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As the capstone project to CD Projekt Red's efforts in fixing Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty and Update 2.0 see the studio at its best, delivering a story that is emotional, refreshing, and up to the caliber that fans expect from CDPR while also reworking the game into its best and presumably final form. If this is truly the end for Cyberpunk 2077, then we're excited to see where CD Projekt Red goes next with the franchise because it's clear there are more stories to tell in this world, either in Night City or outside of it.
All together, Mortal Kombat 1 is an impressive package, changing things up while showing reverence for even the most obscure parts of its franchise. With that said, nothing in MK1, from gameplay to narrative, is any more than a strict evolution of MK11. Mortal Kombat 1 contributes little new to the fighting game space, and the nearby Street Fighter 6 harshly contrasts it by claiming the custom fighters and open world Konquest mode Mortal Kombat left behind. Still, Liu Kang's new timeline shows great promise, and Mortal Kombat 1 should keep its community satisfied until the next Mortal Kombat begins.
People who enjoy Gang Beasts and other physics-based multiplayer games will have a blast with Party Animals as it's easily the most polished and fully-featured game of its kind. However, it's unlikely to convert any newcomers, and it remains to be seen how its monetization will play out. The game's budget price and its availability on Xbox Game Pass make it an easy recommendation for those needing a new mindless multiplayer game for their rotation, but don't go in expecting anything groundbreaking.
Some of the problems in MythForce could be forgiven if the core loop stayed fresh and fun, but, sadly, it doesn't. And with services like Game Pass offering up several solid roguelikes, it's tough to justify the $29.99 price tag. Yet, the core idea of an 80s cartoon homage is a lot of fun, and a couple elements of the game succeed brilliantly. A project like this could only have been birthed out of passion, so hopefully MythForce has its day in the sun. The developer has stated it plans to support the game going forward, and further content has been hinted at. But in its current state, there's just not enough to recommend MythForce, both in terms of quantity and quality.
Gunbrella has a lot of potential, both in its storytelling and combat. Unfortunately there never feels like there is enough of either that will or could catapult the game into the upper echelons of pixilated side-scrollers. It is very close to being something special, even when it is embracing some familiar adventure tropes. Hopefully, the world of Gunbrella will be expanded on and grow, because it deserves more of the things that make it great.
Co-op support like in other Soulslike games would have put Lies of P over the top, but even without it, the game will still greatly appeal to Soulslike fans. It has a lot going for it, and from a technical standpoint, it's basically perfect. It runs smooth as butter, looks fantastic, and has no glitches that we discovered. And while the writing can be clunky at times, the ending is legitimately wild and worth suffering through the worst bosses to reach. It's true that Lies of P gives in to some of the worst Soulslike instincts at times, but it can be extremely fun when the combat clicks. Just expect a significant time investment and a lot of frustration before that happens.
Under the Waves delivers an incredibly emotional story about grief and its ability to manifest in the realities of those who attempt to evade it. While the title's main narrative is powerfully effective, its secondary focus on environmentalism, fueled by a real-world partnership, diminishes the overall impact of the experience. Though its close-up visuals and optional objectives are marred by technical issues, the core of Under the Waves' gameplay is enough to keep players engaged in its mandatory tasks. The story of Stan is one many fans will resonate with, as it captures the difficult thoughts that accompany grief. Unfortunately, Under the Waves doesn't quite deliver a gaming experience deserving of such meaningful concepts.
Starfield delivers on everything it promised and then some.
Overall, Sabotage’s retro-inspired RPG is a strong offering that is doubly impressive considering it’s only the second project from this budding indie studio. There are too many points to expound upon — be it the soundtrack, story, combat, gameplay, or graphics — but they are all skillfully implemented. Even on the technical side, there are no complaints. Sea of Stars is simply a really fun, well-rounded game that any fan of RPGs will surely enjoy.
It feels strange to put gameplay at the bottom of the list for any video game, but Fort Solis clearly made performance and visuals a priority. With a cast consisting of two video game A-listers, the game showcases what a difference hiring talented people can have on the impact of a story. Disappointing conclusion aside, the visuals, tone, and the acting are strong enough to satisfy some people. However, the gameplay is rarely fun and occasionally frustrating, even if the mood is tense and the desire to see more is compelling. Fort Solis is a hard game to recommend for a mass audience, but there is a specific subset of gamers who this game will really resonate with.
At launch, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of the better-looking, more-polished asymmetrical multiplayer games on the market. It does a fantastic job of capturing the grotesque vibes of the 1974 horror film and translates its themes brilliantly into a gaming experience. Playing as the victims with a group of friends is a great deal of fun, though playing as the killers is not nearly as exciting. Only having three maps at launch is also not ideal and the game's lack of offline options is disappointing, but hopefully future updates will make The Texas Chain Saw Massacre an even better horror game than it is now.
There is plenty to praise when considering that this is Ascendant's debut game and how it ended up being an incredibly competent and entertaining experience that manages to pull off a solid combat system and a fun story. However, there really isn’t much that feels new or particularly interesting otherwise. It is clear that a lot of thought and care has been put into all systems of Immortals of Aveum, from its shooting to its puzzles, but none of it is compelling enough for another playthrough. Immortals of Aveum is well-executed, easy to digest, and remarkably solid, but overall incredibly familiar. Still, it may pleasantly surprise more than one shooter fan, and has enough going for it to likely attract a dedicated audience.
Atlas Fallen had promise, but nothing that this game strives to accomplish ever lands very well or feels fully realized. Between a lackluster story filled with generic and soulless voice acting and a combat system that loses its momentum well before the credits roll, there is rarely a moment where this game feels memorable or worth the time to finish. There is some good stuff on the surface of Deck13’s new IP, with its beautiful vistas and interesting world-building and aesthetic, but digging past the surface of Atlas Fallen shows that it is mostly hollow underneath.
Despite some stumbles, there's still much to recommend playing and finishing Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. Fans of the first game will get a little more out of it, but new players will catch up easily. Though it wraps up a little too cleanly and some bothersome traversal gets in the way, it tells a well-written, relatable story that's worth experiencing.
While every Pikmin game has followed the winning formula that was established two decades ago, each has added its own tweaks here and there. Pikmin 4 seems to have taken the biggest leap in that regard, and yet everything feels like a logical and fitting next step. The core of the gameplay is the same and provides the hours of whimsical RTS challenge and fun that fans expect, while the new modes and mechanics keep it from feeling stale. Every mainline game has been an improvement on the last, and Pikmin 4 is no exception. Other than the co-op, there’s really nothing negative about the game, besides perhaps the loading times. But it’s really a testament to how great Pikmin 4 is that waiting 30 seconds to get back into it is too long.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is something special, though. Its complexity is intimidating, but sticking with it and learning has such a high reward threshold that it's hard to not recommend the sequel to even the most casual gamers out there. It has heart, it has style, and it has the multi-year effort of a studio that obviously loves its source material. The mind-blowing size of the game itself and everything contained within is a testament to Larian Studios' dedication to its craft and commitment to bringing something incredible to the gaming public. The blend of the various Dungeon & Dragons systems into the game is almost flawless in its execution, and the math and storytelling combo does a one-two punch on almost every other RPG game out there. High quality and astoundingly fun, Baldur’s Gate 3 may just become the kind of game that old and new fans can agree is something extraordinary.
Disney Illusion Island is a great introduction to the world of Metroidvanias that will put a smile on anyone’s face. It might be simple in some ways but the design, writing, and fluid gameplay are solid enough that the experience rarely feels repetitive or uninteresting. Mickey and his friends have been mainstays of gaming culture for decades now, and Disney Illusion Island brings those characters to a new generation in a way that feels modern and approachable.
Ultimately, Remnant 2 still hits more than it misses. This mish-mashing of two wildly different styles of games still largely succeeds despite not being an entirely clean fusion, and best of all, Gunfire Games has expanded the foundation laid by the first game into something that is truly unique and interesting. Remnant 2 is still rough around the edges, but its interesting worlds, incredible procedural generation system, and variety of playstyles do enough to hold up a game that might not always feel as refined or intuitive as the inspirations it draws from.
Viewfinder is fun while it lasts and has more than one moment that will leave players with a smile on their faces. It doesn't live up to its full potential, but it's still a solid game and one that will hopefully inspire others to explore similar concepts. It's easy to see how Viewfinder's picture-to-reality idea could be huge for something like a horror game or even a first-person shooter. Applying the brilliant idea at its core to something with a better story and more content would be the makings of an instant classic. What's here is still certainly worth the price of admission, however.
Aliens: Dark Descent takes place in a setting that could have been a fantastic place to unveil some gripping sci-fi drama or lore, but instead it's basically just a point-and-click sequence. Even without tripping at the finish line, Aliens: Dark Descent has enough issues that prevent it from excelling. There's fun to be had here, with some great mechanical choices and tactical possibilities that keep the excitement high. It's not the weakest in the history of Alien games, but it's too close to the middle to be memorable.