Heavy's Reviews
“NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+” is not the best-looking racing game available, and the Joy-Cons make it harder to smoothly steer around certain ovals. However, the game performs well and provides an impressive amount of content for racing fans. Having the ability to run races with stages, caution flags, and full damage only makes the experience more enjoyable.
“NASCAR 21: Ignition” is still a work in progress. The patch notes released by Motorsport Games listing myriad fixes prove this to be true. There are some technical problems that create frustration while the lack of private lobbies opens up opportunities for trolls to disrupt online matches. “NASCAR 21: Ignition” has some promise, but it requires more work before it’s the next big thing in racing video games.
This resurrection won’t convert you into being a fan if you didn’t like the original D2, but if you’re coming from that game, you’ll enjoy the ride.
Game development is hard and a year after being the only major sports video game franchise to produce a full-on next-gen experience, they followed up with the most polished and still feature-rich game they have produced, maybe ever. NBA 2K22 is a must have for anyone who has remotely enjoyed the series in the past or who has a taste for basketball and the culture it powers. Still, there is room for improvement on multiple fronts. It’s the gift and the curse of producing a game with so many layers.
Omega Force’s graphical changes and additions to the main gameplay mechanics end up getting the job done for Samurai Warriors 5. The visuals pop off the screen a lot more, the reimagined warriors you’ll unlock over time all look great, and the two new combat options keep the Musou battle royale formula from feeling stale. The usage of the series’ legacy sound effects for combat is a bit of a letdown, however. Plus the problems that come with utilizing the lock-on camera can definitely be a buzzkill. But overall, Samurai Warriors 5 offers a largely engrossing journey through the Sengoku period in playable form.
As a brand new IP, Scarlet Nexus succeeds as a worthwhile experience for curious action RPG fans and anime diehards. Its overall package offers a compelling storyline, a visually splendid presentation, strong English voice work, and a soundtrack full of enjoyable tunes.
The bare-bones mode structure and the lack of any new fighters is a letdown, for sure. But everything else this update has to offer makes it worth returning to or diving into for the very first time. VIRTUA FIGHTER IS OFFICIALLY BACK, BABY!
Biomutant is a bit rough around the edges, but it largely succeeds as a fresh action RPG experience that shouldn’t be ignored.
Resident Evil Village stands tall as one of the best entries in the series and one of the best gaming experiences of the year.
Nier Replicant morphs into an engrossing and deeply affecting experience that puts forth a new and improved approach to combat worth mastering.
Outriders ends up being a surprisingly addictive experience that mixes in intense shootouts, a unique mix of class-based abilities, a healthy loot system, and a fun approach to upgrading your skills/gear. Exploring every nook and cranny of Enoch brings you to an assortment of different climates and locales, plus you’ll come to enjoy most of the personalities you’ll interact with within each one.
In designing the game with the Nintendo Switch in Mind, Capcom has crafted a condensed Monster Hunter experience. It also introduced exciting new additions and improvements to features in past Monster Hunter games that I hope are carried over into future installments because they’re just so good. However, the difficulty curve needs refining and there’s still a lot of work to do to iron out the game’s more archaic features. In conclusion, the game is as fresh and exciting as the dango you eat before battle.
The Medium sadly joins Blair Witch as another disappointing effort from Bloober Team.
Ryza’s new onfield actions, the improved battle mechanics, and the deeper alchemy systems also impress in this quality sequel. Minor annoyances tied to the map layout and the more complex features attached to the alchemy system hamper the game’s overall experience a bit. But all in all, Ryza’s return is a lighthearted pleasure that is entertaining from start to finish.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game is the game to play if you love old-school 2D beat-em-ups. However, you really need to love the genre to love this game. If you thought that Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy was old-school to a fault, I’d be cautious about picking up this game. Also, the online is just as antiquated as the game genre.
There’s a lot to enjoy here, and if you’re a person who’ll just check out the game in your free time versus grinding it for hours on end, you’ll like it. If you are somebody who likes to dedicate whole days to playing CoD with your friends, then you might quickly find yourself wanting to find something else to play.
Godfall had a lot going for it. It was unveiled as the very first PS5 release, adopted the moniker of a looter slasher, and looked to be the equivalent of Warframe when it first launched on PS4. Unfortunately, it fails to stand out as a must-play killer app for the newly released PS5. Boredom quickly sets in as you run around gorgeous yet incredibly lifeless locales, embark on tiresome quests, and get treated to a storyline that’s entirely forgettable. Godfall’s quality combat mechanics, healthy offering of cool looking loot, and slick looking Valorplate armors are sadly stuck within a lackluster shell of a game.
There are many things to see in this game that you’ll miss out on if you plow through it, so try to take some time to explore this beautiful game. Whether you’re on current-gen or next-gen, there’s a lot to love here. I will say that playing it on the Xbox Series X after spending time on the Xbox One X, the difference is just night and day from 30 FPS to 60.
Watch Dogs Legion, like most of Ubisoft’s big budget games, is disposable – a value-sized bag of chips. The gameplay experience is pleasurable and addicting by nature, making you want to play even if you don’t feel like it. And when you get sick of it, you just throw it away.
Capcom managed to fulfill fans’ biggest requests for DMC5 and also freshen up its overall experience with the inclusion of new modes and visual enhancements. Vergil’s gameplay adds a new layer of excitement to all the demonic destruction thanks to his signature attacks and brand new skills. And getting to play around with his and the original trio’s flashy maneuvers in Turbo and Legendary Dark Knight Mode is an experience you’ll never forget. Having to leave your prior save progress behind and start anew is pretty disappointing, of course. But first-time players and returning veterans will get an equal amount of enjoyment out of this excellent special edition.