The Outerhaven Productions
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WWE 2K23 takes everything that was considered an improvement in WWE 2K22 and just copy/pastes it over and expects people to buy it for 2 things: A Cena showcase mode and one new match type. While WWE 2K23 is still a solid game, you can feel that there just wasn't enough of that drive that made WWE 2K22 such a good game after WWE 2K20 almost tanked the franchise. WWE 2K23 could do much more than just be a roster update of a game, if only they didn't rely so heavily on the past.
Octopath Traveler II doesn't reinvent the wheel to stay relevant. Instead, it dives deeper into what made the first game so much fun. It doesn't hold up quite as well as the original, but it's still an excellent JRPG to play!
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is the peak of storytelling, character writing, and worldbuilding. With enhanced visuals and solid dungeon design this game is an absolute must play for anyone who wants to see video games as a medium of narratives.
Like a Dragon: Ishin! blends the real-world history with the franchise's signature charm in a way that shouldn't work but just does. Resulting in one of the most memorable Like a Dragon experiences so far, this is a must-play game for long-time fans.
Dead Space does a good job of being a remaster with enough changes to give enough of a challenge for returning players but also improves the scares enough that the new generation of gamers who are more used to gore will be shaking when something goes bump in the night. However, if you have played 2008 originally, it's going to be hard to justify paying full price for Dead Space in 2023. If you haven't played this game before, buy it. If you have played it before, find a sale before you buy it.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a fantastic spin-off of the Nioh series, and while it feels like Team Ninja had a checklist of features it wanted to copy from other games, in the end, everything feels fresh and exciting. Outside of the performance issues, and the sometimes annoying AI-controller players, I found myself playing the game for hours. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is more than a Soulslike, more than an action game; it's a fun and enjoyable game.
Anime vs Evil: Apocalypse is an enjoyable game at its core with the shooting mechanics and the character designs, but the lack of content and variety does hinder it.
Returnal was great on the PlayStation 5, and it's equally as good on the PC, with its punishing but enjoyable gameplay. There's also something to say about being able to play this on an ultrawide monitor. I just wish the game didn't stutter as much.
Hogwarts Legacy is an absolute monster of passion and creativity in a world that is all about creativity. Great combat mechanics and a unique open world with many interesting secrets hidden around makes playing this game an absolute treasure.
Wilds Hearts is an incredibly fun monster hunting experience that's really only held back by its technical issues. Performance issues across the board on all platforms are what stop the otherwise faster paced and stylish action game from truly giving Monster Hunter a run for its money.
Another new change with Shadow Warrior 3 Definitive Edition is the Hero Mode for the story playthrough. Hero mode makes it, so you have a limited amount of lives in a playthrough. If you lose those lives, you’ll have to restart the entire story mode again. It is a good test to see how well you remember the game and some of the tricks for each arena.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a great musical adventure through the past of the Final Fantasy series and celebrates everything from the 8-bit chiptune days to the crystal clear renditions of the Final Fantasy VII remake, the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV Online (With an expanded free trial which you can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward expansion up to level 60 for free with no restrictions on playtime.), and Final Fantasy XV. While those of us with less than 20/20 vision might struggle with the speed and location of the notes, others will have a toe-tapping good time from start to finish.
Hi-Fi Rush deserves gold record status. The combat is satisfying to pull off, the narrative keeps you intrigued, and the art style is absolutely gorgeous. While the majority of the game is set in a somewhat sterile factory setting, the amount of flair Hi-Fi Rush oozes more than makes up for it.
Freelancer is a fantastic rogue-like in its own right, add that to an already exceptional base game and this is the ultimate version of Hitman. It gives Hitman a new dimension, the risk vs reward makes every decision more meaningful, with another level of replayability. I can't wait to play more as I build towards the perfect run, in this as close as it gets to a perfect game.
Fire Emblem Engage brings a lot to the table to entertain fans of past games while also welcoming new fans. Not everything works, and some things do fall flat, but overall, it's a lot of fun.
One Piece Odyssey is a solid JRPG experience with great animations, characterizations and story beats. It lets you relive some of the best moments of the series in bite size chunks. The ease of difficulty can feel boring to fans of the genre but overall a great experience.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake neither sinks nor swims, it floats. This is a simple and well-executed game, likely too simple for the majority… but fun enough for young players and fans.
Forspoken is a bland experience about a girl and her cuff trying to save a world blanketed in corrupting mists. It tries to do a lot of things but doesn't ever really do any one thing well.
Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is an ambitious title that finally returns to the mainline series of Neptunia. Action based combat with still keeping skill setups from the previous games along with seamless transition from combat to traversal makes it a great step up to current generation hardware. The combat system without the passive effects of discs feel clunky, and the maps have plenty of reused designs but otherwise a solid entry into the series.
Vengeful Guardian Moonrider is yet another fantastic retro gaming experience from Joymasher, and it shows that the developer has really found its niche. However, with the game being way too short for it's own good, and speedrun games aren't for everyone, Vengeful Guardian Moonrider is in an awkward position. Great gameplay, great music, it's just too damned short.