Rating the Red Dead Redemption PC port proved to be a painful process for me. On the one hand, you have a basic but solid port of one of the most requested and highly rated games of all time. On the other hand, the pricing of the PC port is one of the most egregious this year. What’s even worse is Rockstar’s utter disregard for regional pricing. With pricing the way it is now, I cannot in good conscience recommend Red Dead Redemption to our Indian audience.
God of War Ragnarok is a good sequel to a great game. While it doesn’t hit the same highs as its predecessor, when it gets going, it flies. The excellent PC port by Jetpack Interactive makes sure that you’ll be experiencing the best Ragnarok has to offer. This has been one hell of a ride and I hope to see where the winds take Kratos next.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 manages to live up to the legacy of its cult-classic predecessor. Casual players will have a great time with the game thanks to its balls-to-the-wall gameplay and supreme visuals. If you’re in it for the long haul, the technical issues and balancing (or the lack thereof) will be a point of contention. Hopefully, Saber will be improving and adding to the gameplay while the game is still in its prime.
Caravan SandWitch is exactly what it markets itself to be — a stress-free, relaxing 10-hour romp through a beautiful wasteland filled with heartfelt stories and colorful characters. While its repetitive quest design, iffy PC performance, and technical issues prevent the game from achieving its full potential, Caravan SandWitch offers a pleasant experience that all demographics will be able to pick up and enjoy.
At a time when big IPs with millions upon millions of dollars in backing fail to deliver, Conscript is an inspired yet fresh take on the classic Survival Horror formula. Its old-school sensibilities might turn off some players, but Jordan Mochi's grounded take on WW1 is slated to become a favorite for fans of the genre. Conscript is ugly...and all the better for it.
With Anger Foot, Free Lives has made a unique, memorable, and above all else, a “fun” video game. It’s another testament to Devolver’s passion for publishing original, eccentric, and creative indie games. Moreover, it’s got great regional pricing on top of its replayable nature. Anger Foot— featuring feet so fine you’d think Tarantino designed them.
Mullet Madjack is a breakneck action package that never ceases to impress. Despite being quite challenging, it never stoops to the point of being unfair or frustrating. I would have loved to see more levels, more upgrades and more boss fights, but what’s on offer here is extremely captivating. Plus, the regional pricing is pretty reasonable as well.
While Sony's poor regional pricing and its decision to delist the game from countries without a PSN presence warrant criticism, the excellent work done by Nixxes on Ghost of Tsushima's PC port should not be neglected. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is a great port of an entertaining open-world title.
Phantom Fury needed more time in the oven. It’s certainly not that raw, but it’s not well-cooked either. Even if Slipgate Ironworks ‘irons out’ all the bugs, the game would still be an above-average FPS in a market dominated by nu-Boomer Shooters. Certainly not the sequel Voidpoint’s Shelly deserved.
I won’t deny that my anticipation for Broken Roads has affected my opinion of the finished product in one way or another. The idea of Broken Roads propagated by the mainstream press is a far cry from the game I played to completion. The game’s witty Aussie charm and gorgeous visuals are let down by its underwhelming narrative, static game world, and barebones combat mechanics. But, if you’re a newcomer to CRPGs, then Broken Roads may satiate your urge. Even then, my suggestion is to wait for the developers to clean up the remaining bugs.
The hours I spent in Dragon’s Dogma 2 were filled with spectacular highs and frustrating lows. When the game gets going, it really gets going, before suddenly coming to a screeching halt. While I still look back to the 5 days I spent with the game with fondness and admiration towards Itsunos’ craft, the game’s poor performance coupled with Capcom’s less-than-ideal monetization practices and the underwhelming endgame tarnished my experience to a degree. Let’s just hope that Dragon’s Dogma 2’s upcoming expansion rectifies its many shortcomings. May it prove to be another Dark Arisen.
Regardless of how different Outcast: A New Beginning might have tuned out; it’d never have upped the original classic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing considering how far video games have come since Cutter Slade initially graced our screens. A New Beginning fully embraces its B-movie vibes to deliver a fun if somewhat basic gameplay loop devoid of many of the modern open-world bloat. However, THQ Nordic dropped the ball when it came to the pricing of the game. Slash the price by 20 dollars and there’s a pretty fun experience to be had here.
The Thaumaturge is a curious experiment with an unexplored setting and a unique take on the classic turn-based combat. Fool's Theory has struck gold on the former thanks to an interesting story, rich worldbuilding, and a colorful cast of characters. However, the combat system is severely underutilized and left me wanting more. The same can be said for the investigative part of the gameplay as well. That being said, It'd be a lie if I said I didn't have fun within the said constraints. As a purveyor of Eurojank, there is a certain allure to the game that I couldn't resist. That doesn't mean you'll enjoy the game as much as I did. The Thaumaturge could have easily been one of the best RPGs of the year if it had more to offer in the gameplay department.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden tells a compelling, emotionally charged story that's supported by a layered cast of characters and great performances. It does stumble a bit when it comes to combat and encounter design and the awful lip-syncing does undermine the otherwise stellar voice acting. But if you're someone used to AA experiences, the pros far outweigh the cons. For $49.99, you're getting a well-written, lengthy single-player campaign with a slew of engaging side content that may take you anywhere from 25-50 hours to knock off.
Sovereign Syndicate is a decent first attempt from Crimson Herring Studios. The setting and characters alone make it worth playing, especially considering the price. The game would have benefited from a tighter narrative and a more fleshed-out Tarot card system. Here’s hoping that the game does well enough so that the devs can implement partial voice acting (at least) and learn from its shortcomings to make an improved sequel.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a mind-blowing platformer with extremely detailed control over the character for platforming as well as combat. Having such tremendous control requires a serious challenge which the game does not fear to give. The game however does fall short in providing a memorable story and soundtrack. Otherwise, you're looking at a major platformer of the year contender.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is easily one of the best W40K games out there right now, offering a decent story, rich role-playing opportunities, deep character customization, a servicable combat system and the chance to play as a uber-privileged space fascist. The boring space battles and generic companions do drag the experience down a bit and if you’re someone who has a low tolerant rate towards technical issues, it’s best to wait for the inevitable definitive edition that’s bound to come out soon. Glory to the Imperium of Man!
Valfaris: Mecha Therion is a blood-pumping, head-banging, monster-bashing sequel to an excellent game. Steel Mantis has graciously transformed Valfaris into a brutal 2.5D Shmup while keeping the identity of the original intact. It’s a different but, ultimately, familiar experience. I’m all up for a Metroidvania threequel now.
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.
RoboCop: Rogue City is the type of game you get when a developer stays faithful and respectful to the source material without compromising their vision to suit modern sensibilities. It’s a game specifically made with for RoboCop fans by RoboCop fans, and that shows in each and every frame. Rogue City embraces the essence of what makes RoboCop great - be it the social satire, or the power fantasy, adapts it into an entertaining gameplay loop and goes to town with it.