Forbes's Reviews
And yet, leveling technical criticism at an experience that is so accessible, loving, and warm feels like kicking one, many, or all of the dogs that star in it. For all its faults, it’s hard to play Pupperazzi without a smile on your face, and this completionist-friendly outing will definitely resonate with players of all ages, even if it fails to live up to its true potential.
However, if that means Drinkbox ought to make a sequel to fully explore the world’s potential, I’m all for it. For action-RPG fans, Nobody Saves the World is a must-play; for Game Pass subscribers, it’s another classic surprise just waiting for you to stumble upon it.
Overall, Super Robot Wars 30 is an excellent tribute to the 30th anniversary of the series. The new mission setup is a bit daunting at first but works well on multiple playthroughs and with the new DLC. Considering the challenges the development team must have faced during the pandemic to get this game done, it’s remarkable how well it all turned out.
Halo Infinite might be the best campaign 343 has done, but considering I didn’t love the last two, I’m not sure how much weight that carries. Halo Reach remains the gold standard for me in that department, and while I had a lot of fun here zipping around the open world, and I can see the potential of the concept, something about Infinite feels small and unfinished to me compared to both other Halo campaigns, and other open world titles. I don’t need (or want) a sprawling Assassin’s Creed map that takes 200 hours to clear, but I think I need more diversity than what’s here, and a better story with better characters told within it.
Even if you don’t decide to go back, and you only decide to clear its initial level in three or four hours before tapping out, one thing’s for sure: it’s a much more memorable experience than Far Cry 6 was.
All told, Call Of Duty: Vanguard has exceeded my expectations, especially after a less-than-promising pre-launch Alpha and press event. Then again, the Beta was drastically improved overall so I was already feeling more optimistic by launch.
For all its incredible characters and acting, Vanguard has somewhat confirmed that Call of Duty campaign modes are going in two very different directions: the stagecraft is getting better with each release, but the wider experience is going downhill.
I suppose we can now venture into the old “is Guardians worth $60?” debate. If you miss hyper linear story games with no live service BS, and are a big Marvel fan, then this might be the game for you. If you are hoping for Devil May Cry level combat and God of War type puzzles and exploration within a linear story, you will be disappointed. But I can safely say this is probably a better end product than most people were expecting, and that alone is a pretty big win for a game that felt like a bit of a risk and like it’s been lacking in buzz leading up to launch here. It has issues, but it gets a lot right, and pushes storytelling in ways I haven’t seen in this genre before.
Overall, Metroid Dread brings a narrative close to a decades long story with excellent level design and combat. It also looks great as well. So until Samus Aran is needed once again to save the Galactic Federation, I am happy to just savour the joy of another successfully completed mission.
EA Sports has delivered a strong next-gen experience with FIFA 22. The primary focus was on gameplay and the attention led to a tangible improvement overall. However, the feature set is still in need of more layers.
Yes, its AI is slow and a bit stupid. Its driving and flying mechanics are dated. Those all-new ideas just don’t quite land. Its UI seems getting more confusing with every new game. But Far Cry 6 is definitely the most fun I’ve had from the series since the delightful Far Cry 3–even if everything seems to hinge on extremes, and rely on old tricks.
Overall, Actraiser Renaissance stays true to the original game, while building it out even further and keeping the essence of what made it so special intact. If you never played the original Actraiser, then you are definitely in for a treat as it’s not every day you don the mantle of the Lord of Light and defy the will of Tanzra.
Nonetheless, for all its minor annoyances, Hot Wheels Unleashed gives you a remarkable bang for your buck. Alongside a big career mode, livery editor, two-player local and 12-player online multiplayer, and licensed vehicles, there’s a tightly controlled, great-looking arcade racer that’s perfect for players of all ages and skills–and thanks to its track builder, it’s only going to get bigger and better by the day.
And yet, if you’re coming to Embr thinking it’s the latest in a long line of multiplayer-oriented classics, your hopes may be snuffed out by how it performs right now. Luckily, plans are in place for updates in the coming months–the fires of passion may burn brighter in the near future.
Ultimately, The Artful Escape’s title couldn’t be more apt: it’s a masterfully crafted, beautiful experience, and one that completely removes you from the world around you.
By ironing out its UI, making career mode more accessible, and generally stripping back those unnecessary complexities surrounding an otherwise brilliant experience, KT Racing has every chance of making next year’s WRC 11 one of the very best racing games in the last ten years–a show-stopping swansong for a studio that’s clearly dedicated to constant improvement.
There is something to be said for simplicity in video games. Many are overly complicated, and there is also room for forgiveness for a feature set of a game that isn’t full price. However, a sports game with no online capabilities and a very limited single-player experience is a tough one to enjoy for any length of time. BRBCC is unfortunately more limited than it is simplistic, and that causes a problem with overall enjoyment.
Overall, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is a fun remix of the Earth Defense Force formula. Not only is the art style almost entirely adorable, but the way the gameplay has been split across your team members keeps the game fresh and fun.
Madden 22 is a significantly better game than Madden 21. The gameplay is smoother, franchise mode has more layers and MUT will remain a powerhouse. However, while each of the three areas deliver on one had, they each have a drawback. Also, modes like Face of the Franchise and The Yard fail to deliver in a way that moves the needle. The good outweighs the bad overall, and you’ll likely enjoy Madden if you’re a fan of the series. Still, it feels like we’re one year shy of delivering the kind of complete Madden release that really breaks new ground for the series.
Twelve Minutes isn’t perfect, but it’s one of the very few games I’d recommend everyone should play. While it’ll offer an experience many won’t enjoy, understand, or figure out, it’ll stays with you for a long, long time–even if its repetition results in Pavlovian conditioning. I now can’t hear my doorbell without thinking I’ll be choked to death within 60 seconds.