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Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are faithful recreations of the classic DS titles, updated with plenty of small, ease-of-life changes. While some fans might feel alienated by the features that have been added to make the game easier, the changes are a net positive that make the game a smoother experience all-round. The upgraded Underground is more involved and offers more things to do, and the remade music tracks sound beautiful. Although a lot more could have been done to make these remakes truly special, what’s here will make Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl a worthwhile experience for returning fans and new ones alike.
The Last Stand: Aftermath is an engaging zombie-themed roguelike that unfortunately runs out of ideas too fast. The steady voyage across the zombie-infested post-apocalypse whilst scavenging for scarce resources is a tense and fairly enjoyable experience, but only for a while. As a game built around repetition and short playthroughs, The Last Stand: Aftermath recycles enemies and environments too frequently for the amount of time you replay them. The addition of mutations and new player equipment load-outs are a nice touch, but ultimately don’t do enough to mix up the experience. Rewarding progression and an engaging premise mean the game is certainly worth checking out for fans of roguelikes and zombie games, although it might not hold your attention for very long.
Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a collection of games that is a hell of a lot of fun and really is an important moment in video game history. For a while there, it was the benchmark for graphics in games, and it’s important that games like this are preserved and released in their remastered form not just on PC but for modern consoles as well. It’s a bundle for those who love their games to look gorgeous, have the autonomy to blow up stuff in a number of different and creative ways, and love FPS vibes. With all three games remastered and in one collection, Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a lot of big bangs for your buck, despite some shortfalls.
Bright Memory: Infinite will go down as a largely impressive game held back by glaring shortfalls. The frenetic and uniquely compelling shooter/hack ‘n’ slash combat as well as the breathtakingly realistic visuals make for a worthy experience alone. Unfortunately, that narrative is told in a less than elegant way and the quick sprint to roll credits hold Infinite back from reaching its true potential.
Despite some rough edges, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One has its heart in the right place. Frogwares is taking the classic Sherlock mythos and spinning off some impressive original work here. The story is well-presented, with the partnership between Sherlock and Jon particularly pleasant. Other cases show some interesting new puzzle types that I have not yet seen before. Whilst the two strengths of this title are separate, which annoys me somewhat, it’s the annoyance I feel when a game is a few decisions short of me showering it in unqualified praise. As it stands, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is a standard-setter for open-world mystery games.
With deep strategy elements found both inside and outside of combat, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story makes for an undeniably engaging and challenging adventure. Fans of League of Legends get to see the world of Ruenterra from a new lens and will be hooked by the endearing character moments found within the game’s story. Ruined King may not find the wide appeal that other League properties have managed, and some of the interactions found outside of combat are admittedly cumbersome, but it’s hard to deny the excitement and depth of content found within the turn-based battles of Ruined King.
Overall The Riftbreaker is a chaotic mess that spans several genres and comes out as perfect as Grandma’s Christmas Trifle. It doesn’t make sense at all but it comes together so nicely and seamlessly, it gives the user a completely unique and challenging experience. Whether you are into tower defence, RTS or even bullet hell or hack & slash, The Riftbreaker is going to give you one hell of a wild ride, and you better hang on for dear life.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is an interesting package; despite doing a number of things fairly well such as gameplay tweaks and refreshed visuals it’s hard not to feel a little let down. When you consider all of the possibilities or additional improvements that could have been made, it just feels like Rockstar could have gone further and created some truly memorable remakes or high-quality remasters. All of the games here do look better and play better than the originals, which technically does make these versions the definitive ones, but it feels like a missed opportunity at the end of the day. A few patches will likely take care of some of the more obvious issues, but at this point it is hard to recommend to anyone other than the GTA faithful.
If it wasn’t for a few poorly designed 2042 maps, combat balancing issues, and performance concerns, Battlefield 2042 might be the best in the franchise
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is one for the fans, yet still accessible for beginners. Aside from a few functionality problems in gameplay, it is a great load of fun being able to fight against familiar faces and take the leading role in the story of Demon Slayer. The developers of the game may have missed a prime opportunity to expand on the exploration experience, but at the end of the day, this is a game focused on the thrill of battling against Demons and looking cool while doing so.
I wish I had more positive points to speak about, but AWAY: The Survival Series just isn’t that fun to play, and being a video game this is one of the most important aspects for the developers to nail. The experience feels unnaturally empty and shallow, and whilst the good intentions are there, the execution makes it a hard title to recommend spending money on, at least in its current state which feels like an early access title, despite it being a proper release. If this title piques your interest, I would suggest waiting to see what the developers end up fixing and tweaking as they have promised to fix multiple issues and provide constant updates to offer a more polished title.
What was once the pinnacle of its genre has become a bit of a joke as it releases again and again and again. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition adds very little that can’t be found in the 2016 Special Edition or is already free with Creation Club content. There is enjoyment to be had out of playing the game in the new survival mode and I still adore the base game. However, Skyrim just isn’t as strong when held up to modern standards, and it is the fault of Bethesda that this tired horse is now running a race with so many others that are leagues faster.
Demon Turf is a good game begging the eyes of those invested in the collectathon niche. Plenty of fun hours are on offer to watch those numbers tick up and pull off some tight and joyful platforming. It may waver in some of its later combat and ability design, also proving unfriendly for younger audiences. Though just as much forgiveness is issued when you consider how devoted the game is to tackling its genre. If you’re looking for a more modest and fun game to wind down the year, this is it.
Jurassic World Evolution 2, for all the negative things I’ve had to say about it, is not in itself that bad of a game. It IS however, a mediocre Jurassic Park game, one that has passable mechanics that gel with the franchise about as well as a raptor gels with Samuel L. Jackson. Ultimately, you can’t really look past such an enormous missing of the point and it does besmirch the experience. For diehard Jurassic Park fans like me, the Jurassic World Evolution formula is a hard sell, though park management enthusiasts may get a kick out of this still.
Age of Empires IV delivers an absolute feast for strategy fans, offering several gameplay modes, a beautifully crafted story campaign, and stunning visuals. It may not come with a ground-breaking overhaul when it comes to its gameplay mechanics, but it does stay true to the tried and tested classic gameplay formula, which is sure to delight both old and new fans of the franchise.
Riders Republic offers a cornucopia of extreme sporting choices for players to choose from. By giving enough attention and fine-tuning to each individual sport, it has created an evergreen title to receive future updates or expansions to build upon well into the future. With a solid foundation offering solo and group players fun and exciting experiences, Riders Republic has set the stage incredibly well. While its predecessor Steep failed to capture a lasting audience, I feel strongly that Riders stands a much greater chance at retaining players’ interest due in part to its tongue-in-cheek tone combined with the game’s sheer variety of extreme sports adventures and energetic open world. I look forward to returning to Riders Republic to bike down mountain paths or fly through narrow canyon gaps while listening to alt-rock radio sometime soon.
The parts of Where Cards Fall I remember most fondly are when it gets out of its own way. When the game successfully captured my interest, it directed my attention towards a beautiful world with a welcoming atmosphere. I vibe out on the board game aesthetic and enjoy the puzzles. But when the game is running too fast near the start, or too slow at the end, you can see the faults that are being concealed. Beyond the mask lies a story that does not engage and presentation that at times does a disservice to its mechanics.
Tunche combines familiar mechanics with a setting that is rarely represented in video games. This keeps the game’s visual design fresh, but the combat is more than familiar and not up to the standard set by other games in these genres. Tunche can’t scratch the side-scrolling beat-em-up action of River City Girls or the honed roguelike structure of Hades. Unforturantely, this means the game’s charming art and characters are at battle with lackluster gameplay.
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a great little gem to come out of this year. Where NieR is a good series though not quite for me, this absolutely is. The team have created a true sleeper hit that is well worth seeking out for NieR or fantasy adventure fans alike. The music and wondrous exploration on offer are engaging throughout. While other limitations in roleplaying are noticeable, they’re never enough to rob you of your enjoyment. What’s here is some clever and wonderful writing, a charming cast of characters and another weird world worth delving into. Yoko Taro and the team have done it again.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD Collection successfully updates the first two games for a new generation of gamers. The endearing characters and story shine through with the beautifully rendered HD world Krome Studios have created, but it really is best played in handheld mode. The voice acting is just as great as it was on its initial release, and completionists will relish in the many collectibles throughout the games. Further fixes to the camera angles and underwater controls would have elevated this game further, and some of its elements feel outdated and a bit too easy, but this is a solid HD update to a collection of classic games that will never go out of style.