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It’s disappointing that, through shortcomings in design and the platform’s limitations, Iron Man VR isn’t a superhero outing worthy of the story told here, nor the Tony Stark that has carried Marvel’s films into this new age of popcorn cinema.
The upsides to the game heavily outweigh the downsides though; not only is this Burnout at its best, but the sprawling open world of Paradise City gives so many different ways to race and routes to take that eventually you’ll be cruising the city knowing all the shortcuts like the back of your hand. The game misses certain features we’ve become accustomed to, like being able to place waypoints on maps, but other features it is missing would take away from the game – for instance, fast-travel to locations would add loading times that you really forget aren’t actually there once you’ve been playing for a bit.
Battle for Bikini Bottom, despite offering a fair bit of fun, is a testament of antiquated design and, for better or worse, feels entirely like the game you remember from your childhood. There’s certainly a fun afternoon to be had ruining Plankton’s plot to rule Bikini Bottom while spotting the show’s many references with a keen eye, though ultimately Rehydrated is D.O.A.—dry on arrival.
Disintegration could have been a lot worse than an “alright” campaign and a decent multiplayer mode. Given V1 Interactive tried something novel and tried to blend genres and it could have been a directionless mess. What we got, however, was a neat idea with a lot of potential to be something greater, with an execution good enough to prove the concept works. The multiplayer is much better than the campaign, if only because it’s not bogged down with the same design choices as a single-player mode. In saying that, it’s still worth checking out for what could very well end up being the first emergence of a great new genre.
The Last of Us Part II is a spectacular sequel, it’s a brave and unexpected direction for the series, expanding on the world both narratively and mechanically, producing a far sounder and rounded experience that never falters or gets in the way of the game’s clear storytelling strength.
Despite a few issues, Valorant has a compelling combination of twitch shooting and ability focused combat, fueled by kinetic gunplay and the ever-alluring temptation to get better. I’m excited to see where Riot take this title in the future, and as a free-to-play package, I implore you to download it.
Command And Conquer Remastered is a release for the fans with lots of community input that helped piece together this fantastic collection. There’s lots of content to dive into and lots of bonuses included. It's a remaster done right for a game and series-long forgotten. Welcome back, commander.
51 Worldwide Games is a solid mini game collection that will definitely be a fun time among family and friends. There’s some inconsistency (as well as some glaring omissions) in the mini games collection as well as some of the confusing control schemes.
After bouncing so hard off Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I really hoped that the Definitive Edition of this first game in the series might show me why the franchise has such a dedicated fan base. While it took a while to warm up to, by the end of the story I was absolutely invested in the ridiculous story of Shulk and his friends as they fight for the future of their world.
Bar a rather unexciting story, a little lack of nuance in the combat and a couple of misgiving regarding couch co-op, there is a hell of a lot to love and enjoy about Minecraft Dungeons. Rather miraculously, it's managed to pull off being both a game for all types of Minecraft fans and those seeking a challenging dungeon crawler. At launch, it's a little concise sure, but chasing that new loot means I'm not done with it yet, and likely won't be for a while still.
It's hard to deny that Maneater has colossal potential – though the lack of mission variety and some simplistic combat does lend it to feeling repetitious as time goes on. Putting these flaws aside, however, Maneater deserves kudos for an undeniably unique premise and laying a solid foundation for a franchise that developer Tripwire should almost certainly pursue.
At the end of the day, the value of Saints Row: The Third Remastered will wholly depend on either a heady reverence for the original game/series or a penchant for emphatically stupid antics bolstered by puerile humour. There's no denying that the visual overhaul is thoroughly impressive, but little else has been done to make the game feel like anything other than a throwback to the year that put both Pitbull and LMFAO in the Top 10.
Though it pulls a lot of the punches today’s open-world games freely throw, Mafia II is a time capsule in a lot of ways. Not only because its post-World War II Empire Bay lives and breathes only to have its face driven into the dirt by enterprising individuals fixated on the American dream, but because it’s a testament to the timeless, story-driven crime drama. The kind that became extinct once substance was forced to make way for Rockstar’s frenzied brand of mania.
Cloudpunk is a tremendous accomplishment in creating a setting; in the sub-genre of cyberpunk, it knows few rivals. There’s a sense of place that demands your attention and dares you to comb every corner and jaw with every sentient settler. For a game about choice, a simplistic approach to gameplay can, at times, deprive the player of meaningful agency, which feels as though it soars in the face of the message. It’s still an absolute pleasure to drink in this one unforgettable night in Nivalis, Cloudpunk is a frontrunner for indie game of the year.
Streets of Rage 4 is a solid tribute to the genre it arguably helped shape, but this feels like more of the same with a fresh coat of paint rather than an all-out reinvention. What’s on offer here is reminiscent and nostalgic, and still a great time, but it ultimately lacks the oomph to elevate it beyond the games that came before it.
As a spin-off, Gears Tactics has strong core gameplay, but unfortunately surrounding areas in the design hold it back from being greater.
Moving Out is one of the best games that the couch co-op party game genre has seen and I implore you to play it, especially during the current times that we're going through. There was a moment where my girlfriend and I were quickly hurrying to carry our last few pieces of furniture to the truck, but kept running into obstacles (a level full of rakes), and what started as small giggles quickly evolved into uncontrollable laughter. It's these kind of moments that makes games like this a success, and Moving Out delivers greatly in this regard.
There are parts of XCOM: Chimera Squad that will definitely disappoint long-time fans of the franchise. As a spin-off that departs in some significant ways from the true, mainline experience, XCOM: Chimera Squad is an excellent entry-level strategy game that’ll still provide a decent challenge to those looking to dip their toes in.
Full of ear-splitting energy, Modern Warfare 2's role in pioneering the cinematic, spellbinding first-person shooter can't be understated. With the world at a standstill, and with their careful and scrupulous translation of an undoubted classic, Beenox ignites the flare and call people back to this middle chapter, and where it all began for so many.
At the end of it all, even under immense scrutiny and in spite of some disappointing shortcomings, there's no getting around the fact that I had a giant grin on my face for just about the entirety of Final Fantasy VII Remake. It's an enjoyable enough game if you're a casual fan of Final Fantasy or action RPGs, but if you're in it for the fandom you may just have your mind blown.