GameCrate's Reviews
Company of Heroes 3 is a fantastic strategy game regarding the basics. Playing with friends and mining the mechanics will be where most will spend their time, but it is a huge disappointment to see the campaigns fall so flat. The Italian campaign was the place where I expected huge innovations from Relic, but it feels like a paper tiger.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania may not break new ground, but it is a lovingly made ode to an iconic series that has long remained dormant. The new biomes, bosses, weapons, enemies, and story content are all the highest quality, and Dead Cells remains an essential roguelike that still stands among its peers at the top of the genre.
On the most basic level, there is an appeal to Bleak Faith. The enemies have creepy, science-fiction-inspired designs, the world is intriguing, and some truly inspired ideas from Archangel Studios support the whole thing. But every element feels half-baked or borderline broken. Movement and combat are floaty and clunky, exploration is unsatisfying, the visuals are hit or miss, music tracks repeat too often, and the story is indecipherable.
Clash pulls much inspiration from the 2018 God of War. The basic premise of protecting The Boy as Pseudo and some of the significant beats mirror Sony’s Epic, so some character progression and twists felt predictable. To Clash’s credit, I was still invested, and the world is so weird and the characters are so much fun that I quickly forgot the world of Kratos and got lost in Zenozoik all over again.
I don’t regret a single moment I spent with Romancelvania. Don’t get me wrong, I’m hopeful for future improvements to the gameplay and I certainly acknowledge that it has its shortcomings, but for every misstep in 3D modeling or janky boss battle there’s 10 brilliant lines of dialogue that will no doubt put a smile on your face. The characters, their backstories, the ridiculous nature of everything going on will have you coming back for more. Every rose ceremony will leave you in strife as you must decide which monster you’re going to miss out on for the rest of your run. You’ll 100% want to replay again just to have more time with those you cut off the first go around. You can not help but have fun with Romancelvania.
Wo Long is fun, fast, and fluid, with satisfying combat that empowers and challenges you equally. There is style in spades, and while the story is nothing to write home about, you’ll remember the flashy moves and monstrous bosses long after the credits roll. This is a great starting point for many looking to get into the impenetrable genre that is souls-likes, and if the pitch-perfect timing of Sekiro turned you off, Wo Long is here to offer something more approachable.
Atomic Heart has flashes of brilliance but generally disappoints regarding the basics. Combat is occasionally satisfying but incredibly repetitive, and the balance of encounters is all over the place. The story is predictable and slog to work through, especially because of the terrible dialogue. While the visuals stand out, they never really are anything more than set dressing, and as you progress into the open world, the poor shadow quality can destroy the look of the game. Even visually, Atomic Heart is as uneven as it is with its story and gameplay.
In its push to revitalize the iconic company, Atari hired video game icon Jeff Minter and his Llamasoft software house to bring this 40-year-old classic into the ninth generation of gaming. The challenge Minter faced was to drag an outdated, quarter-eating concept into today’s open-world, live-streaming market. He pulled it off.
Wild Hearts is a blast from beginning to end, and the combination of Karakuri with streamlined, snappy combat, makes it a joy to pick up and play. Newcomers to the genre or those who have always been intimidated by Monster Hunter should start here. But there is a very real possibility you may just stick with Wild Hearts for its unique aesthetic and streamlined mechanics, on top of the incredible Karakuri system.
Metroid Prime Remastered is Metroid Prime, for better or for worse. It still is an example of top-tier level design, even if it can get labyrinthian and combat feels simple by today’s standards. But the incredible visuals, the satisfying string of upgrades, and the one-of-a-kind atmosphere make it as memorable as ever.
Wanted Dead is a hard game to recommend: it is truly bad in most areas, but it also has the opportunity to click with you depending on your tolerance for jank and of old-school character action games. If you really need a dose of nostalgia, or you love movies like The Room, Wanted Dead could be a hit.
EA’s remake of the 2008 title Dead Space provides the closest thing to a conclusive answer as to what a remake should be by adding incredible visuals, smart story changes, and modern gameplay updates—all while retaining the soul of the original.
Bravely Default 2 brings us back to an older era of simpler RPGs with deep systems and shallow stories. If that sounds like a feature, not a bug, then this is the RPG for you.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is an attempt to make an old-school absurdly difficult quarter muncher a game worth playing in the modern era, and it delightfully succeeds.
If you never played the original then picking this up is a no-brainer. 3D World is a fantastic Mario adventure, and you shouldn't miss it. However, if you already played the original on the Wii U, Bowser's Fury and the added online play don't quite make it worth the full $60. That being said, it's absolutely worth it if the price drops even a little, or if you just really want to play 3D World without having to hook up the Wii U. It's a great game, but it still feels like Nintendo should have done more with it.
Little Nightmares II is just a worse game than the original. Everything they added to the system feels clunky at best and unfair at worst. It's a shame because this same story, with its same environments, same levels, same enemies, and same music and sound would have been infinitely better if they kept the mechanics from the original.
Persona 5 Strikers is a worthy addition to the Persona 5 game line. If you enjoyed the previous exploits of the Phantom Thieves, then you will love everything this game has to offer.
In a world where you can pick up The Last of Us Remastered for a song, there's no reason to waste your time on Earthblood. Paradox Interactive is no stranger to game development. I wonder which team lead is asleep at the wheel such that Earthblood was allowed to go out the door in its current state.
Destruction AllStars may not be a killer app that sells you on a PS5, but anyone who owns a PS5 will be happy to add it to their library. It is definitely one of the best perks of owning a PS5 yet.
You'll likely have a really good time with Gods Will Fall. Straight up, it's a good game. A lack of polish keeps it from being a great game, but there's still plenty of fun to be had here.