Unfortunately, the aspects of Winter Ember surrounding its core gameplay loop are so lackluster. The game’s stealth mechanics and tight design have the potential to be a solid new entry in the genre, but the game’s less polished parts ultimately hold it back.
Watching your cat cafe slowly expand and customizing its decoration is very rewarding. The experience is only hindered by its mechanics’ more clunky elements and lack of meaningful endgame content. However, the game is a perfect jumping-on point for newcomers to the genre.
Wonderlands manages to instead fix many of those issues while injecting new ideas to make it a special entry in the franchise thanks to more than just its setting. Hopefully, the game’s season pass will only continue to polish it even more, and the developers at Gearbox will take the lessons from Wonderlands into the series’ future.
Even with its few issues, Elden Ring is an absolute triumph that will surely please all of the many players eager to get their hands on it. From Software’s track record with the genre has been incredible to see, especially as so many competitors have tried their hands at it with very few finding success. The studio is truly the master of soulsborne games, and Elden Ring proves that conclusively.
Much of what is present in Changing Tides is plainly fantastic, but it is a shame that the game goes on for too long until it itself runs out of fuel and sputters across the finish line.
For Far Cry 6 players looking for a reason to play more of the game and just want more of its satisfying gunplay or enjoy the structure of the previous two DLCs, “Collapse” is an easy recommendation. However, players hoping for it to do a little more or introduce a unique aspect to the rogue-lite structure to reflect Joseph’s inclusion will ultimately be disappointed.
Its combat is as brutal as one would hope while bringing the mechanical density and numerous options to engage any type of player. Its narrative is gripping with veins of humanity throughout that make it nearly impossible not to get invested in it. While sometimes feeling a bit sluggish or as though they just need a tiny bit more tuning, its new mechanics have brought new life to the series in a monumental way.
There is no doubt that fans who just want an excuse to shoot more things in Far Cry 6 or who are really looking to dive into Pagan Min’s background will be satisfied by “Pagan Min: Control.” However, it is disappointing that the DLC did not take the opportunity to create a more diverse experience than what came directly before it.
Trash Sailors is one of the rare co-op-centric titles that manages to deliver a chaotic and fun experience without annoyance. Levels never feel too punishing, enemies don’t have overbearing mechanics, and no part of the puzzle is undervalued in the grand scheme of things. This makes for an experience that borders on perfection for any group of friends looking for a new game to tackle together.
It is a shame that Serious Sam 4 is not able to live up to the series’ legacy. While the franchise has never been associated with particularly groundbreaking or polished titles it has previously been able to offer enjoyable experiences with its own identity and fun gameplay. Serious Sam 4 is too bogged down by questionable design and poor presentation to manage that, and instead feels like a title quickly thrown together with an overnight script than a cohesive product.
The technical issues do detract from the experience somewhat, especially when considering that many of the bugs are more than a decade old at this point, but they are not enough to keep Skyrim: Anniversary Edition from being the definitive way to experience the classic title.
Ultimately Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ends up being a boring slog more often than a tense horror experience. The remaster will likely be welcomed by fans of the series, especially those that never had a Wii U to check out the original. However, any future Fatal Frame titles will have to evolve to feel at home in modern times.
This leaves Assassin’s Creed Discovery Tour: Viking Age as a pretty solid update that players who enjoyed the setting of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla should definitely check out. However, it doesn’t quite justify its asking price as a standalone title, except maybe for history buffs who want to see a faithful recreation of the period that isn’t bogged down by RPG systems or combat mechanics.
Lemnis Gate feels like a bold breath of fresh air. The game is a dramatic new take on the genre that has been fully embraced to its bones. Lemnis Gate is a must for any fans of shooters and strategy titles, especially for players who have a friend to bring along for some 2v2 matches. The future looks pretty bright for Lemnis Gate, and it has more than earned it.
Playing Sable very well may be as close as one can get to a meditative experience while playing a game. Few games feel as good to simply exist within as Sable. The game’s gorgeous visuals, warm and comforting music, and intuitive game design all come together to create a unique experience about trying to find one’s place in the world through an expression of an individual’s freedom.
In this way, Psychonauts 2 is absolutely everything it should be. It does not do everything perfectly, but it builds on what fans loved about the first Psychonauts in a way that keeps the spirit of the series alive and well.
Blightbound’s problems are very disappointing because they occur on the top layer of a very solid foundation. The game’s combat is satisfying and fun, especially when playing with a group of friends. It is often quite challenging and requires intelligent play and strategic coordination, which makes encounters feel rewarding on the first completion. However, the problems with the game’s overarching systems, repetitive nature, lack of enemy variety, and lack of a fleshed-out world leave Blightbound feeling like a game that just needed some more time to become something really special.
Chernobylite is a solid package for any player looking for an original survival FPS with a lot of heart in it. The story is sufficient, but the game will really satisfy players who are looking for a difficult experience without holding their hand too much. For players looking for much more than just the gameplay, however, they may be left wanting.
Space Jam: A New Legacy – The Game is free, but it still does very little to justify players spending any time with it at all…For fans of beat-em-ups, there are plenty of better options available that are not much more expensive, especially if players have Xbox Game Pass already. For Space Jam fans, there is so little of the characters or personality of the movie in the game that it does not seem as though it would justify the time investment.
Tainted Grail: Conquest is definitely not a title for everyone. Its difficulty and dark atmosphere will undoubtedly be too much for many players out there, even some fans of RPGs, deck-builders, or roguelike. However, for fans that do want those aspects, it’s one of the best in the genre. There are countless hours for players to find in the game, and the deep mechanics and systems are incredibly rewarding across the board.