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Beyond that, however, I see Bleed's appeal, but it's a game that just isn't for me, at least not right now. It's a distinct experience in that it's a modern game dressed in a retro game's skin, with a substantial learning curve built into it before you're even competent. I don't think it's bad at all, but playing it feels like I've found myself in the cockpit of some vehicle that I don't know how to drive, five seconds before a crash. I figure there's a decent audience for this sort of game out there, but I'm not in it.
The Evil Within 2 is a good survival horror game for genre fans to sink their teeth into. The story makes more sense this time around, and the atmosphere delivers the right amount of unease, which is what will keep players plugging away to the end. The gameplay has been tweaked to be easier, but it's not to the point where you can go through without much trouble. Despite the presence of a few technical issues, TEW2 looks and sounds great, and it's certainly worth your time, even in this incredibly packed gaming year.
Sine Mora Ex is a good game, but the new version likely won't satisfy people who are familiar with the original. It still features the challenging and fun gameplay, but it currently doesn't warrant the hefty price tag of $30 for a few minor improvements and content. Chances are that owners of a Nintendo Switch have never had the opportunity to try Sine Mora, so they will experience a highly challenging and entertaining game. People who have played this before should wait for a sale to get the slightly touched-up and expanded version of this truly enjoyable experience.
Even though it isn't as robust as past collections of the series, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is still worth getting if you're a Mega Man fan. The eighth game may be a letdown, but it demonstrates some fun moments while the other three titles are solid. It isn't bursting with extras, and the inclusion of side games would've made this perfect, but for some people, it might be enough to be able to play MM9 and MM10 properly with save states.
2Dark has a lot of potential, and the premise is exciting. The developers dared to delve into a dark plot, and that bravery should be applauded. The title doesn't fail in any particular way, but it also doesn't meet its full potential. The gameplay felt overly complicated and could've benefited from a "less is more" approach. Some improvements to the inventory system also could've made gamers feel more in control of the protagonist. It would've been amazing if the game had managed to remain focused on some quick and tense action sequences, rather than spending so much time on tedious tasks, which interrupted the sense of immersion.
SteamWorld Dig 2 is a masterfully created exploration-platformer in a Metroidvania package. If Dig 2 could offer an additional difficulty level, introduce more boss fights, and capitalize on the potential of the world and story, this could've been extraordinary. As it stands, it's an incredible experience and excellent value for fans of the genre or video games in general. One has to bear in mind that we are talking about a $20 indie game made by a small team, so Dig 2 is far from a full-fledged AAA experience. What's astonishing is how the title manages to capture and entertain us during its runtime and beyond.
While it might not display the same creativity of top-of-the-line JRPGs like Final Fantasy or Persona, Shadows of Adam executes its ideas well, and more importantly, is simply fun to play.
If you can live with some bugs, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a solid follow-up to Shadow of Mordor. Everything that made the first game such a treat is still fully intact, and the addition of loot makes it even more difficult to decide whether to keep or kill orcs. The new fortress mechanic is very intriguing, especially when multiplayer is thrown into the mix, but it makes concessions so it doesn't heavily punish those who don't always maintain their bases. All of this is thrown together with a wide variety of activities and an overall journey that is rarely boring. Fans of grand adventures absolutely enjoy this title.
The Madden series is iconic in the world of sports gaming. Regardless of your reason for playing, you can't go wrong with Madden NFL 18 because it's the ultimate NFL simulation experience on the market. This year's iteration brings dramatic changes in the form of an interactive movie, but there's something here for everyone, whether the interest is in MyTeam, online play, the MUT system, the competitive scene and community, or the superstar career mode.
Overall, Bannerman feels fresh in the way it looks and plays, and we wouldn't be too far off the mark in describing it as a 2-D Dark Souls. Fans of skill-based combat who are interested in the masterfully created retro visuals will get a short but intense journey through the gritty side of war in medieval times.
Metroid: Samus Returns is a solid remake that doesn't reinvent the wheel or eclipse the high points of the franchise but represents an enjoyable and well-made return to what makes Metroid work. It's low on story and high on exploration, and that's all it needs to be. The frustrating moments are few and far between, and the 3DS iteration eclipses the Game Boy original in pretty much every way. It's a Metroid title that shows why the old 2D classics were popular, and it succeeds wonderfully. With a ton of hints dropped throughout the game about a new Metroid game after Samus Returns, it should be interesting to see what Mercury Steam can do with an original game.
Forza Motorsport 7 on the PC has what it takes to be called one of the best and most welcoming racers of the past few years. Aside from being one of the best-looking games on the platform, it plays like a dream due to a myriad of control options, while the freedom afforded by its gameplay options ensures that people of any racing skill level will be able to jump in and do well. However, its lack of stability puts it behind the console version and can make playing it on the PC frustrating if you aren't prepared to restart the game constantly. Despite the score given, which would be one full point higher if stability were fixed, players really wait for a patch unless they're impatient.
All in all, The Escapists 2 is a bigger and better version of the original game. The core gameplay loop of improving your inmate and finding materials and resources to escape is really engaging, even if it can be remarkably boring at times. The new features are mostly hits, and even when they're misses, they just need to be fleshed out, rather than being bad additions to the experience. The Escapists 2 does a solid job, and it's fun to play. Its only shortcomings are some awkwardness with the controller and the general tedium and punishing nature of the game.
In the end, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star serves as a good appetizer for those who want some Musou action now.
The changes that have occurred in NBA 2K18 are great, and everything feels more polished and confident. The dribbling and shooting are arguably the most noteworthy changes, as they feel and look more realistic than ever. The MyCareer mode is a lot better than it has been in the past few years, mostly due to the balance of archetypes. You can now safely play the way you want and not suffer any long-term setbacks. Overall, NBA 2K18 is the pinnacle of basketball simulation games, and it offers more than enough reasons to upgrade now rather than waiting for next year's offering.
For the most part, Redeemer succeeds in delivering an action-packed beat-'em-up experience. Unless players are facing bosses or enemies who are immune to regular attacks, the combat is fast and visceral. The overall game length is good, and although some of the mechanics can be inconsistent, there's enough here to make the experience worthwhile.
For the moment, I'm confident in saying that Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite plays well, which is good, because everything that surrounds that base game is a hot mess. It deserves a lot of the initial terrible buzz it received because unless you have your hands on it, Infinite just looks like refried hell. The Vs. series has never exactly been known for its high production values, but for a major fighting game release in 2017, this borders on embarrassing. It's a fun game that's often difficult to look at, and more so than any balance patches or DLC, it could use a fresh coat of paint.
Overall, Lode Runner Legacy is both a great game and a very good tribute to the 34-year-old original title. The classic gameplay holds up today, with a bevy of old and new levels to demonstrate that. It comes with a look that mimics a few other titles but it's nice to look at. Most importantly, there's more than enough content here to keep fans busy for a long time. Unless you hate platform puzzle games, Lode Runner Legacy is an easy game to recommend.
All in all, The Pillars of the Earth: Book One - From the Ashes is an excellent story-driven point-and-click adventure that mostly knows what its audience wants. This is reflected in the good gameplay and storytelling, and we hope some of the minor flaws and gripes will be addressed in books two and three, which will be released at the end of the year and in the first quarter 2018, respectively.
Nidhogg 2 is a worthy follow-up to the original. The new additions give the game some depth while still keeping intact the spirit of the game. For those who appreciate the prior title's simplicity, it's still there if you're willing to tweak some options. In the end, the game is a perfect multiplayer title in short bursts, and it's a game that's worth keeping in your library for such an occasion.