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Checkpoint Gaming

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1049 games reviewed
72.2 average score
75 median score
63.5% of games recommended

Checkpoint Gaming's Reviews

Feb 3, 2022

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.

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9 / 10.0 - OlliOlli World
Feb 4, 2022

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.

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9 / 10.0 - Gran Turismo 7
Mar 2, 2022

Gran Turismo 7 is essentially a celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary, melding features old and new and presenting it on next-generation hardware. Polyphony Digital’s sheer love of cars and obsession with detail flows through every single part of this game. The forced main campaign could be a turn off for some, but it is countered by their use of subtle, innovative haptic feedback and the experience of driving these legendary cars around legendary tracks. There is a method to the madness. The world is quickly moving on from fossil fuels and combustion engines, but there is no denying that these are some beautiful machines… and this is a beautiful game.

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Mar 4, 2022

We may be some time away from a new Final Fantasy Tactics, if ever. However, save the iconography, because Triangle Strategy is more or less that very experience that players have been looking for. It’s the most sweeping, expansive fantasy story I’ve played in some time, with plenty of engaging political intrigue that’ll whet many appetites. On offer is some of the best and most strategic tactics gameplay ever, rife with reward. So many setpieces, close call victories, and narrative moments will stick with me for some time. If you’re itching for a tactics game to amaze and move you this year, Triangle Strategy is it.

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9 / 10.0 - Tunic
Mar 17, 2022

TUNIC is a dense journey filled with hidden paths and puzzles that provide a remarkable sense of accomplishment. Using an in-game instruction manual is a brilliant idea that makes learning and gradually revealing how the world works more enjoyable. While the combat isn’t flawless, the rest of the exploration is. This is a game for fans of classic action adventures, cute little foxes, discovery, and secrets. However, the real secret is how wonderful TUNIC is.

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9 / 10.0 - NORCO
Apr 18, 2022

Even if you don’t normally enjoy point-and-click adventures, Norco is a must-play for anyone interested in story-driven games. It’s one of the best-narrated tales since Dysco Elysium, rich with the real-life history of the town of Norco with some imaginative fiction mixed in. It’s dark, funny, and scary in all the right places, and even if the ending doesn’t wrap up all the mysteries it opens, it’s still sure to leave its mark on you.

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9 / 10.0 - Trek to Yomi
May 5, 2022

Trek to Yomi is, for me, just shy of a veritable masterpiece. Looking at it purely subjectively, I think this game is bloody brilliant, and certainly one of the finest non-AAA games I have played in a long time. Rich combat, striking visuals, a gritty narrative, and dynamic audio experiences blend together to make this game a true stand out of 2022 so far. Unfortunately, I feel the hyper-stylised tone and fixed Japanese language setting may prove a turn off for some and cause this game to be overlooked. However, if you have even a passing interest in Japanese culture, cinema, or just plain solid gameplay, then I implore you to give Trek to Yomi a look.

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May 23, 2022

Transitory issues aside, We Were Here Forever is, at least at the time of writing, my favourite game of the year thus far. At times it frustrated, but all that did was make the completion of its various brain teasers all the more satisfying. The mark of a truly fantastic game is one that aligns all its elements around a central purpose or goal. In this title, everything orbits around testing the skill of its participants, and that makes for a truly memorable experience for its pairs of players.

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Jun 30, 2022

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is ultimately a very impressive release. It takes the best elements of the base game and finetunes them to incredible success. The marriage of tight gameplay and fun narrative animations in an impeccable and memorable aesthetic is undeniably powerful. The DLC may not be as long as some may want, but should your expectations remain in check, you’ll find a superb addition to an already phenomenal game.

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Jul 26, 2022

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes the best elements from its predecessors and combines them into a uniquely compelling gameplay experience, all while telling a nuanced and captivating narrative of its own. Its beautiful and stylistic art direction lends a rare maturity to its visual presentation, while its heartfelt, melancholic story comes together in an epic, personal conclusion in spite of a couple of odd pacing decisions. Through a complex and refined reimagining of the Xenoblade combat system and top-notch worldbuilding, Monolith Soft have once again cemented their position at the forefront of the JRPG genre. Series veterans and newcomers alike are in for a deep, immersive narrative adventure with dozens of hours of engaging combat and satisfying exploration.

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9 / 10.0 - Stray
Jul 20, 2022

A lusciously dense world of natural beauty colliding with cyber-future grimness is ready to be explored from a uniquely tiny perspective. Stray tells a surprisingly emotional tale that instantly grips during its opening moments and doesn't relent until its closing scene. A standout release so far this year, Stray proves to be so much deeper than just a cat adventure game.

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Jul 31, 2022

Azure Striker GUNVOLT 3 manages to close out the trilogy by upping the ante in all the right ways, introducing new mechanics to keep things fresh whilst re-imagining and building upon what made fans love the series in the first place. A true work of art that blends a retro aesthetic with today's capabilities, this feels like the culmination of Inti Creates' many years of work and has been well worth the wait since its predecessor was released back in 2016. If this is the last GUNVOLT title, then we can at least rest comfortably in the knowledge that the Azure Striker went out with the big blue bang he deserved.

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Aug 25, 2022

Not often do we see a narrative RPG with so much squeezed inside a relatively small package. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist will leave you thinking, laughing, crying, and even blushing. With beautiful character illustrations and a story that feels genuine from start to finish, this is a must-play for anyone who enjoys narrative games. Though one playthrough will run you around 5-10 hours, the things you missed will have you coming back for one more playthrough every time.

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9 / 10.0 - Soul Hackers 2
Aug 29, 2022

Soul Hackers 2 is one of Atlus' best games to date. The story is compelling and rooted in familiar dark themes while avoiding the fluff to be a sharper experience. It refreshes the gameplay of Persona 5 with streamlined changes to make it approachable for a wider audience. Its parallels to Atlus' most recent JRPGs mean it offers more of the same thrilling style along with the same minor faults. Still, Shin Megami Tensei fans will love this game.

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Aug 29, 2022

The Last of Us Part I finds a way to make an already incredible game even better. It may not be the most needed remake in the landscape of gaming, and I can't fault anyone for not wanting to pay full price for the experience, but it's undeniable just how much work has gone into this release. Phenomenal graphics, superb sound design, immersive DuelSense controller features, beneficial gameplay tweaks, and the best suite of accessibility features found in gaming. The Last of Us Part I is a must-play title for anyone still yet to experience Joel and Ellie's story.

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9 / 10.0 - Pentiment
Nov 14, 2022

Pentiment is a remarkable achievement in storytelling. If I were to play again and make different choices I'm sure I would discover new dimensions to these characters I've come to know very well. Thanks to the game's aesthetics, its meticulously researched writing, and the pedigree of its development team, the story of Andreas Maler is well worth experiencing. The game gracefully balances serious themes, soap operatic twists, and some very funny moments, revolving around a large cast of diverse, complex characters. Obsidian may have taken a risk making a game so unlike anything else they've made before, but the gamble has well and truly paid off. It's not just a game for lit nerds.

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Nov 29, 2022

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a fantastic tactical adventure that adds much-needed depth to the superhero genre. Taking advantage of deeper-cut characters and lore, a heartfelt and sweeping story is told, even finding a way to make an entirely new character fit into the fray. Accompanying that are engaging and curious mysteries to find around the Abbey grounds and a nice feeling of found family among friends. Losing track of time as I had talks with my favourite superhumans, doing whatever menial task at hand too was a particular highlight. Even in these moments of charming oddities, characterisation is stellar. Rounding it all off is another superb tactical experience from Firaxis Games, this time going all in on approachability and options to dominate the battlefield in your own personal ways. This is one of the best tactical games of the year. Marvel as a franchise still has some fight in it yet, and I can't wait to have more experiences like this from them in the future.

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9 / 10.0 - Persona 4 Golden
Jan 23, 2023

Truly a standout JRPG experience, Persona 4 Golden is easily a must-play for any self-respecting RPG fan. Great visuals, excellent music and sound production, and one of best narratives in any RPG cement Persona 4 among the greatest experiences on PS2, PS Vita, and now the modern suite of consoles. Recycled elements from previous entries in the series may annoy some players especially when played in sequence, but while it is showing its age in some other respects, this hardly detracts from the impeccable gold standard it sets for its peers.

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PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a gripping page-turner of a visual novel. It occupied my brain so much that every second not playing felt like a second wasted. It felt like I was hit with so many fitting and bending twists I was second-guessing everything I once knew, always on my toes. Immensely powerful and engaging writing in-game is bolstered with memorable and distinguished characters. Those characters and the late 20th century Japan setting are incredibly realised; a feat only possible by the industry legends at the helm. In art, music and writing, players are in for a meaningful and unforgettable experience that's a must-play for the genre. Better yet, it even has fun with the genre tropes and traditions, creating engaging puzzles and problem-solving throughout. If there's one visual novel game you play this year, make it this one. You won't regret it.

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Mar 23, 2023

Resident Evil 4 rips you right back to 2005 and reminds you how special games can be. A remake done right, this release amplifies the game's strengths and obfuscates its weaknesses, making for a superb and modern take on a classic. Whilst further improvements could have been made, the results still speak for themselves, as Leon and Ashley's journey becomes immortalised with contemporary gameplay and visuals that maintain respect for the original release.

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