I understand the hate that Pokémon Violet is getting. Frame rate issues, glitches, and design choices that make little sense are everywhere. Making characters less customizable is unforgivable. Developers saying their game is open-world when there are level caps is redundant. But I'm still having more fun than I've ever had in a Pokémon title. Violet takes the Pokémon formula and twists it into what I hope becomes the new normal in many ways. Three stories to play through and a UI that feels easier to use than ever before deliver elements Pokémon fans have long been looking for. Violet gave me the same emotional high that I got from the original game, which isn't easy to do. I love being able to take on gym leaders, knock out giant oversized Pokémon, or break into someone's hideout all in the same game. The heart of Pokémon is still here, still beating, even if the outside is full of fatty nonsense at times.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a true successor to Fatshark's previous Vermintide series. If you were afraid the jump from fantasy to 40K would ruin the experience, fear not, it's even better. Darktide feels less linear than the previous takes, the story takes place between cutscenes of missions. Levels are linear, but do a great job of hiding that fact. Loadouts are a great improvement, along with a wide array of weapons to specialize and unlock. The only unfortunate part is that Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is still best enjoyed with a full party.
If you want combat that feels unmatched in a life sim, Kynseed has it. If you want to look at beautiful pixel art, and hear a soundtrack that fits a game exceptionally well, Kynseed has that too. You can pick what you want to do in life and go out and achieve it. There is so much to see and do that it can feel overwhelming. But Kynseed lacks too. There's little emotional toll to building relationships, and frustrating gameplay bugs. The attention to detail is massive in places and lacking in others. Knyseed is close to being the groundbreaking life sim of my dreams. But unfortunately, that dream is still elusive.
The core of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains unchanged, thank god. It's the same game we all fell in love with before. Playing on a PlayStation 5 and being able to play around with the new controls, including the haptic and adaptive triggers made playing as Geralt all the better. The new quick casting system works wonders for me, and if it doesn't for you then you retain the old configuration. The framerate has been given a noticeable overhaul as well. I no longer chugged about when I ran while in a city full of objects. This is the perfect excuse to play The Witcher 3 again. The best part of the update is that it's completely free; you can't afford not to play again.
The game's lack of depth and lack of goals to work towards leaves much to be desired. Tumbleweed Destiny is a simple game where players control a tumbleweed in a desert setting and collect TP to upgrade their tumbleweed. The game's slow start and limited activities, like knocking over cacti and taking down a repeating enemy, make it unengaging and uninteresting. The game also lacks proper communication options, making the online play feel like a solo experience. The end goal of reaching the moon, or going to the second location once you've earned enough TP was underwhelming to say the least. The grind was long and tedious; the juice is not worth the squeeze for Tumbleweed Destiny.
The bottom line is that Hogwarts Legacy is fun. Exploring the school, Hogsmeade and the surrounding hamlets is rewarding. The spells feel like they've come alive from the pages of the books. Combat is exciting and very challenging on the higher settings. But it's not without some faults. Glitches are encountered frequently, and some parts of the game can be frustrating. On PS5, Hogwarts Legacy looks and runs great. If you're really into the world of Harry Potter, or open world games in general, you are going to love Hogwarts Legacy.
Sanctuary Saga strives for greatness, but just doesn't quite get there. While there are a lot of good elements to Sanctuary Saga, they don't feel like great or amazing ones. It feels like a SNES game from the early nineties in a lot of great ways, but also feels like it is trapped in that style, which is holding it back. I needed more variation in enemies, dungeons, and a bit more focus on story progression to fall in love with Sanctuary Saga. As it stands, I only have slight flirtatious feeling for the game.
Overall, Mayhem in Single Valley can be an enjoyable game, but its flaws prevent it from being a must-play experience.
Desktop Dungeons: Rewind is what I look for when playing a remastered title. A nice graphical update, plenty of quality-of-life changes, and new content that is not in the original but still adds to the enjoyment without feeling forced in. I love how easy it was to get into the game, and I liked the challenging aspect of Rewind. The new rewind feature is interesting and doesn't break the already solid game experience. If you've never played a roguelike then Desktop Dungeons: Rewind is a great jumping on point to the genre. If you've been a fan of them for a while, this one should be added to your collection.
Characters that are fun, interesting, and have a purpose. I had a lot of fun seeing where Cal Kestis' story went, and I'm interested in seeing where these characters go from here. Combat is near perfect; no matter your style, the puzzles are challenging enough to keep me entertained when I'm not clearing out Stormtroopers. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the good Star Wars. The kind you hope for every time you start a new video game or begin a new Star Wars tv series. A story so good I don't want to share any of it; go play it for yourself.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is a fun trip down memory lane; playing in handheld mode on my Switch further pushes that nostalgic feeling. The weakest part of this collection is the lack of innovation made throughout the series, something I wouldn't have noticed if I was playing a different game once every few years. But none of the negatives drag down the overall fun of this collection. The best part of the Battle Network series is the combat, which still feels unrivaled. Added features make it a great collection to add if you're into either Mega Man or RPGs in general. A collection of six games, with ten different versions to play, the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is a worthwhile investment.
It comes down to this. Graveyard Keeper: Last Journey does not have enough, "play just one more day" moments to get me to stick with it long-term. Instead of a dark, horror-filled farm sim spin off, I'm left with a dark humor management system. Building anything feels like a chore. Nothing feels explained to you, even the days of the week are needlessly confusing. I was able to have fun with Graveyard Keeper, but it took more time and patience than I wanted.
As the fourth entry to a series, I am beyond impressed with Diablo IV. The developers have managed to find a way to make the ARPG genre feel new and refreshing. I was worried about a lot of common tropes I see in the genre, but that was not an issue. My biggest gripe is the world is so big that having to walk around it instead of using a mount for so long was the worst part. How will the seasons play out? Will I want to play every season, or just the first couple? That's not something I can predict right now, but my guess is Diablo 4 will have me sticking around and jumping into a new season every so often for the next couple of years.
Farm sims are a dime a dozen. For every great one, there's a bad one. The problem isn't that Everdream Valley is bad. It's just that there just isn't much fun with the farm life. All the staples are here, and they're fine. What's worst than hatred? Indifference. I feel indifferent about Everdream Valley. Is there a lot to see and do in Everdream Valley? Yes. Do I want to work my way through to see it all? No.
Final Fantasy XVI decided it wanted to be different. Gone is any element of turn-based combat. But not all typical Final Fantasy elements have been left by the curb. An excellent musical score, great cast of characters, and a story that will be hard to top are all here. There are a few hiccups with this new style. I missed a minimap more than I thought I would, cutscenes back to back after taking ten steps was a common annoyance, and side-quests feel like an afterthought. But those are small potato issues. This is a Final Fantasy game for both newcomers and those who loved the old-school fantasy settings of previous entries. Final Fantasy XVI isn't perfect, but it's close.
For only being a four-hour-long game Oxenfree II: Lost Signals has a lot to say. A narrative that is more intricate than its predecessor, while still holding onto the framework that made Oxenfree stand out. Lost Signals makes you care about these people. The voice acting goes above and beyond to help drive that home. Like the first title, Lost Signals feels unique in the video game space. With a few minor hiccups, and one upsetting one, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is, without hesitation, worth a second and third playthrough.
There is a lot I enjoyed with Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes. When I'm winning, I like the gameplay loop. The art is fantastic, and looks great when I play in hand held mode. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes starts out as a welcoming game. After a few battles, I begin to see the cracks. Enemy heroes I play against are two, sometimes three, levels ahead of me, something that is not easy to overcome. The random drops of units on my side don't feel equal to the ones my AI enemy gets. I feel like I'm always on the defensive during the campaign. But the multiplier is excellent, pass-and-play is exactly what I want in a game like this.
If you are unsure where to begin with this series Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist Of Salburg is a great starting place. It's the first in the series, and the facelift it has been given is very welcoming to newcomers, like me. I'm glad I gave this one a shot before trying something else in the series; trying this one out after might have felt like a downgrade. Combat and gathering, two of Atelier Marie's main elements, can be done automatically, making them feel unimportant when I know that is not true. Focusing on learning about the world's characters is where you'll find most of the enjoyment. Atelier Marie Remake has sold me on the idea of playing another game in the series, I hope they feel more modern, and require more work on my part.
In an unexpected twist, I find myself immersed in a JRPG set in Shakespeare's realm, complete with nods to all kinds of other pop culture mainstays, like Sailor Moon. The writing is so good it's like a Shakespearean comedy; the twist of adding modern translation is just hilarious at times. Having to switch between the two styles of dialogue is like deciding between quill and keyboard - annoying at first, but it grows on you. The game's structure is more repetitive than I would like at times; exploration leaves a little bit to be desired too. Still, it's reminiscent of classic JRPG styles, making you feel like you're back in your nostalgic gaming heyday. Recommended for any RPG fan.
The gameplay loop to UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects is simple enough, but addicting, at least for a while. You can watch a trailer for this game, and you can even play for a little bit and think you know what you are doing, but you would be wrong. The further I dig into UFO the further it gets away from just being a casual puzzler. The online multiplayer would probably help drive that thought if I could find a match. This is a smaller title; its price reflects that, but in a good way. The gameplay is sharp, pixels even sharper, and just a fun time overall, just don't rely on playing online.