The Sunbreak expansion only serves to elevate the already excellent experience that Monster Hunter Rise features, with a slew of new monsters, locales, armor, weapons, mechanics, and quality of life updates. It builds on nearly every aspect of the base game, without compromising anything in between. Just know that there is a high barrier to entry, especially for non-hardcore fans, in terms of price, difficulty, and grind.
Even though Another Crab's Treasure doesn't break the mold of your typical Souls-like game, it's a charming one thanks to its funny and not-so-serious mood. The hilarious yet practical accessibility features along with a colorful cast of characters make this one of the best indie Souls-likes to date. Who knew that one of my favorite indie games of this year would involve a hermit crab setting off on a deep sea adventure to take back his shell?
Despite not vibing too well with the demo, we were utterly in love with Stellar Blade by the time the credits rolled. Shift Up has done a tremendous job with their first triple A project and sets a high bar for modern action role playing games. There are some pacing issues, and the narrative's delivery stumbles, but the game as a whole is near perfect: the themes, the visuals, the music, the combat, the exploration, the world, and the technical performance. A modern masterpiece.
It's amazing to see such a passionate debut title from Studio Sai. Eternights elegantly blends in addicting and engaging action combat with dating mechanics while providing beautiful visuals and excellent voice acting. I can't wait to see what's next from this small team of developers.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a triumph, and a worthy continuation of the Like a Dragon franchise. RGG Studio has managed to improve on the gameplay mechanics and features of the previous title in virtually every way whilst upholding the narrative quality and goofy nature of the series. The game is not without its flaws, but they are overshadowed by its strengths, and the game deserves praise for its ambition and innovation. Infinite Wealth is undoubtedly an early game of the year contender, and a must play for RPG lovers and Yakuza enthusiasts alike.
The Resident Evil 4 remake Separate Ways expansion is a flawless DLC, and serves as a valuable and engaging conclusion to the Las Plagas saga. Capcom has done the entire remake of Resident Evil 4 right from top to bottom. Stepping into Ada's high heels and grappling from rooftop to rooftop feels exhilarating and refreshing as we get to peek into her side of the story. Now I want a full game with just Ada alone! After all, who doesn't love her?