Subhasish Das
Goat Simulator Remastered successfully captures the essence of the original game, providing a polished and enjoyable experience. Its intuitive controls, humorous gameplay, and nostalgic feel make it a delightful addition to any gamer’s library. However, with Goat Simulator 3 priced similarly, the upgrades may not justify a purchase for those who own the first game, creating a quandary for loyal enthusiasts. Moreover, investing your money elsewhere might be advisable considering its wild and disorderly campaign.
Crow Country skillfully blends the nostalgic allure of classic survival horror with modern game design advancements. The game’s atmospheric environment, captivating puzzles, and user-friendly controls render it an essential experience for both long-time fans and new players. Still, given its challenging nature and fixed camera angle perspectives, it’s not something that may appeal to everyone.
“Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss” delivers a beautifully crafted narrative that excels in storytelling and atmosphere. While it may not satisfy those in search of high-octane action, its emotional depth and enthralling world set it apart in its genre. It’s a must-try for enthusiasts of narrative-driven exploration games that focus on emotional storytelling. Yet, players should brace themselves for its measured pacing, repetitive gameplay elements, and potential frustration due to extensive backtracking and trial-and-error puzzles.
Copycat stands out as a beautifully crafted narrative experience, notable for its emotional storytelling and enchanting presentation. Although the gameplay may not be the most intricate, its capacity to resonate emotionally with players renders it an unforgettable adventure.
The PS4 port of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor is an impressive achievement. It succeeds in preserving most of the outstanding qualities of its PS5 version while occupying less than one-third of the storage size. Despite some technical hiccups, the ability to maintain a good frame rate and crisp imagery on 11-year-old hardware is quite an accomplishment.
Terra Memoria epitomizes the core appeal of RPGs. The narrative is functional yet captivating, the characters are charming, and the world is intricately crafted. Although the combat might seem monotonous to some, and the third act appears somewhat hurried, the total experience is highly rewarding for RPG enthusiasts.
Indika is a bold take on a memorable story that feels original to its core. Via unconventional story elements, it challenges players to question faith, authority, and the nature of good and evil. However, it struggles in gameplay due to uninspired puzzles which are partly redeemed by its sweet yet short 8-bit platformer sequences.
Ereban Shadow Legacy ambitiously attempts to juggle multiple elements and succeeds in most areas, yet it is ultimately hindered by its lack of refinement. With its prominent features, it leans more toward a 3D platformer rather than a game rooted in the Stealth genre. Nonetheless, its emphasis on level design and a variety of unique gameplay mechanics, despite a lackluster plot, renders it an enjoyable experience.
Stellar Blade is not just a great hack-and-slash game, it's a culmination of a great fashion designer's wardrobe and a 'souls-like' veteran's wildest fantasies. Thanks to its satisfying combat, varied enemy designs, and stellar presentation, it really lives up to its name despite some occasional hiccups involving lackluster platforming and repetitive side requests.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth outshines its predecessor in every aspect by providing a vast world to explore, numerous mini-games to master, and an expansive story free of filler content. However, it falls short of replicating the emotional resonance of the original’s pivotal climax. Nevertheless, it excels in developing relationships, delving deeper into character exploration, and introducing new, unforgettable story elements.
Let’s School is a fun and engaging video game that allows players to experience the joys and challenges of running a school. However, given limitations and the given genre, it may not live up to most people’s expectations. Still, considering its fair pricing model and a free demo, it is worth trying out.
‘Alone in the Dark is an impressive reimagining of the original 1992 game, enhancing the premise in every conceivable way. It boasts a stellar cast, whose performances bring the story’s beats to life. The unlockable secret endings significantly enhance its replayability. Its highly customizable difficulty settings make it accessible to a broad mainstream audience. Minor issues such as clunky gunplay and movement can be easily overlooked given its superb atmospheric immersion and ambient soundscapes.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is RGG at its finest. It is a massive RPG overloaded with things beyond belief, and it somehow manages to execute all of it flawlessly. Its overpriced DLCs and a few minor hiccups can be easily overlooked in the service of its well-written story, refined combat system, larger-than-life character arcs, and an astonishingly detailed map of Hawaii. Overall, it is easily a strong contender for Game of The Year.
Immortality on PS5 retains all of its exceptional features and adds more to it- thanks to the effective use of Dual Sense haptics and audio. Its unique gameplay mechanics allow players to non-linearly piece together the three movies and – crucially – the events that happen between them. The game’s eerie apparitions superimposed onto the image and the way it pieces together the three movies non-linearly make it a must-play for fans of FMV games and cinephiles alike. However, its lack of tutorial makes it quite a bit tedious as finding new clips at the end keeps getting trickier.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PS5 is a definitive package of its PS4 original, thanks to the notable inclusion of Lost Levels, No Return, and a new in-game commentary which makes the campaign worth revisiting even after beating it. The rogue-like No Return expansion alone is worth the upgrade fee -thanks to its changing environmental effects, enhanced enemy AI, and mods that make each encounter memorable. In terms of visuals, the new fidelity mode and VRR support are worthy of inclusion. However, the visual difference in terms of assets and foliage is barely noticeable. Overall, this definitive package is an easy recommendation for old veterans and newcomers.
As a co-op gang party, Gangs of Sherwood can provide you with a few hours of fun that offers a fresh and exciting take on the legend of Robin Hood. But as a Single-player experience, it is a tough sell. The game’s premise, story, and themes are captivating thanks to its visuals, voice-overs, and performance which are impressive and enjoyable. But it is bogged down by its repetitive gameplay and barren maps that lack player interactivity. On top of that, there is no level-based progression system except for a few unlockable moves and items. Overall, it’s best if you wait for a sale on this one if you don’t have a party to hang out with.
Song of Nunu offers a unique and immersive experience in the world of Runeterra. The game has a captivating story, a lovable duo of protagonists, a diverse and rich setting, fun and varied gameplay, a beautiful and expressive art style, and a memorable and fitting soundtrack. While it suffers from some uninspired puzzles and level designs, it is a must-play for fans of League of Legends and for newcomers to the franchise alike.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is one last hurrah for the Dragon of Dojima and the classic brawler-style gameplay. After the botched sendoff of Yakuza 6, RGG Studio has gone back to the drawing board and delivered a short but fun and emotional rollercoaster. While there is 15–30 hours of playtime to be had in Gaiden, SEGA’s regional pricing leaves much to be desired. Thanks to Gamepass, fans around the world can get into the head of Joryu at an affordable price. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a tribute to the legendary character fans should not miss out on.
A Perfect Day is an underrated gem that deserves more recognition. It will overwhelm you with emotions and nostalgia that will make you laugh, cry, and think. Given its limited scope, it may be a bit off-putting at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will play it over and over again until break free of the endless loop of imperfect days and seize the day.
The Invincible does a great job of establishing its retro-themed space journey that feels surreal. It follows a strong premise that feels original and unique. However, it is plagued by its repetitive campaign activities, tiresome exploration, and technical issues. If you are looking for a space-faring experience, this might just be your next pick. Just be mindful of a sale.