DualShockers
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If you have been missing the pure, genuine adventuring encouraged by the JRPGs of old, and you have been eager to see what the most traditional incarnation of the genre could achieve when paired with top-notch production values, this is most definitely the game for you.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is a must buy for established fans looking for their Nintendo Switch port, but is a far cry from the series' recent peak. Those who have tried the game and couldn't catch the bug likely won't be swayed by this version. Instead, people who have dived in and fallen in love with the franchise within the year now have a definitive way to play one of the greatest handheld iterations that Monster Hunter has seen.
The Messenger is not just a brilliant love letter to the 8-bit and 16-bit games that inspired it. It's proof that even in a market saturated with retro-style platformers, there are still clever ways to approach the genre. It is one of the most well-designed games I have ever played on both a gameplay and storytelling level. Sabotage really created something special here and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
There's no doubt a ton of positive elements to We Happy Few, but it seems like a fantastic world clouded over by overzealousness on the part of Compulsion Games. While they should be lauded for their hand in crafting a world that I wanted to dissect every inch of, too much of the game feels like filler for its own good. Perhaps with a little Joy, We Happy Few could be more palatable to modern audiences.
Donut County is a charming and straightforward example of how video games don't need to be overly complex or contain multiple mechanics and systems to make for a good time. While your enjoyment of the game will likely depend on how satisfying you find its overall loop of dropping stuff into a hole, if this does click with you, then there's a lot that you'll love. For the low price of entry, Donut County is worth picking up and spending an evening with just to have a good chuckle.
Blade Strangers finally delivers a conventional fighting game where you can beat up other fighters with Shovel Knight (looking at you Super Smash Bros. Ultimate). I'm not sure I can confidently say the game will do waves in the fighting game community, but I think it'll be enjoyable for all players of all different skill types.
Despite my minor frustrations at the way I had finally reached the epilogue, upon watching the credits roll and various screens appeared bringing up memories of earlier game moments I felt a fondness for each of the characters. Over the course of 428: Shibuya Scramble I had grown to know these characters and see them through tough situations. I was genuinely concerned when some were put in danger, and often found myself chuckling at whatever ludicrous situation or funny ending I happened upon. 428: Shibuya Scramble left an empty feeling in my stomach once I had finished, as I realized my time with these characters had come to a close and no new significant time would be spent with them. It's a familiar feeling, one that punctuates the end of stories that I was always sad to have to finally put down.
So far, World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth is a solid addition to the long-running MMORPG. Currently, I am trying to increase my item level so I can be ready for the raid in a few weeks. The grind to do that is a long one, requiring a lot of time that not a lot of people have. It is the one crux of this game. When you start World of Warcraft, you have to stay committed. If you're serious about playing and want to enter the raid on the first day of release, missing just one day is a loss of progress. However, if you do commit and you have a group of people to play with, as it is right now, Battle for Azeroth has plenty of content for you to enjoy with a lot more to come.
While Yakuza Kiwami 2 isn't the best point of entry in the Yakuza series compared to Zero or Kiwami due to being a sequel (even if it comes with an extensive recap to catch you up on the story so far), it's a masterpiece that no fan of Japanese games should miss. Even those who typically tend to prefer Western titles might very well discover in the remake of Yakuza 2 a great way to broaden their gaming horizon.
Even with its technical flaws and progression structure problems, I still can't bring myself to dislike Little Dragons Café. When Little Dragons Café hits its stride mid-game, it is indeed a beautiful, relaxing, and wholesome experience that I would recommend to those looking for a more laid back title to cleanse their palette before this busy fall season. That being said, enough problems did persist to still make it a tad disappointing. Little Dragons Café may be worth waiting on until some technical issues are fixed and the price drops if the incentive of raising a dragon isn't enough for you.
At the end of the day though for myself, Guacamelee! 2 has reminded me of what games are supposed to be in the first place — fun. I haven't had as thoroughly as joyful of an experience with any other game this year and I expect I'll be hard pressed to find another like it any time soon.
While there was fun to be had with the absolute bonkers nature of Slam Land, the fun ran out very quickly. It soon became evident that the mechanics were half-baked, and the disorientation that the game depends on for fun eventually turns into annoyance. At $7.99, the game is at least at a decent price—but with so many four-player action party games out there, the only reason to choose this over the rest would be to check out its weirdness, and even that would only last an hour at most. There are more coherent, if but less flamboyant, games of its ilk out there, ultimately making Slam Land a difficult sell.
With the lack of in-game customization options, a small variety of weapons, and a relatively shallow and repetitive experience, H1Z1 doesn't do much to separate itself from the pack.
Combined with genuinely shocking moments that I would have the heart to spoil here, The Walking Dead: The Final Season is already off to an incredibly promising start, even when I know that its ending will surely be hard to swallow. The Clementine that I know and loved from The Walking Dead's first season is very different now, and I can't wait to see how her story ends.
State of Mind explores transhumanism, fiction becoming reality, and the separation between the two. It looks at what it means to fragmented, and not whole, which really is the essence of humanity. It also explores how the strive for perfection through technology, may truly be the downfall of what it means to be human. The game is story-rich and cinematic, with layers upon layers of truth to uncover and figure out how it all fits together. It kept me glued to my screen like it was a TV show I was binging. Like Blade Runner, it left me reeling with questions and conspiracies as only a thrilling adventure that examines what it means to be human can do.
All in all, Hello Neighbor is a massive disappointment and not a very good game in the slightest. While the game's nail-biting AI can make for some interesting moments every now and then, it doesn't make up for how hard the game is, how buggy it can be, and how bad the art style looks. At $29.99, there's absolutely no chance I can recommend it to anyone, unless of course, you like games that tell you nothing about what to do.
Outside of the visuals boost, Madden NFL 19 feels more iterative than last year's entry of Madden did. The series' dedicated and interested fans that buy the game yearly and sink hundreds of hours into its game modes shouldn't have any major issues outside of some glitchy menus, but not enough has changed to make Madden NFL 19 a worthy entry for newcomers or casual players who picked it up last year.
All-in-all, a second portion of Overcooked‘s co-op insanity was exactly what I was looking for. As they say though, variety is the spice of life, and I think Overcooked 2 could have used just a bit more of that: variety. Still, the resulting sequel isn't bad by any means and will absolutely fill you up if you're looking for precisely more of what the original had to offer. If Ghost Town Games were to go back for a third romp in the kitchen though, I'd love to see a few new things seasoned in next time around.
Dead Cells is likely the defining point of the Roguelike genre, thanks to refined combat and clever blending of genres. Whether you are looking for a quick pick-up game or are wanting to get lost in a multi-hour gameplay loop, very few games can master their own genre so well as Dead Cells manages to do. Fan of Roguelikes or not, this is a game that shouldn't pass you by in 2018.
While the game could benefit from having a bit more meat on its bones, WarioWare Gold manages to be one of the most consistently enjoyable and funny 3DS games in recent memory. The game's hilarious cutscenes impress and add some interesting new characters to the WarioWare universe, the microgame collection is the best the series has featured yet, and some of the unlockable side content is hilarious. If you are fine with WarioWare Gold‘s short length, there is no reason not to pick this quirky title up as the 3DS reaches the end of its lengthy lifespan.