Burning Shores really is a must-buy, must-play experience for Horizon fans. While this review is unscored, take this as my strongest of recommendations to pick up and play Burning Shores. I promise you’ll be able to finish it before the release of Tears of the Kingdom, and I promise that if you love Horizon, you'll find Burning Shores to be well worth your time.
In its current state though, it doesn’t feel like it’s worth its $20 (USD) price tag. Unless you’re ok with the extra work of digging through its file folders to import your own music that is, because as the game is right now, you can burn through all of its 10-track base game content in less than an hour. And there's nothing much else to it beyond that.
If you love H.R. Giger, unsettling body horror such as those seen in the works of Junji Ito, or creepy alien experimentation scenes from films like Fire in the Sky, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate Scorn’s overarching concept. Sadly the execution leaves much to be desired, which is a shame as I feel like Scorn could have been a real standout as far as atmospheric horror games go.
With a little more polish, God of Rock may prove itself to be a worthwhile rhythm game title yet. Unfortunately, in its current state, it feels like more of a swing and a miss than a headbanging hit.
If you’re looking for a game to kick back and play race after race with a sizable campaign and other options including an online mode, Need for Speed Unbound has plenty to keep you busy and entertained.
All in all, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway isn’t the worst kart racer I’ve ever played, but again, it’s also not the best especially when compared to previous entries in the series. As previously mentioned, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is a middle of the road racer in almost every aspect save for its character roster, graphics, and elements like picking three characters to be part of your pit crew.
In particular, it’d be nice if the game did more in the way of teaching you the ropes, offered different control schemes, and provided a wider array of accessibility options. In general as well, it’d be nice if the game offered more in the way of incentives, excitement, and action to keep you coming back for more, regardless of its punishing difficulty.
Kao the Kangaroo succeeds in delivering a nostalgic platformer vibe with everything you’d expect from that mixed in, including coins and collectibles that encourage exploration, along with a bright, cheerful atmosphere. With some of these issues fixed, the bugs and glitches especially, I could easily see this game scoring closer to a 7 or 8. However, because of the number of bugs I encountered and how disruptive some of them were, I can’t in good conscience give this game anything higher than a 6, much as it pains me to do so.
Wrapping things up, I’ve been having a lot of fun with Kirby Fighters 2 and there’s more to enjoy than not.
Even those just looking for some childhood nostalgia will enjoy Hot Wheels Unleashed and its similarities with older Hot Wheels games like Hot Wheels Stunt Track Driver. Plus, you can drive cars with names like Street Wiener, Roller Toaster, Buns of Steel, and Tur-Bone Charged. What’s not to love?
Nevertheless, the game is undeniably gorgeous and clever, and easy to drop in and out of. The stories and characters are fun to experiment with as well, and Storyteller ultimately does a great job at establishing itself as something wholly unique within the puzzle game space. It’s worth experiencing for the chance to get to see everything that could ever happen in a story — from what goes right, to what goes terribly, terribly wrong.
There’s combat and light puzzle-solving, but at its core, High on Life is a narrative sandbox adventure that requires little more than your time and attention. As someone who’s been feeling a little stressed and seasonally depressed lately, I sincerely appreciated that (and the ability to watch Tammy and the T-Rex, that’s also pretty rad).
Rebooting the series, Saints Row tries to modernize its approach and themes but struggles at times to stick the landing.
If you want to feel, really truly feel, like you’re flying a TIE Fighter or an X-Wing, Star Wars: Squadrons is a must. Even if you have zero interest in Star Wars, the feeling of being a starship pilot is exhilarating in and of itself.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a fitting third entry to the Amnesia series that takes its unique lore and runs with it in a respectable way. If you’re looking for a creepy game to play in October that won’t overload you with jump scares, Amnesia: Rebirth is a worthwhile pick.
I didn’t expect to fall in love with Dirt 5 as much as I did, and despite all the hours I’ve already put into the game, I don’t expect to stop playing anytime soon. Dirt 5 is lighthearted, simple, effective fun that’ll have you racing around again, and again, and again.
Like Alan says… it’s not a lake; it’s an ocean. If you dive down and explore its deepest depths, you will be rewarded. For that reason, and so much more, I highly recommend checking out Alan Wake Remastered.
In summary, Cozy Grove is a great time to sink some time into. Its cheerful atmosphere will put a smile on your face, you’ll be able to make progress in the game at your own pace, and there are natural stopping points that remind you that it’s ok to take a break.
There really is a lot to this game in the way of management and strategy, and you can tell the developers put a lot of time and effort into making sure you always have something to do. Idol Manager has the potential to become the game you ignore other new releases for, and if that doesn’t speak volumes about how good the game is, I don’t know what will.
Overall, I highly recommend Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, so long as you approach it as it is. Not a mainline Bayonetta game, but as a largely optional (yet still incredibly delightful) spin-off, standalone title.