Worth Playing
HomepageWorth Playing's Reviews
Diablo IV is an extremely good Diablo game, and that is all it needs to be. It doesn't change much, and it focuses on polishing what the franchise already did well. It's always difficult to tell how these kinds of games will develop; by the end of its life cycle, Diablo III was almost unrecognizable compared to its launch state. Barring some terrible missteps, Diablo IV has everything it needs to grasp your soul with its malevolent claws and eat up hours of your life. Newcomers or long-time fans alike should find it easy to pick up and play Diablo IV.
Impaler is a fun game if you know what you're getting into. It's a simple enough arena shooter that plays fast and is short enough to ensure that you can squeeze in multiple runs in a short play session. The need to kill airborne enemies with a stomp can put a damper on things, but the rest of the gameplay is solid. Impaler is priced at $2.99, so it's worth a look for shooting fans who want a quick fix.
In its current state, the Xbox version of Pinball FX still feels like a work in progress and isn't an improvement from the prior version of the game. For a product that targets a niche market, that's a hard pill to swallow. I really wanted to like Pinball FX, but every time I fired it up, I found myself switching back to Pinball FX3. It's best to wait for improvements before investing a lot of money on upgrading and rebuying tables you already own.
Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is a very safe sequel. It's the same characters, same gameplay, and a very similar plot, but with some additions and new mechanics and general upgrades. The result is an experience that feels familiar but has enough adjustments and changes to feel fresh. The excellent combat system is as good as ever. I can't help but hope that the next game shows a little more ambition, but at the same time, I'd happily play another entry. Sometimes, it's OK to stick to what works, and Fuga 2 shows that this particular franchise has a lot of life left in it.
Dredge has no right to be as good as it is, but it effectively plays to its strengths and mixes solid systems with a strong theme. If you're not into fishing or Lovecraft, Dredge won't be your cup of tea. However, if either even slightly tickles your fancy, I can almost guarantee that you'll have a blast delving into the twisted mysteries of Dredge - and you'll even make a decent buck with mutant fish while you're at it.
With Super Mega Baseball 4, Metalhead has another solid baseball title on its hands. The existing modes get enough overall improvements to make them worthwhile, while Shuffle Draft keeps things fresh for a long time. The introduction of pros is awesome, but the game did well to not forget the originals, while the gameplay remains rock solid. Baseball fans of all types who aren't hung up on only playing with the current pros will enjoy this title.
As a straightforward port of the GBC classic, Shantae works quite well. Minor issues like button remapping aside, once you get over a few things like the lack of a map and a more brutal life system, you'll find this to be a classic platformer that shows off how good this series and WayForward were from the beginning. Shantae fans who only own a PlayStation system will be very happy with this, and we hope that this means Xbox and PC fans will also be able to get this game on their platform of choice soon.
Street Fighter 6 succeeds in its ambition to cram some big things into one fighting game. Battle Hub may be silly, but it has a lot more personality and more to do than most other titles with their own online lobbies. Fighting Ground does a great job of showing off the new roster and improvements to the fighting engine, while placing an equal amount of attention on both offline and online players. World Tour makes for a somewhat nonsensical yet addictive adventure that can serve as a good basis for a full-fledged Street Fighter RPG. All of this is tied together with a presentation that does well in improving what came before it, only with more fidelity and flash. As stated at the beginning of this review, fighting game fans are going to have a good year, and Street Fighter 6 is an excellent component of that.
System Shock Remake is a solid remake of an exceptional game. It doesn't quite reach the levels of modernization that you might see from something like Resident Evil 4 Remake, but it does a good job of adapting a classic without losing what made it a classic in the first place. It's a clever and creative game that deserves its place in gaming history, and the remake emphasizes that.
Like the character itself, Gollum is an ugly, depressing, pitiable mess that's destined for a bad end and with little to recommend it. With a stronger design behind it, this title could've perhaps been redeemed, but the version we got isn't that. It's not good, it's not entertainingly bad, and it's not even interestingly broken. It's just a lackluster, licensed game that doesn't seem to have a point, and it focuses on a character that even die-hard fans don't want to play as.
Idea is a game that'll only appeal to a niche audience. Those looking for any sort of exciting adventure or meaningful ending won't find it here, especially since the game's own idea messaging system is filled with random characters instead of something meaningful. The game is a nice distraction, as it can be relaxing to see where the ball ends up if given a little push. It's neat, but don't expect anything profound.
It's a fun game through and through, but it's also exactly what it says on the tin, and it revels in it. Evil Wizard offers goofy humor, video game references, and fun combat - and sometimes, that's all that it needs to do.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is everything that retro first-person shooter fans can enjoy, even if they have no love for the grimdark space setting. The action is constant, and the gore is plentiful, but the game forces you to play smart, even at the lower difficulty levels. The gameplay loop doesn't deviate from the classic key-finding formula, but the levels are larger, which means more enemies to shoot and a higher chance of getting lost, whether or not you're trying to find secrets. The game is long enough that multiplayer isn't needed, but it also never feels tiring despite some things that may be irksome. Boltgun is a solid piece of work and one that we'd definitely recommend checking out.
Planet of Lana is a pleasant surprise. It tells a compelling story with some unexpected twists, and it does so without the need to utter a word in a language we understand. The puzzles aren't obtuse enough to be frustrating, while the platforming never feels imprecise. To top it off, the presentation both looks and sounds amazing. Unless you dislike the entire genre, Planet of Lana is easily a contender for any "best of" lists this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is almost the raw ideal of video games. It's a giant exciting open world, and you're given a huge amount of tools and puzzles to use in that world. It takes everything that was great about Breath of the Wild and improves upon it. It even takes some of the previous negatives (like weapon durability) and turns them into new strengths. The only weak part in the game is that the story isn't any great shakes, but even that's more of a minor annoyance than a serious complaint. Tears of the Kingdom is destined to be a modern classic, and it's an absolute joy to play. Unless you disliked the Breath of the Wild formula, Tears of the Kingdom is a must-play for any Switch owner.
Tents and Trees is a solid nonograms game that does a good job of handling the twists it has for the player. The board limitations make for some very interesting puzzles, while the casual nature of the game and generous hint system don't scare away those who aren't already well versed in this type of game. With a near-limitless supply of puzzles at hand, Tents and Trees is a great recommendation for anyone who is a big fan of the genre.
LEGO 2K Drive is a fun romp if you know what you're getting into. The racing is fast and exciting, and the catch-up code seems tuned just right. The open worlds provide a ton to do, and the freeform exploration and destruction makes driving around feel enjoyable. The amount of grind needed to make some real progression can drag down things in the intervals, when there are no story-based missions. Some of the quests that aren't strictly related to racing can be very hit-and-miss in terms of enjoyment. The presence of microtransactions is unsettling to see in the publisher's non-sports titles. If you can ensure you aren't tempted to buy new cars due to the paltry reward payouts, you'll have a very good time with this racing title.
There's a good idea behind God of Rock. The concept of a rhythm game with the trappings of a fighting game has worked in the past, so we know this combination can work. The execution is flawed enough for both genres that the idea can't shine through. Some more polish and perhaps a rethinking of readability would help this become more desirable, but it's currently difficult to recommend.
Metal Mutation is the textbook definition of average. It's acceptable enough to be fun, but it doesn't have the highs or lows to make it anything more - or anything less. "Cyberpunk Hades" is a super cool concept, but the game in its current iteration feels more like an Early Access title than a full game. It's probably worth a look if you pick it up on sale or during a bundle. I'd wait to see if Metal Mutation gets more fleshed out before taking the leap.
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a competent linear adventure game that seamlessly connects the rebooted story of a young Sherlock Holmes with the twisted world of Lovecraft. While it's a focused effort overall, the presentation is clunky, and the Lovecraftian elements don't get the spotlight they deserve. The enjoyable mystery adventure romp will satisfy fans of the franchise, but everyone else might be better off waiting for a sale before jumping into this case.