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Song of Farca is a great adventure game with some neat, cyberpunk twists. Each case will leave you wondering if you made the right choices until the credits roll. Before you meet the game's well written cast of characters though, check if the game breaking glitches have been fixed.
There may come a time when Solasta achieves the lofty heights I see for it, though that future is uncertain. If you buy it right now for its $40 asking price you may feel put out, but for those that are even minorly interested I strongly encourage you to keep an eye on its development. I can’t say where its development will take it, but with the strong showing already available, I am more than happy to keep diving back into this game. It’s rare to find a tactical RPG with this many options and depth, even where many of the marks of quality still need to be ironed out.
NEO: The World Ends With You captures everything that made the original special and surpasses it in every way. With a great story and incredibly addicting combat, players joining the Reaper's Game will be hooked from start to finish and beyond.
Some good warhammer 40k vibes can be found here but there's just a bit too much going on in Necromunda: Hired Gun. The fast-paced FPS gameplay needs refining and is constantly slowed down by the RPG elements which in turn are not allowed to shine through the FPS aspect. I actually think this setting would lend itself more to a Skyrim style RPG more so than a first person shooter but this is what we got and I am actually a bit gutted that I can't like it more than I do.
Unbound: Worlds Apart is a pretty standard puzzle platformer with its difficulty firmly planted in repeated trial and error. Despite gorgeous visuals, there's not much interesting to see here.
Grime is an expertly crafted 2D action-adventure game that combines satisfying combat, tight platforming, and rewarding progression to earn its place as one of the most enjoyable titles I've played this year. It's also got some brutally tough, memorable bosses that will truly test everything you've got. If you're a fan of a challenge and aren't too fussed about a story, you'll have an incredible time with Grime.
Capturing the cyberpunk aesthetic perfectly, The Ascent is a fantastic example of twinstick shooters with a few tricks of its own. There are a few rough edges, especially with online multiplayer, but the RPG elements and gorgeous graphics and voice work more than keep you locked into this neon soaked universe.
While it only has largely one trick, that trick is a lot of fun. In Da Hoop isn't going to wow you with insane graphics or revolutionize the VR scene, but Realcast has built something that is very enjoyable. The tracking that's been designed works very well with controllers, and is quite competent with hands tracking, even if it isn't the best way to experience the game. With a few upcoming updates this is bound to continue to be a great experience for anyone wanting to shoot a few hoops.
I've been playing Cottage Living for an hour or two each day for a week now, and still feel like I have a lot left to discover. There are plenty of quests, and I really like the laid back simple living feeling to the expansion. Caring for and dressing up my farm animals is an absolute delight. Cottage Living is a total home run in my opinion, if you're a fan of the game this is a must-have for your collection.
Free from graphics cards, drivers, and other PC trappings, Microsoft Flight Simulator is the most accessible flight simulator ever made. With the most minor of concessions, it also manages to be the best looking game the Xbox Series X has on offer to date. With the right control surface, you too can slip the surly bonds of Earth, and when it looks this good and plays this well, I highly recommend it.
A masterclass in narrative driven storytelling. Every character is important and every choice could lead to your doom. Play it and see if you can solve the mystery for yourself!
Samurai Warriors 5 is a great way for newcomers to jump into the long-running series. With a redesigned cast and amazing new gameplay mechanics, this marks a new era for the franchise.
The biggest problem with all the logic puzzles in Chronicles won’t be a surprise to veteran players though: most of the time the solution is just too obvious. There are exceptions of course, especially in each game’s latter cases, but it’s not uncommon to be several steps ahead of each of the characters as they peel back layer after layer to get to the truth. This can lead to some frustrating parts where you’re not sure which piece of evidence to present, because you’re already way ahead of the characters’ current understanding of the sequence of events. But like I said, this isn’t a new problem to the series and ones that fans (myself included) are likely to be quick to forgive.
Skyward Sword HD is definitely the best version of the game with vastly improved visuals and new control options, but I can't help but feel it's lacking as a Zelda rerelease. There's no new content, and I doubt the changes are enough to win over those who have problems with the game's overall design. It certainly didn't need to be a good game in its own right, but the lack of accessibility options and only somewhat reduced dialogue makes it difficult to justify the price.
World's End Club is an excellent story with some abysmal platforming tying it together. While story sections greatly outnumber gameplay sections, these stand out as a sore spot that may put off some players.
As furry visual novels go, Winds of Change is in the upper echelon. Leaps and bounds from its predecessor, this follow-up boasts a charming cast of characters, wonderful character models, and some great storytelling. If you want a fantasy tail… erm, tale to sink your teeth into, this is one you should check out.
Unfortunately, I would give a higher score to this game had I played it on any other platform. The online component has the potential to make this a wonderful sports addition, with ranked matches following a streaming schedule (mimicking the around-the-clock nature of the Olympic Games), but unfortunately the Stadia userbase was so barren that I wasn’t able to test this out. I hope that there can be some sort of cross-platform compatibility in a future update, because I’d love to test my mettle against human opponents around the world. As it stands, I feel like I’m the only person playing this game on Stadia, and as such it’s pretty lonely. If you plan on getting this game on Stadia, I strongly recommend getting another local player with you; you’ll have an immensely better time with someone in local multiplayer.
Buy it. Play it. Enjoy it. It's as simple as the game feels, even if it challenges you more than you'd ever think it would. The more I've played it, the more I see every one of it's accomplishments, with fantastic gameplay and a great choice of art style and soundtrack jewels in its crown. Death's Door does nearly everything right for what it is, and even the shortcomings of the narrative is barely a blemish on a spectacular résumé.
Overall, the upgrade for A Plague Tale: Innocence is a hugely successful one. I’m so glad I waited to experience the game on more powerful hardware. While I’m not sure it does enough to warrant a second playthrough, anybody who has not yet played the game is missing out on a treat, and the PS5 version is the definitive way to play.
Prepare to die quite a bit, especially early on as you get used to how everything works. The game certainly rewards mastery of its systems, as you’ll need to use every trick up your sleeves to survive some of the bosses here. It’s been a while since I haven’t just breezed through an RPG, so this is very refreshing. It presents just the right amount of challenge to make you consider your every action, actually use items, and equip yourself with gear that tailors to your specific playstyle. This game is firing on all cylinders so far, and I can’t wait to share my full review with you soon after I finish the game.