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There is no other way to say it, but RiME has certainly surprised me, in its ambitious narrative approach, enjoyable environmental puzzles and stunning visual/audio combination. The journey lasted much longer than I was expecting, roughly six to eight hours depending on your playstyle. Seeking out the collectibles is the main reason to explore the game multiple times.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is at least a somewhat fresh take on the Warriors system. It's still enjoyable and it offers some new elements, even if the overall affair is what we've come to expect from these games. Some major added benefits though include the game's more polished graphics and ability to render even more enemies on screen. It makes some of those battles truly feel gigantic.
Narcosis feels designed for VR, and as such, it's a relatively short experience, lasting only a handful of hours. The game runs smoothly on Xbox One, and even without VR, I found the game unnerving. The fear of the pitch dark unknown on the ocean with all sorts of nightmarish creatures is enough to give me nightmares. Combine it with the disturbing imagery and the death of all your colleagues, and you have an intriguing premise with some great narrative set pieces.
The Surge is without a doubt one of the best Souls-like titles to be released. Deck 13 has certainly proven that they have listened to the feedback from their previous game, and has crafted an epic sci-fi action RPG. While boss encounters are vastly unique, the journey to their location is the highlight in The Surge. Even so, The Surge still puts up quite a challenge, but rewards players that equip gear and implants that match their play style.
Super Rude Bear Resurrection is a trial of patience, not only when vying to complete levels without dying, but attempting to get past certain puzzles that can quickly raise the death counter to double digits. Even so, the inclusion of persisting corpses makes the game more accessible, something that I am very thankful for. Honestly, I'd probably never be able to finish the game any other way.
NBA Playground feels straight out of the 90s arcade scene, with crazy maneuvers, and fast-paced two-on-two NBA action. The dueling commentators do make the occasional cringe worthy joke, that sadly will get repeated throughout the match based on the players competing. Saber has proven they are willing to improve the online experience and with regular content updates, NBA Playgrounds could keep fans clamoring for this type of arcade sports game playing for quite some time.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 has some good moments when you focus on the sniping aspect set in the open world environment. It's a shame it suffers from several bugs and feels a little misguided. I couldn't find myself invested in the main character or the plight of anyone around me, but rather I was just interested in the game's excellent array of weaponry and ability to kill everyone. Maybe that's a bad sign, but to my defense, hunting down collectibles gets old.
Telltale games are all about narrative choices and living with the consequences. Episode One does tend to feel linear, especially after multiple playthroughs led to the same conclusion, however that doesn't mean your choices won't change things in later episodes. There are a handful of major choices that should affect the overall narrative. There are also a bunch of easter eggs regarding the universe and characters outside of the Guardians that some may miss if they rush through the game. With that said, the old-school music selections in the game is enjoyable, as well as some good voice acting with some funny dialogue sequences.
Puyo Puyo Tetris is quite an experience, blending two of the most popular puzzle games into a single entity. The game's story is full of charming characters, and the entire visual style of the game is bright and colorful. It is one of the better local multiplayer experience on the Nintendo Switch right now, and if you are looking for a unique challenge, try playing against some of the best players in the world.
NeuroVoider is an addicting twin-stick shooter, with plenty of replay value if you have friends or family that enjoy local multiplayer. I really dig the game's aesthetics, and the slight bend of the visuals give it a classic game feel. There are tons of different weapons and equipment pieces to combine, each with their own unique colors and visual appearance. The lack of online multiplayer is disappointing, but I've enjoyed playing through daily runs but would have also liked to see more things carry over to new runs outside of the stat screen. The nemesis enemy is a good step, but failing to reach that level on the next run means you lose everything.
Voodoo Vince is a solid title and something parents and kids will enjoy. It has enough zaniness to keep your attention and, while I'm not a fan of collectibles myself, it doesn't go out of its way to make those a difficult chore. Admittedly, most non-parent adult fans may not be thrilled at the prospect of playing through a game without guns or explosions, but it's charming enough to get by on its own. The story is fun, Vince is a quirky little doll, and seeing a magical take on New Orleans makes for a very good time.
Samir Rebib's journey of seeing his childhood creation come to life has to be a dream come true, and even though Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom has its problems, this indie action RPG is a lot of fun. Dungeons are quite expansive, featuring unique boss encounters that go beyond simply mashing buttons. They also serve to help flesh out the relationships between the characters, but it's just a shame there aren't more of them.
Andromeda is not a terrible game, but it's not what could have been. I applaud BioWare for what they've done with the game and their willingness to accept the original trilogy "as is" while branching out into a wildly different territory. The introduction of the Kett, the mystery surrounding the Remnant, and the new combat system makes this game a fun experience in its own right. Tossing in the extra baggage of tedious/pointless quests, annoying glitches (hopefully fixed by the first major patch), and a general empty feeling makes me wonder about what might have been.
Flinkhook is an enjoyable game, with worthy permanent upgrades that can help in each consecutive run. There are weekly and daily challenges, and even more complicated versions of bosses that you can unlock if you nothing else to purchase. The use of slowing down time and your grappling hook makes for a highly agile protagonist
With Persona 5, Atlus has outdone themselves, crafting a thrilling narrative while balancing the social life of the characters. The world is designed with rich, and vibrant colors, and although the dungeons are no longer procedurally generated, I've enjoyed exploring them with my ragtag group of thieves. There are an infinite amount of possibilities thanks to the open end nature of players choices different things to focus on in their character's social lives. If you ever feel overwhelmed, you can always check the Thieves Guild, letting you see what others players did at that precise moment. Persona 5 is certainly a stylish RPG, and while the opening few hours is slowly than I would like, by the time you are freely able to explore the first and second palace, you are well accustomed to the game's mechanics.
Yooka-Laylee is exactly the type of game that Playtonic Games set out to create when they initially launched the Kickstarter for the game. It is in every sense of the word a spiritual; successor to the Banjo-Kazooie franchise. It's a true return to the collect-a-thon games that were great back on the Nintendo 64, but many of the game's core mechanics feel archaic on today's platforms.
Snake Pass is a highly enjoyable and charming puzzle-platformer full of character. Attempting to collect all of the coins and orbs can lead to a few frustrating deaths, especially if you didn't reach a checkpoint. Playing the game on a PlayStation 4 Pro, I did experience some micro stuttering that would occur randomly, but nothing that took away from the experience. In fact, Snake Pass does feature a 4K resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) support if you have a compatible display. The game's audio is superb, composed by David Wise (Donkey Kong Country) fitting in with the vibrant art and characters full of expressions. Just like in LBP, you can change Noodle's expressions using the directional pad.
Too often in Rain World, death does not feel warranted, as the ruthless creatures make any attempt to advance truly punishing. I felt that many times that there was simply no way to avoid dying, which in turns sets you back in your progress to locate new areas to explore. There are thrilling moments in the game, but the poor design decisions in the game hamper any enjoyment.
Although V7 Entertainment may improve the experience and I do enjoy the visual look to the game, Old Time Hockey does not play well. I was looking forward to playing something akin to the games I played growing up, but the game didn't come together. Skating doesn't feel as tight as it should, shooting lacks one-timers, passing feels too stiff, and fighting is lackluster and barely functional. The visual style certainly captures the look of the era, with thick mustaches and mullets, and small backyard arenas.
Although Jon St. John (known for voicing Duke Nukem) is the voice of Jack Boyd, I found myself not genuinely caring how the narrative played out. I thoroughly enjoyed the management sim portion of the game and could see myself play through a sandbox mode for quite some time, if one is ever added. Add randomized cases and crimes, and it could be something special, but as it is, the lack of true freedom in the narrative holds the game back. Having your playthrough cut short after only a handful of days because you wouldn’t listen to the mayor’s racist request is something that should not happen. Don’t give the player a false sense of choice when in practice there is only one way to play the game.