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Serious Sam 4 has done seriously well for a series that hasn’t seen a mainline game in nearly 10 years. Croteam went all out on this one and has filled it to the brim with rewarding gameplay, hidden goodies, and a great soundtrack to boot. Unfortunately, there are a few kinks in this pipe, such as the sub-par story, weird character models and animations, and other gameplay bugs. But no doubt, you’ll only be interested in carving through hundreds, if not thousands, of enemies with a huge arsenal of skills, weapons, and gadgets, and that’s exactly what Serious Sam 4 has done so well.
Hangar 13 has retouched every single aspect of the original Mafia, expanding the story, refining the gameplay, and wrapping it with an absolutely phenomenal new look and sound, elevating it to an entirely new and modern level. It's good to be part of the family once more.
It's tough because you should play the games, but this collection is only a must-have if you've never played them or have no means of playing the copies you own. Otherwise, the included soundtracks are not enough to make this 35th anniversary package feel special enough to warrant a buy.
Journey of the Broken Circle is undoubtedly an earnest effort but confusing writing decisions and mostly bland levels mar an aesthetically pleasing adventure.
Shing! misses the mark of great beat 'em up by a long shot; which could have been avoided with more attention to detail. If Mass Creation put in the effort, it could have been one of the best beat 'em ups this generation. But we're stuck with something too dull to take a bigger slice of that audience.
Paradise Killer is a fascinating murder mystery set in a strange world with even stranger characters. The game lets you put the evidence together to find out what really happened in a way most don't. With its unique aesthetic and bumpin' soundtrack, it's well worth letting love die to find the facts.
Supergiant has made another modern classic. Hades offers some of the best rogue-like gameplay out there and delivers a satisfying experience in all aspects. From the wonderfully voiced characters to the fluidity of combat, there's a lot to love here as you die over and over again.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a very unique experience, even in the realm of video games. It's gameplay systems gel well together and the non-linear storytelling could only work in this medium. While some plot points aren't as well explored as others and it uncomfortably sexualizes high school students, it's still a game you absolutely need to play if you're a fan of science fiction or enjoy video game storytelling.
While Spelunky 2 doesn't offer the refined mechanics and enemies of the original, it does add to the chaos and fun of multiplayer. While playing alone is mostly an exercise in frustrating, unfair deaths, with friends it's a barrel of laughs.
Relicta is a puzzle game that tries to be like The Talos Principle and Portal, but falls flat. The gameplay mechanics, as well as the physics, are a solid and fun experience. However, it falls short due to a weak story, terribly written dialogue, repetitive puzzle design, and various technical issues. If you're looking for a puzzler that you can easily find exploits in for a speedrun, check this out. But, if you're looking for a puzzler with replayability, where you have to utilize creative thinking, and the puzzles are all uniquely designed, then look far, far elsewhere.
Peril on Gorgon is simply more Outer Worlds. It feels like a natural addition and fits right in with the rest of the game, while offering a slightly different tone in terms of story. The main quest is lengthy and replayable, but there's not much in terms of side quests or gear.
With a great campaign, and engaging (albeit repetitive) multiplayer, Marvel's Avengers is a fun title with cosmetic-only games as a service components bolted onto it. The innumerable bugs hide what could be an amazing and ever-expanding universe -- I just hope the team at SquareEnix is up to the challenge. I want to "do this all day"...but right now we are in the "you hope for the best and make do with what you get" stage.
Vigor is clunky and brutal. There is no satisfying single-player to fall back on, so every game session feels like a strain. It's a shame because the ideas are sound, and it could be great, but the poor mechanics torpedo any competitive urge you have going into it. Vigor's gunplay needs to improve drastically before it can start to accrue a real audience of passionate players.
Star Renegades is a perfect hybrid of a tactical RPG and roguelite battling system, with easy to comprehend mechanics. As you level so does the enemy, making the threat ever increasing and prominent throughout the whole playthrough. The unique maps with boundless variations sprawling over three varying planets will keep you coming back for more. The breathtaking visuals are more than enough reason to play this game and fight against the Imperium!
Re-Reckoning is the most barebones remaster it could possibly be. It's only barely been touched up visually, and the most gameplay changes are under the hood. If you've already played the game, there's no reason to return here.
The Sims 4 Journey to Batuu Game Pack was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I can't wait to see The First Order quests. This was exactly what the franchise needed. I've enjoyed most of the expansions, with Realm of Magic game pack being my favorite. Journey to Batuu blew that one out of the water and has zipped to the number one spot. As someone who loves Disney World, Star Wars, and The Sims, this was a welcome surprise. Who wouldn't want to play with their favorite things in one of their favorite games?
Iron Harvest doesn't reinvent the wheel - it doesn't have to. Instead, the game is a celebration of the sub-genre's tried-and-true design. It is a student of the greats that came before it, taking and presenting that core gameplay experience in a way that is familiar, but also exceptionally engaging.
Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is a dark and bloody turn based strategy that hits the mark with lore, artwork, story, and music. The battles can use some work with not only making maps a bit bigger to give more strategic choices, but also the difficulty that ramps up significantly. The addition of cards in battle is quite fun, but lackluster on the map. But if you're a fan of vampires, I think you'll enjoy IR. Immortal Realms is currently on Steam for $39.99.
In the end, AWE is another solid but lacking chapter of Control. The gameplay is fun, and a fantastic boss in Hartman is introduced. But there's not much more to it besides that. The new weapon form isn't necessary, and I'm not even sure it fits in the narrative.There aren't new abilities, and you're going to finish AWE pretty quickly. But detractors aside, I got two things I really wanted, more of Alan Wake and more of Control, which is all that really matters. Here's to hoping the Remedyverse has more of both for us out there.
Bossa Studios took the mayhem of the first game and enhanced it ten-fold. Surgeon Simulator 2 is a blast to play, and even better enjoyed with friends. The unique gameplay, combined with unforgettable co-op experiences and a wholly polished title, makes this game a worthwhile purchase.