GameCrate's Reviews
As someone who was a big fan of the Assassin's Creed multiplayer template, I'm saddened to see that Murderous Pursuits basically functions as a stripped-down barebones version of that same concept. The game's Victorian contest of cat and mouse where players are always both the cat *and* the mouse is certainly a unique find amid the usual competitive fare, there's just not enough meat on its bones to keep more casual players invested over the long term.
While Battletech won't convert gamers looking for their latest twitch fix, fans of the source material and the strategy genre will find a lot to like here. Fans of the Shadowrun series in particular should give Battletech a look.
Frostpunk is one of the best sim games to come out in decades. If you want a more bleak and depressing twist on the age old genre of city management, this is your game.
God of War takes everything good about the franchise and elevates it. Almost every aspect is polished to a fine sheen, with a particular standout being the world itself, and the new emphasis on telling a mature and meaningful story that explores remarkably complex themes. God of War sets a new bar for storytelling and world building in games, and transforms Kratos from a one note character to a fascinating man with a story worth hearing. If you have a PS4, this is a must have title.
Extinction is a derivative and uninspired game not worth the $60 price tag.
It's a cute concept that will keep you enthralled for well more than 60 seconds.
If you're a fan of the Far Cry series, Far Cry 5 is a definite must-have. The gameplay is familiar, but there are shiny new features that are a blast to play with. If you're new to Far Cry, Far Cry 5 is a solid introduction to the series, especially if you're into open world games and want the ability to give commands to a bear or cougar to attack your enemies.
Sea of Thieves has glimmers of promise and is gorgeous to look at, but single player play is virtually worthless, and the repetitive nature of the quests and empty world leave the game feeling incomplete and overpriced.
A Way Out is a fun ride that shows off a great cooperative experience, an interesting story, and some of the coolest camera work to ever grace a video game. It's an extremely smooth experience with very few rough edges. That said, it lacks some of the content we've come to expect from interactive stories, which makes it a fun ride, but not something that you'll likely return to again and again.
Despite my frustrations with its shortcomings, I want to see where The Council leads me, and if it manages to deliver a narrative payoff in spite of itself.
Kirby Star Allies is an incredibly fun Kirby game that will please fans of the franchise. If only there were a little bit more of it.
Ni No Kuni II could have been genre-defining, but really, really good is just going to have to do instead. The way that the beautiful visuals meld together with Joe Hisaishi's breathtaking score is nothing short of remarkable and it all combines together for something that feels genuinely earnest and charming. While far from perfect, Ni No Kuni II is an easy recommendation for fans of JRPGs both old and new.
Celeste is one of the most entertaining 2D platformers in recent years. It'll defeat you from time to time, but its inviting controls, level design, and presentation will keep you coming back until you persevere and overcome every challenge thrown your way.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is an excellent evolution of the formula set out by its predecessor and offers up some of the most intense, gory, and fast-paced co-op action you can find in any genre.
You can squeeze a few hours of fun out of Scribblenauts Showdown, but frankly this isn't the next-generation Scribblenauts game that fans of the original were hoping for. It has fewer puzzles, worse controls and less replay value than any other Scribblenauts title.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a narratively-driven adventure game in which you travel across Depression era USA collecting stories amid a beautiful backdrop of hand-drawn story vignettes. However, the experience is heavily bogged down by a clunky overworld and purely disruptive gamification of an otherwise pleasant collection of stories.
Unfortunately lacks the originality it so desperately needs to really stand out from the pack. Even though the art style is striking and bold, combined with an inventive cultural focus, the gameplay and overall design weigh it down to be little more than a passable action adventure title.
Dandara proves that there's still originality in a decades-old genre. It changes the way you control the player character, breaking from Metroidvania traditions, and creates new types of puzzles and methods of progression along the way.
Owlboy tells a story of failure, redemption, and heroism with an excellent art style to prop up an addictive and creative platformer that continually throws new game mechanics at you to keep things fresh. It's hard to put down once you get started.
Whether you really wanted it this way or not, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is about as pure of a remaster as you're ever going to find. The visuals and sound are all upgraded for a modern era without changing the heart of the game. However, with the vastly superior Age of Empires II HD already in existence with five years of community built up around it, there is little reason to recommend this game unless you're just dying to play extremely early era civilizations.