Ryan Meitzler's Reviews
With one more episode in the Adventure Pass to go, “Access Denied” marks another solid entry for Minecraft: Story Mode. While there’s not much of an indication of where the story will head off next, hopefully the events of Episode 7 will allow Minecraft: Story Mode to build towards a satisfying, thrilling finale.
ReCore is a title that, ultimately, rises and falls in crafting an experience that we don't normally see too often on Xbox (and frankly, in this generation of gaming). Harkening back to platformers like Jak and Daxter with a little bit of the flavor from Metroid titles, ReCore's strong aesthetic and style give way to some technical flaws and repetitive design. Much like the design of Joule's band of Corebots, the exterior of ReCore and its gameplay show signs of age and may not be the most appealing from a first glance, but inside there's still a core of unique qualities to make it stand out as one of Microsoft's most interesting (though flawed) exclusives.
However, for those with just a little bit of patience, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an immensely rewarding title that will occupy you for many, many hours on end. It may take a while to get going, but those willing to hear its tale told will not be disappointed.
Though it may not quite hold up anymore as the prettiest or most innovative title nowadays, Resident Evil 4‘s current-gen ports are still suitable releases for one of the best games in the last decade, and make returning to Resident Evil 4 for the second (or third or fourth or fifth time) just as rewarding as that memorable first experience.
Through the majority of its running time, The Bunker provides a tense ride that those looking for brisk horror experience may genuinely enjoy, though repeated trips back into its post-apocalyptic world may not be quite as fresh or horrific as the first time.
Despite that pressure, The Coalition have proved with Gears of War 4 that the team is more than capable of providing an experience that falls in line with the titles that came before it by staying reverent and faithful to the original games (sometimes to a fault), but with enough layers of intrigue and new additions to make Gears of War 4 an admirable continuation of the Gears story. Like with the relationship of Marcus and J.D. throughout the game, Gears of War 4 sticks close to the legacy of its predecessors, but along the way is on the way to writing one of its own.
More than anything, Episode 3 of Batman: The Telltale Series continues to show that underneath the billionaire, playboy philanthropist archetype that Bruce Wayne has come to be known by for so many decades, there’s an even greater story waiting to be explored.
Back in 2012, Dishonored was a title that surprised many its striking world and engaging gameplay rooted in old-school stealth, and with its sequel, Arkane Studios thoughtfully (and smartly) builds on what made the original one of the highlights of the last generation of games. Dishonored 2 will still satisfy those looking for a challenging (but rewarding) stealth experience, but more importantly does so with an incredibly varied toolset of abilities, skills, and options more than ever before. If Dishonored was the student that displayed great promise, Dishonored 2 shows the series well on its way to becoming the master.
Like its name implies, “Ties That Bind” and its two-part premiere serves as an excellent introduction to The Walking Dead: A New Frontier that establishes a world for both longtime players and new players alike. Players bound by their emotional connection to Clementine and several other characters from the first two seasons will find much to enjoy from catching up with them and what their new state in this post-apocalyptic world are like, while the season promises many new experiences – both heartbreaking and otherwise – to explore in this wild new frontier with plenty of new choices to make, decisions to act on, and a whole new world to take in.
While it may mark a slight bump in the road, Episode 4 nonetheless still offers plenty of great action and suspense that builds on what has been offered so far, and with only episode to go I’m still looking forward (more than ever) to see where the path leads in the finale to Bruce and Batman’s story.
Aside from those few stumbles, “City of Light” overall succeeds as an action-packed finale to Batman: The Telltale Series and Telltale’s vision of the Batman universe. Though I’ve known all (or at least most) of these characters for the better part of decades, the fact that Telltale’s finale made me want to continue seeing more of Bruce Wayne/Batman, Catwoman, Harvey Dent, and its numerous familiar faces speaks well on Telltale’s careful mix of the old and new when it comes to Batman. As the episode concludes with a reveal of what may come in a potential second season, the days of crimefighting for Bruce Wayne and Batman are clearly far from over, and based on what Telltale has offered with wrapping up Batman: The Telltale Series, I’ll be waiting for more.
Though the 3DS version falls short in a number of ways from being the definitive way to play Dragon Quest VIII, the newly-portable version of the title is still, nevertheless, an excellent way to experience an excellent RPG despite its few technical shortcomings. More than anything the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to a title that, even after a decade after its release, still plays remarkably well and manages to put a smile on my face. Dragon Quest VIII was charmingly old-school even back when it released in 2005, but like the best and timeless stories, the 3DS version shows that this story has only gotten better with age.
Instead of the b-movie cheesiness we’ve come to know and love from previous games (sorry fans — no boulder-punching this time around), Resident Evil VII reaches levels of dread and fear we haven’t seen since the days of the original, and that (mostly) works to the game’s advantage when it comes to reinvigorating the franchise. Though it appears like a complete reinvention from the outside looking in, Resident Evil VII is very much made from the same DNA that made the original games the revered horror classics that they are today. Like the game’s intro that has players sitting down for supper with the Bakers, Resident Evil VII has welcomed players back not just to the series’ horror roots, but to a grim, disgusting feast that you just can’t turn away from.
Where a lot of other competitive games use melee combat as a secondary means, For Honor shows a respect and admiration for the art of combat that’s as compelling and thrilling as any gunfight in a first-person shooter or battle in a strategy game. For the most part, For Honor is a competitive game with a unique, sharply-honed combat system that’s easy enough to pick up, but filled with depth and challenge to truly master. While the game’s fairly high skill ceiling and emphasis on micro-transactions might be off-putting to some players, For Honor is an experience that’s truly fit for those that are warriors at heart.
Instead, Thimbleweed Park shows that adventure games very much have a place in 2017 as they did in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to its loving callbacks to the genre, but also its willingness to improve upon them in many ways. As the game’s trailers have used the slogan that “a dead body is the least of your problems” in the game’s dilapidated town, Thimbleweed Park hides many more secrets and ways of enjoying it beyond its murder-mystery plot, for those willing to look just a little bit deeper.
Telltale took a big risk when it comes to setting players inside a fresh season of The Walking Dead with a new protagonist and different focus. And the developer has, for the most part, succeeded in providing an interesting new roster of characters but without losing The Walking Dead's strong writing and characterization. However, "Above the Law's" weakness in terms of moving the narrative forward is noticeable, especially with only two episodes left in the season. Hopefully we'll get a satisfying sense of where the season is heading before it's over.
Given their penchant for classic rock tunes, we'll have to see with the remaining episodes if Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series can evolve from an acceptable (but not stellar) cover song to something truly great of its own.
Despite some of the technical shortcomings of the title, Blackwood Crossing ultimately is a tale that becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Though it's a brief experience that will only last a few hours, Blackwood Crossing is another title that showcases the power of storytelling in gaming as a medium, while still offering a story that you're going to remember long after finishing it. Much like the fairy tales and fantastical worlds it borrows from and references, Scarlett and Finn's tale is filled with visuals, color, and life that goes beyond our sense of reality, but Blackwood Crossing‘s emotion and connection to the player lies in something deeper.
Outlast II excels on all fronts when it comes to terrifying players thanks to its convincing scares and setting, and while its copious amounts of gore will get under your skin, its bigger, grander ideas are sure to get inside a far more sinister place: your head.
The game takes players off into some far-off places when it comes to its dream sequences and vignettes, and while they're purely based in the fantastical, there are plenty of elements that every player will relate to on some human level throughout the journey; sadness, disappointment, heartbreak, love, joy, and most of all, the will to experience life to its fullest. What Remains of Edith Finch may only provide a brief glimpse into the lives of its characters like a family photo album filled with moments that have long since passed, but by the game's end, it's sure to leave a lasting impression.