All in all, Spider-Man 2 is a worthy sequel to both of Insomniac’s previous entries and delivers a complex story that will please all fans of the webhead. Several interesting abilities for both Peter and Miles differentiate their combat styles, so you’ll need to deploy different strategies with each hero. Sidequests are a bit uneven between Peter and Miles, with the former confronting more serious criminals like the Flame. While Spider-Man 2 was marketed as a Peter Parker and Miles Morales duo adventure, the main story of the game feels more Peter-centric and falls short of truly embracing Miles as a second main character. Whether we like it or not, Spider-Man 2 is a Peter Parker story with Miles operating as a glorified secondary character. The Mary Jane Watson stealth missions make a return, though MJ is a much more formidable fighter in the sequel than before. Insomniac’s sequel introduces a few new villains, but the developer’s decision regarding previous villains is questionable, to say the least. Ultimately, Spider-Man 2 checks off the major boxes as an exciting sequel with a compelling story that will hook you in from the get-go. Go get’em, tigers.
NBA 2K24 is the same game more or less than its many predecessors, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The gameplay remains solid with an emphasis on shooting, so it may take a bit to get used to the more delicate mechanics. The City is full of activities that you should not overlook and can be quick and easy ways to improve your player. MyNBA allows you to take control of a franchise in five different eras and new RPG elements add a layer to the general manager component. While NBA 2K24 does have a “pay to win” aspect to it, the upgraded Season Pass isn’t that important to where a casual player should feel pressured to purchase. If anything, NBA 2K24 is for die-hard NBA fans and gamers who plan on grinding the game well into the NBA season.
Even though annual sports games are becoming more of a joke, MLB The Show remains an impeccable product. It offers several ways to enjoy the baseball experience, whether it’s creating your own character in Road to the Show or trying to build a championship team in either Franchise or Diamond Dynasty. But the most important part of MLB The Show 23 is the Negro League Storylines. San Diego Studios should be praised for telling the amazing stories of baseball’s forgotten stars. It’s features like this that transform a game into something more than just random pixels on-screen, and that’s exactly what MLB The Show 23 managed to do. San Diego Studio didn’t just manage to craft a good baseball game, but something special that goes beyond the sport it represents, which is no small feat for any title, more so for an annual sports game.
At first glance, NBA 2K23 appears to be more of the same, but the gameplay adjustments made by Visual Concepts are more than enough for this year’s game to be accepted with open arms. The changes in the shot mechanics and making it more difficult to create godly players in MyCareer might make some players upset but will be beneficial for the game in the long run. MyTeam is still a fun team-building mode, and with the removal of contract cards, should be a more viable option as opposed to a normal Franchise. The player ratings will be a hot topic, as I’m not sure how we can rate the Los Angeles Lakers among the top teams when their third-best player is a 78 overall, but that’s an issue that might never be solved. Ultimately, NBA 2K23 isn’t simply a carbon copy of previous iterations and should be viewed as a step in the right direction for 2K’s continued evolution.
Whether you like Star Wars, LEGOs, or video games in general, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a must-play in 2022. There’s an insane amount of content, I can’t emphasize how massive this game is. The puzzles aren’t too difficult to solve, while also not being too easy; I never felt that I was wasting my time playing through a level. And even if you found yourself stuck in an area or just in need of general help with the game, there’s an orange and blue protocol droid named H1-NT that will provide you with helpful information on your journey. The Skywalker Saga also has an extensive skills tree that rivals any action RPG out there. The game mechanics work extremely well, especially when playing flying missions; it’s always a crapshoot when it comes to aerial combat, but operating an X-Wing or the Millennium Falcon in The Skywalker Saga feels amazing. From top to bottom, The Skywalker Saga is a near-perfect game that checks all the boxes for a Star Wars fan and is one of the best games of the year.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a big step in the right direction for the series. It’s not that the tried and true formula of collecting eight badges and fighting against an elite league wasn’t working anymore, but Game Freak needed to inject a spark somehow, especially after the lukewarm reception of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Fans stated that the remakes were too safe and didn’t try to introduce new mechanics or expand the gameplay. Pokémon Legends: Arceus offers a Pokémon adventure that’s never before been experienced, something that can truly grow into something more. Even if we continue to see Pokémon games that are still styled off older titles of the series, there’s absolutely no way that we should do away with an open-world aspect. Seeing Pokémon interacting with the game world and not just appearing in random battles makes the experience feel more real and connected. Whether you’re a die hard Pokémon fan who’s never missed a game or someone who hasn’t played for a few generations (sorry, I didn’t have a DS), Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an adventure that shouldn’t be passed up.