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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.
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.
Botany Manor is a lovely little puzzle game that's relaxing, engaging, beautiful, and approachable. It's a great first game from Balloon Studios with a lot of charm, but it's not perfect, and it's even shorter than I expected. Being a day-one addition to Xbox Game Pass, though, makes it stupendously easy to recommend Botany Manor for an afternoon of fun.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is an enigma of a game. Every aspect of it, every system, and every quest is a jigsaw puzzle to solve — that experience will not be for everyone. But it was for me. Playing through Dragon's Dogma 2 without a guide was a truly fantastic experience, with a near-constant drip-feed of "eureka!" moments alongside spectacularly rewarding combat highs. Dragon's Dogma 2 celebrates the patient and committed. For those looking for a relaxing and straightforward experience, perhaps look elsewhere. And it's certainly true that Dragon's Dogma 2 has flaws — particularly with performance on consoles. However, for those who want cavernous depth at every turn, Dragon's Dogma 2 may be your game of the year.
Lightyear Frontier's development team is determined to bring its debut indie game to life. Despite an indefinite delay, the game's well-defined roadmap for expected updates promises an exceptional, comforting gaming experience. Although there's still room for improvement, the early-access farming simulator could transform into the cooperative game of my dreams.
The Outlast Trials delivers a scary uncertainty with immersive gameplay that harkens back to the first Outlast game. This is a fun title that has a good amount of difficulty to it, where you can play it solo and still have fun even though this is mainly a co-oping experience.
The Thaumaturge's gritty, demon-taming take on the monster collecting genre is a welcome twist. Taking place in 1905 Poland, there is certainly some language and actions in the game that can feel uncomfortable, but it all works with the overarching theme of struggling with mental health and personal flaws. Despite the sensitive nature of the story, Fool's Theory does well to not over sensationalize traumatic story beats. Gameplay is simple and engaging, and the combat is easy to learn but can be challenging on higher difficulties.
Nightingale is a game I wanted to love. It's a game I kept telling myself and others about whenever more information came out about it. I was excited, enthralled, and mystified by the idea of it. It pains me to say my experience left a sour taste in my mouth. It's as though everything is half-baked at this point. With that said, it's early access, and what the developers have lined up could be a fascinating game once finished.
Solium Infernum does a great job capturing the machinations of Hell's denizens in a fun strategy game that doesn't overstay its welcome. Amazing artwork and some unique mechanics help it to shine, though some tedious systems drag the pace down in longer games.
Helldivers 2 is a fantastic co-op game where anything can and will go wrong, thanks to several clever design choices. Calling in orbital bombardments while laying waste to alien swarms and robot armies has never been more fun. However, server capacity remains an ongoing problem for anyone looking to get in.
Persona 3 Reload has done a fantastic job reimagining Persona 3 for modern consoles. The revamped combat system is fun, the improved graphical presentation is a sight to behold, and the story and characters have been refined with new scenes that flesh them out more than the original game. If you’re a Persona fan or JRPGs, this game is a must-have for your collection.
While still in early access, Palworld is far more polished and engaging than many other creature-collecting games out there. The inclusion of survival mechanics, challenging combat, crafting, and exploration all work together to make one of the most compelling games in years. Since you can play with your friends in co-op multiplayer, it's also a great way to be social with friends.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a fun RPG with stellar writing that truly captures the dark future of eternal war. Choices and options aplenty never detract from or feel ill-suited to the setting, and a clever layout makes this a solid entry point for any Warhammer newcomers. There are a number of bugs to be wary of, with progression issues popping up from time to time.
Dune: Spice Wars is a solid strategy experience that allows players to win or lose through politics, not just combat. The game clearly uses Dune as a setting, not just an aesthetic. The Xbox controls can be convoluted to learn, however, and the tiny UI elements could present a challenge for some prospective players.
A charming and amusing way to spend a spare hundred hours managing your own bath house and meeting troublesome spirits. This is the kind of game that Xbox Game Pass is perfect at getting into the hands of players. Spirittea is a small and quirky but otherwise amazing adventure you shouldn't miss out on.
Persona 5 Tactica is an enjoyable Strategy RPG spin-off romp despite featuring a relatively run-of-the-mill 'good versus evil' storyline. The tactical gameplay elements are filled with exciting and engaging ideas alongside welcome quality-of-life improvements. If you're a die-hard Persona 5 fan who enjoys strategy games, you absolutely will get a kick out of Tactica. However, those looking for a serious challenge will likely find they breeze through the mostly undemanding combat.
The Awakened King DLC offers more for $10 than I've seen in any recent expansion from any game. After 15 hours and over three playthroughs, I still haven't found everything this return to Losomn has to offer. It was an absolutely stunning start to Gunfire Games' three planned DLCs.
The Talos Principle 2 may be approachable and forgiving without combat or fail states, but that doesn't mean the puzzles are easy to run through. As the player makes their way through the gauntlet of challenges, the puzzles become increasingly more complex. From moving boxes to bending gravity, things can escalate quickly.
Football Manager 2024 continues in its tradition of being the premier football management game. It provides the same addictiveness and familiarity of the previous games, whilst bringing solid improvements to make a slightly stale yearly release feel worth the investment.