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Expeditions: Vikings is a fantastic role playing strategy game for those of us whom feel the need to raid and pillage. It creates an authentic social environment where traditions and customs and be enforced or forsaken, much like the gods and myths in the Norse universe. Its a bit clunky, and not very pretty, but neither were the Vikings. With a few more character portraits, and some spit and polish it could be a real gem for any gaming collection.
I'm glad to say that Persona 5 is everything I had hoped it would be and then some. The incremental improvements over the gameplay of Persona 4, the visuals, the soundtrack, all of it came together almost perfectly. That translation could have used a little bit more polish, but otherwise this is the finest work Atlus has ever produced.
And that sums it all up. Bye-Bye Boxboy! packs a lot of punch for its size. Its combination of platforming and puzzle-solving is unique, and its simple premise gets complex early in the game. The additional content is anything but slim, and not only adds, but enhances the experience of the game. The developers did a great job of crossing classic platforming with new puzzle-solving to create a new style of game that exercises the mind.
After almost a year of waiting for the right simulation racing game to come around, Dirt 4 has me zoned-in for the duration.
Overall, the ridiculously gory fights and simple level system feel fun and rewarding. Even still, progress is sometimes unnecessarily halted by the random nature of finding key items. In spite of missing a beat or two when adding tedium to the experience, Runic Rampage succeeds at providing an old school arcade experience in the present day.
Narcosis isn't much of a game, but it is an amazing, immersive horror that everyone should experience.
Pixel Night makes a brave foray into the exploration genre that doesn't quite pan out in the end due to detached storytelling and repetitive mechanics. If you're a dedicated adventure game player, Empathy: Path of Whispers will offer little challenge, except maybe in the way of overcoming boredom. It is, at the end of the day, a walking simulator that knows exactly what it wants to be, but falls a few steps short of actually being it.
Rezrog is essentially the "miniatures on a grid" portion of Dungeons & Dragons so to speak and I enjoy that. However, the early going can be tedious as you learn the game's mechanics and some frustration may set in until you start to get your characters leveled up. This is definitely a game where strategy must be employed to survive without getting your heroes captured, but if you stick with it long enough you'll find an enjoyable experience that tabletop RPG fans will likely enjoy.
The Long Journey Home is a roguelike sci-fi survival simulator fueled on hope and hopelessness. Bring them home, commander. But be ready to die a hundred deaths before that ever happens.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is a game that just wasn't ready to be released. I believe there is a near future when you're going to find this one in the bargain bin or on a deep discount in a digital sale, after the numerous bugs have been patched and that multiplayer is added in, and then there will be an opportunity to enjoy a solid experience. This is not a AAA FPS but it does deliver some good moments when it works, has very good gameplay mechanics working for it, finds that balance between open world and engaging set pieces, and is presented through an interesting environment. However, the single player plot remains atrocious, there is no multiplayer, and in it's current beta state it's just not yet worth it.
Injustice 2 is the best fighting game from Netherealm Studios to date. It improves over not just the original Injustice, but Mortal Kombat as well. The story mode puts WB's live action movies to shame and the Metaverse provides near endless replay value.
An example of what a good expansion can be. Adds depth and breadth to the original. Worth the 20 bucks, and more.
Prey gets a lot of things right, but it has a few technical hiccups and some balance issues that keep it from being a truly stellar experience. Let's hope we see some improvements in the next Prey.
LEGO City Undercover is a slap-happy LEGO GTA. This 2017 remaster of the 2014 Wii U exclusive now introduces the originally absent co-op play, while also jumping onto the Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Easily my favorite LEGO game in years.
Urban Trial Freestyle 2 makes a few improvements over the original, but it's not quite there in terms of network functionality. The connection issues I kept having as well as needing to type in a code just to download a track made that a bit of a hassle, but at least you can now share your tracks online. If you enjoyed the original game, you should enjoy the second outing with twice as many stages to dominate and more obstacles to trip up players with in the track builder.
The Surge isn't interested in creating variation in its gameplay mechanics, or exploring more diverse settings or ideas, or creating compelling characters. It washes over you, but it's a refined wash, and the foundation for a great game to come. The Surge is a good thing, and I'm glad it exists as another answer to the Souls-esque games coming out – its dull, but refined sci-fi action makes the game feel like a first step, if only a step, in the right direction.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is an enjoyable game despite a few changes to the gameplay. While some strategic elements were eliminated, the game still maintains a lot of what made the series enjoyable in the past, plus throws in some new elements such as the third-person dungeon exploring. If you don't mind the strategy being dumbed down a bit, Fire Emblem Echoes is still a great game worth checking out for fans and first-timers alike.
Changes in physics and AI make the game more realistic and enjoyable, but there are still some issues with AI player decision making that can detract from the final product. Road to the Show mode is still fun with a new documentary twist, but it's ultimately the same mode as last year. The Show 17 is a good title for baseball fans new and old, but don't expect anything mind blowing this time around.
Outlast 2 is visually beautiful, tense and boasts a grotesque but intriguing story. Unfortunately, the overabundance of atrocious chase sequences completely destroy any and all tension and fun the game has going for it.
World Rally Championship 6 has some bright spots, including plenty of courses and types of vehicles to choose from. The negatives bring the overall product down below the positives, including bad frame-rate issues and questionable gameplay elements. If you are a massive fan of rally racing, you'll still enjoy this title. Everyone else should look elsewhere for their fix on racing.