GamingTrend
HomepageGamingTrend's Reviews
For better and worse, Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indego Disk is more Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet. Your enjoyment of it will largely depend on how much jank you can still tolerate, but this DLC does some interesting things to spice up the game. Trainers will actually put up a fight, there are cool optional areas to explore, and there's of course a ton of returning Pokémon to catch. It's a very small step back to where we fell in love with the series, but still far from its heights.
Gangs of Sherwood offers an enjoyable and silly co-op action experience that mostly gets things right.
The Finals is the kind of game that you play when you want to live an action film. You'll most definitely find a playstyle you like in one or more of the three classes. While there are too many factors outside of player control to consider this a truly high-level competitive game, it sure is a fun time. That being said, if you've been disappointed by recent FPS titles, then try The Finals for some high octane gameplay.
The Invincible is a beautiful visual representation of the novel of the same name written by Stanislaw Lem decades ago. You are immersed in the world through game mechanics and design that allow you to interact in unique ways. Unfortunately, the game still suffers from performance and technical issues that should have already been addressed in the time since the game launched.
Hot Wheels Turbocharged: Unleashed 2 leans well on tweaks and not transformations. It is a great game that has recharged its predecessor and taken it to a new level. Graphics are visually stunning and gameplay is satisfying. The pocket-sized miniature mayhem title does well to burn rubber on the tracks and race its way into one of the most fun toy-racing games in the industry.
Even though there is fun to be had in this server-snatching raid, there's more errors found here than just syntax. The heist itself may be short and fairly linear, but it's still an enjoyable addition to the main game with the cosmetics and weapons being a bitter-sweet cherry on top. It's always great to add to my crime-closet and upgrade my arsenal, but the extra cost does make it feel like maybe I'm the one getting robbed.
Torn Away mixes beautiful hand-drawn aesthetics with the grim story of a little girl trying to survive a war and make it home. The game excels at establishing tone and getting the player to feel a sense of connection to the main character, Asya, through heartfelt character interactions and mini-games. While the brutal story beats hit hard at the beginning of the game, they lose some of their steam towards the end when you begin to expect them.
Moonstone Island's world is a feast for the eyes, offering stunning pixelated visuals reminiscent of the world of Studio Ghibli. It does an amazing job fusing together Stardew Valley aspects with the likes of Pokémon and its new-age retro style compliments the game well. With the art and gameplay comes the unique and strategic deck-building battle system that is arguably the most distinguishing factor of Moonstone Island. Despite the bugs, Moonstone Island is a perfect game for those who enjoy a farm-and-fight adventure with a unique spin on combat!
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is a complex set with a lot of keywords and abilities on cards making it complex. Despite this, Lost Caverns of Ixalan is a lot of fun to play in Limited. Lost Caverns of Ixalan rewards players through rich drafting and deep gameplay. The artwork for this set is as always stunning. In addition to that, the Commander decks offer good value and gameplay, and I hope that this trend continues for the Commander decks. I can recommend Lost Caverns of Ixalan to anyone looking to dive into some Magic: The Gathering games.
For pinball fans, this is a home run, for everyone else though, it's a mostly-fun arcade experience even if a little short-lived. The five tables at launch are each engaging in their own ways, and provide creative uses of classic horror licenses. The flashing lights and thrilling modes however can unfortunately be dulled at times by seemingly helpless ball-outs and odd camera angles. Despite finding itself deep within a niche, there's still fun to be had in spite of the drawbacks, whether you're a pinball enthusiast or casual arcade-goer.
Resident Evil 4 was a triumph of a remake, and it somehow one upped itself with VR. The movement is perfect, the terror is real, and it's a fantastic new way to experience one of the best ways of the year. After eighteen years, Resident Evil 4 is the gift that keeps on giving.
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is a small step forward from the original, but all those tiny tweaks make it feel that much better. Online matches feel seamless, the new and changed characters have a lot of variety, and the story is a fun if incomprehensible ride. However, it takes a bit too much of the first game out including offline unlockables or even getting kicked back to the main menu in single player if you lose your connection. Still, its strengths outweigh its weaknesses by a wide margin and is an absolute blast to play.
Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen is very light on story, but provides some of the most fun combat scenarios in the game. If you enjoy the battle system, this is more of that at its heights. It's not the most impressive or interesting DLC out there, but it's very fun and provides a lot of spectacle.
Endless Dungeon tries to do a lot and is largely successful. However, the mix of genres and focus on roguelite elements over tower defense falls a bit flat in the crowded roguelite space. It provides a few hours of fun, especially with a friend, but Endless it is not.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has some excellent mechanical depth let down by repetitive missions and a very safe story. When you're flowing through the environment taking out RDA soldiers with volleys of arrows, it feels fantastic. Unfortunately, the game doesn't provide many opportunities to use the full breadth of its systems. Still, it's drop dead gorgeous and very fun for what it is.
An absolute blast from start to finish, Arizona Sunshine 2 outdoes its predecessor in every way, and that's high praise indeed.
A Highland Song has so much heart, it's hard not to find something to love. I was drawn into the game due to the rhythm based traversal for running up the hills. With music from Laurence Chapman, Talisk and Fourth Moon, I found myself running up and down hills just to get the songs perfect. The story also has such a sweet progression, each hint drawing you closer and closer to the truth of it all. Plus, with how much there is to explore and the time mechanic, the replayability is insane given the cost of the game. From the art style to the music to the adventure itself, it's easy to get lost in the Highland Song.
A few bugs continue to hold it back, but about 50 hours of fun is yours for the asking. While it doesn't take any risks, the Spaceport Expansion for Construction Simulator lets you build an entire space program for a small island from scratch, and that's satisfying.
If you're a fan of Dredge, then I would recommend The Pale Reach without hesitation, it's a good piece of new content to sate your appetite until Ironhaven releases. However, keep in mind that this DLC won't change your experience of the main game all that much if you've already completed it, it just gives you another chain to explore. All in all, it's like adding another puzzle piece to a completed puzzle.
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is a great idea. Playing as a Ghostbuster recruit in VR is exactly what you’d have hoped for when you heard of this game, from the proton pack to the Ecto-1. Until a fix is discovered for the audio, however, the ghosts will continue to inhabit the streets of San Francisco, completely unrestricted.