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The real question is; is MW3 worth the price? I would say no. Although multiplayer is insanely fun, there seems to be more in store with the addition of the new maps. The campaign and zombie mode let down the game as a whole. The campaign in Call of Duty has always been one of my favourite story-driven games, especially with the heights of MW2 and MW3. But yet, this campaign has left me wanting more. Especially in the longevity of the mode itself. And while I commend Call of Duty for trying something different in regard to zombies. It unfortunately does not hit the mark. And it is with this in mind, I am awarding Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 the bronze award.
With an emphasis on replayability featuring many different endings Three Minutes to Eight is no casual game. A serious amount of time is needed to just get one ending completed. This may deter many gamers who may want a quick and simple puzzle game. Having said that, the game does boast beautiful graphics, animations, FX, and voice acting and is worth a shot for that alone. This alone wasn’t enough to keep my interest as the feeling of too much repetition set in and soon it became a chore. I enjoyed the time I spent with it however and that first ending was worthwhile. Give it a go if you like games such as Twelve Minutes, The Stanley Parable, and such.
I must say that I was quite disappointed with Overpass 2. Perhaps it is because my prior experience with racing games was with more polished and faster games. However, my review is based on my personal experience
If you like a game that is full of a little of everything, then My Time at Sandrock could well be for you. Pathea has done an amazing job of combining elements into a fun overall package. There truly isn’t anything to not like about moving to Sandrock. I have never felt such a sense of satisfaction after playing a game before and will continue playing long into the future. There are a few things that could be added, but everything My Time at Sandrock does it does well. I am truly looking forward to expanding my workshop and having ranks and ranks of machines all humming away to make everyone’s lives a little better.
The Invincible is an excellent sci-fi adventure game telling a fresh and intriguing story while still faithful to the novel. A slow burn and ambiguous narrative makes exploring the on-rails environment a delight. Speaking of, the environment and setting look fantastic and are complimented by the great score and the sound effects & voice acting. The multiple trophies and achievements are a good excuse to revisit the game not you will need an excuse.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with RoboCop: Rogue City. Sure, it doesn’t really innovate on the genre and the gunplay feels, I dunno a little dated. But it’s also exactly what I want to see more of. Games like Cyberpunk have that anti-corporate one-man army vibe that is present here, but it just doesn’t have the same feel. RoboCop: Rogue City is the best the 80’s had to offer in a modern-day packaging. Fantastical over-the-top violence and overtly cheesy one-liners, with polish. Brilliant.
Cuisineer is an amazing game that you can really sink your teeth into and feel satisfied when playing, no matter how you play. This game was in the oven cooking for who knows how long and it came out spectacular. I didn’t allow any cat to try to take my tongue from letting people know to pick this up. This game gave me similar vibes to Moonlighter and Battle Chef Brigade and I love every minute of it. I’ve run out of cat puns, but I know this game has all nine lives left.
Overall, Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade is a delightful rhythm game that offers seasoned players a new challenge, but it can also cater to those who may need that extra help. The game would do well to include more branches of difficulty to suit more players and give them a more enjoyable, customized experience. The music and visuals are fun, especially the photo shoot mode, and really With the ESRB rating being Everyone, gamers across all ages will enjoy Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade but it will mostly appeal to younger audiences or people who cherish the Sanrio world. Happiness Parade is not an essential buy but it’s a fun game to pick up that’s reasonably priced, without any micro-transactions, fun characters and challenging premise. Prepare to have Jawberry’s “So Nice to Meet Ya” stuck in your head, it’s a great bop.
Whilst I’ve listed a few nit-picks during this review, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Laika. Within the first few hours, I was already telling fans of the genre that they had to check this out, and that’s still the case now. I feel like the lack of a general buzz around this game is only down to the fact that it has launched during such a busy period of big-budget titles.
I was surprised when I played Midnight Heist, as I thought it was just another game taking a whack at the ghost-hunting style like so many others. The puzzles on the computers offer enough to be an obstacle but not too hard as to be a challenge. The lack of maps is disheartening since the two maps are more different entrances to the same building. I blame myself for playing Midnight Heist solo rather than with friends because it makes heists even more challenging. The game could offer better ways of surviving the ghost. For example, hiding in closets or behind desks to break the line of sight. The player could run away until it gives up the chase or some safe zone.
If you’re looking for a short, relaxing exploration game to wind down from a difficult day or week, or a palette cleanser between more intense games, I can wholeheartedly recommend Jusant. If you’re generally a fan of Don’t Nod’s work, you also can’t go wrong picking this up. It’s a short and sweet experience that can be taken at whatever pace you’d like. I do wish there was a bit more of it as I was sad for it to come to an end, but I will be going back in soon to finish up the collectibles anyway.
Silent Hope has become a game that I would highly recommend to people wanting to experience Hack and Slash. The simplicity of the skill tree makes it friendly for beginners. Even veteran players of the genre can just enjoy the game and not stress over the perfect build for the heroes. Getting to relax while exploring the abyss felt great and allowed me to focus on the plot. The need to discover all the secrets the abyss has is the big motivator in my case when playing this game.
My time while playing The Troop was quite challenging. I enjoyed playing through the Story mode until mission ten. This is when I started to feel fatigued, and the gameplay loop wasn’t pulling me in. It did confuse me why the Story mode is different to the Campaign since I couldn’t play the Campaign, to begin with. The game does a good amount of content with the Skirmish maps and thirty-six missions, so I am curious to see what the Campaign is.
Tennis On Court has just one thing going for it, it’s realistic physics. It seems as though all the effort was put into this one feature, and everything else was left in the dust. With some updates and fixes, and a deep sale, Tennis On Court could be worthy of your time and money. As of now, it isn’t.
I’m sorely disappointed with Stray Souls. The game looked promising and advertised some cool features that weren’t what they said they were or didn’t matter. The plot advances quickly, with a scene abruptly starting/ending and leaves the player with little explanation. At one point, I had an objective to find something, but when I entered an area, a cutscene started, and I was suddenly somewhere new. Many things killed the immersion for me at times. The jump scares happened too often, and the game would repeat them several times. Sometimes, the camera would focus on the jump scare for too long, quickly making them dull. The golden gun the player has felt incredibly out of place and almost looks like a mod.
Days of Doom is fun for such a small game; I don’t feel I could play it for hours at a time. The overall combat is equally enjoyable and easy to learn, thanks to the skill descriptions explaining how they work pretty well. I think the Bagbile zombie is the most annoying enemy in the game. It has a lot of health, hits hard and can use an AoE move that covers a large area. This would lead to my team dying needlessly due to not killing it quickly, and when there were two, it was more annoying. It would be nice if there were more help when trying to heal, as the game doesn’t offer health items much. The bosses in the game are okay, but nothing to write home about; I was confused that there isn’t a boss at the end of each stage. I did download Days of Doom on my Steam Deck, and apart from the small text, it ran really well.
Cyberpunk 2077 was an ambitious game on release, maybe too ambitious. It soon became a stable and phenomenal game overall. It was full of great characters with great gameplay and visuals. Phantom Liberty took what Cyberpunk 2077 had already provided and has given us so much more. The game has now incorporated a new area different in style and tone with gameplay to match. The new expansion drags you into the seedy, rough, and ready part of the city. You are bound to get lost in uncovering mysteries full of action and intrigue. I’d recommend anyone buy this if you are already in love with Cyberpunk 2077 as it offers up a new and interesting side to the game’s story.
The time I’ve spent in Moonstone Island was a much needed breath of fresh air. It feel like we’ve only scratched the surface in this genre. Playing the game between keyboard and mouse, controller, I feel that this game is better played off a controller. With the tool wheel, it’s a bit of a hassle to switch between weapons with a mouse and keyboard. Where a controller is made for the tool wheel’s function and capability. The villagers themselves have such rich and vibrant personalities that makes me want to know more. Dating them all just is the only way to get more lore about them. But, my heart will always belong to Ferra because I just love the chaotic innocence she represents in my heart. The achievements they placed in the game are by far well worth the look and fun to obtain. I cannot wait to continue this venture throughout the islands. And I’ll finally get my answer on what is going on with Wally and his Baba Yaga home. Also, be kind to your muscle girlfriends, you never know what poetic justice they might deliver.
Ironically, a silent game could become such a topic of conversation. In a year that boasts an array of exceptional games, Cocoon manages to stand out due to its distinctive mechanics and unparalleled level and puzzle design. The game’s intriguing sci-fi world keeps players engaged, while its puzzles spanning multiple worlds present a challenging and rewarding experience. The game’s controls, which are both accessible and intuitive, facilitate an immersive experience, while the minimalist presentation adds an extra layer of elegance. Cocoon stands alongside some of the best games of 2023.
I found The Lamplighters League quite challenging with when it came to managing resources and making sure my team survives. The characters are great, and I enjoyed the conversations between them after missions. The levels reuse the same layouts too much, and I don’t like the Undrawn Hand game mechanics. The enemy variety is great and always kept me on my toes. I wish the skill points weren’t shared, but instead, each character had their own. I’m glad the game gives players a way to get dead Agents back because, at the start, I lost a good few in silly ways. The audio is choppy at times when running around missions. I did find it tedious to place characters individually since when I placed one, another had a high chance of being spotted. The devs should implement a manual crouch feature since auto doesn’t always work.