Once again, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 does just enough to carve out a distinctive niche within an increasingly vast and confusing series. It still doesn’t truly push the envelope in any department, and it could be more cohesive, but it is supremely entertaining – as far as it goes.
While it does little that is genuinely new, and exists firmly in the shadow of its forebears, Sumerian Six is a thoroughly competent addition to the small canon of real-time stealth tactics games. It is a must-play for any fan of the genre. While Artificer were sadly subjected to job losses this year by their owner-publishers Devolver, hopefully they will have the chance to make an even stronger contribution to stealth tactics in the future.
For those survival horror fans who can lean into the lo-fi, top-down aesthetic, Conscript will be an engaging fusion of familiar elements with an under-used setting. Its sometimes frustrating traditionalism and abyssal bleakness is unlikely to win over new recruits.
Anger Foot isn’t for everyone – its humour will be off putting to some, and its breakneck pace won’t suit others. However, those who buy into its bizarre world, comical ultraviolence, and tricky challenges will enjoy the ten hours or so it will take to see the story through to the end. Much more time can be spent tackling the various challenges and unlocking all of the shoe types. Anger Foot is a simple but thoroughly well made action game, a perfect fit for Devolver’s stable and delirious, brutal fun.
Forges for Corruption, the DLC for one of 2023’s best games, Warhammer 40k Boltgun, is modest in its aims but still an absolute thrill to play.
Capes lacks the epic grandeur of XCOM 2 or the sheer scale of Midnight Suns, and some may rue the lack of a strategic layer. Nevertheless, Spitfire Interactive have delivered some extremely engaging battles in a new, likeable superhero setting. Plus, there is something to be said for a tactics game which can be tackled in a shorter time. All fans of the genre should definitely check out this superheroic showdown.
Leaving aside its connection with its survival horror forebear, Sker Ritual is a very conventional and competent multiplayer zombie shooter. It is at its best with a full team of friends who are prepared for its relentless pace and transparently “gamey” nature. Those looking for a more cerebral experience, or one that satisfies narratively, ought to look elsewhere.
So many recent shooters have emulated the glory days of the 1990s. These games now hugely outnumber the ones which inspired them to begin with. In this context, a game which instead mines inspiration from the early 2000s is very welcome and Phantom Fury could have been a superb entry in the genre. Sadly, something seems to be very wrong with Slipgate’s design and development process, and much of their game’s potential has been squandered. While this is a fun and occasionally great experience, it could and probably should have been much more.
Children of the Sun is both less and more than it first appears to be. It is much simpler than the stealth and action games it superficially resembles, but it is also a more complex and sustained puzzle game than its early levels imply. The distorted soundtrack, stylishly glitchy visuals, and lack of substantive story may prove to be turn-offs for some players, but Children of the Sun is an engaging set of thoughtful ballistic challenges, and well worth a look even for those who would not normally seek out a puzzle game.
Attractive, eminently playable, and available on the current major platforms, Brothers A Tale of Two Sons Remake is easy to recommend to newcomers. While it provides no stern challenge nor a lengthy campaign, it retains an affecting story which is carried without (comprehensible) dialogue. Those who own the original may think twice about picking up this remake, however. Brothers A Tale of Two Sons Remake adds little that is truly new, outside of a well-executed new coat of paint on top of a thoroughly solid core experience.
Classified: France ‘44 transplants familiar turn-based tactics to World War II, to merely adequate effect.
Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is not the most imaginative retro FPS, but is elevated by its solid fundamentals and often stunning levels.
With Banishers, Don’t Nod have elevated their craft to a new level. They combine elements from numerous previous games, but always with a new spin on them. They have combined them into a gripping story of life, death, guilt, and responsibility in a novel fantasy setting. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a notably accomplished action game that should not be overlooked.
Despite these shortcomings of the original game, Kingpin Reloaded could have been a useful historical exercise. It could still get closer to that goal, as Slipgate Ironworks continue to work on the remaster. The studio’s attention is divided, however, as they are surely overburdened with seven other in-development projects. As things stand, this version is very difficult to recommend and will do 3D Realms’ reputation no favours.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III arguably sees the series in something of a holding pattern. It neither completely finishes the solo narrative, nor revolutionises the online experience. Indeed, this release may well be quite unlike what Sledgehammer Games were originally meant to deliver. Established series veterans will grumble about the relative lack of completely new material, but this is another polished continuation for a series which likely has another decade left in it.
The automap at least keeps backtracking to a minimum in the maze-like levels of Gastro Force.
It is possible to imagine a hybrid of ‘90s JRPG and ‘80s wrestling that could be genuinely engaging, if only for a modest audience. WrestleQuest, however, is not that game. Behind the kayfabe, its obsessive adherence to dated tropes and deeply tiresome combat prove very real and sadly fatal.
It lacks a compelling story, and its efforts to vary things up are not always successful, but Turbo Overkill is a consistently exciting and often great-looking shooter. Like Cultic, it is a startling example of how much can be achieved by a one-person developer. Fans of retro shooters, so well catered to in recent years, should be sure to find time to spend time with Johnny Turbo.
While it pays homage to tactical RPG classics of the ‘90s, Arcadian Atlas does little that is new.
Despite rough edges and a steep learning curve, the tactical series returns in force with Jagged Alliance 3.