Level Down Games
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I would say that this is more of an experience than a game, but there is nothing wrong with that. You get to experience something different and unique with light interactions to make you feel like you are not just sitting there. I wish there were more songs or maybe different interactions, but I know more songs are coming with the Second Stage and Third Stage DLC’s. Unfortunately, because there isn’t much else to do, the game only lasts as long as the songs, so you can get through the entire thing, minus replayability for the unlockable costumes, in roughly 20 minutes.
This is a great game for what it is. I feel like if this wasn’t a Batman related game it wouldn’t of been as good, and that’s a huge flaw. The best parts of it were being able to actually be a hero that you have always wanted to be but if it was just a normal person it would’ve lost my interest. It kind of felt like a “take your child to work day” kind of game.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic was an enthralling concept that failed to materialize into one of the better roleplaying games this generation. The potential was certainly there, but the lack of an interesting story, characters that do not feel memorable, and strange difficulty spikes that require a lot of grinding hold the game back to a certain degree. The combat and battle system offers a lot of enjoyment though, and is where the game really shines. Still, even with the complaints, fans of the genre are going to find something to love in Earthlock.
It’s a silly phrase to say because it doesn’t make much sense, but I really was hoping to like For Honor more than I actually did. Everything leading up to the release of the game looked very promising, but after seeing it firsthand and spending time with it, I found myself a lot more bored than I anticipated. The single player experience is basically non-existent, with the campaign being finished in a mere couple hours. Multiplayer is the meat and potatoes, and if that just isn’t your thing, I’d recommend holding off on it for now. But, if the thrill of one on one duels and the nature of the combat sound appealing, you’ll find more than enough to satisfy here.
This in no way means Hitman Episode 3 is a bad episode or not enjoyable. It was still enjoyable to an extent, but it definitely does not hold up to the level of mastery that IO Interactive pulled off with Paris and Sapienza. If this had been a standalone release, or the first mission released in the episodic nature, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable with the rest of the releases going forward. But since this was released in the middle of the life cycle, and there is still three additional missions to go, it doesn’t affect things to drastically.
There’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to patches and potential expansions in the near future. It will be interesting to see if Hello Games takes this approach. More things could easily be added for players to do, and having a bit more diversity in that regard could change this game from something average to something great.
I had high hopes for Mafia 3. It was one of my most anticipated games for the rest of 2016, and I'd by lying to you if I said I wasn't slightly disappointed. Certain aspects of the game are still rather enjoyable, especially the storytelling and the way the game is presented to the player. But I'm not sure if that's enough.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a quick experience into an alternate dimension Legend of Zelda title. While some are going to find the trip a remarkable one, others are simply going to see Oceanhorn as nothing more than a game imitating a much better game. I did enjoy the time spent on the journey, but it just didn't offer enough for me to really want to dig deeper into it. I am excited for the future of the series though, as Cornfox & Bros. can really do something amazing with the sequel.
Mass Effect: Andromeda severely disappointed me with the way the game performed even down to basic things, and I have to reflect that in my final score. I have high hopes for the next installment in the Dragon Age franchise, and I honestly hope this game does not spell the end for Mass Effect. There's clearly another trilogy worth of content here. Please do not abandon ship.
There's a good base of a game in Skul: The Hero Slayer, and fans of the genre will definitely find a few hours of rewarding gameplay offered. The game does work, and well, with only the occasional small graphical glitch that ultimately affected nothing. Running through the game endlessly will grow tiresome quickly for many that play, but for the persistent that find the rare powerful skull, you'll be treated with a very fun time. At $19.99 on Steam, it won't break the bank to pick up Skul: The Hero Slayer, but for all but the hardcore rogue-lite crowd, waiting for a sale or inclusion in some online bundle may be a worthwhile exercise in patience.
Overall, the experience of playing Dirt 5 delivers on what racing fans might expect. The price point for the game is right where it should be at $59.99 even though it is a next-gen title. I recommend playing the game on the PlayStation 5 so you can experience the potential of the DualSense with haptic feedback and the HD rumble. I found myself enjoying Dirt 5 for short bursts of play before wishing I could go back to other blockbuster titles that satiated my hunger for story content and progression. I look forward to seeing how Codemasters improves upon this experience with their next installment in the Dirt franchise.
Luckily for PS5 owners, Bugsnax was added as the first free game for PS+ users, so there was little risk in jumping in to it for any players that enjoy playing online. The end of Bugsnax hit around the 10-hour mark, and I enjoyed most of my time spent on Snaktooth Island. The actual decisions made in the plot, as well as the overall absurd premise, often left me scratching my head more than the mystery of Lizbert’s disappearance, but the bright oddities of this bizarre planet, with its hilariously-combined food creatures and its animated residents, were enough to keep me playing all the way through. My own children enjoyed the silly antics of the bugs as well, and though they didn’t catch to the more adult-themed nuances, were interested in Snaktooth’s tale. If you have a PS5, are subscribed to PS+, and aren’t expecting a masterpiece, then Bugsnax is worth your time as a silly, absurdist escape.
But let’s be honest. You aren’t going to decide to pick up and play Tell Me Why based off of how it performs, how it looks, or even how it sounds. You’re going to pick this up and play it because Dontnod Entertainment has shown that they know how to make an engaging choose-your-own-adventure style of game. As usual for anything published by Xbox Game Studios, the game is available through Xbox Game Pass, and for that reason alone, it’s worth a handful of hours of your time.
Dépanneur Nocturne is only $4.99 on Steam, a measly sum that is worth the price of entry for the handful of hours you can easily spend exploring. There will likely be sales in the future, and I could imagine this being a free game in a future Epic giveaway, but it's always nice to support these small independent studios when I have the opportunity. Dépanneur Nocturne isn't likely to win any year-end awards, but on a Wednesday afternoon in a quiet home, I was happy to be whisked away for a quick diversion from these otherwise hectic times.
Shenmue III is a lifelong dream come true for fans of the franchise, but anyone else may get turned off by its authentic late-90's game design.
There are certainly juggernauts in this genre, such as Stardew Valley, Story of Seasons, and even to an extent, Harvest Moon (though the last true good game in that franchise was before the teams split and we ended up with Story of Seasons here in the West). Doraemon Story of Seasons does a well enough job holding its own while delivering on a beautiful word that consistently calls out for you to explore it, even when you’re not physically sitting there playing it.
This game is not going to be something to appeals to everyone, or even to a large audience of gamers. But there is a dedicated group out there that will appreciate what there is to offer here.
Stranger Things 3: The Game does little to add to the mythos of the Stranger Things universe, but still serves as a worthy companion piece to champions of the Netflix series. Fan service is high in the game and though it rehashes the story of the third season with each step, I didn’t grow weary of controlling the not-so-young-anymore children through their high-stakes adventure. A lot of the charm from the show’s dialogue is lost in the translation to gaming, but much of what you love about Stranger Things is still very much intact. Side quests and collectibles not mentioned in the show fill in the gaps that otherwise would have made the game feel lacking. This game is not a revolution of television tie-in gaming experiences, but offers enough content for the price point to satisfy even a casual watcher of the series.
Every so often, a game comes along that dares to do something different in terms of narrative design and the themes that get explored. The EA Originals lineup of games over the past year has been a blessing in disguise for the company, with the likes of Fe and A Way Out doing quite well both critically and with fan reception. Sea of Solitude is the latest entry into that lineup of games, and the message has been clearly communicated from the very beginning. This is a game about mental health issues and the ups and downs of everyday life as we struggle to get through this together.
I didn’t hate a single minute of my time with Shakedown: Hawaii; in fact, I rather enjoyed almost all of it. The game retails for $19.99, which is a fair price if you are a fan of the genre. Vblank took a pass on the creative storytelling to bring ultimately satisfying and responsive gameplay, and mowing over pedestrians in a hijacked vehicle while shooting an automatic rifle out the window and using a flamethrower to wreak havoc in a trailer park feels (in the most non-psychotic way possible) as fulfilling as you can imagine.