GameCrate's Reviews
Immortal Planet isn't the best that the Souls genre has to offer, but it certainly makes a strong effort to stand out, and as I mentioned before, it can serve as an excellent starter game if you're thinking of getting more heavily involved in the genre. If anything, the latest from teedoubleuGAMES proves that the Souls spirit will continue to live on even without the guiding hands of From Software.
Pyre has an interesting combat system, though it does become a tad repetitive. The beautiful visuals and audio more than make up for any shortcomings.
There's a lot to like in The End Is Nigh, and seeing the Super Meat Boy formula tinkered with and experimented on is really interesting. The game suffers somewhat as a result, but damn, it's still a lot of fun to play.
Gigantic is an entertaining combination of a MOBA and a team based shooter, and what it lacks in originality it makes up for in charm and polished controls.
Splatoon 2 manages to deliver an addictive and engaging online multiplayer experience with plenty of ways to keep you busy and layers of satisfying combat to keep you coming back. The lack of social features is a significant flaw, but it isn't a fatal one, and hopefully we'll see that aspect of the game improved in the near future.
Lone Echo is a smart VR experience that handles movement exceptionally well. It's one of the most polished and engaging VR games currently available.
Echo Arena sets a new high bar for competitive multiplayer VR, and feels like a major step forward for virtual reality.
Syren is an interesting survival horror game that lacks the polish to come together as a quality title.
River City: Knights of Justice is a fun little side story in the Kunio-kun series. It's not exactly varied, but it features a satisfying challenge and familiar beat 'em up mechanics that fans are sure to love.
While there is some fun to be found in Valkyria Revolution's battle system, it's just not worth sitting through the story bloat and excessive loading to get there.
As far as narrative-driven exploration-based horror games go, Perception isn't the worst out there, but it also can't really stand alongside games like those in the Amnesia series or Gone Home. It still warrants a playthrough if you're looking for a game with a unique hook or if you're just desperate for any new horror game to play, though considering its length and lack of varied gameplay, you might be better off waiting until it's on sale.
ARMS is a lot of fun in a party setting, but playing alone gets boring quick as there isn't any other mode to play solo besides the super repetitive Grand Prix.
Tekken 7 will satisfy Tekken fans the world over, but won't impress anyone who hasn't already been won over by the franchise.
Rime is definitely not a game for everyone, but it does teach a lesson that everyone should be able to appreciate if given the chance. The literal act of playing the game is rife with minor frustrations and short bouts of boredom, but as a sum of its parts it's a memorable journey I won't soon forget.
Portal Knights feels like a natural evolution of the procedural block building and exploration genre. It packs in lots of RPG elements, exciting adventure, and addictive multiplayer that layers on top of the existing world creation mechanics popularized by Minecraft.
Endless Space 2 is an exciting fresh page for the 4X genre, delivering an immersive strategy experience with a subtle but strong ability to keep you playing not just for hours, not just for weeks, but for years. The title offers hundreds of ways to play, an interesting player-driven narrative experience, and above all the addictive turn-based gameplay we've grown to love.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a worthy entry to the series and a great way to hold you over until Fire Emblem comes out on the Switch, despite some questionable DLC policies.
An FPS roguelike wearing the suit of a 1996 shooter, STRAFE is a unique game that seems destined for a small but passionate following.
The Surge is a satisfying sci-fi RPG that pleasantly surprises in more ways than it disappoints. Fans of Dark Souls-style titles will find a lot to like here and the unique combat system keeps it from feeling like a rip-off. It's just a shame that the narrative and world building isn't stronger.
While the multiplayer aspects of Injustice 2 are lacking, it still manages to be an incredibly strong fighting game title that is worth checking out, even if you've never picked up a DC comic in your life.