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Sniper Elite VR offers a hefty experience for a VR game, with up to seven or eight hours of well-designed levels to creep through. The mechanics of the game take some time to get used to, and even after becoming accustomed to the controls, still feel a little awkward - though a nice selection of settings helps alleviate those issues. Some forced repetition pads the game towards the end, but overall Sniper Elite VR is a solid and fun experience.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a mixed bag. Hatching and maxing out your Monsties is a lot of fun, but the battle system in which you spend most of your time eventually wears out its welcome. While the story becomes interesting in the late game, it takes a long time to get there, with extended periods spent wandering from quest point to quest point on autopilot. There are a lot of systems at play here, but they don't always gel into a compelling game.
Good, not great. Fun yet frustrating. Scratching the itch while giving me athlete's foot. The new modes feel rushed and not completely thought out to be much more than a stunt. The game feels balanced when choosing which character to play, and the adventure mode will easily fill in the void of playing by yourself, just don't go looking for a gripping story. Mario Golf: Super Rush tees it off, but has the ball landing in the rough.
Summer Olympics Tokyo 2020 is fun with a group of friends and family, but there is very little reason to pick up the controller if you are going to be playing alone. Fun customization options allow a great deal of weirdness, and the wide variety of minigames offer breezy fun without a ton of depth. Lower your expectations, invite some buddies over, and you'll likely have a good time.
Beautiful, engaging and every bit as fun as it was nearly 15 years ago, Mass Effect Legendary Edition lives up to the name. It's a gorgeous, robust title that will make veterans remember how much they enjoyed the series while giving newcomers a memorable ride for the first time. There's no question you should pick this up if you fall into either category because Commander Shepard deserves that much attention.
A brief jaunt through a side story in the Star Wars universe is made better with some sky-high production values and some fun lore drops. Don't expect a ton of interactivity, though it is fun to throw Stormtroopers around with the Force. A nice side mode allows for endless lightsaber battles, but the main draw is Vader himself, delivered by the game in all of his intimidating glory.
Story is a little generic, and combat is mediocre and frustrating at times. But Weaving Tides is about puzzles, and they have it in spades. Most of the issues, like linear gameplay, can easily be overlooked when thinking about this relaxing puzzler.
I am a sucker for this very type roguelike deck building game, and in RogueBook I have found a worthy successor to my favorite in the space, Slay the Spire. While I might think Slay the Spire has that edge on the given mechanics and strategies of a single run, I believe RogueBook excels at world building, game progression, and re-playablity as new power-ups, characters, cards, map items, and challenges are unlocked not just on every run but especially after successfully completing the core game. Each is excellent, each game deserves to be enjoyed. To prefer one over the other is to prefer chocolate syrup over caramel, but in both you are treated to a delicious dessert of fun and strategic gaming.
Chivalry 2 shines in the combat department. Combat is fast, and the high ceiling of learning it all helps keep players invested. There may not be a ton of maps, but they are full, the movement of gameplay is refreshingly fun, and the promise of more post-launch content keeps me hopeful.
Dark Alliance has the core of a fun game, but many design decisions and some very spotty enemy AI prevent the game from fully taking flight. While the game still feels early, there is some fun to be had running around and taking advantage of Dark Alliance's many issues. But with time, this game will become a mid-tier action adventure-which is exactly what it should be.
Final Fantasy VII Remake, only a year old, gets a next-gen remake, and the results are visually stunning. The new Yuffie-based Intermission chapter is a ton of fun, and its lighter tone demonstrates ways that the Remake saga can move away from the sullen tone of the first game. Bouncy and full of life, Yuffie brings some much needed levity to the proceedings, shining a new light on the game as a whole.
If you're a fan of massive death machines, explosions, and a dab of entrepreneurship, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries will appease your unique trio of interests. There are also enough mechs, customization tools, mission types, and environments to keep gameplay from becoming too repetitive. Lastly, although I wasn't emotionally attached to the story, it was still entertaining enough.
DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power successfully translates the beloved animated TV show into the video game space. While the game might feel a bit fluffy for adults, playing with kids is a blast. With reasonably well-done combat and a ton of side activities, Teen Power is a meatier (and more fun) experience than one might assume-an absolute win for a licensed game.
Attractive and charming animation makes Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World appear to be a modern game, but don't be fooled. A lack of modern conveniences-autosave, a map, etc.-places Asha squarely in the old-school department. Blistering boss fights, meandering levels, and a very weird-feeling double jump all combine to make Asha in Monster World a fun game to visit, but only fans of the classic franchise will want to stay.
Smelter is a game that's a mix of platforming and real-time strategy, though it's the platforming that shines more. The controls are tight and the challenge is pretty fair though it can ramp up quite a bit later on. Plus the Trials are a great way to test your skills and help unlock new abilities. The RTS segments aren't bad but they feel a little too simplified with no major consequences.
Call of the Sea has plenty to offer puzzle and walking sim fans alike. The story kept me going even when the puzzles felt difficult and excessive. The puzzles can be tough and seem unfair at times, but overall feel very solid in how they were crafted. The conclusion to the story of Nora, her illness, the previous expedition, and the true nature of the island left a satisfying feeling once I had completed it.
A Rogue Escape gives players just enough information to get started on their escape in an alien mech, and then allows them to fiddle and fuss their way to a fast and un-triumphant death. With tactile controls and fun reveals, the game slowly unfolds like the very best escape rooms. Bring your thinking cap and patience.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a true showpiece of new-gen technology. Whilst the internet argues over the matter of cross-generation games, Rift Apart avoids any such controversy since what it's doing simply isn't possible on the older hardware. I was tempted to go ahead and award a perfect score, but a familiar formula and some lacklustre puzzling prevented me from doing so. On the whole, though, this is gaming's summer blockbuster in the same vein that Hollywood emphasises this season for its big releases. For those with a PS5, it's an absolute must-play as a showcase of what's possible beyond just prettier graphics and faster framerates.
I really appreciate what Beautiful Desolation is trying to do with creative storytelling; well-developed characters; and a mind-bending and beautiful, albeit desolate, sci-fi world. I just ended up too frustrated by the limitations of the console medium and a lack of direction in many of the quests to ultimately recommend this game on this platform. It's a point-and-click adventure presented without a pointer or a clicker, better played on PC.
Legend of Keepers is a fun roguelike that relies a bit too much on the luck of the draw. Constructing custom teams is a non-starter, which leaves players doing their best with whatever the game doles out. The font size might be an issue for some, but overall, Legend of Keepers is a pleasant not-overly-difficult way to kill twelve hours.