Gaming Nexus
HomepageKatana ZERO is a game I've been interested in from the moment I saw the trailer for it and once again Devolver Digital and Askiisoft didn't disappoint. From the nice graphics and awesome music, to the fluid controls and the engaging story with different ways to respond to dialogue and take out enemies in each area, Katana ZERO was an enjoyable game from start to finish, even with the story getting a little bonkers after several stages. Then again, it's that bit of craziness that kept things interesting throughout the game and I'm perfectly okay with that.
It had been several years since I had played Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon so I was a tad worried about doing the series justice in this review, but I can definitely say that outside of a couple of issues with giant insects blocking my camera view, repeatedly getting knocked down when surrounded by the critters, and the sensitivity of clicking L3 to turn around when moving backwards, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is a solid entry into the EDF series and one that anyone wanting to blast the heck out of giant insects should enjoy.
This isn't Call of Duty in the land of Swedish meatballs, it's Boston Dynamics in an IKEA-effect hunting sim. Come for the difficult robot fights, stay for the Arctic Circle sunsets. The technical issues will make you rage quit one day and then bring you back the next.
The Division 2 takes a step forward on the original in just about every area.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has FromSoftware's typical brutal difficulty, but honestly that's beside the point. What matters is the thoughtful, precision-based combat, smart use of stealth, and a skill tree that's trimmed of fat. This game shows what you can do with game design if you dispense with the extraneous and focus on strong core mechanics. It's a punishing, rewarding, and beautiful experience.
The Prometheus Secret Noohra is an interesting mix of ideas and concepts, but it kind of falls flat a bit.
Tropico 6 brings a lot to the table. It is pretty to look at, easy to get started with, and offers hours of play time with its generous depth and breadth in multiple categories of human life.
Windscape has its rough edges, but the scope, ambition and heart of this one-man passion project help it to punch above its weight class. If you want a Zelda or Skyrim-style game that's great for relaxing after a long day, Windscape fits the bill nicely.
A worthwhile expansion for fans of the series. A couple new races and hypergates freshen up a 4X veteran.
If you’re into hack-and-slash RPGs and don’t mind having to play through the game three times to experience the full story, give this game a shot.
Mx Vs ATV All Out Anniversary Edition pairs an accessible, almost arcade-like (in a good way) driving/riding physics model with enough realism to make it a compelling and enjoyable way to race on the new tracks included in the anniversary edition. The majority of the new tracks are long rides through open scenery, but there are also a few shorter, indoor tracks as well for those that prefer tighter racing.
Devil May Cry 5 is frigging great. I think I'll leave it at that.
Ape Out is that rare mix of great art, sound and game design. It's a short but addictive experience with challenging, satisfying gameplay and an audiovisual style that instantly grabs your senses and doesn't let go.
Braveland Trilogy is a fairly solid set of games, simplistic as they may be. You can adjust the difficulty during the game so you can make it as easy or as difficult as you wish at any time. While it would have been nice if the games were at least a bit more complex, keep in mind that these are ports of mobile games so the simplicity makes sense here. Even still, if you want a complex strategy game, you might want to look elsewhere but if you're okay with simple, Braveland Trilogy is worth checking out.
Anthem is a competent looter-shooter. It is not an overwhelming, hallelujah-inducing entry into BioWare's storied history, but it's fine. I doubt I'll engage with the game past unlocking the final javelin, even though there is that tease at the end of further content.
I really want to like this game more. NiCO's a fun new character to add to the mix, and the DOA Quest mode is a lot of fun. But the middling story, and ridiculous costume grind kind of shows how little new content there is to this game. Maybe down the line it'll be a fully fleshed out experience, but at least it's off to a better start than Street Fighter 5.
This is the best 4x game to grace the current generation of consoles, possible the best 4x game to grace any generation of consoles; but that's kind of like winning a race when you were the only genuine competitor. It still suffers greatly from a frustrating mid-game but if you've got the itch to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate on a console this will scratch it.
The King's Bird has the potential to be wonderful—and in its art and music, it is. Based on that alone I would play it all day. But the sense of freedom it is trying so hard to evoke is held back by its finicky controls, and since the game's very foundation is meant to be freeing, it falls short. Altered controls and a slightly wider margin for error, especially on console, would really let The King's Bird soar beyond the confines of its cage, and boost its mechanics up to the high tier of its design.
New Dawn adheres to Far Cry's by-the-numbers open-world formula that's reaching old age. In other words, "It's a good one of those kind of games."
I've gotten some sense of closure after the credits rolled in Kingdom Hearts 3 and it wasn't quite what I wanted, but that doesn't make it unworthy of being experienced. It's hard to say this game was worth the long wait, as the story is still a mess, but Square-Enix showed some real love in crafting this experience. There's definitely some highs, and quite a few lows, but seeing this journey through is ultimately satisfying. And if you've been in it for the long haul, then you'll probably come away pleased.