Ryan Meitzler's Reviews
As a showcase for the PS5 and DualSense, Astro's Playroom is more than just a tech demo; it's also a playful and remarkably fun platformer.
In the game of thrones, you win or you die, and though House Forrester has always been on the verge of death in the episodic series, Episode 4 finally puts them on the narrow path toward victory.
Complimented by an incredibly powerful ending that could have worked on its own as the season finale, even in only its second episode the tides are turning. Dark forces are on the horizon and new threats are appearing, yet Life is Strange is only growing brighter.
While playing leaves players at the mercy of its time period due to the lack of firearms and weapons we've come to know in recent installments, instead players are treated to a leaner, and thrilling take on the series that works perfectly in its Stone Age setting. In any case, Far Cry Primal proves that looking back to the past can reveal an experience that's crazy and brutally fun.
Though the later episodes of Life is Strange lacked some of the strength and poignancy of its earlier chapters, its set-up and world grabbed me immediately, which Dontnod deserves immense credit for creating an experience out of elements that, taken on their own terms, seemed like they never would have worked. You can boil down Life is Strange to a time-traveling decision-making teen girl simulator at its basic level, but it also happens to be one of the most compelling stories of the year with great characters and style, even if its story comes at odds sometimes with its gameplay and core ideas. Even though at this point now I know how Maxine and Chloe's story ends with the conclusion of Life is Strange, I'll happily rewind back to the beginning for another chance at seeing their story again for the first time.
With the series now essentially moving into a new “season,” Minecraft: Story Mode has largely shaken things up a bit with a whole new area of its blocky, build-it world and some new faces alongside its older ones, while at the same time keeping its charm and good humor intact. While the supporting cast are still not quite getting the same level of attention or character development as some of the series more prominent actors, “Order Up!” still brings in one of the series’ best episodes to date, and builds up to a whole new adventure with three more episodes to see how the blocks all fall into place.
With two more chapters left from the current story arc, Minecraft: Story Mode offers an episode that provides both a delightful diversion and a curious detour in the larger context of its tale.
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.
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.
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.
Given that you're greeted by the squid DJ duo Marina and Pearl each time you hope into the game — who are instantly lovable the moment you meet them — it's easy to see why Splatoon made such a splash on the Wii U two years ago, and how Splatoon 2 might make a kid (or a squid) out of all of us on the Switch.
Telltale has noticeably struggled in the past with the episodes leading into their season finales in previous titles, though by-and-large Episode 4 of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier manages to deliver some deep character moments and development while anchored by a tense conclusion that sets up its last episode for a big finish. Though some aspects of the episode may leave fans wanting a bit more, "Thicker Than Water" shows that family is just as much the root of some problems as much as it is the answer for them. Of course, the bigger question is how many of the Garcia clan makes it to the end remains to be seen, but the answers will be devastating either way.
Coming into its release, it would have been easy to give The Evil Within 2 a pass based on the reception of the previous game, and I don't necessarily blame those that might have been let down by The Evil Within for not entirely living up to its lofty expectations. And yet, though The Evil Within 2 might be a different flavor of survival horror this time around, I hope that those willing to give it a chance will be more likely to enjoy its taste.
In the same way that Counter-Strike‘s early days led to it dominating the competitive scene and Minecraft‘s years of beta access led to it becoming a game that defined a generation, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't necessarily the first “battle royale” game out there, but it is the one that's leading the charge on making players fight to survive, and it's thrilling in every way.
While Jurassic World Evolution sometimes can be a bit unwieldy from the number of systems it is balancing at once, Frontier Developments mostly finds a nice middle ground in Evolution between depth and accessibility. As long as I get a few moments to zoom down in and marvel at the wonder of dinosaurs now and then, I'd give careful consideration to endorsing this park.
There's a clear set-up for more stories to be told with Faith and the runners of Glass with Mirror's Edge Catalyst, and while it isn't quite as shiny and perfect as the city of Glass, hopefully in due time we'll get to see more from Mirror's Edge and experience the series at its full, untapped potential. Though it trips itself up occasionally with combat and a lackluster story, at a full run few games can catch up to Mirror's Edge for pure exhilaration and Catalyst is more than ready for the race.
Even if we don't know quite where all the pieces will be falling in to place for Jesse, Petra, and the other crew members we have been following as they assemble the Order of the Stone. The blueprint for their journey is at least becoming a little clearer, and seeing how everything comes together may just be the most exciting part of the puzzle.
As a crossover between two of the more beloved alternative Mario adventures coming together as one, it truly feels like the paper mâché of the spin-off Mario RPG titles. Not all of its elements stick together entirely or fit nicely, but Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam still gets by with a lot of heart and humor to boot.
Down to the 8-bit music and classic themes from each title, Ultimate NES Remix brings you back to the good old days (either in a good or bad way), its frantic mini games and love of Nintendo new and old absolutely being worth the blast from the past.
Yoshi’s New Island may bring a more relatively easy experience to more hard-pressed Nintendo fans, but its pastel charms and colorful spirit shouldn’t be off-putting to anyone. What it may lack in technical and gameplay innovation, it more than makes up for in creativity and charm – it would be hard for even the most sour-faced Nintendo fan to not crack a smile and want the best for Yoshi and Baby Mario to make it to safety. Yoshi may not be Mario, but he stills gives plenty a reason for gamers to take a trip to his own little paradise in Yoshi’s New Island, even if it’s just for a day-trip.