FPS should be in VR. It runs tremendously, it has an awesome amount of content to play, and it's just fun to play. This one should be in your PSVR2 library right now.
While Tchia's story doesn't find the steadiest of footing, its world and portrayal of culture are outstanding. The gameplay is also a lot of fun, even with a decent amount of padding to keep you busy in the gorgeous open world. New Caledonia is certainly worth the visit in this digital representation.
GORN is a great popcorn video game. Nothing about it screams game-changer, but it's so much fun to play you might spend more time with it than other more refined experiences. With plenty of weapons to decimate your enemies with and plenty of them to pulverize, GORN is certainly an enjoyable and outrageous game.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is an amazingly creative way of remaking a game. Taking a piece of your past and making it a building block for your future is genuinely impressive, and it's a captivating tale that can be experienced now in a deeper capacity. He may not be the same after what he's just experienced, but Sherlock Holmes has never looked better, and I can't wait for the next one.
Burning Shores is more Horizon Forbidden West, which is enough to tell you to grab it. Although the narrative isn't as gripping and the new characters aren't as compelling, being able to explore more of the West and fight new giant robot dinosaurs makes this a fun jaunt in Los Angeles as we await Horizon 3.
Redfall resembles the vampires it's based on. It lacks identity, and sucks the life out of you. Every time I see a spark of potential, it's stomped out by bugs, braindead AI, and an empty world not worth exploring. I wish Arkane well in their next endeavor, because they need to let this one die.
Just like Gollum, I'm a bit split. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum features a great story that adds to the lore, along with a terrific stealth system, but it misses the mark in other areas. A finicky and redundant platforming system, mixed with a dialogue system that lacks bite makes for a combination that drags the rest down. Gollum is always so close to The Ring, but ever so far.