Ryan Meitzler's Reviews
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Star Wars: Squadrons delivers on nearly all fronts with a tight focus on space combat, multiplayer dogfights, and immersive VR support.
Tell Me Why doesn't stray far from Dontnod's style of episodic storytelling, but features rich characters and compelling representation.
Effectively blending the Gears of War universe with strategy gameplay, Gears Tactics is a fast-paced experience that succeeds on both fronts.
Though it may not have the same luster as it did over six years ago, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is still a platforming gem for Nintendo Switch owners.
While this is just one small moment in the whole of the first episode, to me it demonstrated just how far that Dontnod has come in delivering a story that truly speaks to the emotional and human drama that Life is Strange explores at its best.
Thanks to its rich suite of characters, maps, modes, and more to enjoy alongside substantial improvements to the game's technical performance, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition earns its namesake as the best way to play one of the most unusual Zelda titles yet. While it may not stand up to the likes of last year's Breath of the Wild (or many other Zelda titles for that matter), Hyrule Warriors is still an enjoyable, fast-paced, and frenetic way to play this remixed take on one of Nintendo's oldest franchises, Musou-style.
However, Death of the Outsider is a leaner and meaner take on the Dishonored series, and one that continues to highlight the special world that Arkane Studios have crafted. There's an argument to be made for the series to continue on as much as there is for the franchise (at least in its current form) to end on a high note like Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, and with that last point, it serves as a bloody finish to a beautifully violent series.
While the first episode does drag a bit in its first half, "Hero in Residence" does a solid job of reintroducing Jesse, Petra, and the rest of the core cast since we last saw them while setting us up for another dose of adventure ahead.
As one of Nintendo's first truly new IP for the Nintendo Switch, ARMS‘s first impression might lend itself towards being no more substantial than the games we saw in Wii Sports: fun for short bursts of play, but lacking in substance. Instead, the game manages to make that simplicity its greatest strength with surprising levels of depth on top of it. More often than not, ARMS pulls no punches in being one of the standout titles in the Switch's early lineup of games for the summer.