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Steelrising is another gem from the mine that is Spiders. The choice of the steampunk, alternate history French revolution setting is amazing, and somehow the Soulslike formula works beautifully in tandem. Throw in a distinctive story and phenomenal assist mode, and Steelrising is a sleeper hit in a year where we could use another.
As a game, The Last of Us: Part 1 still deserves a high score after all these years, but I give that score hesitantly, as I am acutely aware that previous releases offer more content and that this release was not created for those who have already played through and enjoyed the game in the past, but rather to welcome in new players or for those who wish to harness the full power of their PS5. While this is the most technically impressive version of The Last of Us that we will likely ever get, it is anchored down by its previous releases, while simultaneously missing important components those versions had, namely the superb multiplayer. Despite some interesting bonus features, new cosmetic items, vastly improved AI, and a few quality-of-life changes, there may not be enough here to justify the purchase for anybody except newcomers. That said, the impressively robust suite of accessibility options is a welcome addition worthy of praise and will hopefully provide an opportunity for a new generation of fans to experience this story.
Despite some translation woes, Digimon Survive's narrative still shines brightly. As cruel and dark as its narrative can be, neither you or the characters should ever give up completely. That's the key to survival, and that message is apparent in the character relationships, the battles, and the developments of the story as a whole. Digimon Survive expresses the power that can come from your bonds with others, and how supporting each other can keep hope alive. That's a message worth sharing, and Digimon Survive is a messenger worth experiencing.
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is a painstakingly crafted love letter to a by-gone era of gaming, bringing 13 classic games to the modern age while adding in a slew of features including the ability to rewind, save, and toggle enhancements which greatly enhance the gameplay experience. Add in the impressively comprehensive list of documents available in the Turtle's Lair and you have a collection well worth the asking price.
Fashion Police Squad is an incredibly silly shooter hearkening back to the original DOOM in its design, while also taking into account some more modern sensibilities. While the combat does suffer from a lack of choice, the tight platforming and hilarious premise does make up for it somewhat.
Gathering up the Tinykin to get Milo home is great fun. Exploring expansive environments as a shrunken human gives a unique perspective to everyday objects, and provides a particularly interesting setting for the story to unfold. With responsive platforming mechanics and amusing puzzle encounters, this game is a pleasant ride from start to finish.
We do need to take a beat and talk about the bugs in Saints Row, and there’s plenty of them to go around. My gun flipped around and wouldn’t fire while facing the wrong direction. The car physics are more springy than a Super Bouncy Ball. Running over a fire hydrant will shoot a tank-sized vehicle upwards and onto a nearby roof with little effort. Vehicles disappear and reappear. I even had a moment during a mini-boss where Eli went down, and once resurrected stood there doing nothing repeating his lines for being downed. That and the boss wouldn’t get to his cooldown for me to damage him, and for whatever reason I wasn’t taking any damage. And none of that addresses the current state of cooperative play.
Soul Hackers 2's only saving grace is its visual design. The characters look cool, the town is interesting, and the UI is somewhat stylish, but that's it. It's not broken or anything, just incredibly uninteresting. There's absolutely no substance to the story, characters, battle system, or level design. It's such a shame, because that style is very appealing, but there's absolutely no reason to play the game otherwise.
Sea Monsters DLC for Parkasaurus is an absolute pleasure to play. With new aquatic and semiaquatic creatures, new biomes and enclosures, and three new story missions you will have plenty of things to do in your park. For just $6.99 this DLC comes packed to the brim with content, and most importantly you get new hats. Parkasaurus continues to be my favorite dino park builder on the market, and the Sea Monsters DLC brought in some of my favorite species such as the Megalodon and Mosasaurus.
Building off the momentum of Madden 22; Madden NFL 23 brings fresh looks to both Franchise Mode and Face of the Franchise while keeping the train rolling with The Yard and MUT. While there are still some buggy moments, Madden NFL 23 is worth picking up especially for those who haven't played an installment in the series for a while.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gracefully fuses story and gameplay in a masterful conclusion to the Claus saga. It draws from earlier games in ways that will satisfy long time fans, while also firmly establishing its own world and characters. Aionios is a beautiful world to explore, with a rich history and fascinating conflict. The characters that stand at the center of this tale are some of the deepest, most relatable people in gaming history with a fantastic english dub backing them up. This is a game that will keep you engaged for hundreds of hours, and even stick with you well after.
Dolmen provides fans of SciFi and Souls games with another daunting adventure full of defeat and satisfaction. The game isn’t without faults, having a few bugs as well as some inconsistencies with some combat mechanics, but the team at Massive Work Studio have laid a solid foundation. The game provides just enough reward to make the challenge worth it.
A top-tier example of what a roguelike can be when combined with a colony sim, Cult of the Lamb is pure addiction. From managing your minions, to slaughtering the bizarre Eldritch gods that dare defy you, Cult of the Lamb has converted me completely.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is one of the best superhero games of its generation, and the move to PC gives it an arsenal of new settings to play with. While the frame rate can fluctuate a bit, the fact that it hits the marks advertised and even exceeds them is good news for everyone that owns a computer and is worried they might fall short. Ray tracing is a dream, and while expensive shows the prowess of Insomniac and Nixxes. Even better, this game is available on the go, Steam Deck ready at launch. Just being obtainable would be enough for most, but the above and beyond approach taken in this project is one Peter Parker himself would look at and smile.
Charming to the point of overflowing, Two Point Campus is hilariously funny, endlessly engaging, and has improvements to the formula around every corner. Attracting and keeping your students while fleecing them for everything they're worth has never been more fun.
Portal and Portal 2 are like a magic trick you'll never figure out or a joke that doesn't get old. The duology is just as fun and fresh now as they were when they were first released, perhaps even better. They run flawlessly on Switch and control impeccably with the addition of gyro aiming, so the Portal Companion Collection is well worth it whether this is your first time or your thirtieth.
Mothmen 1966 is a gripping story of how three characters react when thrust into contact with the paranormal. Fast-paced and featuring fleshed-out characters, the story only falters as it nears its action-packed ending. The retro aesthetic oozes charm and helps elevate the story, while the simple puzzles and gaming sections allow players to take a break from reading to become active participants in the story. At only two hours long, Mothmen 1966 is a no-brainer for those interested in the paranormal.
Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels is the perfect example of a small expansion. It takes a new spin on the Horizon formula while its core remains the same, incredibly fun arcade racer. The new open world is a joy to explore and master, but sadly it can feel too much like an advertisement frequently.
Something I don’t often remark on for games is the soundtrack, but I’m going to for The Serpent Rogue. I loved how each area had a different track, some darker and menacing, others more lighthearted and serene. Most of the safe areas had music that served well to not be distracting, especially when trying to work through the brewing process or recover losses. Other areas, even some of the safe areas, had musical tones that kind of set me on edge a little, reminding me of the futility of some of my efforts and the fragility of my situation.
While feeling a tad bare bones, DNF Duel still manages to be a highly entertaining 2D fighting game among many coming out this year.