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As a sum of its parts, Espire 2 is a very solid VR stealth game that is only held back by a few issues, but those issues usually interfere with the player's enjoyment. The rough visuals and AI never got me to buy into this otherwise well-executed stealth fantasy. It has good ideas, which are all done well, but they quickly wear thin with repeated playthroughs. If you have a friend to play with, Espire 2 also offers the ability to play missions cooperatively, so that may be a reason to rank Espire 2 a bit higher, but the overall gameplay remains the same. Ultimately, Espire 2 does some impressive things with VR controls and offers some great open-level design, but it isn't an overly long game experience, and it feels rough around the edges.
Divine Knockout is worth checking out in its current state for fighting game fans, but those who are on the fence might want to wait for the current season to end to see if it will remain free-to-play.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution is an exercise in restraint. It adds content where it makes sense and expands the known formula in a few different directions. It never reinvents any part of what made the first game so revolutionary, and it doesn't need to. By the time you start swinging a chainsaw through a group of zombies, you've probably forgotten about the lack of innovation on display and are appreciating Retribution for what it is: more of the same fun in one of the best VR games to date. The only real downside is that the Quest 2's technical limitations put a noticeable dent in the presentation. If you have the means and patience, waiting for the full PC release in February would be my recommendation. For everyone else, this is a good, if technically flawed, version of a great VR game.
To that end, I love Motorsport Manager, but really I played it because it was the closest modern sim that had something akin to Formula One cars. F1 Manager 2022 drives a perfect line by clearly taking some inspiration both from that game as well as from the series' own (distant) past, but it feels like something fresh. Every element of it feels refined in a way that is clearly specific to the real-life sport, and it is both defined by and pays homage to reality. It's a game that has shockingly few true flaws, and while it is also very much geared toward a specific crowd, I had a great time elevating Haas to (just a little bit more) glory.
Tanuki Sunset is the kind of game you'll dig if you want a relaxing time that's still somewhat challenging. The lack of upgrades and far checkpoint distances are a pain, but the overall friction between you and your goals is minimal enough that you can finish the experience with a bit of effort and enjoy the scenery while doing so. It still needs some bug fixes for things liked a dropped-out soundtrack, and while it lacks much to keep you coming back, it's the perfect game to hop into between much longer games in your library.
Need for Speed Unbound is a solid comeback for the series, provided you can deal with some potential annoyances. The risk/reward system functions well in creating tension during all parts of a race, but the grind is an annoyance until you get better cars or parts for your initial ride. The presence of elements borrowed from other racing titles is done well enough, but the story can be a chore to sit through if you aren't already using this slang every day. Overall, Unbound is a solid racing title that should hopefully start bringing the series back to prominence.
In its current state, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a very fun and beautiful co-op shooter that's probably one of the best of its kind. It's the rough foundation of a great game, but it hasn't achieved greatness yet. There's a limited selection of maps and character classes, a lot of grinding, and very pronounced technical issues that hold back the title significantly. If you can tolerate that, Darktide is fun to play with a group of friends. Otherwise, I'd advise you to wait for future updates or test the waters with the PC Game Pass.
God of War Ragnarök starts off deceptively simple and familiar, but it shakes up expectations and keeps the player guessing. It improves upon the prior title in every way, including audio, combat, gameplay, narrative, and visuals - and the original was already outstanding.
Them's Fightin' Herds is a very enjoyable game with more than a few caveats. The fighting is fun and has plenty of depth, but the tiny roster can feel very limiting. Online play is smooth and there are a number of things to do and options to work with, but it also means that experiencing defeat at the hands of a small but skilled player population will be done without any lag. Story mode is filled with plenty of awesome ideas and humorous moments, but the platforming will drive you up the wall, even in the story's incomplete state. Hardcore fighting game fans will love it, but more casual fans will need to temper expectations.
Video Game Fables makes for a very good title for those who want something new yet traditional in a condensed form. The world is of a decent size with a ton of quality-of-life additions that cleave out the more tedious parts of the genre. The XP system is deep and thoughtful, while the battle system provides a good amount of depth if you're willing to commit actions to memory. It's all wrapped up in a story that provides a few laughs and a presentation that might be an acquired taste. It's a sleeper title that every fan should check out, despite it coming in a year flooded with big JRPG releases.
Blacktail is a welcome surprise for the end of the year. Combat can come off as cruel due to the limited number of arrows and the limited dodge mechanic, but the actual firing of arrows is excellent. Boss fights feel very satisfying once you finally get a read on what they're doing, but the variable difficulty that can be utilized during boss battles can provide some relief if players are more interested in the story than gameplay. The world is the real star thanks to the grimy yet alluring presentation and the cast of characters. The side-scrolling sections after every boss fight act as neat breathers before you return to your adventure. Blacktail is intriguing overall and well worth seeking out if you love adventure games.
Just Dance 2023 Edition is almost critic-proof at this point. You're either already on board and have been dancing away since it became available for download, or you have no interest and no reviews can sway your decision. With that said, the change to a service model has the potential to be exciting provided it can quickly get its Plus service on par with its old Unlimited service in terms of content. If Ubisoft can do that while keeping things like online play intact, then the series will be in good hands for quite some time.
Your outlook on Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is going to depend on your perspective. As a historical document, it chronicles Atari as a company but still seems focused on the 2600 and old arcade stuff above all else. As a game compilation, it still feels lacking in the latter half of the company's game history, as some of the more interesting titles from the 7800 era onward aren't here; one can argue that the company's output at the time doesn't make the job any easier, though. There are certainly enough curios to keep existing owners of Atari Vault interested thanks to the presence of new titles here, but it could've used more curation to make it an item that's worth celebrating.
River City Girls 2 is pretty much everything you'd expect from a sequel: more enemies, more allies, more moves, more areas to explore, and more everything. It doesn't veer too far away from any of the original's design choices, and the result is a comfortable, if safe, sequel. The boss fights feel a little less tightly designed than they did in the first game, but it's a small complaint at best, and there's still plenty to enjoy here. If you enjoy quirky comedy with a fighting game twist, River City Girls 2 has a lot to enjoy. It's also way too cool to body-slam folks as a muscular, super-cool version of one of gaming's most famous damsels in distress.
Overall, High on Life is a solid first-person shooter/adventure game. The action is exciting, and the boss fights are frustrating in their difficulty but satisfying once you take down someone. The exploration portions make you want to return to each area to suss out secrets, and you'd just wish there were more environments to explore. All of this is done at a good length, but only if you're a fan of the humor. If you are a fan, add an extra point to the score. Even if you're not a fan of the humor, the adventure is worth experiencing at least once.
New Tales from the Borderlands tries to go all-out but ends up with unlikable characters, mind-boggling story twists, and forced comedic writing. Even some interesting decisions and entertaining side characters cannot save what is otherwise an uninteresting romp through the world of Borderlands. If anything, NTFTB confirms that the original was indeed a perfect storm that isn't easily replicated. Fans of the franchise may end up enjoying the adventure, but I'd advise waiting for a sale before embarking on this strange adventure.
The Callisto Protocol is frustrating as a game because it's so easy to see how it could have been great. There's no single thing that drags down the game, but it's an endless stream of annoyances that are exacerbated by the constant reminders of better titles. The Callisto Protocol can be fun, but it's constantly getting in the way of its own fun. It's possible that patches might smooth out some of the combat issues and improve the game a fair bit. At launch, though, it's more frustrating than fun. There's a lot of potential for a sequel that takes the lessons to heart, but for the moment, you're better off waiting for a sale.
Marvel's Midnight Suns is probably my top shocker for the year. I'm surprised at how well everything comes together. It almost seems like a bit too much on paper, but it feels amazing once you get your hands on the game. The combat is addictive and incredibly fun, and the story is pure comic book schlock in the best sort of ways. If you are looking for Marvel XCOM, you'll be disappointed, but that's the most significant "flaw" I can think of. Marvel fans of all types will be delighted with Midnight Suns, which is a love letter to the spooky side of the universe. It's a game that I easily see myself coming back to time and time again.
Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion manages to be a lot more than the sum of its parts. There are a lot of things that you can complain about, from the dumb antagonist to the legacy of its PSP roots. It's a credit to the game that despite those flaws, it is still probably one of the best Final Fantasy spin-off games on the market, and Reunion is by far the best way to experience it. It should do a good job of tiding over fans until at least Final Fantasy XVI.
Portal remains a masterpiece of a game. Even more than 15 years later, the game still hits its marks, from puzzle design to length and everything in between. Portal with RTX adds to that by sprucing up the graphics enough that it immediately rivals many modern releases on more advanced game engines. The high system requirements, along with the breaking of some core functionality, restricts who can enjoy the improvements, but the sting doesn't hurt as much due to the fact that it's free. If you are fine with those caveats, give Portal with RTX a spin, whether this is the first time you're playing it - or the 50th.