Howard's journey ends far, far away from where it began and each step continuously develops the emotional investment for everyone in this world. While there are minor mechanical issues such as the "interact" input not always being immediately responsive, each element of Backbone is polished and expertly crafted. Backbone is a must-play GOTY contender that deserves every bit of mainstream recognition it receives, and exceeds the usual reach of its genre, making for a compelling experience that even those with little interest in point-and-click adventures will find difficult to put down.
With the Uncharted movie bringing more attention to the already beloved series, it's a great time to explore what the world of Nathan Drake, Chloe Frazer, and Nadine Ross has to offer. Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection is authentic, exciting, and well worth exploring, neatly tying together the series past and potential future in the best version of both to date.
Alan Wake 2 is a mind-bending, epic thriller that takes the best of Remedy’s catalogue & combines it all into nothing short of a masterpiece.
Greak is yet another great Metroidvania that manages to make the genre feel fresh and empowering. While the world of this story is dark, the feeling players are left with is one of joy, and its well-paced runtime leaves room for both a sequel and replay value. Ultimately, the most disappointing part of Greak: Memories of Azur is that it ended at all, and it's a must-play for anyone who finds the genre intriguing.
Minor annoyances aside, WWZ: Aftermath is fun, replayable, and challenging. As an added bonus, current WWZ owners can upgrade for $19.99 instead of paying the full $39.99 and carry over their progression and other save data. Overall, World War Z: Aftermath is a refined and replayable experience that offers a slew of content for half the price of its competitors.
The most surprising part of the experience was becoming engrossed in a story that built without being noticed. The game opens with a letter that originally seems to just be a stand-in for the developer to welcome players to golf, but over time it transitions into something more personal and reflective. What was once a series of formal letters becomes something beautiful, a sincere back and forth between X and Y, the player and the writer. A Little Golf Journey is a game full of surprises and a gameplay loop that never gets old, and comes highly recommended.
This is the only noticeable downside to this expansion and it's one that will only affect certain players. Even then, the story alone is absolutely worth dealing with what is realistically a minor inconvenience. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is an achievement in storytelling for Bungie, which somehow has two more expansions still to come for its ongoing game. The Witch Queen is a must play for fans of the series, casual or otherwise, as it's an intriguing story that is well told, exudes confidence, and hints at an even brighter (or darker) future that's still to come.
A heartfelt story and world with a few snags.
Overall, Neon White is a fantastic game that pushes players to get faster and faster in a way that is addicting and supportive. Getting into the flow of a level feels empowering, and there are even a handful of boss fights that add a refreshing twist on the otherwise platform heavy levels. Those that choose to play on PC will likely have a smooth and bump-free experience, but the Nintendo Switch version does struggle with accurate aiming and hand comfort. Despite that, players can't go wrong with either version because Neon White is fundamentally a fun and empowering experience.
Arcadegeddon blends recognizable aesthetics, tight level design, satisfying gunplay, & a medley of challenges to make an awesome third-person shooter.
Overall, Tribes of Midgard Season 3: Inferno Saga is a robust addition to an already huge game. With all the new features, new platforms to play on, and saga starter-kits for new players, it's the perfect update for all kinds of players. Whether it's someone that's stepped away for a while or has had their eye on this game, now is the time to jump into the world of Midgard.
Readers may notice the lack of story details in this review, and it's for good reason. The risk of spoiling parts of the story is high because it takes twists and turns the moment it begins, and the best to experience this story is going in completely blind. Overall, Beacon Pines is a fantastic game with clever systems that enrich its characters, world, and masterful storytelling. With a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass, this is a must-play for fans of narrative-focused games and leaves one excited about what Hiding Spot Games will make next.
Thankfully, abilities and weapons like these become accessible in the mid-game and make later combat encounters much more manageable. Even then, Soulstice manages to maintain a good balance overall and while some hits may feel unfair, no fight ever ends that way. They all feel satisfying and exciting in a way that motivates the player to continue towards the next one. The moments of exploration between fights also encourages players to take in the stunning art design of the world and Briar's armor and weaponry, which look like they're lifted straight from the pages of Berserk; but this only scratches the surface of Soulstice. This is a challenging, beautiful, and engrossing game with a ton to offer and shouldn't be passed over.
Much like NieR: Automata's storytelling, Signalis heavily focuses on philosophy and requires multiple playthroughs to get the true experience. While some may not resonate with ambiguous storytelling, the only true flaw is the inclusion of Lovecraft's mythos. The story is initiated when players find a copy of "The Yellow King," a powerful god of malevolence in Lovecraftian lore. This inclusion is not only distracting due to the anticipation of if/when he'll appear, but it gives the impression that the story isn't confident in its own identity. Cosmic horror doesn't require Lovecraft to succeed, and developers Barbara Wittman and Yuri Stern prove that through the unique story, world, and gameplay that define Signalis and make it a must-play 2022 release.
Railbound's puzzles can still be deceptively difficult, too. Some of the larger puzzles with multiple moving parts can be surprisingly simple, while the more bare-bones puzzles can provide some of the game's biggest challenges. While some puzzles may take some time to figure out, they never feel obtuse or unfair. Finding solutions to those puzzles generally means taking a small break to reset the brain and coming back with a fresh pair of eyes. With over 150 puzzles and ability to play on the go, Railbound is truly a fantastic game with a charming aesthetic and well-designed puzzles that reward and empower the player.
All these things come together to tell a story about change and how one processes and works through the fear that comes with it. Overall, Backfirewall_ is a wonderful experience filled with heart, wit, emotional intelligence, and respect for the player. It's a high recommendation for anyone as a result - even if puzzles aren't appealing, the uniqueness of its story and the deft skill with which it's told make for an excellent experience all the same.
Like its predecessor, Tails: The Backbone Preludes tells an unconventional and surreal story with confidence, resulting in narratives that are sincere, vulnerable, complicated, and heart-breaking. The only downside to this branching narrative style of storytelling is that it's easy to accidentally take the short route and leave the experience feeling like something is missing. Ultimately, Tails: The Backbone Preludes tells four phenomenal stories that either deepens the characters that players know and love, or introduces them to new players entering this stunning world for the first time.
This Game Pass release is adding more variety with the "Spider's Thread" update, which adds a new Ghostwire: Tokyo game mode and additional story elements. The narrative bonuses include new areas, enemies, and extended cutscenes that flesh out the weaker parts of Akito's journey. The new game mode is a roguelike gauntlet that sees Akito fighting through increasingly difficult stages to reach the end. Overall, this Xbox Game Pass release not only preserves the experience of the initial release of Ghostwire: Tokyo but comes a ton of new features that make this just as easy a recommendation as it was the first time around.
Humanity builds on the theme of collective humanity in a number of other ways. The first is with its cross-platform Stage Creator that, like the building system in Meet Your Maker or Halo's forge mode, is a versatile and polished system that allows players to create and share custom stages to challenge other players. The second way is through the game's score, which uses human voices as a choir and as other instruments through clever sound design and modulation. In the end, Humanity is a phenomenal debut title that finds new and creative ways to shake up the puzzle platformer genre, and with it being free on day 1 for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers, there's no reason to skip over this must-play title.
Thankfully, these weaknesses are overpowered by everything else and never become apparent until after the halfway point. From beginning to end, My Friendly Neighborhood is a wonderful game full of mystery, tension, clever design, and phenomenal performances. This is a must-play title that will hopefully gain the traction and attention it deserves.