Wccftech's Reviews
Konami has promised (and delivered) a faithful reproduction of Snake Eater, brought forth into a new console generation without deviating from the title it was based on
Mafia: The Old Country aims squarely at being a narrative experience, and largely succeeds in that while also providing solid gameplay. It is a bit of a shame that we don't get to truly explore Sicily in this game, but if you're into Mafia narratives, this is among the best you can find in games, and the entry price isn't that high either.
The classic Tony Hawk gameplay only seems to have gotten better with age, and the custom parks are sure to keep you skating for hours after you've washed the career mode.
Donkey Kong Bananza’s core campaign is certainly substantial – even with a fairly lean and focused playthrough, it took me around 16 or 17 hours to roll credits. Of course, like Mario Odyssey, there’s a seemingly-infinite amount of extra stuff to collect and some specific incentives for doing so. You're going to be tallying everything Bananza has to offer for some time.
I love how solid it feels, whether I'm between the pipes or out on the pitch, and how intense the matches can get whether I'm playing the ranked 5v5 mode or the more casual 3v3. But the lack of content, poor design choices, and a lacking art style combined with a slow-progressing battle pass-like structure and less-than-inspired unlockable cosmetics cut the whole package of Rematch at its knees.
Mario Kart World is a bold and ambitious new entry in the world’s most popular racing franchise, delivering smartly updated mechanics, a collection of gorgeous courses, and an open world that impresses with its scope and variety. Admittedly, the game doesn’t quite manage to eclipse the giant that is Mario Kart 8 and some classic modes don’t mesh perfectly with the new sandbox approach, but there’s no denying Mario Kart World gets the Switch 2 off to a peppy start.
Adapting the traditionally slow-paced Souls formula into a fast-paced, co-op-focused experience with roguelike elements was no easy feat, but the Japanese studio has fully delivered, once again proving why they remain masters of their craft.
Deliver At All Costs has some genuinely fun and funny moments in its early hours, when you're bright-eyed and looking forward to how the game could potentially evolve, and what crazy tasks you'll be asked to complete while destroying half the toy-looking city.
Empyreal's ambition to do something different is commendable, but it's ultimately the only thing it truly has going for it. While character customization and the Cartogram system are solid enough, the forgettable and generic story and characters, average and clunky combat and the lack of proper multiplayer mechanics make the game a frustrating experience that gets tiring very quickly and one that only the most diehard ARPG fans might briefly appreciate.
The Midnight Walk is a real eye-catcher, offering one of the most distinctive and visually-arresting worlds yet seen in a horror game. As with most good walks, the experience is often best in its quieter moments, as the game’s puzzles and stealth sections range from good to sometimes merely adequate. That said, The Midnight Walk never strays too far off path and those in the mood for something spooky ought to enjoy the journey.
Enhancing the original where it mattered most while preserving what made it truly unique, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered stands as the definitive way to experience Bethesda’s classic. Although the shift in atmosphere and noticeable performance issues will put some players off, as will the dated gameplay, the game couldn't have debuted on current gaming platforms in a better way.
La Quimera is an incomplete game, a mixture of stitched together parts that don't come together to make a full image. The amount of bugs are clear indicators that this game needed more time in development, but so is the underwhelming story and gameplay that aren't given enough time to go anywhere. If La Quimera was communicated as an Early Access release, then I'd be more hopeful for what's to come, but if this is meant to be the full game, it's not one that's worth your time.
Steel Seed may not be the most original game around, but its action-adventure formula serves as a solid tribute to the Uncharted and Star Wars Jedi series, offering an intriguing story and setting, engaging traversal and stealth mechanics, and impressive world design that captures the scale of a world overtaken by machines. Unfortunately, the lack of originality, along with a general lack of depth, does impact the experience, as the gameplay starts to feel repetitive a few hours in. Still, Zoe’s journey is one worth taking for those seeking an experience in the vein of Naughty Dog’s beloved dormant franchise.
The Talos Principle and its expansion Road to Gehenna are undeniably two of the best puzzle game experiences available in video games. That unfortunately only makes the difficulty jump in the new In the Beginning expansion more frustrating, but it remains true for the base game, and both expansions that the struggle is worth it for the writing and storytelling.
South of Midnight has some incredibly strong storytelling chops, brought together by its stunning visual design and excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, the experience is bogged down by boring, repetitive combat and lackluster platforming, but it's worth rushing through those parts to experience everything else South of Midnight has to offer.
With its excellent combat system, complementary mechanics, solid level and enemy design, and engaging story, The First Berserker: Khazan stands out as one of the best action RPGs in recent years. While its heavy inspiration from FromSoftware and Team NINJA’s latest titles is a little too evident, and PC performance issues occasionally impact the experience, the tale of Great General Khazan is a compelling one that makes for a great game and the perfect introduction to the world of Dungeon Fighter Online.
Atomfall is a thoroughly enjoyable game which looks and plays well, and offers a compelling narrative with surrounding exploration to keep you entertained. It's well-polished, offers good replay value, encourages you to do things a little different, and isn't bad on the eyes either, with a good design that allows it to both look good and support last-gen consoles. The score likely doesn't reflect the game as well as it should, as I would heartily recommend this to anybody, with the added advantage that it's coming to Game Pass.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition brings one of Nintendo’s best open worlds to a new audience with confidence, offering up much-improved UI, smartly-streamlined mechanics, and some intriguing new content. While the game’s presentation could perhaps use a touch more polish, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an out-of-this-world Switch RPG worth experiencing before Nintendo launches its next hardware.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of the finest entries in the series, successfully bringing back stealth-oriented gameplay while retaining the RPG mechanics and refined combat mechanics seen in previous entries in the series, seamlessly integrating them with the dual protagonist setup and a well-paced story that doesn't overstay its welcome. While the game still features way more content and gameplay systems than necessary, its rendition of Feudal Japan is among the best ever seen in a video game, and it is well worth experiencing for the vast majority of players.
Sometimes too over-simplified, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land charts a new path for the series as they try to draw in new players that might have found the mandatory crafting and time limits of earlier Atelier titles too daunting.