Wccftech's Reviews
As a Mechanics-First style of game, Dungeon Encounters offers little to entice players that aren't already fans of Final Fantasy's Active Time Battle from yesteryear. What surrounds that dungeon crawling experience is threadbare but established fans can use what's there and chart their own paths.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is easily the best of the series so far. There are clear improvements in gameplay, such as difficulty options and complete control over the camera, which help push this forward. The writing also takes strides forward, with an excellent cast of characters, more realistic writing, and a satisfying narrative throughout. Add the already exceptional abilities of Supermassive Games at building atmosphere, and you have a recipe for a great game - something that I firmly believe House of Ashes is.
The Good Life comes with excellent narrative elements, but the entire experience is damaged by some weird design choices that result in mediocre gameplay. While this is hardly surprising for a game directed by SWERY, some of the ideas featured in The Good Life, like the cat and dog transformation mechanics, deserved a much better execution, as they feel shallow and not particularly interesting. With such flawed gameplay, only die-hard fans of the Japanese director will truly love The Good Life.
FIFA 22 is an undeniably fantastic football game, once you get on the pitch. HyperMotion Technology, and a push for enhanced visuals, physics, and more, make this an incredibly tactical experience and closer to the real thing than ever before. The inevitable problem is when you look at the insidious inclusions off the pitch, such as FUT, which - while somewhat more generous with the in-game currency - is still incredibly predatory and push on the in-game gambling mechanics.
Lemnis Gate is a game at odds with itself. Its well-executed time loop mechanics could potentially appeal beyond the usual hardcore shooter crowd, but the game's matchmaking shortcomings and lack of single-player content will keep that wider audience at arm's length. Lemnis Gate is fun, but it feels like a concept that needed more resources to fully realize its promise. That said, if you are a dedicated shooter fan looking for something a little different, you may find yourself doing the time warp again (and again and again).
Back 4 Blood isn't Left 4 Dead, and it doesn't even try to be it, doing away with the classics' straightforward campaign in favor of a more modern experience that rewards progression and offers plenty of replayability. The excellent map and mission design, the huge variety of builds made possible by the card system, and satisfying gameplay make the game by Turtle Rock Studios the one to get for those who have a team of friends ready to take on hordes of undead, but those who are looking to play the game solo would do better to look elsewhere, as Back 4 Blood doesn't offer much for those not too keen on teamwork.
Diablo II is one of the best ARPG's in gaming history, and Vicarious Visions haven't made many changes for Diablo II: Resurrected. Visually, there's a stark difference and it looks great while keeping the atmosphere. A few quality of life changes help keep this fresh and make it playable on consoles, but it just doesn't go far enough at points. This ageing master may have had a facelift, and it's one you can have a fantastic time with, but you can hear the creaking of its bones.
Far Cry 6 features a beautiful world filled with chaos, but it also fits the status quo for the series without putting its actors and tech to good use.
Metroid Dread proves that the Metroid franchise is still ready to innovate the genre it helped build with exciting new ideas. While it hasn't taken on all the lessons from newcomers that have filled in since its absence, it doesn't feel like an outsider looking in.
Alan Wake Remastered is the perfect way for PlayStation 5 users to experience the story of Alan Wake. However, players looking for a refreshing experience might find themselves with a bit too much of the same thing that's been seen in previous versions of the game. At the end of the day, I am recommending this game for what it is over what the remaster offers.
Jett: The Far Shore is a stylish, fascinating, and challenging work of art that may inspire you to say some very naughty words. While it sometimes succeeds as a chill exploratory experience, iffy controls, poor navigational tools, and overly convoluted missions often harsh the game's vibe. That said, if you're the type that can appreciate a game for its world and message, despite some issues with its minute-to-minute gameplay, feel free to join the Jett set.
Lawn Mowing Simulator does what it says on the tin, and much like Euro Truck Simulator 2, it's more than just mowing lawns. You're building a business empire and mowing lawns across the land, something that's both surprisingly engaging, and very relaxing. There are a few issues, such as poor balancing leading to grind, but if you like those simulations that offer you just enough game and something to call your own, this is worth considering.
While AWAY: The Survival Series nails its nature doc narration conceit, it doesn't have anything particularly enlightening to say. The game does sometimes succeed as a straightforward cinematic adventure, but rough controls and a general lack of polish derail the rollercoaster far too often. Playing AWAY can be compelling at times, particularly if you're an animal lover, but you might find queueing up a few episodes of Planet Earth more fulfilling.
In Sound Mind is a surprisingly compelling title, offering an interesting story and strong horror experience. However, some aspects start to outlive their welcome - if only due to annoyance. Tackling a sensitive subject like mental health, In Sound Mind could have really fallen flat if We Create Stuff didn't handle it well, and while it can come across as heavy-handed at times, this is generally well done and worth experiencing.
Tormented Souls is a love letter and throwback to the old school survival horror games, warts and all, even including the age-old tank controls found in the games it looks to emulate. Honestly, it does a good job in this, setting the atmosphere, ramping up the stakes and only rarely venturing into the absurd when it comes to puzzle logic. While not completely innocent, with some nonsense puzzles, and a questionable art style for the protagonist, there's enough on offer to keep you going and it makes it more than worth the reasonable price of the game.
Easily the best way to experience building bridges across America, Death Stranding Director's Cut is less of the final cut one might expect from Kojima himself and moreso a collection of novel enhancements to make this the best looking and best feeling way to experience this unique title.
For those yearning to explore, Sable offers the chance to do it at your own speed, with your own goals, and without the need to exert violence or experience shocking twists. Sable is confident the world is interesting enough and is completely right in that regard.
Despite featuring a very familiar experience inspired by The Legend of Zelda series, Kena: Bridge of Spirits manages to stand out from the competition with its amazing visuals, excellent combat system, and puzzle design. The underwhelming story and lack of real innovation prevent the game from being a must-have, sure, but what Kena: Bridge of Spirits does well, it really does well, so much that it's very easy to look past its issues.
NBA 2K22 is the franchise's best entry in years, offering well-balanced changes on the court and a bold, yet welcome, revamp of MyCareer and The City hub. Microtransactions still frustrate at times, but they're not as aggressive or tasteless as they've been in the past. For the first time in a while, it feels like the NBA 2K dev team is hungry, and they've cooked up a real championship contender this year.
Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG is a worthy purchase for all fans of classic Fallout games, thanks to a well-crafted post-apocalyptic setting, great worldbuilding, reactive world, and solid overall gameplay. The clunky interface, basic combat, verbose writing, and overwhelming amount of status conditions to keep track of damage the experience a bit, however, making Encased a game that only the most die-hard RPG fans will enjoy right from the start.