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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?
Total War Saga as a mini series of smaller scoped historical settings has allowed for incredibly rich myths and legends to be portrayed in a Total War game. Troy is no different. The Total War formula is able to seamlessly integrate itself into the Homeric epic, and the added mythological nature of the original story makes for a diverse range of Heroes and Kingdoms to choose from, making each campaign feel unique and purposeful.
Descenders reiterated one of my motto’s in life – don’t knock it till you try it. I have no inclination in real life to be the next Evel Knievel or do any mountain biking, but I really enjoyed pressing the right buttons to make my little biker gal do tricks and swerve around the tracks like she was born to ride.
Infinite Combate is a game for the fans, and only the fans. If you enjoyed the source material then you may have some fun playing through it. But as a videogame, as anything other than a branded piece of merch, it falls flat on its face. It’s an unfun, unfunny, unplayable mess that would rather pander to the male gaze than play well.
PGA Tour 2K21 sets a new standard for golf games. It has detailed gameplay that is welcoming for newcomers but incredibly complex for the veteran golfers. The presentation is also incredibly impressive, with strong audio and course-mapping that made me feel like I was an actual pro.
Battletoads is an excellent return for the series. It has stunning hand drawn graphics, a story that will make you laugh and backs it up with tight varied gameplay. It is a great game to play solo but really comes into its own with a friend playing and experiencing together.
Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is quite an okay example of a game being made out of a television show. That being said I don’t think there’s a world where it could’ve been anymore than that. It’s a good introduction to the tactics genre and has some neat levels, but that’s about it. It’s decent, that’s all.
I heavily enjoyed my time with Mortal Shell, and if you are a fan of Souls-like games then you will certainly enjoy this one. The combat is extremely engaging, and the atmosphere and setting provide a disturbing and dark would to explore. At times, if I did not know the title of this game I would have assumed it was a Dark Souls entry.
Fans of titles like Railroad Tycoon and Sid Meier’s Railroads will find plenty to keep them busy in Railway Empire: Complete Edition. While the game takes a while to crack and the AI’s behaviour can be frustrating, this title offers plenty of engrossing content to cater to different kinds of players.
“Microsoft Flight Simulator lets pilots fly around the world to essentially anywhere they want… innovative and mind-blowing.“