As a game that delves into the supernatural, the story of Weird West is surprisingly interwoven with humanity. It tells a story in such a way that it makes you think otherwise of the things you used to think were awesome. If a game’s narrative makes you ponder for a solid moment, that’s a game worth experiencing in my book.
For a fighting game, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is superb for its genre. Its gameplay and combat are fun in all the correct ways. Nickelodeon fans will most certainly enjoy playing as their favorite characters growing up, including Spongebob, Aang, CatDog, and Danny Phantom, among others. However, you can only play the game for so long before you run out of content to play around with. I’m sure there’s more in store for this title down the line, but for now, your experience is limited to 20 characters and only about four game modes.
This game demands your patience and undivided attention. In return, it will reward you with an intriguing story showered in mystery, suspense, heart, and passion. To bring up a passage from Roger Ebert’s essay once again, “No video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form.” That essay was published 11 years ago. I’ve played a lot of video games since then I can argue are pieces of art. I experienced art form when I played Journey, Abzu, Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Colossus, among so many others. This year, I experienced art form when I played Twelve Minutes.
Finishing the game was difficult, not because it had punishing encounters, but because the experience it provides is far from enjoyable. If I didn’t have to review the game, I would have put it down during the first hour. It brought me no enjoyment despite the interesting premise it stands on. As a comic book fan, even its visuals, which is the best part of the game, ultimately failed to engage me because of its terrible gameplay loop. Games are enjoyed for their stimulating gameplay, or their enticing tales, or in the best cases, for both. Foreclosed has neither of those things.
With all of that said, I was left joyful and entertained after playing Death’s Door. The game is immensely charming and wonderful. Its seamless combat system, coupled with its immaculately designed levels makes its core gameplay loop very satisfying and engaging. Its surprise of a story also managed to hook me in when outside of combat. Every moment-to-moment experience is perfectly crafted, from humorous dialogue to surprising revelations, standard encounters, and boss fights. This game is a treat and you should buy it and play it immediately.
This is a strategy game that was highly revered for its time, but that time is long gone. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the original game, there is no way you can say this game holds up today. Its AI and UI are dated and it is very inconsistent with the level of entertainment it provides.
If you have the patience for it, I highly suggest that you give this game a try. Its combat mechanic is one of the best in its genre in years. Unlike its contemporaries in the same field, which are stereotyped as having vanilla storylines, this game’s story is engaging and awe-inducing. When this game works, it will send you on a fantastic journey worth going through. As soon as it fails, however, it fails tremendously. If that’s something you don’t have the patience for, just wait for a couple of months for updates and for the game’s server to become stable.
Evil Genius 2: World Domination has heart and humor which makes for a couple of memorable, chuckle-worthy moments. It can be intensely satisfying when you finally figure out how to do the things you need to do. The game’s music and atmosphere are very well crafted too. This is a game you can sink hours upon hours into, but your experience will be both good and awful, which is a bad thing to experience when it comes to a lair-builder game. It has a ton of quandaries Rebellion Developments will have to iron out in future updates, but for a game belonging to its genre, it’s not necessarily a bad game. However, at times, especially later on, calling it an “enjoyable game” increasingly becomes more and more untruthful.
Before I end this review, one very important thing I want to talk about is the game’s very end section. The final section of this game is very, very, incredible. It will force you to remember everything you’ve learned about the game thus far. Every mechanic, every puzzle solved, every enemy encountered. It’s a very fantastic way of closing off a fantastic game. I had an incredible time playing this game, and I can say with confidence that if you enjoy RPGs that put forth exploration and have great campaigns, you will have an incredible time playing this game too.
All-in-all, Chronos: Before the Ashes is great. It had a decent combat mechanic, the puzzles are entertaining, the age mechanic is interesting, and the level design is phenomenal. It’s not the perfect souls-like title, but it’s one of the more decent ones you can play.
Melody of Memory is a wonderful addition to the still-growing franchise, and if you’ve played the previous games before, this game will take you on a trip down memory lane, and if there ever is a follow up to the series’ main story, this game is a good and fun way of knowing most of what you need to know about Kingdom Heart’s infamously complicated story. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memories has the makings of a fan-service title, one that is done correctly.
Little Hope shines a glimmer of hope despite being far from perfect. It has moments that make it stand out, and moments that will make you dislike it. If you care for storytelling, writing, and engagement, you will love this game for sure. Its gameplay is… not the best in its genre. It has clunky and broken moments, but it most certainly tries to be the best version it can be.
All-in-all, I had so much fun with Ghostrunner. It’s a great game for those who love being challenged by video games. If you want to have a relaxing time and game casually, however, this isn’t for you. This is one of those games where you’ll have to put in the effort to succeed. It’s a thrilling, daunting experience, which provides satisfaction once you’re done with it. It’s not a perfect game. It has a lot of flaws, but it’s also good enough for what it’s trying to be.
To cap it all off, Serious Sam 4 has heart. It’s fun to play with at certain moments, and it’s too overbearing in others. This game is proof that more isn’t always merrier. It’s almost the video game equivalent of a Michael Bay movie. It’s good to look at, it has jaw-dropping moments, but it just lacks substance. The first few games of the franchise are proof that a game like this can be great. This title, however, is far from that.
Tell Me Why is quite amazing. It’s very heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. It pulls you in nicely and makes you care for these characters. It makes you one of them. And while this is in no way a perfect game, it’s a fun ride from start to finish, and the players will surely be enticed with this title for its characters and story.
All-in-all, this could have been a game that you can just have fun with and not take seriously. It’s unfortunately riddled with a ton of game-breaking bugs that you’ll spend more time being frustrated and disappointed rather than actually having fun. It feels like a beta version, almost. These bugs can very well be fixed in the future and maybe the experience will be more enjoyable then. For now, however, this game feels like an unfinished product that was pushed forcibly towards release. The game’s combat is so unfurnished and unexciting. The story feels… rushed. All of these aspects are such a shame because I feel like the game has a lot of potential and the main character is really likable. Sadly, that potential is far from attained.
Whether you’re a fan of the original game or you haven’t played that and are just planning to explore a new open-world RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a must-try for its fun combat, exploration, interesting narrative, and the wide experience it provides. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning may not be that compelling as a remastered work, but what it already is is quite compelling enough.
In a nutshell, New Super Lucky’s Tale will remind you of Nintendo’s flagship platformers. It plays really well too. The gameplay is fun in terms of traversal, while the same can’t be said for its combat. If you play games to immerse yourself in an interesting story, this game isn’t for you. It’s the type of game you or a younger family member will want to play on an easy morning. It’s nothing more and nothing less, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for a game like this.
All in all, I had a ton of fun with Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town. This is an excellent game you can play to pass the time, have a delightful experience, or you just feel nostalgic and want to play a game that will remind you of simpler times. Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Tone is a soulful, wholesome, hilarious, and satisfying experience.
1971: Project Helios has a vision. Sadly, it is plagued with poor mechanics, lack of foresight, frustrating gameplay, and it ultimately falls short on executing its vision properly.