Even though I physically could not finish the game, from what I experienced, The Cosmic Wheel Sister featured a fairly compelling story and characters. However, it would often forgo the age-old show don’t tell technique, leaving the audience feeling like its biggest scenes are happening in another castle.
Fort Solis is a major disappointment, missing almost all of the aspects that make for an enjoyable horror/thriller experience.
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief should have stayed a Japanese exclusive. Multiple mechanics fall flat and the tedium of go-fetch quests quickly starts to stack up several hours in. Constantly spamming one button for a full minute to steal valuable items isn’t fun. Neither is repeating the same generic mission setup with extremely vague target instructions. Doesn’t help that the branching storylines and characters aren’t particularly interesting either, apart from a few interesting designs here and there. So if the wacky, over-the-top silliness can’t grab your attention, it’s hard to say what else will.
WarioWare: Move It! inflicts more pain than it does joy. Arms will become tired, motion controls will frustrate, and then the experience will end well before it should. There are some fun microgames packed in here, but it’s such a shame that the execution really lets this entry down.
Redfall turned out almost exactly as you thought. Not only is the usual Bethesda jank on full display, but the game is just straight-up lacking in quality.
What starts out as a calming restoration simulator, quickly devolves into mundanity: the video game.
I can’t remember the last time I played a game that was as linear and repetitive as this, but Gungrave G.O.R.E really takes the boredom cake. Yes, there are some cool mechanics like reflecting rockets and using soldiers as meat shields, but unless you enjoy mindlessly shooting thugs for days, it’s best to steer clear.
Babylon’s Fall bears the shell of a Platinum Games release, however, it doesn’t go anywhere beyond that. The combat is dull and colourless, the story and graphical presentation are weak, and the micro-transactions it tries to shove down your throat feel like blatant predatory practices. There are some enjoyable moments of co-op gameplay, although they are few and far between.
While it does contain some satisfying combat and runs remarkably well online for PC, Exoprimal’s repetitive gameplay loop starts to lose steam quicker than green grass through a goose.
All things considered, the System Shock Remake is a bit of a tough sell. Fans of the original will no doubt be curious to see how this version has turned out. Though for the neutral crowd, it may leave them wanting.
It’s been 15 years since Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse launched exclusively in Japan, and the wait has sadly not been worth it.
Need for Speed Unbound is an average-at-best arcade experience. With the headlights firmly set on street racing, It’s hard to enjoy the action when the turning controls are just not quite there, but the focus on tailing, drifting and near-misses to gain NOS is highly engaging. Well, except when a random NPC driver casually rams your car out of nowhere. Still, there is an extensive amount of customisation and a few open-world activities to take part in like time-trial deliveries, speed gates and escaping cops, though not to the same extent and depth as Forza Horizon 5.
Valkyrie Elysium is a decent action RPG that’s rather short in length, but it’s combo-based combat grows stale hours before the credits roll. The game nails the melancholic, Norse-inspired atmosphere of the series, although the story, characters and side-quests that appear in these lands are anything but legendary. So if you don’t enjoy the combat, then there’s little else to latch onto.
Foreclosed is a classic case of style over substance, as the lacklustre gunplay and narrative leave much to be desired. The futuristic comic book presentation does look pretty decent, although it can’t mask the mediocre voice-acting, gameplay flaws and extraordinarily average story and characters.
Even though NEO The World Ends With You is a 50+ hour JRPG, a good 20-30% of the experience should’ve been trimmed out. Looking beyond that there’s a surprisingly deep combat system (mainly for bosses), wonderful characters and awesome music/art that newcomers and TWEWY veterans will no doubt enjoy.
House of Ashes belts out some decent cinematic horror, but at the same time, the whole adventure is rather forgettable. The characters are quite fun to watch and the variety of death animations are certainly amusing. Although since the story itself isn’t very memorable, it’s hard to stay invested.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Blackwater is a disappointing horror venture. It gets the creepy, Silent Hill-type atmosphere just right but drops the ball in so many other key areas. The story and characters are vapid, the movement controls are as stiff as Harry Potter’s broomstick and the general gameplay loses its lustre well before the credits roll.
Ghostwire: Tokyo features a tried and tested triple-A design approach, but the gameplay and story just won’t hold your interest for long. Battles turn into mindless spam fests, the open-world design elements become tiresome and the narrative loses it steam shortly after the first few hours. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts, but the thought of playing this game again gives me pause.
While it may not be as riveting as its turn-based contemporaries, South Park: Snow Day! showcases an enjoyable 3D action battle system built for 4 players online, combined with the iconic comedic writing of Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Has the 25-year wait been worth it? Well, it depends on what players are looking for. Fans of the first game will most likely be impressed if they’re hunting for a more modern take on the Outcast formula. In contrast, open-world vets might see this as a decent, yet generic outing on an Avatar-like planet.