Forbes's Reviews
Even for all its charm, it’s easy to see an older version of Nintendo at work in Pikmin 3 Deluxe. It is defined by a competence and execution of interlocking systems rather than the expansive wonder that came to define the developer’s biggest hits of the Switch era. For all the ways that the game does manage to convey a certain sense of scale at times, it’s a far cry from the open horizons of Breath of the Wild or the maddeningly deep puzzle boxes of Super Mario Odyssey. It’s a game from the Wii U era, before Nintendo had quite figured out how to expand its sense of whimsy to a much wider audience.
NHL 21 is another strong entry into the series’ history. It delivers a new strand of flavor with Be a Pro, maintains quality on the ice, and makes franchise mode more enjoyable. However, the limitations in customization and the subtractions to HUT keep NHL 21 from being the series’ ultimate edition.
FIFA 21 delivers most of what I’m looking for in a world football title, which tends to be the story every year. It features solid-to-strong gameplay, attractive visuals, and a good variety of options. However, flawed execution in VOLTA, a lack of customization and no traditional franchise mode for EPL or La Liga keeps it from being a classic.
I would love for DFMF 2020 to be a good game. I would love for it to be a football game “that isn’t Madden,” and that gives consumers a real alternative. Unfortunately, this isn’t Madden. It’s much, much worse.
TWT2 feels unfinished, underdeveloped and somewhat soulless in some aspects. The swing mechanic might be a good idea conceptually, but it falls short of supplying that satisfaction that is transferred from simply hitting the ball in a tennis video game. Couple that with the malnourished feature set and you have one of the most disappointing tennis video games in a long while.
So if you missed these classic Super Mario games when they were originally released, then you should pick this collection up. However, if you loved these games as a kid and were expecting Nintendo to pull out all the stops and give them the technical update they deserved, you will feel a tad disappointed.
WWE 2K BG isn’t going to provide you the depth that the traditional, more sim-related version aims to deliver. However, for what it is, which is an arcade, over-the-top, dump-your-rules, beat-em up, it hits on all the major points. The game is fun, deeper than you might expect and offers a very good bang for your 40 bucks.
As it is, there are some strong components, but it doesn’t feel like a completely new game in as many aspects as usual.
The nostalgia is strong with this one, but not a necessary component. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is just plain, good old-fashioned arcade fun. I think we could all use a healthy dose of that right now.
While the gameplay is in as good of a spot as it’s been for a while, Madden 21 is dragged down but neglected features, stagnant and/or underdeveloped concepts.
From a pure gameplay standpoint, PGA Tour 2K21 delivers a strong enough experience to satisfy fans, and the course designer is fantastic. However, the game falls more toward the average because of its bland career mode, modest list of licensed golfers, and out-dated graphics.
Those who will patiently (and happily) put in the time to building their ferries and cooking for their spirit friends will be rewarded with snippets of story that might stay with them longer than they expect.
There is no such thing as a perfect game, but there can be a perfect experience with a title because the slight issues you may experience don’t drastically hinder your enjoyment. The latest UFC game is very close to that rare benchmark.
Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON is easily the best console release available for these games. Not only does it represent a decade’s worth of serious arcade multiplayer balancing, it also has an extensive singleplayer setup to keep any Gundam fan occupied. Put simply, this is a thoroughbred multiplayer game with an immense amount of depth and variety.
It is easily one of the best games of the entire PS4 generation, and given its competition, that’s saying something.
You won’t find a more complete racing experience in gaming. In the grand scheme of things, Codemasters does most things as well if not better than every other developer of racing games in the industry.
Gameplay was a strength of NASCAR Heat 4, and that has been augmented for NH5. The play is so much fun, it helps to compensate for some of the presentation issues, and what I’d describe as a lack of creativity in other areas.
As a free-to-play title readily available on Steam, it offers players a frictionless doorway - but the challenge may be keeping new players interested and willing to commit to the epic journey that is learning, playing, and enjoying Dota 2.
It’s remarkable, and it will stay with me a long while, just like the first.
The SMB series has become one of the most consistent, and well-developed sports gaming franchises available.