Infinity Nikki is a fantastic game, and you can play it while avoiding most of the gacha elements. It's a great gacha game that doesn't require you to pay any money to it to be able to succeed. It's a game full of whimsy, wonder, and most importantly dressing up and being able to customize Nikki to your liking, depending on the outfits you collect.
Forever Skies has a great, relaxing core gameplay loop. The atmospheres are vibrant, but still provide the feeling of desolation and complete loneliness. It's very easy to dive into, once you get past the laggy and broken cutscene at the beginning of the game. Overall, Forever Skies is a great experience, and significantly less overwhelming than other games in this genre.
There was nothing that stood out from the game, and the story didn't particularly grab me. The main selling point for me was the combat and dungeon-crawling, which was quite fun. However, Wayfinder still needs some work to give it that extra sparkle.
While Life is Strange: Double Exposure was a lot of fun and had a lot of great moments between using her powers to swap between timelines to be a murder-mystery detective, conversations dragged on and significant choices being made didn't feel consequential at all. It's a great experience, with a lot of twists, but some of it feels a bit too drawn out at times.
Although the game was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the actual gameplay elements of it, the story just didn't grab me. Initially, I was also deterred by the massively contrasting art styles and the finicky menus. Overall, the game is a pleasant experience, appropriate for gamers of all ages. If the story had some more flashy dramatics, it may have pulled me in earlier. The Plucky Squire is very evidently a product made with a lot of love, and you can tell that from the level of polish it has.
The expansion was so close to perfect. If it wasn't for the update that Blizzard released where they went from undertuning everything to overtuning it, the expansion would have been perfection. The quests are fun, Hero Talents provide lots of cool options, and the music really makes the areas of Khaz Algar magical and threatening, all at the same time. Admittedly, the story for this expansion could have done with being a little longer, as it felt quite short overall compared to previous expansions. However, there is still time for them to add more in future patches.
Overall, it was enjoyable to watch the relationships between the characters unfold. However, the prologue soured it early on for me, as it felt a bit too overexaggerated. The conversations and getting to explore new environments were some of the best parts of Dustborn, while I unfortunately found the combat system to be a little lacking in places. Still, the idea for this game is incredibly unique and one that I really enjoyed.
For those who want to dip their toes into the expansive world of Gacha games but are deterred by the other games currently on the market, Zenless Zone Zero is one I would genuinely recommend, despite only being able to play it in short bursts. Additionally, you'll love every second of this game if you're a fan of wild theatrics and flashy cutscenes.
CorpoNation is a lot of fun and has a great dark story to go with it. The gameplay is simple and even has minigames inside to break up the sorting of samples. This title is very enjoyable and a great time sink.
The Tomb Raider I-III collection is faithful to the originals and is a beautifully mastered collection. While I may be incredibly biased, as Tomb Raider is quite literally the reason I’m a games journalist today, it still holds up so well, and you can choose whether you want a modernized or a dated experience.
Enshrouded is a fantastic game with plenty to offer, no matter what your combat or crafting style is. If you're looking for a new co-op game, make it this one.
With a stunning art style, unique puzzles, and a one-of-a-kind concept, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a puzzle game. While not without its frustrations, it’s a journey to the afterlife worth taking - and one you’ll be coming back to.
Darkest Dungeon 2 takes everything about the first game and amplifies it. It's darker, and more brooding, but oozes more personality. It's not easy, but the long exhale after a successful expedition is difficult to match.
Overall, a fantastic game that yields a relaxing experience and a gaming experience for all. The adventure is fun and awe-inducing. The graphics and music are coupled well together and marry each other to make for an amazing fantasy feel.