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King of Fighters XV is the best version of KOF to date. Thanks to the improvements made to online play due to well-implemented roll-back netcode, it’s also a game primed for modern audiences and gaming habits. While its lack of a satisfying or engaging story mode holds it back from standing shoulder to shoulder with its genre brethren, SNK’s narrow focus does enough to show where their passion and enthusiasm truly lies. KOF XV is a precise and fun fighting game built for the series’ longstanding community of players.
GRID Legends is a mismatched racing game with a surprising story mode and features. The gameplay is an awkward mix of simulator and arcade that doesn’t lend itself to either’s strengths, and with puzzling direction will likely alienate fans of both. Yet, Driven to Glory and the sensational crashes in races make for good fun. With Codemasters’ car expertise and implementation of hardware accessories, the experience is worth trying. Still, coming up against other big-name racing series, I don’t think GRID Legends will make the podium finish.
Martha is Dead isn’t for the faint-hearted, though sadly that’s not for the right reasons. There are too many moving parts in this game that weigh the already poorly-paced story down. If this was a spooky investigative adventure that required you to take photos to unlock the brooding mystery hidden within, I’d be all for it, because that’s one part that actually works. But alas it’s instead left as an over-exerted mess that is more focused on a couple of key shock-value moments than anything substantial. This game needs a swift autopsy to dissect out the crimes before a merciful cremation.
Monark has all of the dot points needed to be a great game, but it just doesn’t go far enough to stand out in any one area. It has a few great nuggets of ideas that would have been great to see expanded upon, but it barely scratches the surface. There are too many areas that were lacking either visual flare or gameplay substance for it to be memorable among titans like Persona and Megami Tensei. Despite that, it still might be worth playing for fans of the genre. It’s like popcorn — it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s easily consumable and will scratch that JRPG itch.
The hype behind Elden Ring was always going to be a challenge to match, yet the game succeeds in almost every way. This detailed and exciting world is full of wondrous moments and brutal fights as the excellent Souls gameplay finds itself being utilised in a freshly open-world format. The variety of ways you can approach combat and the sheer volume of viable tools you can use to take down gruesome and frightening foes makes for an experience that never gets old. A game unwavering in its vision, Elden Ring stands out as a monumental 2022 release.
Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 2 does so much right. It’s gorgeous, it’s fun, and it sounds awesome. It has a lot to offer for fans of classic 2D action platformers with engagement to be found in both its story and gameplay. Not without its faults, Luminous Avenger iX 2 hides its true ending behind an overly punishing hard mode and hides fun mechanics behind a DLC paywall which leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Though with that said, the game still manages to be a funhouse of bullets and chainsaws.
All in all, Total War: Warhammer III is an excellent addition to the series and forms a great conclusion to the epic Warhammer trilogy. It has intriguing mechanics and gorgeous visuals, and it comes with a great variety of units, factions, and heroes, along with plenty of engaging battles. If you enjoy the Total War franchise and go in for a bit of Warhammer lore, this is an engaging experience with a lot of variety, and is not to be missed.
Whilst this Empires title deviates slightly from the standard Dynasty Warriors formula, it is still fun if you’re looking for a hack and slash game with a bit more strategy. There are issues that plague the game, especially with the use of an open world that lacks reasons to explore and the absence of same-sex marriage. Although with that said, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires still can be interesting during the siege battles and the beautiful character customisation. At least it’s relaxing to tear a new one into the cannon fodder!
Horizon Forbidden West is everything you could hope for in a sequel. Not only does it provide more content to sink your teeth into, but it makes smart design decisions that refine its systems to be near faultless. Aloy’s personal story continues to evolve, this time with an even stronger supporting cast and memorable antagonists propelling her journey to another level. Above all, its moment-to-moment gameplay expertly combines the fun traversal, exciting combat, and creative problem-solving to awesome effect, meaning it always feels excellent to play. Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best open-world adventures available today and is a stellar experience from its strong introduction all the way to its dramatic conclusion, and beyond.
KINGDOM of the DEAD is a pretty damned good horror FPS with enough compelling ideas to stand on its own. The monochrome, hand-drawn visuals really sell the game’s Lovecraftian-noir tone, without interfering with gameplay. Plus, its varied additional mission objectives make its difficulty settings feel more multi-layered. Still, with its short play-time, minimal plot, and lack of unlockable content, it won’t be engaging for everyone. However, for those looking for some retro FPS fun, KINGDOM of the DEAD is a unique enough experience to be worth the recommendation.
KungFu Kickball brings an unexpected amount of joy to the table. Between the simple controls, intuitive gameplay, cute art style, and banging tunes, KungFu Kickball could very well dominate your next house party. Despite the lack of diversity of the characters and stages, KungFu Kickball shakes up the arcade genre with something new and entertaining. Whether you are playing locally at home or playing online, the game has you covered, even for those playing across different platforms. If you are a fan of games such as Smash Bros. or Rocket League, I would highly recommend picking this one up and playing with both friends and family for an enjoyable night in.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the future for Pokémon games. The graphics are disappointing and the combat is very simple, yet it’s undeniably fun to play. Exploring areas with roaming Pokémon has been a distant dream for a long time and it’s finally here. With improvements and tweaks, this is how the mainline series should stay.
Sifu is a game that could have been something amazing, with its fascinating premise and superbly crafted and fluid combat mechanics and animations. However, the game’s frustrating need to make the gameplay ridiculously hard just left me tired and annoyed. Sloclap really needs to think about how they can make this game more accessible, possibly by including more shortcuts, an adjustable difficulty setting, or just lowering the impact of health lost from fighting your average foe. Hopefully they will bring in some patches that will address these issues, but as it stands, I’d wait before investing time in the world of Sifu.
Without a doubt, OlliOlli World is going to be the skateboarding game to check out in 2022. It’s an adventure full of plenty of fun and is incredibly hard to fault. Where the challenge in the late game can be a bit much, plenty of accessibility options help you make do. On offer are luscious and vibrant levels to absolutely melt away into with rewarding easy-to-pick-up and at times hard-to-master gameplay. Roll7’s hard work refining their craft and genre niche over the years have well paid off, shaping one of the best and most joyous skating games in a long time. It’s well worth creating your own weird skating hero, diving head first into the wondrous weird OlliOlli World has on offer. You owe yourself that much.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a more than worthy follow up and worth the wait. Whilst not necessarily reinventing the wheel, it excels in being one of the best versions of the open-world formula we’ve known for some time. With silky-smooth parkour and combat mechanics, and plenty of things to see and do, I highly recommend the plunge into The City. Where there’s slight polishing to still be done and the story at times leaves a bit to be desired, shining moments and performances make it all the more worthwhile, standing as a stronger entry than its predecessor. This has become my favourite free roam zombie game to date and has me constantly itching to jump back in and tool around some more in its playground. Not bloody bad, Techland.
Sucker for Love: First Date is a really clever melding of both horror and romance that takes a totally different route from other popular genre mashes like Doki Doki Literature Club. A wonderful dash of comedy imbues the game with an extra layer of goodness. The game managed to make me scared and laugh at the same time, so it’s such a shame that glitches are still ever-present because they really drag the experience down. I hope that Sucker for Love: Second Date may come out someday, expanding on the very solid foundation to make something even better. Oh, and to give me more unknowable horrors to kiss, of course!
Not For Broadcast ambitiously challenges the player to reconsider their ethical framework, political values, and personal loyalties through its incredibly clever combination of stressful management sim gameplay and acid-tongued writing. It’s not for the faint of heart, but balances its dystopian terrors with biting satire. With exceptional performances from its cast, a unique and varied system of mechanics that changes with each broadcast, and tonnes of extra story content, any budding media mogul will be both delighted and horrified with all that Not For Broadcast has to offer.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection joins the Nathan Drake Collection as the best way to experience some of the greatest titles PlayStation has ever put out into the world. Naughty Dog truly are kings of their craft, having created many of the industry’s greatest games, and with Uncharted established a franchise that captures the movie-like-magic of adventure cinema and brings it into the interactive space. Who knows what the future of the Uncharted franchise has in store, but for now getting your hands on this collection is a sure-fire way to experience a platform-defining experience that should hold up for years to come.
Reverie Knights Tactics is a decent turn-based strategy RPG that fans of the genre will likely enjoy… for the most part. The Order vs Chaos system and optional side-quests provide additional depth to the game’s plot. Furthermore, the strategy gameplay fundamentally works very well, encouraging thoughtful planning and smart use of stage hazards. However, its balance issues, primarily the lack of post-combat recovery and limited character customisation and re-spec options, can lead to Reverie Knights Tactics’ gameplay wearing on you over time. It’s an imperfect game, but there are enough neat ideas to be worth checking out.
Ammunition-fueled ATV trips, Mech piloting sequences and taking down squid-operated choppers levels of insane action can’t save Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem. No matter how varied the environments or silky smooth the gunplay and weapons may be this time around, it’s clear the franchise is in need of more of a shakeup. Blowing through waves and waves of extraterrestrial threats doesn’t take long to blur together and once more feels like going through the motions. It’s frustrating too; creating a game with the help of loyal fan modders is arguably as true as the franchise can get. Still, it struggles to impress. Maybe it’s high time the Serious Sam series take notes from its most recent setting: traipsing away on ice for a little while.