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'Turf Wars' shows promise in its two hour story, but mostly sets up a more interesting third act with (hopefully) more interesting boss fights. At some points, it’s far too hard and the last fight is almost unfair. But the core of what made the main game so compelling is all still intact and is more than enough reason to pick up the DLC.
The Forge is a disappointingly brief and underwhelming add-on to an excellent game. What is there is technically good, but hard to recommend as content that Square Enix is asking you to pay for. I'd recommend holding off to see if the rest of the season pass is worthwhile or if you should pass on it entirely.
With three titles of great quality being redesigned to be beautiful even by today's standards, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy burns bright. Little touches such as a unique design for every Elder Dragon, an attention to detail in the aesthetics of the levels, and a dynamic music system breathe life into what was already a lively collection. Spyro is back, and his games are exactly as good as you remember.
Steel Rats is an awesome 2.5D platformer that makes great use of motorcycle based combat. The team of four bikers are badass and unique, prompting you to try them all out, and being able to switch between them on the fly keeps gameplay fresh.
Instead of simply running you through various battles of World War I, Valiant Hearts: The Great War uses the story of a French family to build a better understanding of the broader historical importance. This personal story serves as the perfect framing device for the game's documentary-style presentation. While there are a few missteps and areas where it could have been stronger, it is a beautiful and well-executed game that offers a unique glimpse into one of the deadliest wars in human history.
Moonlighter's original conceit blends shopkeeping with monster-slaying in a way that's satisfying for most of its length. While both its combat and trading eventually get repetitive, the gorgeous graphics and pixel art make it a pleasant journey while it lasts. Unfortunately, your character's quest comes to feel as shallow as the merchant's life he wants to escape with its uninteresting goal and uninspired conclusion.
Cybarian: The Time Travelling Warrior is a difficult, often frustrating retro action platformer that values its old-school aesthetic over all else. Everything from its graphics and sound to its difficulty and controls recall an earlier era of gaming, but it does nothing to expand on that legacy. Players looking for a challenge may take some pride in conquering Cybarian, but its short playtime and mostly empty levels leave very little to sink your teeth into.
After spending quite a while with the game, I'm blown away that there's still so much to discover. With dozens of collectibles to find in the single player campaign, a seemingly-unlimited number of weekly challenges, and the Tides of War looming large on the horizon, Battlefield V is the best this series has ever been, and easily the best FPS of the season.
Warriors Orochi 4 is a celebration of Koei Tecmo's Warriors series, and it's a great game to pick up for those interested in some good old hack-and-slash goodness. With its record-breaking roster of characters and some new gameplay mechanics, this is one adventure that is divinely entertaining.
Honestly, the nicest thing I can say about Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is that it's over in two hours. It is at least technically playable with some interesting mechanics. But even if you are specifically looking for a wave-based, arcade-style turret game, I'd still stay away. This game offers little of value and is fun only if I stretch that word beyond its absolute limit.
Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood does the bare minimum, but it's still well worth playing. While there are no extras included in this anthology, the two games it contains are some of the best ever made, and one of them has been pretty difficult to come by until now. Aside from the replacement of Symphony of the Night's wonderfully campy voice acting, both games are delivered in perfect shape and are still as worth playing today as they've ever been.
Call of Cthulhu is a thrilling experience from start to end. The monsters may be a little lackluster, but the writing, puzzles, and characters are all interesting enough to keep you going until the very end. While the graphics are disappointing, the art style, vocal work, and atmosphere do enough to make up for it. Fans of horror or mystery will find plenty to love here.
Friday the 13th: Killer puzzle is a great combination of the Friday the 13th franchise and the puzzle game genre. The game has a good premise and entertaining gameplay, which may leave you not wanting to put it down. The variety of weapons and costumes make things more charming, and kept things fresh. The game should take at least a couple hours to beat as well.
SoulCalibur VI's combat could crack even the toughest case of fighting game-phobia; it's strategic, fluid, and deep, but remains as accessible as ever. It's unfortunate that it's hampered by a lack of interesting modes, and that its hefty single-player offerings attempt to shift the focus away from the robust combat system and towards stale, cumbersome stories.
The World Ends With You: Final Remix is a great port, so long as you keep it in handheld mode. Combining RPG storytelling with frantic cell phone game tapping, this funky, high-fashion game is still a surprisingly unique experience, but the Joy-con controls are simply not up to par. With a killer sound track, a surprisingly complex plot, and a whole lot to do after the credits roll, this DS title has more than stood the test of time.
While the presentation is charming and amazing, Joggernauts ultimately fails as a casual party game. With its unfair death mechanics and steep difficulty curve, it's one that will appeal to groups that want a challenge, less so for ones that want to have a fun time.
Red Dead Redemption 2 raises the bar for sandbox adventure games. It's organic in a way almost unseen in any genre, creating an authentic open world that is as cohesive as it is compelling. This title will set the bar for action adventure games for years to come.
Kero Blaster proves that going back to a genre's roots can be a refreshing experience. While marred by a sense of strict linearity and some barren background elements, it's a treat for those that want a solid run-and-gun title.
Luigi's Mansion was great when it first arrived, and this remake is even more polished and complete than the first. There are a lot of problems with the controls in the game, but the creative and diverse gameplay combined with a beautiful bevy of graphics make the experience worth the frustration.
More than anything, The Heist leaves you begging for more, and I guess that's what the idea was. It's just enough more Spider-Man to get you back into the swing of things, but it leaves you hanging with an abrupt ending and minimal new side content. But at only $10, it's worth it to get back into Insomniac's lovingly created New York.