Tears of the Kingdom is the game that everyone made BOTW out to be and then some. The NES was released in 1983 in Japan, and since then, Nintendo has been a standard-setter in the gaming industry, and Tears of the Kingdom shows that even forty years later, nobody can do it better.
BG3 is a highwater mark for choice-driven RPGs and the new standard to which basically every other major RPG will be compared. I feel bad for Starfield at this point and for game developers in general. Larian Studios has set the bar incredibly high. Still, I hope other publishers will see it as an example to let developers have time and creative freedom to make incredible games without all the bloated live service and microtransaction bullshit. Also, you can play this game in four-player online co-op or even split-screen locally on a single PC, and in this day and age, that may be one of the most impressive features in BG3. If you love RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play this game.
Wartales surprised me. It is a rare game that lets you play without getting in the way. Within minutes you will be out in the world, building your party and writing your story. That is something to be cherished in a world full of games that hold your hand to a painful degree or RPGs that take ten to twenty hours just to get to the meat of things. Wartales knows how to let players explore and have fun and doesn’t actively try to stop you from doing so, which is, unfortunately, all too rare these days. If you want a game that respects your time, look no further than Wartales.
Outside of technical issues, Jedi: Survivor is an astounding accomplishment. A tour de force of game design and passion for Star Wars with phenomenal combat, superb sound, a memorable and loveable cast of characters, all topped off with great visuals. Every element feels lovingly crafted, and every corner is stuffed with detail, from the animations to the world-building.
While overpriced and a bit content-light, Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs is still an essential addition, adding one of the most diverse and fun factions Total War has seen in a long time. The new economy mechanics are something I would love to see translated to more factions, as it makes the campaign gameplay far more engaging, something Creative Assembly has seemingly struggled with throughout the franchise. This DLC is a step in the right direction; I just wish it didn’t have to be such a costly one.
The Bunker does many things right, from its intricate level design to its rich atmosphere, but the overbearing adherence to horror eventually makes it wear on the senses. Being isolated in a pitch-black bunker with only a murderous beast as company can run you down quickly, and The Bunker never lets up. It is soaked in tension, worships at the altar of making you squirm, and does it with a smile. While this is appealing, it is a lot to manage, and this is a game for horror fans with a masochistic streak. Find the best pair of headphones, sit in the dark, and get your creative thinking cap on, because The Bunker is a survival horror experience to rival the best in recent memory. When it all comes together, when your back is against the wall, gun drawn with a single bullet left, and the beast is bearing at you down a dark hallway, that is when this game sings. In those moments, it reaches the heights of the genre greats and its progenitor.
Live A Live delivers where a remaster should. The visuals feel like a modern but faithful reinterpretation of classic pixel art, the music is as essential as ever, and the combat still holds weight. Elements of the storytelling and presentation are dated, and I would have liked to have seen some new content or bonus behind-the-scenes features, but despite all that, Live A Live remains a fun JRPG that is essential for fans of the old classics and their retro trappings.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful piece of archival gaming, and an example of how older titles should be ported and collected for future generations. Games are an art form like any other, and while they grow increasingly nebulous and online, a push for archiving games, old and new, must be made for the medium’s sake. This collection is a small but significant step on that road, and I hope other publishers take note.
Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread may be a free update, but it is integral to taking a good game towards something truly great. The few additions to combat genuinely help the game flow, and new missions and a roguelite mode are just the icing on the cake. Tango Gameworks is dedicated to making Ghostwire a worthwhile game, and it won’t be long before it sits in a similar cult classic spot as The Evil Within 2. I hope that Ghostwire gets a sequel one day because it is one of many titles on the cusp of something extraordinary, but it just needs a little more room to grow.
Dredge is an unmissable game for fans of Lovecraftian stories and procedural horror experiences. The open world is unique and memorable, the fishing and exploration are fun and intuitive, and the gameplay loop of risking your life and limb for another great catch is surprisingly addicting. Dredge is a light in the fog amongst a saturated genre; we need more dedicated horror fishing sims.
There are so many things wrong with Redfall; every element feels plagued by poor decision-making. The visuals are dated and buggy, the story is paper-thin and filled with annoying archetypes, and the gameplay is floaty, unsatisfying, and generic. Don’t even get me started on the atrocious AI, which can’t even make its way around basic objects. If Redfall was truly developed by the Arkane Studios I love so much; it must have been under difficult circumstances. Rarely do games like this exist without low budgets, tons of studio interference, and short development cycles. I don’t blame Arkane, and nobody should, but Microsoft needs to rethink their entire strategy if this is what we can expect from their AAA exclusives going forward. Keep the casket closed for this one.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania may not break new ground, but it is a lovingly made ode to an iconic series that has long remained dormant. The new biomes, bosses, weapons, enemies, and story content are all the highest quality, and Dead Cells remains an essential roguelike that still stands among its peers at the top of the genre.
EA’s remake of the 2008 title Dead Space provides the closest thing to a conclusive answer as to what a remake should be by adding incredible visuals, smart story changes, and modern gameplay updates—all while retaining the soul of the original.
Metroid Prime Remastered is Metroid Prime, for better or for worse. It still is an example of top-tier level design, even if it can get labyrinthian and combat feels simple by today’s standards. But the incredible visuals, the satisfying string of upgrades, and the one-of-a-kind atmosphere make it as memorable as ever.
Wo Long is fun, fast, and fluid, with satisfying combat that empowers and challenges you equally. There is style in spades, and while the story is nothing to write home about, you’ll remember the flashy moves and monstrous bosses long after the credits roll. This is a great starting point for many looking to get into the impenetrable genre that is souls-likes, and if the pitch-perfect timing of Sekiro turned you off, Wo Long is here to offer something more approachable.