Joel Kogler


71 games reviewed
79.5 average score
80 median score
47.8% of games recommended
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90% - Starfield
Aug 31, 2023

Starfield may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to Bethesda’s formula for role-playing games, but it cleverly combines the best elements of past games in a very appealing sci-fi setting. The highlights are no doubt the many well-written and well-designed quests that you’ll encounter throughout your journey through the settled systems. No matter what appeals to you as a player, be it nail-biting gunfights, the quiet construction of your own base or the thrills of laser-dodging dye dogfighting, Starfield has hours upon hours of content for you to lose yourself in.

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Jul 25, 2023

Whether alone or with up to two friends in co-op, "Remnant II" is already one of the best titles of the year. With around 25 hours, the campaign already offers plenty of content, but can be played slightly changed again and again thanks to various generated elements. "Remnant II" offers many elements that are known from other Souls-like games. In particular, spectacular boss fights, versatile character development and an exciting world that can only be slowly opened up via items and from the context are among the strengths that "Remnant II" takes over from modern action role-playing games.

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78% - Exoprimal
Jul 18, 2023

Exoprimal is just a few unfortunate missteps short of being a hidden gem. The base gameplay that mixes hoard-based PvE and high-stakes PvP is unique and interesting. Even the absurd story about dimension-hopping AI dye and mechanized soldiers fighting dinosaurs had us intrigued. However, the variety of gameplay on offer simply does not justify the price tag and is especially disappointing in regards to the rampant monetization through battle-pass and premium skins. On Gamepass, however, this is a must-try for sure.

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Jun 26, 2023

There's no denying that "Crime Boss: Rockay City" is, at its core, a brazen copy of Overkill's "Payday 2." The supposedly dark gangster story about the "charismatic" Travis Baker is more in the wake of the trashiest B-movies of the 1990s. Whether intentional or not, "Crime Boss: Rockay City" has a certain charm and can inspire over a longer period of time thanks to a solid solo campaign. The game is certainly not for everyone, but it also shows that first impressions can be deceiving.

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May 29, 2023

As more and more strategy games make their way to consoles, Company of Heroes 3: Console Edition brings its unique blend of real-time strategy with deep, tactical combat to a new audience. While the single player campaigns not only offer two vastly different takes on progression and gameplay but varied and exhilarating combat, the multiplayer modes feel like a side offering. Anyone wanting to play this mainly by themselves will have an amazing time, while competitive players should stick to older titles of the series on PC.

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Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak offers just more of the same at first glance. New monsters, a new difficulty, new maps and a new campaign to follow. Those who dare to sink their teeth into this behemoth of a game will quickly notice however, that there have been tweaks and changes to not only empower the players even further by reducing busywork and introducing new, flashy skills, but more critically empower the monsters. This adds some much-needed challenge to the game, even if the overall difficulty is still on the lower end of what fans of the series have come to expect. The follower quests need to be especially highlighted as a clever and fun replacements for the unpopular rampage quests.

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May 22, 2023

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak offers just more of the same at first glance. New monsters, a new difficulty, new maps and a new campaign to follow. Those who dare to sink their teeth into this behemoth of a game will quickly notice however, that there have been tweaks and changes to not only empower the players even further by reducing busywork and introducing new, flashy skills, but more critically empower the monsters. This adds some much-needed challenge to the game, even if the overall difficulty is still on the lower end of what fans of the series have come to expect. The follower quests need to be especially highlighted as a clever and fun replacements for the unpopular rampage quests.

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78% - Ravenlok
May 8, 2023

Ravenlok may not be particularly challenging or deep in its gameplay or narrative, but it nails the storybook atmosphere and the child-like wonder of exploring a magical world. Clearly aimed at a younger and/or less videogame-familiar audience, this game makes for a brilliant entry point into the hobby and offers a short, polished, albeit simple dive into a fairy-tale come to life.

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60% - Redfall
May 5, 2023

Arkane Studio's Redfall stretches the very definition of what a finished game should be. It's unfinished, unpolished and uninspired in almost every regard. It feels like a dye prototype years from a full release. The few moments of Arkane's magic, when visual design of the vampires, some fun weapons and frantic co-op gameplay come together are quickly overshadowed by catastrophic bugs, bad performance and an empty-lifeless shell of a game.

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May 2, 2023

Despite some technical rough edges, "Age of Wonders 4" offers an excellent gaming experience for all strategy fans and those who want to become one. Not only does the campaign require tactical skill, but it also presents you with an interesting challenge as you create the ideal race for each scenario. The fact that you'll slowly build up your pantheon between saves and unlock new customization options for your races in a separate talent tree provides more long-term motivation than many other 4X titles.

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Apr 28, 2023

Tin Hearts is a wonderful little game of guiding toy soldiers through the remnants and memories of a toy workshop. While a little light on challenging experienced players, an excellent level progression, heartwarming story, and downright adorable visual design more than make up for it. However, the Nintendo Switch version suffers from muddy textures and occasional stutters that pull an otherwise excellent experience down.

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Apr 6, 2023

This prequel ironically feels smaller in scope and ambition than the first game in the series. Road 96 Mile 0 suffers from similar issues when it comes to relying too much on clichés of an evil regime. Some of the choices put before players are downright insulting and boil down to whether we think oppression is "okay" or not. Despite its flaws, it offers some really interesting character moments in the last third and offers some world building that was missing from the original Road 96. Newcomers find a good entry point here, while returning players will find some innovations gone, while other things like the environments have been largely improved.

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Apr 4, 2023

Meet Your Maker presents a fun, new take on level-builders like Mario Maker and classical shooters. Running and gunning is a quick and painful way to die here. Instead players should expect a surprisingly tactical take on post-apocalyptic grave robbery that's more than a little light on content at launch. As a live service, developer Behaviour Interactive (also responsible for Dead by Daylight) promises new content in regular intervals and if they can keep that up, this definitely has the potential for a cult classic.

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Feb 28, 2023

Scars Above takes some time to unfold ist true potential, both in the story and its gameplay. The exploration of this unknown planet in the role of a stranded researcher is unforgiving and refuses to compromise on the almost puzzle-like combat, even if some encounters early on can be frustrating as you get to grips with how the game wants you to play. Scars Above isn't for everyone, as it demands a lot more thought and strategy during combat than it lets on, but if you're willing to learn and be patient, this one's definitely worth your time.

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Feb 20, 2023

Atomic Heart immediately draws you in with its enchantingly weird story of a retro-futuristic Soviet Union. However, an interesting and visually compelling vision is hampered by a meandering story and some truly awful combat encounters. What comes to mind is style over substance, yet there’s plenty of content to be found here, just none of it standing out as particularly well-polished. Still, the game has a fair share of interesting ideas and moments that make it worth experiencing despite its flaws.

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Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts does not revolutionize the hunting game genre, but with as few competitors, that is hardly necessary. The building system both in and outside of combat adds enough variety and depth that the simpler weapons and streamlined crafting are welcome. Sadly, technical flaws, such as blurry visuals and horrendous pop-in keep this otherwise great game from making a play on Capcom's throne. It is a title, however that we're eager to see expanded upon and further developed in the already planned title updates and hopefully eventually in a sequel. As it stands, it's a fun alternative to Monster Hunter, but cannot live up to those games' polish and sheer endless depth of content.

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Feb 13, 2023

An undeniable classic refined with modern graphics and controls, as well as a bevy of accessibility options. While it's still an amazing gaming experience, it does raise the question where the two sequels remain. The re-release on the Wii already showed the games' agelessness, even if the new graphical enhancements are welcome. Either an even lower retail price or more substancial changes would have been welcome, but what we got is still enough to make Metroid fans rejoice.

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72% - Helvetii
Feb 6, 2023

An original setting and fun, albeit hectic fights make a very good first impression. Unfortunately, "Helvetii" does not manage to maintain this freshness for a long time. The 2D brawler is by no means bad, but the roguelike genre harms the fun because the different passes lack variation. "Helvetii" can be fun for quite a while, and especially the very different playable characters help. Sooner or later, however, this rustic Swiss fairy tale runs out of steam.

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One thing should be said right from the start: "Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition" is and remains an excellent strategy game with an incredible number of hours of play for strategy fans. We think it's great that a piece of video game history has made it to consoles, even if you have to make some compromises when it comes to controls. So, unsurprisingly, for hardcore purists, there's no reason to play the game on console instead of PC. But that's not necessary, because it is precisely through the availability in Gamepass that the game reaches a new audience, which now has a chance to experience a classic of video game history at its best.

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But what if you're brand new to the Persona series? Then we actually recommend you to get started with "Persona 5 Royal", the latest version of "Persona 5". Since the games do not build on each other and each devour 80 hours of play, it is worth getting started with the most modern and beginner-friendly offshoot. Then you can focus on the classic titles.

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