At its core, Death Stranding: Director's Cut is an inventory management game. The more you play, the more freedom you have to do things with that inventory. You can help others. You can hurt others. You can save citizens. You can kill them. You can grow your world. You can destroy it. Regardless of your decision, DSDC is a game unlike others in that your assumptions about core gameplay loops and storytelling are pushed aside in favor of exploring a disconnected future. For those who have yet to play DS, DSDC is clearly the iteration of DS that is worthy of your time given its iterations that are increasingly respectful of your time and patience while also giving you additional creative outlets to muck about. For those of you who were unable to get hooked into this game, then DSDC may not be the answer you seek in a cinematic experience. Give it a shot, though; I'd love to be proven wrong.
In short, Final Fantasy XVI is a breath of fresh air for the Final Fantasy franchise despite its first steps into its grittiest, darkest, and most mature space yet. Its combat showcases action-forward combat held together by a backbone of RPG-similar ability management. Its highs truly showcase phenomenal displays of power in many forms, while its lows effectively strike emotional chords in the hearts of players. This might not be a Final Fantasy fans expect, but boy, it's what Final Fantasy games SHOULD be going forward. FFXVI doesn't have a strongest asset, per se, because its entire presentation is a gripping and fun compilation of the best parts of gaming without the filler and frivolity. PS5 owners, I implore you, don't miss out on what is currently my favorite game of the PS5 generation thus far.
By just about every single metric for evaluating a boomer shooter, Turbo Overkill excels and delivers in spades. I had a near limitless amount of agency to play as I want and still enjoy a boomer shooter experience without frills, gimmicks, and other artificial difficulty spikes. It oozes creativity while taking players on an exhilarating ride through a cyberpunk apocalypse. It's the perfect blend of gore, seriousness, and silliness. Turbo Overkill is a literal spectacle of unfettered, high-octane boomer shooter gameplay. Call it a symphony of destruction, mayhem, gore, and violence. Call it bloody good fun. Call it whatever you want, really, so long as fun is somewhere in that mix. The world of Turbo Overkill is one worth exploring and desecrating with Johnny Turbo's chainsaw leg.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a candidate worthy of your attention. Looking past its story (again, its story is incredible) and emotional power, there is enough additional content to warrant a full replay for existing owners. If you’re a new owner, this is no doubt the edition you should be securing to fully immerse yourself in Naughty Dog’s desolate future.
I’m going to assume that most Tekken fans are no longer on the fence after seeing the overwhelmingly positive coverage of Tekken 8 over the last few weeks. Truth be told – Tekken 8 has earned that praise and more. Its immersive combat is fluid, cinematic, yet visceral. It sticks to its serious yet goofy roots through utilizing imaginative character archetypes and flat-out silly character customization. Its Special Style dramatically simplifies Tekken 8’s combat for new players to get them up to speed against series veterans like me. If you’re new to the series, Tekken 8 is the fighting game you should play this year. If you’re still deciding between which fighting game to play this year, Tekken 8’s combat and mechanics are the most satisfying yet. I highly recommend Tekken 8 – it’s helped 2024 start off on the right foot.
Unicorn Overlord is a masterpiece of a strategy role playing game. Its presentation in giving players freedom to play as they like, go as strategically deep as they like, and the masterful onboarding of often-overly-complicated SRPG elements make it a compelling and beautiful experience. If you’re unfamiliar with SRPGs or are a longtime fan, look no further than Unicorn Overlord.
The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is a stellar example of how a classic series can and should be remastered for superfans and new players alike. For Battle Network superfans, this game hits the spot in the nostalgia department and gives us North American players access to once-exclusive content we weren't able to access in the early 2000s. For new players, having all of the Battle Network games in one place is great for continuity and opportunity for younger folks to play an incredibly fun set of titles. Even more, offering multiplayer right from the jump gives me hope that the Battle Network series will live on into the next-gen of gaming. Regardless of your familiarity with this series, the Collection's graphical updates and gameplay additions, like the Buster MAX Mode, breathe much needed new life into some of the older titles. I am thrilled to see the Mega Man Battle Network series return with more content than ever, and the Collection makes an incredibly easy recommendation for something to play this Spring: If you're looking to get your hands on a collection of classic titles remastered in all the right ways, look no further than Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series is a near-perfect collection of the original six Final Fantasy titles, updated quite well to be played by today's Final Fantasy fans and new players. The smoothed graphics, orchestral arrangements of the beloved original soundtracks, and litany of gameplay updates demonstrate that this is not just a simple rerelease, but a clearly thought-out collection of titles ready to be enjoyed by anyone who's willing to take a step into classic RPGs from Square Enix. While I don't consider this collection to be truly definitive because of a smidgen of cut bonus content, I still consider this collection worthy of any RPG fan's time and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in playing through the first six Final Fantasy titles for the very first time.
I wish I didn't have to review Dave the Diver because of how much I worry about letting too much of its best parts slip. It's a fantastic title that's worth "going in blind" simply because of how it continuously surprises players, including me. Its Switch port maintains its greatness, barring some slight visibility issues of the smaller fishies and the loading screens, so it's hard for me to recommend the Switch version if you're deciding on which platform to purchase Dave the Diver. However, one thing is certain: You should not miss out on Dave the Diver this holiday season. It's a pearl in an ocean of other holiday AAA titles vying for your attention.
Mushihimesama (Switch) is a great replayable shmup to play on your Switch console. For Switch owners new to the bullet hell genre, Mushihimesama is a fantastic place to get your feet wet. For Switch owners itching to replay a classic bullet hell, look no further than Mushihimesama! Either way, you will have a great time navigating the seemingly endless waves of bullets in beautiful bug-filled arenas.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Switch) is a faithful port of an already outstanding RPG. Barring small graphical artifacts, an oversized text box, and multiple loading screens, KOTOR is an easy recommendation for Switch owners that RPGs should strive to emulate: Your character's stats matter, your character's actions have consequences, and the worlds you visit are lively. Even more: If this port doesn't make you excited for the upcoming KOTOR remaster, I don't know what will. If you're not the biggest Star Wars fan, I can assure you that you just might be after playing this game. If you're currently a Star Wars fan and have yet to play this game...what are you doing? Drop what you're doing and pick up KOTOR.
Flynn: Son of Crimson is an excellent indie specimen of what makes action platformers great. The refreshing combat system and beautiful yet increasingly complex level design will remind you of what you loved the most from your childhood platforming classics. Aside from Flynn's unfortunately short length, I am quite excited to see more from Studio Thunderhorse, as they created a fantastic game. And they let me pet a gigantic dog.
In short, Bravely Default II gives you reasons to grind, reasons to explore, reasons to learn, and reasons to listen. Square Enix and Claytechworks have ported an already fantastic Switch JRPG to PC (Steam), albeit with mostly graphical improvements. Bravely Default II (PC) is an excellent JRPG for those new to the series and want to relive the strategy found in Final Fantasy V OR for those familiar with the Bravely series who have yet to play BDII on the Nintendo Switch. The improvements that exist in the PC (Steam) version elevate BDII's quality, but there is little reason to purchase this game if you're already playing it on the Switch.
NEO: The World Ends with You was absolutely worth the fourteen year wait. Its unique battle system, beautiful art, and accessibility for multiple audiences make it worthwhile. Beyond that, the lack of a grind and ability to play as you want make this JRPG worthy of being added to your collection. Although the menus can contribute to information overload and the game itself is fairly linear, NEO: TWEWY succeeds in telling a unique and engaging story without the slog of other games in the JRPG genre. In short: NEO: TWEWY is outstanding; be warned: you will become addicted.
Starfield changes the RPG game by adding a slow burn of a main quest alongside a character management system that keeps players' power in check. It's nearly perfect, and I can't wait to spend another chunk of my life playing another excellent Bethesda RPG.