Game Rant
HomepageGame Rant's Reviews
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is the definitive way to experience the game, and the Yuffie Intermission DLC is a must-play for fans.
This game is a worthy successor to the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance titles. Though the combat can become a bit repetitive, it's fast-paced and engaging for the most part. While playing solo, it's fun and challenging, and it's easy to see how it would flourish with a full group of players. It isn't perfect, but the over-the-top voice acting and character models, respect for Dungeons and Dragons lore, and intuitive combat make for a charming package. It's casual enough for anyone to pick up and play while retaining enough Dungeons and Dragons standards to keep experienced players of the tabletop game content. Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is a fun action RPG, that has an opportunity to open up Dungeons and Dragons to a wider audience.
The Magnificent Trufflepigs created a fun experience for players by putting the focus on storytelling and letting players take their time.
Those that enjoy games that are bloody, bombastic, and have a pinch of humor will find an excellent experience in Chivalry 2. It's approachable, smooth, and an excellent time with friends. Plus, there's the promise of free content on the horizon, which should make the current offering even more appealing to those that engage with it. While there are some minor technical issues to be sorted out here and there, it's still one of the most enjoyable experiences to come out of 2021 so far.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood provides plenty of enjoyable content, but it may not be enough to breathe new life into the MMO.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart uses the power of the PS5 to put on a stunning display, highlighted by bombastic action, plenty of humor, and heart.
Overall, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition advertised itself as taking the already-popular trilogy, bringing it to modern consoles, and giving it smart improvements. There's a lot that it does to improve the games without detracting from the core experience, and that says something. The first game is 13 years old and the third game is 9 years old at the time of this writing, and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition makes them feel much more current and recent. It's hard to imagine making the original trilogy any better, but these remasters definitely make them much more current.
Pathway overall feels like a lite version of a turn-based game, and the monotony sets in fairly quickly. There are no plot twists to keep the story engaging, because there really is no story but rather the shallow foundation of one. Although the game can be beaten in 10 to 20 hours, it's questionable whether many gamers will see it through to the end. It may suck players in for a while, but the game simply is not dynamic enough to maintain interest long term. In the end, Pathway feels all the more dissatisfying because it had such potential. Robotality’s creation can be compared to an itch under the skin that can almost be scratched, but not quite.
As the classic Kingdom Hearts games finally jump to PC, the Windows ports of the remastered collection are mostly solid, despite some issues.
Knockout City is a genre-defying take on the team-based multiplayer game, where players are not just teammates, but also tools and assets for one another. And although Knockout City struggles to find an identity, the game's ability to excel in accessibility while holding a high skill-ceiling makes it easy to pick up and even easier to keep playing.
BioMutant manages to check all of the boxes for an open-world RPG, but it never quite reaches the heights that it aspires to.
Returning to this pivotal Atlus JRPG well over a decade after its original release, Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster has never been more accessible. Nocturne is unabashedly old-school, in both good ways and not-so-great ways. The gameplay adjustments and options allow for decent customization of the experience, but some of the omissions in this re-release are pretty glaring. It's not perfect, but so long as players can adjust to its rustic edges, there is a fantastic old-school JRPG in Nocturne's remaster full of quality of life changes that make it worth playing in 2021.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a solid pick for those who are looking for a nostalgia trip as well as anyone that missed out the first time and is needing a fun local co-op game to play. There are many aspects of the game that haven't aged well, but the fun factor trumps a lot of those issues. Plus, the game gives players plenty of bang for their buck, with a ton to do in the main story and some unlockable content, including a Gauntlet mode and fan favorite character Drizzt Do'Urden. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was a great game in 2001 and it's still a ton of fun to play 20 years later.
Essays on Empathy is a collection of games meant to get players thinking and most of them do this exceptionally well, while others are a bit flat.
With a narrative spin on a stock market simulator, Power Struggle Games' The Invisible Hand is a largely entertaining game, even through its flaws.
Many fans have been waiting for a Pokemon Snap sequel since their childhood, and while it may not exactly be what they imagined, it's a solid experience and highlights what has been sorely been missed in the franchise. New Pokemon Snap is a worthwhile sequel, a relaxing journey through the Pokemon world, and fun to play in the comfort of one's home or on the go.
In developing Subnautica: Below Zero, Unknown Worlds heeded the lessons learned from Subnautica and the feedback received from players about both games over the years. Below Zero has taken no steps backward and instead offers an even more polished experience than its predecessor. As for gameplay and story, it’s not necessarily a better game, but it is certainly just as good.
Overall, Wrath of the Druids is not a bad addition to Assassin's Creed Valhalla. It's even a good one for those who want any reason to step in Eivor's shoes again. But for those who have turned their attention elsewhere, it doesn't do much to bring them back.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends offers players a fun and tense experience but it is oftentimes held back by technical problems, glitches, and other minor issues. When it functions as expected, Sumo Digital's game feels unique, especially when compared to most online experiences. Considering there's no narrative or single-player campaign to fall back on, the game will ultimately live and die based on its community. While many of the game's problems are not game-breaking, the server issues could be the Achilles heel if not addressed. With extensive free and premium Year 1 DLC plans already in place, Focus Home Interactive and Sumo Digital are hoping that the allure of new content and the dynamic elements of its game will keep players coming back.
Resident Evil Village doesn't have the most engrossing or satisfying story in Resident Evil history, and its more action-oriented approach is likely to disappoint fans that enjoyed RE7's pure horror. However, Resident Evil Village is packed with replay value, rarely has a dull moment, and should leave Resident Evil fans excited for the franchise's future.