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Need for Speed Heat has a great visual style that smartly leans into the tuner culture that helped set the series apart in games like Most Wanted and Underground. Unfortunately its sluggish progression and weak online offerings keep this from reaching the heights of the series.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an absolute masterpiece. Well paced, written, and executed, the game is Respawn's best thus far.
Thief of Thieves is an interesting but unpolished stealth game that offers a great cast of characters but has little else going for it. The voice acting and writing had me invested in these characters and I enjoyed my journey with them; I just wish it had less of the stealth gameplay which isn't exactly great since this is a stealth game. In the end, it just really made me want to play Dishonored again.
The Long Dark is an amazing spectacle of narrative brilliance and survival. The twists and unexpected turns of the story are complemented by the survival mechanics that are challenging and thought provoking. The Survival Mode gives players a sandbox to play in, and allows them to play and survive how they see fit. With the story being released in episodic expansions, there's always a reason to come back and play.
Dark Devotion is a 2D action game that focuses on combat and exploration. With a variety of weapons and items, foes, and branching pathways, you'll have plenty to fight with and experience. Some enemies, especially certain bosses, are frustrating and may have you considering throwing your controller. Even so, succeeding feels rewarding.
I have played ESO since beta, and have loved pretty much every expansion and DLC that's been released, but I have to say Elsweyr, along with the Scalebreaker and Dragonhold DLC's are simply fantastic. The story was well done, the furnishings are some of the best they have come up with, the landscapes are breathtaking, and I mean come on...there are dragons. That you get to fight. If that doesn't make you feel like a true hero, I don't know what will.
Perseverance marks an ambitious first installment of a unique visual novel that ends sooner than it needs to in order to be a fully satisfying prologue. While some mechanics need to be tinkered, the game is a fun and creepy visual novel for the asking price. I just hope that future installments will be made sooner rather than later.
Planet Zoo is the culmination of the best parts of Frontier's previous efforts, but is far more than the sum of its parts. Hundreds of creatures, both cute and deadly, need homes, and it's up to you to help them thrive and survive. While a few bugs hamper the overall experience, this is another simulation game that'll keep me building sprawling and ever evolving parks for hundreds of hours to come.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a surprisingly competent minigame collection with a decent story. Where most in the genre would become repetitive after just a few rounds, this entry in the series incentivises replaying again and again to beat official Olympic records or the tough as nails AI. Either alone or with friends, it's a great time.
When you think of this game as an interactive, cinematic game, you can look past many of the shortcoming of this 3 ½ hour game. It teeters on wanting to focus only on a story while trying to maintain an interactive experience. The eerie feeling that the game creates is masterful, and its ability to make you feel like you're experiencing the world is better than most triple-A experiences. With a possible DLC in the works to explain the abrupt ending, maybe the developers can master the balance.
For those wanting to kill a couple of hours with 4.99, Gravity Duck is right up your alley. While it doesn't do much in terms of replay value and it doesn't get innovative until the end, it's still worth your time if you want to dust off your Vita.
Death Stranding is a story of rebuilding America by connecting people far and wide. Stealth, exploration, combat, and inventory management are all necessary in order to succeed. With a fantastic cast, incredible set pieces, an engaging story, and Kojima's brand of incredibly enjoyable crazy, you won't want to put your controller down.
Disco Elysium is a difficult game to describe, but it's easy to recommend. One of the most inventive games in recent memory, it's an often cynical, mean-spirited RPG that's nonetheless full of beauty and humanity. While its obsession with the nastier parts of the human psyche will definitely turn some people off, the depth of its story and systems reward a deep dive into the mire, as do its beautiful art and writing.
Synth Rider's 80's neon wave aesthetics and incredible soundtrack combine with simple but challenging mechanics to create one of the most entertaining and engaging VR games I've played in quite a while. Come for the fresh beats, stay for the great workout.
Franchise Hockey Manager 6 is a fantastic game in a long line of great hockey simulation titles from OOTP Developments. The game is a hockey head's dream, giving you complete control of franchise operations for countless teams both modern and historical. The game doesn't change much from year to year, but has improved again with this iteration and represents the most complete experience to date. An overall triumph and clear leader in its genre, Franchise Hockey Manager 6 is a niche but near perfect game.
In the end, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD will satisfy fans with its lovingly new remade visuals and presentation. While the single-player mode is much more improved thanks to analog controls, the new multiplayer elements are drab and will damper your experience should you want something to play with friends. These are some Super Monkey Balls you should probably play with yourself rather than others
Not content to simply remake these games, this collection offers a nearly complete (sorry SNES Aladdin fans) look into these games and what made them so special. If you weren't a fan in the 90s, you won't be persuaded now, but for older players looking to tap into some sweet nostalgia or a new generation discovering these for the first time, this collection hits all the right notes.
Code Vein is an anime Souls-lite. It doesn't have the same mystery or quiet contemplation found in the Souls series, but that also means it offers something different. The world is interesting, the story kept my attention, and the combat is smooth. If you have an itch for a new Soul-like, Code Vein is perfect for you.
Himno is like listening to those free relaxation apps you can download to find your Zen. It never wants to be something it isn't. Its music, gameplay, and game mechanics all fit within the realm of serenity and relaxation, especially on the Switch. Sometimes it's good to just take a moment for yourself and let your mind be at peace.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville is an amazing next chapter in the series. Its story campaign alone is enough to warrant a buy. It's not just the graphics, the characters, or the amazing multiplayer that makes it a must buy, it's the charm that the developers have dialed into this game. Every minute playing feels like you're on track to discover something ridiculously funny and over the top. Though there are a few key tweaks needed to make the battles spot on, it's the culmination of other things that make this a great game.