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This may seem like a short review, but I promise, I just about covered everything. If you like hard roguelikes such as Devil Daggers, The Binding of Isaac, and more, then this is right up your alley. You can find it on Steam, Humble, Green Man Gaming, and more. Head to tormentorxpunisher.com to see a full list of stores.
Still, that nostalgia is a powerful motivator, and ZeniMax and Bethesda have delivered on it almost perfectly. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to return to Morrowind, take a ship from one of TESO’s capital cities and get ready to ride a silt strider down memory lane. You won’t be disappointed.
The fact remains, despite drawbacks, Mages of Mystralia is a promising start to Borealys' life as a game studio. There's abundant charm, tight controls, and enough ingenuity to make me confident that Mages' real story is only just beginning. Bring on a Switch version, and bring on a sequel!
Tokyo 42 is just a lot of fun. You can play in short bursts, or long play sessions and still feel satisfied that you accomplished something. Running around the large map, seeing a collectible perched on a ledge will make you forget about anything but figuring out how to get to it. Acquiring cash needed to purchase bigger and badder guns never felt like a tedious chore, the game rewards you in numerous ways with mission rewards, secret coins, and drops from fallen gang members.
I actually volunteered to play Syberia 3 after watching the trailers. I even went so far as to play for a few hours on PlayStation 4 to see if the experience would be different. Sadly, it was not. It seemed like a game with such promise and that it would somehow be something more than what it ultimately became. To say that I am disappointed is to understate things greatly. Let’s hope that Microids lets the Syberia IP go, or at least wait a good long while before making another one that is worthy of the first two games because Syberia 3 isn’t it.
Between the narrative content, progression systems, and team management, Impact Winter is far more than a simple scavenging simulator. It still embraces the joy of exploration, but challenges players to balance a multitude of risks. Like many story driven games, replay value can feel somewhat limited by the adherence to a script and the game’s achievement system adds little to this. Despite these niggles, I adored wandering the wilds with Jacob. If you have a hankering for a survival game that has some depth to it and own a controller, then Impact Winter is a solid choice.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers does a great job of scratching that nostalgic itch and has a few bonus features but overall the package feels like a misstep. At $15 to $20 I’d have no problem recommending this to everyone out there. However at $40 for physical or digital download it feels like Capcom got a little greedy and put minimal effort into this port but is an attempt to extract a premium price. With classic Neo Geo fighters appearing on the Nintendo eShop for $7.99 this price difference seems even more glaring.
I don’t really see Dawn of Andromeda having much in the way of longevity. They’re late to the market, don’t offer enough true innovation to stand out in any way, and happen to be releasing while several other really good options in the same genre are being actively updated. About the only people that I would expect to see picking it up would be those few like me that play pretty much every 4X, but I’d still have to advise my fellow strategists to give this one a pass.
For fans of tactical RPGs Regalia of Men and Monarchs is a must buy. The combat can be challenging and frustrating at times though there is a story mode available for people who would like a bit of a simpler game experience. Regalia had far more story and content in general than I was expecting going into the game and everything is executed really well.
The men and women of NetherRealm Studios are on my wavelength because Injustice 2 is the most content-rich fighting game I’ve ever played, the first one in ages to captivate me and keep me coming back for more.
The game has a lot of complexity but thankfully has a wonderful, mostly text-based, tutorial system which sprinkles in some actual in-game play. It’s a nice system to introduce you to, and walk you through, the rather complex game elements. The game is a unique turn-based tactical RPG that will initially require some trial and error as well an upfront time investment, including potentially starting over early, to learn the mechanics but it’s an exploration worth pursuing!
If you’re looking for a unique multiplayer arena brawler ‘Black & White Bushido’ will deliver. It offers a unique enough take on the genre to set itself apart. With its simple controls and minimalist style, it is easy to pick up and enjoy. My only real concern is the lackluster single player (which to be fair really wasn’t their focus) and lack of content for the console release. With a console release date of May 17th and at a 10.00 price tag, You’ll more than likely get your money’s worth if you decide to pick it up.
It took me a little under 30 hours to complete the main game. The game was a complete saga. I bring this up because Nintendo has an aggressive DLC schedule planned for this latest Fire Emblem edition that may push the boundaries of decency. A season pass costs $5 more than the actual game. There are even two dungeons that are tied to the Alm and Celica Amiibos. This is another $25 if you want all the content for Echoes. All said that’s $110. But rest assured that when you spend your $40 you are buying a complete experience. Not a skeleton that will be fleshed out by nickel and diming you.
There are only a few RPGs on the Switch so far, but Disgaea 5 is nothing short of one of the best. If you’re at all a fan of JRPGs or tactics games, this is a must buy. Even if you had it on the PS4, its inclusion on the Switch and portable greatness make it one of the system’s must owns early in its life.
As you break into the second act of The Surge, the difficulty spikes but that’s expected. The first boss and the run up to it is just a taste of what’s to come. You have to learn new patterns, how to defeat new enemies, and that means you’re going to die some more. But the beauty of The Surge is that when you die you don’t ever feel like it’s the game being cheap on you. You know it’s something you did or didn’t do, and you’re eager to get back and try again. That’s what Lords of the Fallen was missing, and what The Surge gets just right. When combined with the crafting, gear, and intrigue of the story, The Surge comes into its own as not “just another Souls-like”. This is a great Action RPG and one of the best of the year so far in an already crowded 2017. If you like difficult Action RPGs, The Surge is your next addiction.
In the end, Prey is a really, really good game. I’d even venture that it’s borderline great. While I can and will ding it a bit for the annoyance of repetitive returns to previous locations and for the overly annoying mimics (particularly from an aural standpoint), there is so much to like, so much to discover, so much to learn that I would put Prey up there as one of the best games of the year so far and that’s some pretty impressive company.
If you are a fan of Warhammer this game will be fun. If you are a naval battle game fan, you may enjoy some of the oddball elements like sea monsters and tactically attacking other ships. The story is good as well. The only area that Man O’ War needs work is in its interface. The game just needs some polish and design updates to run smoothly. Hopefully, the team will keep updating and we will get to see a lot more in the game soon. Once the game is running more smoothly it will be a fun adventure.
Dawn of War III is a solid RTS title in its own right. It is a pretty big departure for Relic in terms of mechanics, and that might not sit right with some players. But it hits a lot really great notes. Whether you enjoy it might be a factor of just what it is you love about Relic’s games and about RTS in general, but I can see myself happily playing it for years to come.
... the apparent lack of content paired with the difficulty spike in the solo Tournament mode means NBA Playgrounds is just two big steps away from being a great game. Right now, it’s merely pretty good.
Overall though, there’s not a lot I can fault Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for. It’s a remake, sure, but it’s also the best the series has ever been and now a family favorite in my house. Oh, and I barely even mentioned the return of the excellent Battle Mode and all its arena-based kart combat fun. This one is highly recommended, and I only hopes Nintendo releases more content in the future.