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All in all, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a standout example of the franchise. It's undeniably safe, but on the flip side, it's engaging, enjoyable, and polished, and it showcases almost all of the franchise's strengths. It also has its share of weaknesses, but in terms of nostalgia for the olden days, it's an example of how to do it right. It might be a bit too repetitive for longtime Dragon Quest fans, but if you were going to play one Dragon Quest, DQ11 is the one I'd recommend even over my personal favorite. It's a great entry point to the franchise, and it's a charming, fun, and likeable JRPG on its own merits.
True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1 provides a compelling story and atmosphere for fans of both the horror and point-and-click genre. A mysterious story with intriguing twists and turns will keep players invested for hours to come. The title will challenge players to rely on intuition, since a variety of puzzles make up the core gameplay. The variety adds diversity to the gameplay while allowing players to feel accomplished upon completion. There is more to the game than just puzzles, as secrets and collectibles keep players invested in the environment and grant opportunities for exploration beyond the main plot. True Fear excels at elevating the point-and-click genre through genius design layouts and storytelling. While the gameplay and plot will keep players interested, some pacing issues and lack of horror elements weaken the title. The issues are not enough to outshine True Fear's excellent features, however, as the title creates a memorable experience. A major cliffhanger at the end creates excitement for Part 2 as players are left wondering, "What will happen next"? True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1 is a must-play for any fans of the genre.
If I have one issue, it 's that the path of the main story feels a little short and a little too neatly tied up at the end — if you simply choose to mash through it. I feel like you have some room to let things breathe at the end of a trilogy, and I didn 't feel like the story did enough of that as I progressed. With that said, it feels like the best way to play Shadow of the Tomb Raider is to embrace all of it and take some time to sink into the world Crystal Dynamics has crafted so that Lara 's journey feels more filling. That 's when her journey and everything she does feels a little more ... right.
Despite its poorly told story, repetitive material grind, and wonky scoring system, Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack is a solid investment for fans of the 2D platformer genre. Gunvolt may not be Mega Man, but the series offers up much of the same charm and challenge that made Capcom's iconic franchise such a big hit. The pair of games doesn't quite hit the same highs as many of the Blue Bomber's greatest adventures, but Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack earns serious points for trying something new. Despite the wealth of platformers that have come to the Switch in recent weeks, Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack makes a compelling case for being an addition to your growing library.
If you want to take a chance on Thief of Thieves, wait for a sale. Otherwise, you can probably pass on it and hope a possible sequel will handle things better.
Marvel's Spider-Man does what a lot of good art does, which is examine techniques and concepts that work well, and then blend and refine them to create something unique to itself and possibly greater. I've made this point before: Art and artists have built on and inspired each other since the beginning of time. So yes, I've heard and seen the Spidey/Arkham hot takes, and I ended up not caring at all because at no point did I forget I was playing a Spider-Man experience. I was too busy swinging around in Manhattan, with buildings whipping by as I tailed a police pursuit, thinking about how right it all felt.
Moss is a gorgeous virtual reality experience that combines the eloquence of a theatrical play, the cuteness of smaller-sized subjects and making their scale feel grander, and the enjoyment of playing video games. I have never experienced something quite like Moss, and although it is partially due to the VR headset, it's more than equally due to how the developers used the technology to create a genuinely enjoyable experience. Moss is probably my favorite VR game yet, and I'd expect that sentiment to be echoed by many others.
We know that Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition won't be the definitive edition of the game, since more DLC is scheduled. This is the most complete and most beautiful edition of the game thus far, but it's asking you to buy into a very good but still flawed experience that is slowly but surely catching up. If you truly can't wait until the real complete edition surfaces, you'll have a decent experience at the very least. Otherwise, pass on this title and wait another year. The mammoth project that is FFXV will eventually come to a satisfying conclusion.
All in all, Strange Brigade is a solid and enjoyable co-op shooter with a lot of heart. It doesn't necessarily redefine the genre, but the combat mechanics are fun, the traps are delightful, the variety of characters is interesting, and in general, it's just a whole lot of fun to play. Get together three friends, burn through a horde of zombies, and you'll have a fantastic time. The only caveat is that the game should be played co-op. It's a tougher game to justify when you're playing solo.
War Tech Fighters is simply good enough. The gameplay seems limited since you don't get a sense of movement, and specific mech fighting is restricted to quick fights with other mechs and one-hit cut scene kills, but the constant flow of action mitigates that a bit. The side missions and grinding for cash makes up for a lack of multiplayer, and the presentation is fine but nothing feels like it's state of the art. War Tech Fighters won't be your next all-time favorite mech game, but you'll still have a good time rolling through the campaign.
Overall, Surviving Mars is a solid building simulator. Its numerous options for gameplay leave room for all kinds of play styles. Player choices maintain key roles in how they wish to shape their societies. A vast array of technology makes room for endless infrastructure combinations with a wonderful level of detail. A lack of content really brings down the game a few notches because the gameplay begins to feel repetitive after a while. Although the title has a lot of awesome details with science fiction flair, it doesn't bring any new surprises after a single playthrough. Whether players are seeking a challenging simulation or a chill Martian sandbox, Surviving Mars is a title that is worth a try.
In the end, Danger Zone 2 dips below the standard set by the original game. The addition of the run-up makes the levels feel deep, but the wonky physics and crash restrictions and presence of older issues negate all of that positive movement. The lack of modes is accentuated further by the lack of levels, and the middle-of-the-road presentation makes the game feel lackluster. This is the type of game you'll want to pick up at a sale, but if you're more patient, you might want to wait for the developer's upcoming Dangerous Driving to see if it can finally deliver a full Burnout-inspired game.
Smoke and Sacrifice is a good game once you know what you're getting into. It is an adventure with clear objectives but a slower pace due to the amount of collecting and crafting involved. It's also a much easier survival game to digest, since you aren't monitoring too many meters at one time. Tying it together is a captivating presentation and a narrative that is as dour as it is fascinating. Although the Switch version suffers from some hitches in areas, the game should still be experienced by genre fans.
Overcooked 2 is still one of the best local co-op experiences to make your friends hate you. The sequel plays it safe, though, with few overall improvements apart from an online mode and a throwing mechanic. Add to that the inconsistent difficulty, which ranges from ridiculously easy to punishingly tough, and you have a game that is familiar but doesn't push the envelope as much as you may have hoped for a sequel.
If you're looking for something that massively overhauls the Madden experience, you're probably not going to find it in Madden NFL 19. Instead, I see it as a generally solid dose of improvements and consistency, with an emphasis on tightening up the on-field product for better, more natural football action. It's got me looking forward to binging the next season, at the very least.
If it weren't plagued with issues, Super Bomberman R would be a fine return to the PC for the series. Both the campaign and the multiplayer lack the flourishes that make some of the older entries memorable, but the core gameplay still holds up enough to remain enjoyable for newcomers and more casual players of the series. You have to treat the game as a local multiplayer title instead of an online one and hope you don't get hit with controller issues. Considering both the price point and the fact that other indie titles have already run with this concept to a much better execution, however, your best bet is to check out the game once it goes on sale or has a good price drop.
Kingdoms and Castles is a solid effort, especially coming from such a small team. The game lacks longevity, but at $10, it may be worth picking up by those who enjoy base-building games but don't enjoy the difficulty and complexity that often comes with the genre.
Strangely enough, Onrush checks every item on my gamer wishlist while still staying well below its potential. It's beautiful, fun and technically sound, but it also has an identity crisis that won't go away anytime soon. It's a great casual online experience that wants to be more than that — but doesn't actually offer enough to achieve it. The continuous updates may nudge the game closer to that goal, but recent layoffs at the studio don't instill hope that updates will continue at a consistent rate. If you're looking for a fun, bare-bones, online racing experience, Onrush may still be the perfect game for you. It still has a long way to go to fulfill its potential.
As a whole, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition is literally the complete package for fans of the series and genre enthusiasts. It's not the best platformer around, but it is a fun journey, especially with the additional DLC characters. I wish the developer would've embraced the Metroidvania aspects more, gotten more creative with some platforming segments, and included a few more environments for the DLC, but there is not much else I can hold against this truly fun platformer.
It's difficult to recommend Gene Rain to anyone. The story makes no sense, and the game does a good job of maintaining that sense of confusion. The gameplay has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and the presentation would be laughable even during the prior console generation. Not even Trophy hunters would be attracted to this title because the grind to obtain them is unbearable. Stay as far away as possible from Gene Rain.