Windows Central
HomepageWindows Central's Reviews
Some story reveals aren't expounded on nearly enough for my taste, and I certainly wish we had more time to explore some regions of Thedas that we're finally getting to see in a game. I'll forever mourn no longer directly controlling my companions. When all is said and done though, every prior Dragon Age game has managed to make me feel something, to grow attached to characters, cheering for their victories and mourning their passing. By that ultimate personal metric, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a success.
Slay the Princess is a critically acclaimed visual novel that has enjoyed a ton of positive reception, and now it's on consoles with all-new paths, endings, dialogue, and art. It's an excellent expansion of an already-great game that reminds me of The Stanley Parable in the best, most terrifying way possible. However, the user interface and menus still lack refinement and I encountered several technical issues — I have to review the game as it is now, and it's a little rough around the edges.
Starfield: Shattered Space returns to Bethesda's design roots, giving a singular location to explore in a DLC that's tinged with terror. Despite not exploring this science-fiction horror tone as much as I'd have liked, it's still a fun experience worth checking out, with art direction that's genuinely stunning.
Ara: History Untold is challenging the heavy hitters in a very competitive genre, but stands out thanks to its unique approach to 4X grand strategy and innovative mechanics. It's a gorgeous and polished turn-based strategy game that hooks you with "one more turn" and keeps you hooked with its flexible and varied strategy gameplay.
The Plucky Squire combines 2D action-adventure with 3D platforming for a 4th wall breaking good time while serving as a family-friendly love letter to the art and literature that creatively inspires us.
Frostpunk 2 pushes the boundaries on what a city-building game and a survival experience can be, telling stories of human hope and despair in tandem. With beautiful visuals and a radically increased gameplay scope over its predecessor, only a handful of issues mar the ice.
World's Edge and its partners successfully revive the most underrated Age of Empires game with the launch of Age of Mythology: Retold. More than a pure definitive edition, this classic strategy game gets a full-blown remake with smart gameplay changes and a bevy of options to make it approachable. Aside from a few bugs and glitches that should be addressed, it's a phenomenal game for RTS fans to sink their teeth into.
A fun game for any Star Wars fan.
At its core, Black Myth: Wukong is a good action RPG with excellent combat mechanics, phenomenal cinematic boss battles, and some of the best audiovisual presentation in modern gaming. Unfortunately, however, it's held back from true greatness by very underwhelming level designs, poor enemy variety, and a completely redundant gear system.
Flintlock is a fun "Soulslite" that has an interesting plot despite bad storytelling. It will hook you with its satisfying combat, fast-paced exploration, and fascinating environments. You're armed with an axe, a pistol, and magic while going up against both human and supernatural foes with a fox-like creature at your side. Knowing when to use what attack makes all the difference. There are three difficulty modes to choose from, so you can find the best playing experience. Plus, this game allows you to pause whenever you want, making it more accommodating than other Soulslike games out there.
Capcom's new franchise takes another stab at combining action and strategy game genres, and it does so with great success. This tower-defense-like pits you against varied hordes of enemies across diverse challenge stages dripping with style, and it's a lot of fun to conquer. It can sometimes be frustrating more than invigorating, though.
Ubisoft's free-to-play first-person arena shooter is less Call of Duty and more Overwatch, but the Snowdrop engine shines even on maps that are way too large for their purpose. Weapon grinds are sluggish, leaving players with more time in the game access to better attachments, while newcomers struggle to even leave their spawns. The lack of skill based matchmaking is being celebrated by influencers on social media, but in practice it makes for unbalanced matches where high ranking players are steamrolling beginners, even in the Welcome Playlist.
A game like Senua's Saga: Hellblade II can only be the result of years of passion and talent, captivating you with its unbelievable visuals, impeccable audio design, and powerful thought-provoking narrative. It's a veritable masterpiece, but it's just shy of perfection thanks to an average PC port and some minor criticisms.
Homeworld 3 offers the experience of handling a full fleet with aplomb through tactical gameplay options that live up to and build on the systems of its predecessors. With gorgeous atmosphere and crisp audio design, it's a game that asks big questions of its new cast of characters with some solid writing. Not every narrative decision lands, but Homeworld 3 stands on its own feet as a worthy new entry in the long-running franchise.
Mundane chores in a convent and trekking across the frozen Russian tundra as a Nun doesn't sound like the best way to spend an evening, but the devil is in the details, here. Odd Meter, the developers behind Indika, have found a way to make this seemingly simple story work with the power of environmental puzzles, dark humor, and light psychological horror. Oh, and just a touch of experimental game design. You love to see it.
Thrones of Decay is a strong addition to the DLC roster for Total War: Warhammer 3. New leaders, units, and faction mechanics make multiple races worth revisiting, but the Dwarfs end up feeling left behind compared to the forces of the Empire and Nurgle.
Despite a few downsides, I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Another Crab's Treasure. The game's humor was a standout feature that had me laughing out loud on several occasions. As a fan of soulslike experiences, I can confidently say that it's one of the few AA games that's truly worth playing through. What's more, it's incredibly accessible to play, making it a great entry point for newcomers to the genre.
I never thought we'd return to a time when we got so much from a $10 DLC, but here we are. Not only does The Forgotten King deliver what fans have come to expect, but it's a terrific entry point for newcomers as well.
Zau's journey with grief is compounded by his desire to be a valued member of his society, and to fill the empty footsteps left behind by his father's death. Surgent Studio's efforts to twist the heartbreaking experience of a son mourning his father with metroidvania style gameplay gives homage to how one person's time with grief is not always linear. Just as grief presents new challenges, we learn new tools to cope with the obstacles. It is an excellent juxtaposition that is marred with some frustrating technical issues and the need for just a bit more polish.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an enjoyable JRPG that old-school and new JRPG fans alike will enjoy. It has dozens of playable heroes to recruit and sidequests to complete, the combat system is intuitive and satisfying and the 2D-HD graphics are pleasing to look at. While the storyline, characters, and mini-games are relatively simplistic and there’s lots of micro-management required, these issues do not deter from the game’s positive qualities.