Dead Island 2 is a serviceable zombie action game that improves many components of the first title and delivers an enjoyable time when given a chance. However, it doesn't innovate, is highly formulaic, and ticks off every feature to a fault. Your enjoyment will really depend on what you're looking for, and there's no truer example than Dead Island 2. Dambuster Studios did a good job revitalizing Dead Island 2, which has fallen into development hell over the past years. This has to be pointed out, and with such a troubled history, it's a massive feat to finally be able to bring this out and release it to the gaming public.
Road 96: Mile 0, sadly, isn’t an essential attraction compared to Road 96‘s gameplay loop and characterization. Sadly, the charm that made the original game stand out is gone, and we’re left with an overdone story that dampens the allure of the original game.
Dredge is a fishing RPG, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security thinking that it is a cozy game. It is a slowly creeping horror title that lets its mystery engage you until it has caught you in its slimy tendrils and doesn’t let go. While it might be a little slow starting out, once the momentum kicks in, it takes you for a ride. It is a triumph in atmospheric and immersive storytelling. The addictive fishing elements lure you into an addictive game loop, and you stick around for its mystery. You can also just keep fishing and ignore all the strangeness if the fishing loop is what you’re in for, but heed the call of the deep, as its creeping chaos is definitely worth exploring.
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is the ultimate way to experience The Outer Worlds, both as a first-time player or someone who’s re-discovering the game. The added quality-of-life features, such as improved performance and load times, don’t interrupt momentum and allow you to experience the game at its absolute best. That said, there are still concrete issues plaguing The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition as of this writing, so it remains to be seen when these can be addressed. Despite all of the good things that can be said, it is hard to fully recommend a purchase right now until the issues have been resolved.
Vanaris Tactics is a solid strategy RPG that’s a little too straightforward for its own good. It delivers a technically sound strategy RPG that can easily onboard any long-time fan to the experience. It is easy to the point of being cozy, and that may not resonate with enthusiasts of the genre. It’s a quick, fast experience for those who want a game to complete. However, for those looking for a longer strategy RPG that tests their mettle, Vanaris Tactics may probably be inadequate. I do look forward to what Mattheus Reis and his team make in the future, as Vanaris Tactics is a solid, albeit straightforward, experience.
Atomic Heart is a mixed bag of weird design choices and gameplay mechanics, and while the combat loop is satisfying when everything comes together, there’s also a lot of jank that comes along with it. Several parts of Atomic Heart feel like they’ve been made to be unnecessarily complicated, adding layers of interaction that do not feel fun. The game does look very pretty, and the world and its inhabitants are interestingly unique, but the payoff at the end is predictable and ultimately disappointing. Given a chance, Atomic Heart is a frenetic first-person shooter with a great visual style and some set pieces that pack a punch. Yet just like its overwrought themes and its poor attempt at profound existential exploration, they feel ultimately superficial and shaky.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a celebration of the storied history of Final Fantasy’s music in more ways than one. It could easily just be a basic rhythm game, but it innovated the genre by allowing for the RPG elements to best suit the game with its source material. Once you think the novelty has waned, Theatrhythm continues to surprise you by adding new addictive activities to keep you interested in its quests, extras, and even with other like-minded fans. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a gift from Square Enix and indieszero, allowing us to relive our original Final Fantasy through its music and also allowing us to experience new ones to broaden our scope. Many crossover Final Fantasy titles seem to waver at this opportunity when the novelty ends, but if there’s one thing that’s completely timeless, it’s how the music of Final Fantasy has evolved through the years.
Octopath Traveler II is an improvement over its predecessor that keeps all of its familiar charms while elevating the experience at the same time. It adds just enough for old players to find joy with the new travelers introduced, but it also doesn’t alienate any newcomers who want to jump ahead with this new game. The music and gameplay conspire to create a timeless adventure for every JRPG fan to experience. While it still has some minor convention gripes, for the most part, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the game. JRPG conventions abound, so know what you’re getting into.
Whether or not you’re a fan of the Harry Potter books or the Wizarding World in general, Hogwarts Legacy is a fantastic open-world adventure that certainly delivers. While it retreads familiar open-world ground, it does so with a polish and impressive attention to detail that’s rare in this day and age of bug-filled releases. Hogwarts Legacy delivers a masterful experience not just for fans but also for newcomers to the Wizarding World.
Hi-Fi RUSH is a rockin’ good time that invites every player to the party whether or not you’re into rhythm games or action games. It is a crowd-pleaser that finds a way to pull your heartstrings either with its soundtrack, story, or seamless gameplay. It is definitely a must-play for 2023 and can easily be one of the best games of the year, no two ways about it. Rhythm hybrid games will still be a hard sell for me, but if it is approached the same way, then Hi-Fi RUSH just set a standard for this novelty. It goes to show that a single gimmick alone doesn’t make a good game, but a combination of excellent mechanics and an entertaining story would rise above the cheap ploy.
Spongebob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake is a serviceable platformer that succeeds in offering a simple yet fun time for its target audience. While it is a surprisingly entertaining game, the fluctuating difficulty spikes can give experienced gamers something to enjoy but can be a bit frustrating for others, especially the children who are fans of the show. The game does have enough extras and content to keep players busy, especially with the challenge of collecting every costume. Overall, if you’re looking for a relaxing and relatively stress-free affair with the cast of the show, Spongebob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake could be the game you’re looking for.
SEASON: A Letter to the Future is a beautifully written atmospheric adventure that may not appeal to all tastes. The pacing is a little meditative, and the plot is ambiguous to the point of being obtuse, which may frustrate the impatient player. If collecting entries for the codex isn’t your thing, you might find SEASON’s gameplay a little light. Despite its flaws, there’s much to enjoy in SEASON, especially if you’re a fan of narrative adventures. Patient players will be rewarded with a rich story and cozy soundtrack, but the unsatisfying final act is a turn-off.
Forspoken is a game of unrealized potential. A lot of the bad press it received in the months leading up to its launch was due to its writing and dialogue, which are honestly not that bad when taken in context, but the game has a tendency to use things in excess, making them something that you’d rather miss out on. The combat and traversal mechanics are generally fantastic once they come together, but the half-baked story and lack of immersive storytelling aren’t quite as present compared to the gameplay. It's terribly paced first few hours also don’t help, giving off a misunderstood first impression that may lose players before it gets a chance to recover.
Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is a nostalgia-fueled balancing act of mechanics that worked and flawed creative choices. Despite some annoyances, the odds tipped in favor of a fun return to this prequel to a beloved franchise. Nostalgia wins, in the end, to provide a bittersweet homecoming with familiar characters and an improved combat and crafting system to match modern sensibilities.
The Callisto Protocol excels as an atmospheric survival horror title, at least in its early parts of the game. However, because so many of its inconsistent combat mechanics could’ve used more balancing, the aspects that made the title stand out ultimately worked against it. Moreso, the unsatisfying conclusion squanders the mystery that’s been set up at the start of the title with its impressive cinematic cut-scenes. I commend Glen Schofield and his team for sticking to the overall concept and experimenting with new mechanics, however, many of these creative choices snowballed into a frustrating time for random horror fans looking for a good scare.
Evil West returns to the glory days of action games with a fun and straightforward approach to the genre. The combat is frenetic, simple, and fluid enough to create the ultimate vampire slayer. You also have straightforward characters that scratch an itch and then some. While there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, I feel that they could’ve done better by utilizing the current-gen console’s power to push its visual style and charming characters to a higher standard. However, due to its frame rate issues and lazy enemy variants being thrown at you in swarms, Evil West may be an annoyance in higher difficulties.
Goat Simulator 3 doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s a good thing. While it’s definitely a blast, it’s hard to recommend this because your enjoyment of it depends on your tolerance for the concept. For me, it ended after a few hours before I got bored, but the fun can definitely last if you’re taking advantage of the online multiplayer feature. That being said, while there are a lot of activities and jokes to be had, if you’re the type of player that enjoys having a defined path to follow, Goat Simulator 3 is probably the furthest from it. It would be advisable to check out some videos about the game first before diving in.
The Devil In Me, the last installment in this anthology, tries to innovate the tired formula but doesn’t really succeed. The developers have experimented with new features such as adding an inventory system and improving their existing QuickTime events, but at the same time, they shoot themselves in the foot by overdoing certain aspects that could have made for a better horror game. The Devil In Me works as part of the complete set. However, as the season-ender that would collectively blow our minds, it definitely could’ve done more to push the envelope.
The Chant has some good ideas, but unfortunately squanders its current-gen pedigree by delivering a straightforward survival horror that doesn’t innovate nor entertain. Featuring underwhelming visuals and repetitive combat mechanics, its short playthrough can be a challenge. What we have is a forgettable by-the-numbers survival horror game that tried too hard to become other games when it could’ve stood on its own with its charm and ideas. Truly a missed opportunity.
The developers have created a myth of epic proportions through a divine marriage of storytelling and gameplay, renewing the franchise with a tale of hope that ties itself up well enough to offer a satisfying and exhilarating conclusion. God of War Ragnarok is Santa Monica Studios’ way of raising the bar, creating a new challenge for themselves on how they will manage to top this one in their next outing. It is easily one of the best games of 2022 and quite possibly one of the best franchise sequels of all time, taking its rightful place in the gallery of legends.