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I love Kingdoms of Amalur, and Re-Reckoning hasn’t changed that. This is a game that wasn’t loved enough at its original release and I pray that it gets all the attention it deserves this time around. If you are a fan of action RPGs I implore you to give Amalur at least a moment of your time. You won’t regret it, I promise.
For a strategy game that wants you to play for long sessions, inching your way “halt by halt” to safety for your tribe, As Far As The Eye lacks the quality of life features that would make the experience rewarding. Fans of turn-based strategy games might find enough enjoyment here to look past its most obvious flaws – there’s certainly a mechanically dense, lore-heavy strategic experience here for those willing to work for it – but if, like me, you like your games served without a healthy dose of frustration, you may want to look elsewhere.
...new tricks, restored stages, a multiplayer as fun as you remember, a killer soundtrack, and fluid skating easily make THPS1+2 a must-buy for fans. Throw in that this Tony Hawk game actually works and this game is already miles ahead than the series’ last entry and easily one of the best remakes in recent memory.
Iron Harvest is an incredibly impressive RTS game that’ll have you planning and strategising your next move on the battlefield for hours on end. If you’re a fan of RTS games and are not put off by planning and a bit of micromanagement, there’s plenty to love in the 1920+ universe for fans of games like Command and Conquer and Age of Empires.
I still feel like Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars has some potential behind its flaws. The idea of a more streamlined strategy game, with less of a resource management and empire-building focus, is something that could be appealing for newcomers to the strategy genre. However, its huge maps and clunky combat drag the experience down. Furthermore, without multiplayer or a map editor, there is not really much more to the experience than the campaign, which is only somewhat engaging. Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars certainly has enjoyable elements, but feels difficult to recommend to fans of the strategy genre.
Overall Spinch is a feast of colour and everything is so interesting to look at and absorb, but the game is very clearly designed to be difficult. The length between checkpoints is just too long, especially with much harder modern platformers using more forgiving checkpoint systems. Difficulty needs to be counteracted with speed, if every time the player falls into a pit they have to watch the camera scroll all the way back to their last checkpoint, it begins to feel like such a waste of time. Spinch is definitely a game for people looking for a challenge, and is not going to be easy to stick out if you’re someone looking for casual fun.
Coming out of Marvel’s Avengers, I’ve surprisingly been won over. With a charming set of characters both familiar and new to me, loot to keep me going and a solid promise of its future, it’s a game I’ll absolutely be keen to return to. That does come with a caveat. There are some glaring and testing faults the game exhibits. If you plan at all on jumping in and donning that cape, then do so. Just maybe keep your non-superhero day job at the ready.
Let’s not mince words, Street Power Football is just not up to scratch. Sure I love the representation and I love that recognition of actual members of the sport. But that doesn’t really sway me if the game isn’t up to par. Every element of this game has at least one major flaw that makes the game frustrating to wrestle with and takes the fun out of a certain moment. This game has a real arcadey feel to it. It’s cartoonish and colourful. But it’s also arcadey in how cheap and disposable the experience feels.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition, as a console port, works impressively well. Despite some cumbersome menus, it makes the transition from mouse and keyboard to controller without losing its complexity. Combined with the substantial amount of added content, Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition is quite an easy recommend for any fan of Baldur’s Gate, Pillars of Eternity or similar RPGs. It won’t hold your hand, even on Easy, but if you’re looking for an adventure to become immersed in, Pathfinder: Kingmaker Definitive Edition could be the game you’ve been looking for.
Crusader Kings III is for a niche audience: its own fans, and any new player that has the patience to learn how to play over multiple playthroughs (though it’d be faster to watch tips and tricks videos on YouTube). If you’re not a member of this audience, tread with caution. It’s a lot of looking at menus, clicking options, and waiting for all those in-game years to pass. If you are, however, it’s an experience you don’t want to miss. An imperfect tutorial is an annoyance, but it’s small potatoes compared to the majesty that awaits you on the other side.
It must’ve been a huge task to take a game originally designed for couch co-op and convert it to online play. But Crystal Chronicles Remastered shows just how incompatible the conversion is. Huge chunks of the original game are rendered either useless or far more difficult than it has to be. Square may have been better off making a brand new Crystal Chronicles game to take advantage of online co-op, because this is a poor way to introduce new players to this forgotten Final Fantasy spinoff. The bones of a great game are in here, but there’s not much meat on them.
The fact Spiritfarer made me think about the meaning of life and death, had me cry in mixed sadness and joy at remembering people I’ve lost, and, more importantly, the memories I’ll always keep of them, is probably the best recommendation I can imagine giving any piece of media.
I understand anyone who would be turned off by Factorio’s slow pace and grind; it’s a core feature here while grinding for most people is fundamentally unenjoyable and a mark against a game. All this said, if immersing yourself in this complex system sounds interesting to you I wholly recommend giving Factorio a chance. There’s a very narrow niche this game occupies but it hits its mark so well; if this kind of game is your jam then Factorio will be your rare gem.
Wasteland 3 does an amazing job of keeping players invested in its world through its writing, sound, and visuals. When it comes to world-building and characters, Wasteland 3 leaves its predecessors in the Wasteland franchise in the dust.
Overall, Project CARS 3 is a fun racer, even if it isn’t accelerating at full speed when it comes to quality and ambition.
Normally I would have to turn to the indie scene for any sort of good trans rep. But it seems the tide is turning, with Dontnod leading the charge. Whether other studios actually follow suit is unknown. But for now, Tell Me Why is a game way overdue; a captivating story, a huge win for diversity and a thoughtful, heartfelt experience.
For any queer person who loves dogs, millennial who loves dogs, or actual dog masquerading as a human, Best Friend Forever is a wholesome, cathartic experience.
I sailed into Windbound with hope and excitement and unfortunately sailed away with disappointment. It’s not all bad, not by a long shot. But there were enough confusing design decisions and awkward control issues to put me off this game completely.
Taking into account everything No Straight Roads does right and wrong, it truly does feel like a game from the 2000s that I would be nostalgic as hell for.
It’s definitely an essential for those that love their PSVR devices. So, why not chuck that headset on, get shooting, blasting, dodging and sweating?