What Sonic Frontiers has in potential in everything it introduces to the long-standing franchise is immediately lost in the way it’s all executed. Poor environments and a less-than-stellar gameplay loop derail the entire experience to a crawl.
God of War Ragnarok is a massive refining of what was achieved back in 2018. Engaging gameplay, a wide variety of stunning worlds to explore, and some of the best storytelling in gaming make this experience a must for anyone.
Modern Warfare 2’s campaign looks, feels, and sounds fantastic with the IW 9.0 engine flexing its capabilities with much success. Characters feel a bit more fleshed out with added personalities that help the player connect and believe in their relationships with each other. However, the narrative is bogged down by tedious mission design, technical bugs, and an overreliance on sequel-baiting that doesn’t feel earned at all.
Valkyrie Elysium feels like it should’ve been released more than two console generations ago. The flashy combat system barely uplifts the experience from bland characters, uninteresting story, and outdated level design that borderline on feeling like it could’ve just belonged to a mobile game.
Soulstice’s excellent combat system singlehandedly saves the game from its own mundane presentation, technical problems, and uninteresting narrative. If you’re looking for an old-school action-adventure game, this might be worth a pickup.
Steelrising isn’t just another forgettable soulslike experience. Its familiar gameplay is elevated by the stellar look and feel of the weapons alongside a visually striking reimagining of 1978 Paris. There is a lot to love her and a lot more to look forward to in terms of what Spiders can do with a future entry.
The Saints Row reboot really brings the franchise back to when it was just a street gang trying to rise up the ranks. While the story does have its moments with a large variety of fun activities to do alone or with a friend, it’s unfortunately bogged down by outdated gameplay mechanics and technical issues.
Digimon Survive felt like a game that wasn’t supposed to be one in the first place. The glimpses of brilliance being presented in the narrative are tainted by a tactics-based combat system that felt like it belonged to a forgettable mobile game rather than a release that was meant to celebrate 25 years of a long recognizable brand.
MADiSON is a great horror experience that will make your skin crawl, your heart pounding, and your eyes and ears begging to be covered. Developer Bloodious Games does an amazing job at building up tension through simple game mechanics and immersive environments. While some of the puzzles could use some tweaking, the game is still technically impressive and terrifying in all the right ways.
MX vs. ATV Legends feels outdated, out-polished, and outran by some of its competitors in the motocross genre. There are tidbits of fun to be had in the experience but it feels more frustrating to play with the number of technical flaws present.
Sonic Origins is undeniably fun with faithful recreations of the original games that represented the peak of the franchise. It, however, loses its momentum with unnecessary DLC that taints an otherwise charming love letter that celebrates 30 years for everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog.
Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin offers a counterintuitive experience that has terrible presentation and an unintentionally hilarious narrative. It’s slightly saved by a fairly enjoyable combat and job system. Take both of those away, and this game will feel more like a parody of the legendary franchise.
Developer Visual Concepts show how much they learned from their mistakes with WWE 2K22. A fantastic visual overhaul, more engaging gameplay changes, and extensive customization features make this a compelling purchase for wrestling fans who have been starving for a polished game. The extra featured modes show a lot of promise and it’ll be interesting to see how the franchise improves upon what is established right now.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is the franchise’s best expansion to date. A great story coupled with exciting new gameplay changes make this an amazing experience we have all been waiting and asking for. The future is looking really bright for the game and the only complaint I have is that I have to wait for all of it.
Elex 2 does not give a good initial experience due to technical issues. But if you stick with it and grind out its systems, you’ll be rewarded with a great time. The game may have received a 6/10, but if I were to review it based on just how many times I’ve laughed at something, it’s a solid 9/10.