Nexus Hub's Reviews
The Crew Motorfest manages to be an incredibly entertaining racing sandbox experience, despite the expected presence of Ubisoft’s monetization and trademark sterility. While some questionable design choices drag the title’s overall quality down a notch, my time in digital Hawaii was largely a memorable and enjoyable one.
Mortal Kombat 1 takes a back-to-basics approach to its combat, characters and story that rewards both newcomers and long-time fans in equal measures. It's a narratively satisfying, fresh restart that the series desperately needed after nearly three decades.
Starfield is a game that somehow enthralls me and irritates me in equal measure. On one hand, you’ve got a compelling galaxy-sized rabbit hole you can lose yourself in for hours on end, with complex questlines, refined role-playing mechanics, and that “new IP” freshness that makes it easy to ignore the flaws for a while. The problem is the more time you invest, the more procedurally generated content you experience, and the less rewarding the experience becomes.
Enchanted Portals is a soulless, disappointing attempt at capturing the magic and ingenuity that filled Cuphead to the brim. Its bland gameplay, frustrating controls, and erratic difficulty spikes (for all the wrong reasons) don’t hold a candle to the mostly pleasant visual elements on display here.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a once-in-a-generation masterpiece made with care and passion by the talented Larian Studios that elevates not only the RPG genre, but the entire gaming medium - packed with creative spins on classic fantasy tropes, excellent writing, terrific world-building and some of the most well-written characters in gaming.
I’m sure many will come to Sea of Stars as a direct result of the nostalgia factor and artistic appeal, ultimately staying for the easy-to-grasp combat and enjoyable gameplay. The story might not be particularly revolutionary, and a few side characters may rub you the wrong way, but the sheer fun factor rises above all other potentially detracting elements to deliver a truly memorable experience.
Immortals of Aveum, while not exactly doing anything revolutionary in the grand scheme of things, is still a good time. The original setting, core gameplay, and solid combat mechanics are the true stars here, outshining the few issues threatening to put a damper on the overall experience.
It's not a deep experience and many might leave unsatisfied by its sluggish pacing, dialogue and story. Atlas Fallen is an easy recommend on sale but for now, 2023 has a lot more to offer.
Exoprimal is an excellent competitive multiplayer experience with a bright future ahead of it and my first pick as far as dino slaying games are concerned – it’s just a pity that the drawn-out delivery of gameplay, a limited map pool, and high rate of repetition (especially early on) dampens the overall experience.
Synapse makes good use of virtual reality and the DualSense controller through its mind-bending action and distinct visuals but repetition sets in far too quickly.
Final Fantasy XVI is not perfect and won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it personally hit almost all of the right notes for me to consider it an absolute must-play and a refreshingly mature take on the franchise. The combat is highly addictive, the story is captivating and the Eikon battles are jaw-dropping spectacles.
Diablo 4 is undoubtedly one of the best games that Blizzard has ever made with a well-written story, though the company's poor handling of post-launch content has dampened what could've been an otherwise phenomenal experience.
Street Fighter 6 is not just a comeback for Capcom, but for fighting games entering next-generation consoles as a whole. It feels like a passion project made by a group of people who were tasked by Capcom to make the last Street Fighter we would ever want to play. With its fast-paced gameplay, beautifully implemented new mechanics, and timeless visuals, Street Fighter 6 has solidified itself among the fighting game hall of fame.
When I say I did not have a great time roaming around Middle-earth, it’s coming from a place of genuine disappointment and frustration – rather than as a result of any preconceived notions.
You don’t have to be a puzzle game god to enjoy Humanity. The folks over at Enhance and THA Limited have imbued this game with the power to attract and convince even the most uninterested party to grab a controller and just give it a try. Humanity is, quite simply, a damn good time.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a worthy successor to Breath of the Wild and one of the best games on Nintendo Switch. While it won't win over players who weren't swept away by its predecessor, the sequel does everything in its power to be a true evolution of the formula. Inventive gameplay, a gorgeous presentation, beautiful soundtrack, and incredibly immersive exploration all add up to create a near-masterpiece of endless possibilities.
We know Arkane is capable of so much more which is why this feels like such a disappointment and a step back for the studio. Some inspired ideas and a creative concept can't hold Redfall up from buckling under its own blood-drenched weight. On the bright side, it's on Game Pass.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a bigger but not necessarily better sequel to Fallen Order. However, it excels in key areas including slightly improved combat, locations that are larger in scope, more nuanced and introspective character writing, and a terrific, gripping narrative.
If you can get over the often daft AI, mild learning curve with systems that might be pretty complex for younger players, and few performance issues, then you might be swayed by its charm. It has a lot of heart and that's where it shines the brightest.
The addictive blend of over-the-top action, intense combat, beautiful and diverse surroundings, and the need to satisfy my curiosity in experiencing everything Hell-A had to offer kept me well entertained.