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For those new to the XCOM series, I would definitely recommend including War of the Chosen with your first play through of XCOM 2 as it deepens the total experience and breaks up any monotony that was in the vanilla version. I have about another 30 hours until I manage to beat the expansion, but I know that when I do I’ll immediately start up a new game to experience it all over again.
Before you pick this game up, know what you are getting yourself into. It gets messy and you may only play it once. This is not a game you play for the fun, but for the feelings. So, be open to getting a little uncomfortable… and don’t blame the onions, it’s ok if you tear up a bit.
For decades Capcom has been at the forefront of making compelling and high-quality 2D fighters. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that despite how polished the game feels, with its newly revamped audio tracks, revitalized roster and extemporaneous movement abilities, that I still long for the days where the X-Men filled the ranks of playable characters. While that is a hot button point of contention with the game and its fans, Marvel Versus Capcom: Infinite is by far and large the highest quality and, not to mention, most fun 2D fighting game to come out in years.
Warriors All-Stars adds a few fun new additions to the series, but ultimately falls short at making itself stand out for any reason other than the cast. It allows many of Koei Tecmo’s stars from multiple games to meet up and cause massive amounts of mayhem in the name of good, but adds no interesting mechanics or hooks outside of continuing to provide a great Musou experience.
Since its release, Minecraft has been inspiring generations to use their imagination in order to create and to harness the collaborative possibilities that the game’s universe presents to the player. In the vacuum of story or purpose, Telltale Games seeks to draw our curiosities back into the pixelated world of blockheads once more to discover the hero that lies within, the calamity to defeat, and a pig that’s people, too.
At the end of the day as you travel the road to be a Kung Fu master isn’t that all that really matters? Standing your ground and fighting as best as you can? Or perhaps you seek the road of the Drunken Master, that road exists as well.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you want this game, period. I didn’t know I wanted this mashup, but now that we have it, I can’t wait for the DLC, and I definitely want sequels.
Metronomicon Slay the Dance Floor is a ton of fun and I hope to see more rhythm RPGs in the future. The soundtrack is also top notch and I often had various songs stuck in my head long after I stopped playing. For anyone who likes RPGs and Rhythm games, this is one you won't want to pass up.
Madden NFL 18 isn’t the giant leap of the series, but I’m not entirely sure anyone really expects it to be. It is noticeably different than its predecessor, namely because of the Longshot mode. And while I didn’t walk away from the Longshot story a huge fan – it’s definitely worth a shot if you’re looking for something different in your Madden experience. However, if you just wanted more of the same, this isn’t necessarily a bad year to skip the game and save your money. That’s not to say the game is bad – it’s not. However, I’m not sure it does enough differently than it’s predecessor – and the things it does differently I’m not sure they do them well enough – to warrant a purchase day one.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Sonic Mania, and it’s a clear example of just how successful fan-created passion projects can be when they’re nurtured by a studio. I’m also hopeful that the 2D journey doesn’t end here either, but encourages Sega to continue further down this road with even more new content in the future. In the meantime, 3D fans have Sonic Forces to look forward to when it launches later this year.
If you’re a die-hard petrol-head like me, F1 2017 is an absolute must-buy. As fun as I’m sure the upcoming Forza 7 on Xbox One and GT Sport on PS4 will be this year, there are few experiences as exhilarating as driving an F1 monster of a car through the twisting streets of Monaco, and Codemasters’ newest entry delivers the definitive experience.
While the narrative takes a long time to really find its proper pacing and return on early character emotional investment, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of Earth delivers an immersive, enjoyable storytelling experience. The art and voice acting combines into a grim world that, despite an initially slow pace, pulls players in and does not let go as it has them putting on blankets to fight off the cold of 1135 England.
With over 100 different levels to play through – including boss battles, skills challenges, hidden passages, an in-game arcade, and a variety of extras to unlock (cosmetics, arts, headgear, and characters), Slime-san boasts hours of gameplay for the hardcore completionist. If you like platformers with a high level of difficulty, have a high threshold for failure (spoilers: you’re going to do a lot of it) or are a sucker for catchy chiptunes, Slime-san is the game for you.
Regardless of its lax difficulty and lack of replay value, Hey! Pikmin has been utterly adorable and fun to play through. If you’re a fan of the franchise and don’t go in expecting it to be a mobile sequel, but rather a casual spinoff of the series, you’ll be pleased. Folks waiting on a new full-scale Pikmin will have to hope the Switch gets one in the coming year.
Sadly, Phantom Trigger is over as soon as it hits its stride. It takes only about 5 hours or so to play through, though this can be extended if you’re set on uncovering every little detail and pick-up. For $15, it’s not a bad deal, but Phantom Trigger is a unique and surreal experience – one I hoped would have lasted a little longer. If you’re a fan of Hyper Light Drifter, Kamiko, and other games of this little RPG sub genre, Phantom Trigger comes recommended.
Agents of Mayhem proudly barrels out into the world as a robust and absolutely fun single player experience. If you want an escape from the grimdark settings of most modern games, but still want to make things go boom, you should stop reading and pick it up now. Above all else, Agents of Mayhem is a master class in fun.
I’ll close as I opened. I found Sudden Strike 4 to be merely adequate. It has a (to me) wonderful array of clever mechanics that promise interesting tactical gameplay, but a laundry list of quibbles ends up draining the glamor from the game. It’s very hard to recommend Sudden Strike over any of the other tactical offerings out there right now, which feels to me to be a shame.
Nidhogg 2 isn’t a feature heavy game. It could use leaderboards, maybe more game modes, and more weapons, sure. But it’s about the frantic gameplay, the hilarious level design and flopping of bodies across the levels. It’s about laughing with the person you’re trying to skewer. And listen – any game that lets you fight inside the bowels of a dying Nidhogg and escape through its sphincter is alright by us.
Miitopia isn’t a fantastic game, but it’s a great casual RPG for fans of the genre, and an even better introduction for newbies to the world of role-playing games. If your kid is the type who longs to go on the epic adventures they see you playing all the time, I’d recommend it for sure. If you’re looking for a satisfying RPG experience for yourself, I might wait for a price drop or go play Bravely Default again.
By the time the first episode is over in The Enemy Within, you’re going to be left wondering just how far Telltale can push Bruce Wayne, and just how dark this series can get. It’s a fantastic example of Telltale at its best, and if you’re a fan of these games, you need to pick The Enemy Within up and get playing. If you’ve yet played the original Telltale Batman series, get it too. This one is made richer by playing its predecessor.