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I hesitate to call Open Country a bad game, but it has many limitations baked into its core, and it shows. From the lack of graphics options, abundance of typos, terrible voice acting, and questionable mission objectives; it falls short of so many other games that simply do it better. Even for a $15 game, it’s not competitive in the survival genre. Open Country has some great ideas that end up being overly ambitious and woefully underdeveloped.
If not for the loss of the original source code, I think we might’ve seen all variants of the NINJA GAIDEN games in here. Not only for comparing and contrasting them, but to celebrate Team Ninja’s ability to take feedback and impart that in their re-releases, while also including everyone’s favorite included. Having all three of Team Ninja’s games together on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S for the first time is such a delight. NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection is a wonderful collection of the finest action adventure games, while still being difficult and provide the level of challenge you want, feeling just like the day it came out.
There are times where Siege Survival: Gloria Victis is clunky with its interface or systems, though it’s not enough to be a deterrent. It’s a game that lacks some polish, and could be cleaned up in patches. A lot of this game draws comparisons to This War of Mine, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just lacks the heart that game had. Siege Survival: Gloria Victis is lean on content and low on replayability, and without more scenarios available, makes it hard to recommend fully.
Judgment is an easy game to recommend, especially with the sequel coming out in September, and I’ve had as much fun with it as any other mainline Yakuza title. Plus, it’s hard to argue with getting a full-fat, high quality Yakuza narrative experience in a $40 price point. This is a really promising start for a new franchise, and it’s only going to get better from here. Seeing RGG Studio stretching itself and finding new ways to apply and change the formula it’s already found so much success with is an exciting and welcome shift. Whether you’re racing drones, playing a Mario Party inspired VR board game for cash, tracking down cheating spouses, chasing a local parkour crime gang through the streets, or solving a really thorny murder mystery, you’re going to find yourself having a blast.
BIOMUTANT is an adventure like none other. With its character creation and morality decisions, this is one that has near-infinitesimal replayability. At times the game’s ambition gets the best of it by feeling like it’s doing too much at any one time, but it just manages to pull it off. It’s wild, beautiful, and an amalgamation of the games it is so clearly inspired by. Offering the best of modern games, with enough originality to distinguish itself from the rest. BIOMUTANT is an accessible, exciting RPG that I can’t get enough of.
SnowRunner takes the series to new heights as it exceeds MudRunner in every way, while retaining everything that these games are known for. Saber Interactive balances frustration with wins that feel earned, even if that take you many hours in-game to achieve. This is a great entry point for those curious to traverse weathered open-world environments while completing jobs in singleplayer or online coop. SnowRunner is as deep as it is rewarding, and is one not to be missed.
Days Gone is a different kind of zombie post-apocalypse with survival elements, even if its story is mostly forgettable. Its world feels alive and dynamic set in the wilderness of Oregon. While not outright demanding you play stealthily, it will be satisfying for doing so. Though when it’s time for action, the game keeps up with a healthy amount of weapons and tools to dispose of the swarm trying to kill you. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is one hell of a ride.
Before We Leave has a surprising amount of depth and layers to it, that you’ll continually uncover as you play. This is a non-violent game, but it’s anything but safe. Some may balk at the minimal consequence to properly treating or taking care of your peeps, but the space whale and other ancient creatures will do their part to disrupt your rebuilt civilization in more meaningful ways. Before We Leave has left an indelible impression upon me, from the visuals to the unique gameplay, this is a planet builder that won’t be eclipsed anytime soon.
Perhaps the whole point of the Oddworld games is that they’re supposed to be difficult. Perhaps the fun is supposed to be derived from overcoming seemingly impossible odds, even if it means beating your head against the wall too many times to get there. Unfortunately, this kind of fun feels dated and cumbersome to me, which is particularly hard to rationalize against the backdrop of an otherwise loving and carefully crafted re-imagining of a beloved entry in a beloved series. I expect the die hard fans will enjoy Soulstorm a great deal, and I’m really happy for them that this game exists. Speaking as a longtime admirer of the series who was hoping to finally be won over completely, I’m still left waiting for that magic moment.
This is a game meant to be played in short sessions, and maybe that’s where its mobile roots show, but it’s far from shallow. Skate City is a low stakes game. Over time, the in-game challenges and goals it asks you to perform become more demanding, but that’s only part of it. There’s an overwhelming sense of chill as the lo-fi beats kick in and the quiet atmosphere goes rolling by. Like Stevie Williams said about skateboarding, Skate City is poetry of motion.
As far as the quality of the port goes, it’s pretty excellent overall. The controls are great, the visuals look about as good as they possibly can without reworking some of the art, and after you ease in, all of the nitpicky details fade away as you enjoy a romp through lively, detailed, smooth-as-silk renditions of Kamurocho and Onomichi. This is, quite simply, the best Yakuza 6: The Song of Life has ever looked or played, and if you’ve been waiting for the PC release to experience it, you’ll be delighted with the final product.
Despite some of the unevenness and slowness toward the end, It Takes Two is still a fantastic experience that elevates cooperative games to a level they are rarely treated to, and is one of the most fun games you’ll have played with a friend or partner in years. I love what Hazelight is doing to revitalize the genre and think of new ways to make it fresh and fun, and the focus on collaborative play is a huge part of why the game is so damned successful. It’s an absolutely joyful experience nearly throughout, and the innovative mechanics, beautiful visuals, and inspired locations will keep you engaged from beginning to end on this journey unlike any other.
MotoGP 21 requires precision, and is not very welcoming to newcomers, even with tutorials and its easiest difficulty setting. There’s a commitment to learning the game’s systems to start to feel like you’re improving. Now, there’s some sharper textures, inclusion of HDR on PC, and other graphical improvements that look great; but nothing about the visuals or gameplay feels all that new, or next-generation. MotoGP 21 is a solid, competent, but ultimately stale racer that coasts with this year’s release.
Crash Dive 2 is not the most attractive game out there, but it does have its moments. What it lacks in visuals, is made-up with its depth in gameplay. While I enjoy most of the additions and improvements here, I personally prefer the first game — though I find them to be on-par with one another. Crash Dive 2‘s best feature is its approachability, blurring between arcade and simulation, streamlining the once dormant sub-genre in clever and interesting ways.
Even after finishing the game, I’m eagerly awaiting what else is coming from Spooky Doorway this season. It’s a laugh-a-minute with clever puzzles and rewarding gameplay. You’re encouraged to explore and read every piece of dialogue, or risk missing something crucial or funny. The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark is so sharp-witted, it’s easily one of the best adventure games to come along in years.
All of the systems around Aqua Kitty have been improved and expanded upon in meaningful ways to make Astro Aqua Kitty be so memorable. From simple things like earning experience to picking your next upgrade, there’s a progression that keeps you invested in your character. The quest system is handled elegantly, dynamically giving you tasks to complete and simply marking your map that keeps things from becoming unwieldy. There are a multitude of options for each playthrough at a dozen hours each time, and Astro Aqua Kitty is a game you’ll be coming back to again and again.
This is Rebellion at their best, a game that’s like coming home even though you haven’t been there for nearly 20 years. Sure, some things have changed, and you’re not sure how navigate it, but you feel good being there. Rebellion kept what worked in the last game, added a bunch of new things, and it all feels like Evil Genius still. If you’re new to the series, this is a great starting point for anyone. For returning players, this is a sequel in the truest sense, with more fun and replayability than before. Evil Genius 2: World Domination is easily my favorite game of the year, and it’s never felt so good to be bad.
This re-release of Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse does make me wish it was a remake like Destroy All Humans! got last year. However, it being exactly how I remember and so little changed is some great nostalgia. It’s a fun, silly, and stupid game that doesn’t last too long — kind of perfect for 2021. It’s a budget priced title that is clearly aiming to gauge interest in a potential sequel, and I’m all for it. I had a blast going back to experience being a love-stricken zombie all over again.
The good news is that Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the same incredible game on PS5, as well as an excellent RPG. This particular release amounts to a light coat of polish that makes some subtle improvements but nothing truly revolutionary as we’ve seen with some other PS5 upgrades. This may largely be owing to the fact that the original release already looked excellent, but it still would have been nice to see the PS5 release support a full 4K60. Also unfortunate is the lack of using much of the DualSense controller’s features, but again, this is the sort of addition that’s hard to shoehorn in after the fact. While the PC is still the best place to play Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the PlayStation 5 can keep pace well enough and it’s a solid way to experience Ichiban’s incredible, can’t-miss story.
Rainbow Studios has been known for some high-profile off-road titles in the past, Motocross Madness and ATV Off-Road Fury, to name drop a few, so you’d think who else would you leave an off-roading property too. Underneath the issues I had with this game, something is promising here, and it’s something I’d have confidence in Rainbow fleshing out. As I mentioned before, I enjoy the physics; the trucks feel good to drive. The worlds are cool to look at, but there’s not much of a reward for exploring. The career has good bits but is ultimately bland and is a giant slog, leaving a poor aftertaste. Maybe it’s the licensed nature of the beast here, but I’m confident Rainbow Studios can knock it out of the park. They just didn’t do it this time.