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While F1 2018 will feel like an incremental upgrade to F1 2017 for some, it is the nuances that make it a standout. It feels like a more complete broadcast package than ever before. Whether that’s something you’ve cared about before or not, it’s immersive as hell. The career mode is more robust, delivering a more authentic experience. With opportunities to race classic F1 machines around new tracks, it’s all fantastic to experience. Simply put, F1 2018 has it all.
HYPERGUN is oddly most enjoyable when you’re not doing a complete run. The further you get in the game, the more exhausting it gets, and it’s absolutely frustrating to make it so far and lose to cheap bosses. HYPERGUN is impressively deep yet unrewarding. NVYVE Studios defies convention and bucks trends for all the wrong reasons. I believe these issues can be fixed via patch or update. This is a case where you want to believe the game is better than it is. As it stands, the current state of the game is unbalanced in the game’s favor and simply not enjoyable over a long duration. HYPERGUN is worth playing, but not in its current state or price, even if it feels somewhat modest.
Phantom Doctrine captures the look and feel of the 80s and re-creates the paranoia that drove the Cold War up until its end. It's like all the best parts of an espionage film or novel come to life. Whether playing as an American, or a Russian, you'll get two radically different campaigns each and every time. This is simply CreativeForge's best work to date. Phantom Doctrine is ambitious, bold, and creative; paying off in every way.
Overcooked 2 brings to the table new recipes and fresh new kitchen’s to test you and your group’s mettle. Overcooked 2’s big draw is in it’s multiplayer so buyer beware if you’re planning to play alone. As I said in my review of the first game, “…be aware that you won’t find nearly as much fun to be had unless you bring together a group who will play in your living room; or kitchen; I’m not one to judge.” This time around though, you can hop into other people’s living rooms through the wonders of the internet. And yes, I’m still not one to judge where you play. But hey, the couch is more comfortable than a kitchen counter, just sayin’.
Dead Cells is equal parts roguelike and Metroidvania, and plays in a beautiful symphony with one another, never feeling unfair or too gated.
Pool Panic makes me question the developer’s sanity, but not having to go it alone is a huge deal. It’s got a swath of party modes for multiplayer. The singleplayer content is weird, lengthy, and where the game truly shines. True to the “panic” portion of the name, Pool Panic doesn’t know when to calm down. Remember in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory when Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka takes everyone on the psychedelic boat ride? That’s Pool Panic the entire time you’re playing it – and it’s awesome.
Dovetail Games has a tagline of “made by rail fans, for rail fans”. This summarizes everything you need to know about who the audience is. Dovetail Games know simulation games, and Train Sim World is no exception. This is a deep and varied simulation of being a train engineer, whether you’re carrying passengers or cargo. Train Sim World is childhood fantasies brought to gaming with incredible detail.
Enlightenment is a unique game from developer LizardKing. It wears its influences on its sleeve while injecting their own style into the mix. The game doesn’t do much different than you’ve seen before or elsewhere, but you’ll be hard-pressed to put it down. That said, Enlightenment has some issues, most of which can be resolved in patches. There’s a low barrier of entry which makes it easier to get into. If you’re looking for a game that tries something new, does a good job at it, doesn’t break the bank but feels familiar, then check out Enlightenment. So, consider yourself enlightened.
Sonic Mania Plus is the same game from last year, but with the addition of the new story DLC that absolutely makes worth your money and time. Whether you’re buying just the DLC to upgrade, or buying new to experience it, Sonic Mania Plus is excellent in every way. It is now bigger and better by virtue of having more things to do in this insanely well made Sonic game. Sonic Mania Plus is an essential and important game in the history of Sonic the Hedgehog that you must play.
Mugsters is an impressive outing from this single developer, but the game is also is hampered by the same thing it is praised for. This is an enjoyable game, but it depends on the person playing it. Whether you choose to play solo or coop, you’ll have unfettered fun completing the game’s puzzles. While Mugsters has this “top-down Grand Theft Auto” style, you’re not able to execute the frenetic chaos that the game suggests. It instead is a game that invites you to turn your brain off, and do everything your way.
MOTHERGUNSHIP is dripping with personality and style. It excels in its end game when it reveals it has an Endless mode, then “Nightmare” difficulties, and ways to grind XP to make you stronger and faster. Crafting guns is far and away the best thing about the game. It’s a shame you can’t save any of them as a favorite, but knowing that you can form a window, or something that looks out of a cartoon is just such a highlight. MOTHERGUNSHIP is one of those games that you keep going back to see what other crazy shit you can make.
INSIDE is still the same excellent game from 2016, now released on the Switch for convenience, portability, and the potential to reach a whole new audience. It is a must-play experience that feels right at home on Switch.
Danger Zone 2 improves upon the original in every way, and it pays off so well. This microgame is really something you should play, more so than the previous. Three Fields Entertainment is building up to something big, and that’s coming later this year, known as Dangerous Driving. It’ll be the game we’ve been waiting for, and have been seeing bits and pieces of from these veteran developers of the Burnout series. “If you want something done right, you do it yourself”, and Three Fields Entertainment is doing just that.
It's amazing to see a game like Hand of Fate 2 on the Switch, as it makes perfect sense for portability and presentation. While the sequel is everything from the original Hand of Fate and more, I'd still like the original end up on here for completeness. Defiant Development have done a great job at making the game work well on the Switch to be comparable to the other systems the game appears on. You'll likely not play anything like Hand of Fate 2, and is absolutely worth the purchase no matter where you can get it.
The Crew 2 reinvents the series for the better. Ubisoft realized they had something special with The Crew, but focused on the wrong parts. We again get the entire (albeit condensed) United States of America to drive through, in this nationwide celebration of racing is something worth remembering. The Crew 2 has a generic social media system combined with over-the-top live television acting that gets away from itself. It does however come together in all the right ways this time. The Crew 2 is far and away better than the original, and has systems in place to keep you coming back for more.
Other motorized job simulation games of its ilk are about the journey, and in Bus Simulator 18‘s case, this is purely about the destination. As such, I found myself burning out quickly, even with new districts of the city unlocked for me to expand into. There’s a lot of small details that make up for the game’s other deficiencies. Ultimately, the repetition of Bus Simulator 18‘s actions is what holds me back from enjoying it more, as I’ve seen everything that’s available in the first several hours. Bus Simulator 18 is no doubt enjoyable, and will vary person to person, but I’m very excited to see what happens to this game in terms of updates, DLC, and eventual future releases.
MXGP PRO is the best version of MXGP yet, but there’s still something dry about the overall experience. Perhaps there’s no avoiding this, but it could stand to have some personality injected into it. MXGP PRO is an incredibly competent and technical racing game that could do so much more, but doesn’t. Hopefully future entries will finally see some more energy and enthusiasm, but it’s not bad having a game that looks and plays as well as it does.
If anything, Hours of Darkness has made me wanting next month’s Lost on Mars and August’s Dead Living Zombies to be better and more fulfilling. Far Cry 5 is an incredible game that the Hours of Darkness DLC fails to live up to, story-wise. It does however exemplify how good the stealth can be if you play things right. This Vietnam story carries some weight, but none of it emotional to make it stand up to the main game in any meaningful way.
Rather than just making more game, Arkane made a different game within their game, and done to an excellent degree. Making the game into a AAA roguelike is daring, bold, and pays off incredibly well. Mooncrash is a wildly different game than what you find its main mode, and this is to the game's benefit, as Mooncrash exemplifies what makes the combat so good. There's a story to tell here, and while I wish there was bit more exposition, Prey - Mooncrash excels at what it sets out to do. R. Yu ready?
MotoGP 18 captures the look and feel of the sport, but does little to give it any sort of personality or excitement that makes it feel alive. Though, if you were gone from the series for a while, there’s a lot you missed and can see what’s been improved. Even those who played MotoGP 17 will see major changes for the better. What’s here in MotoGP 18 is a deep and involved career mode that is the star of the show, it’s just a shame that none of the other modes were given as much attention to shine as bright.