GotGame's Reviews
Diablo II is not a walk in the park, as it encourages grinding, it’s very punishing when you die, and it doesn’t hold your hand. But if you manage to get past this, it’s still one of the most important titles in the series, making Diablo II: Resurrected a must-buy for old-time fans.
While it’s tough to find a way to make a sequel to such an unusual title, NEO: The World Ends With You manages to do exactly that. Despite the significant changes to the gameplay, the foundation is still there. The style, the music, and even the overall bizarre elements of the game just makes it work. If the game had a more accessible control scheme and was less tedious, it would be much easier to recommend. If you’re a fan of the original, it’s definitely worth playing. For newcomers, it’s an acquired taste that will be much easier to gauge if you play the demo.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a major step up from Banana Blitz HD. Thanks to a better source material, both the single and multiplayer content is great. There are some changes with the physics that can lead to very frustrating moments, but as a whole, this is a return to form. Not every new idea lands, but the sheer amount of content for every kind of player will ensure there is something for everyone.
Hot Wheels Unleashed feels great and looks solid. It might not have a consistent performance across platforms, but the pure adrenaline filled racing is fun all around. With plenty of cars and creative tracks, Hot Wheels fans will likely enjoy what Unleashed has to offer. I look forward to seeing how the game adapts and evolves in future seasons, in addition to challenging people to races.
The combat doesn’t get old thanks to the mini-core system and cool weapons. The writing is genuinely heartfelt with fantastic localization, and there’s even unlockable fan art. And, again, the visual and audio presentation is fantastic, with great user interface design. There’s plenty of replay value in unlocking new items and improving scores, and uncovering the story is fun.
Overall, NBA 2K22 is serviceable, if not slightly better than average. The game functions as it should, but it’s clear where the focus is. The graphics become more impressive each year, especially for the newer platforms. Gameplay isn’t very different, but it definitely has a level of polish that I didn’t see in previous years. It’s just too bad that the fun of the game is bogged down by the clunky transitions and the constant nagging to spend real money on in-game items. NBA 2K22 is exactly what the franchise has been; a fun, familiar, and accessible competitive sports title.
Overall, Tails of Iron is a fantastic experience. The world building, combat, audio, and nearly every other aspect of the game is executed masterfully. Only slightly hampered by its brevity and excessive backtracking, Tails of Iron should be played by all fans of Soulslike and other 2D games.
For some, a game like Life is Strange: True Colors will be just that: a game. For many others, it’ll hit different, tapping into our deepest emotions and perfectly displaying our feelings in a relatable portrayal. It will peer into our very soul and reveal our own true colors, making our choices that much more impactful. With beautiful visuals, wonderful performances and animation, and an out of this world soundtrack, this is one game that will sit with me for a long time. If any of that sounds interesting to you, then you’ll likely enjoy this game. If you happen to be a fan of Life is Strange in general, then you’ll love True Colors.
WarioWare: Get It Together! gets a lot of points for reinvigorating the classic formula. Controlling characters in microgames adds a new layer to the gameplay without making the simple goals too convoluted. Unfortunately, the uneven characters and obtuse controls can result in some frustration. The multiplayer offerings are fun when the main games are the focus, but the variety pack doesn’t add much interest despite its namesake. Still, with all the warts, this is still WarioWare, and it’s still as hilarious and fun as it’s always been. Even if it couldn’t get all of its ideas together, it’s still better than having a rotten time.
If you want to recapture the feeling of old timey adventure movies, Curious Expedition 2 is a great way to do it. While it can be a lot for a first timer, the experience is rewarding run after run. During my first eight hours with the game, I completed five runs, and barely scratched the surface of things to do.
Clid the Snail has an interesting concept, and that’s a fact. I don’t think there will ever be another game where you play as an anthropomorphic gun toting snail in a post-apocalyptic world. However, the poor, overly difficult combat and the muted environments keep Clid from achieving anything notable. Even hardcore fans of twin-stick shooters would be better off passing on this title.
Truly, I love Deathloop. It's the most exciting new AAA title I've played in quite a while. The learning curve is always challenging, but never frustrating. From the moment it started, the premise sucked me in and made me care about what was going on. I'm happy to say that this is a case in which delays really did a game a lot of good. Deathloop is easily one of the best titles to come out this year. Arkane Studios put their best foot forward in trying times and delivered an instant classic.
Whether you are a squire or a samurai lord, Ghost of Tsushima is still as excellent as it was a year ago. If you haven’t played the game before and are debating if to pick up the PS5 version at full price, I’d still recommended it. The sheer amount of content from the main game, the expansion island, and the fantastic multiplayer make it a worthwhile purchase.
Overall, Tetragon is a great idea on paper, but the end result is frustrating and underwhelming. With the shift in difficulty and mechanics halfway through, it’s hard to say if it’s worth persevering through the second half until the end.
Overall, Maneater: Truth Quest is still a fun little addition to the game. It would’ve been nice for the game to offer a bigger shark, but when you add mouth lasers, you’re already pretty powerful. While the story lacks depth and fun references, it still maintains the simple charm thanks to Chris Parnell’s delivery. Just try to play it on higher end hardware for the best results. If you were a fan of Maneater and wanted a bit more on your platter, Truth Quest will likely appease your appetite.
Tales of Arise masterfully blends its elements to produce a truly captivating experience. It’s surprisingly turned out to be my favorite in the franchise thus far. It may be lacking the multiplayer of its predecessors, but that doesn’t diminish the overall journey. As the first Tales game of the new generation, we’re already off to a fantastic start.
After living in Wii purgatory for 11 years, it’s nice for other console owners to finally experience Sonic Colors. The Ultimate edition brings some graphical flourishes and a forgiving difficulty curve that would help benefit beginners. However, the myriad of both visual and audio glitches dampen the overall experience. I do hope that Blind Squirrel can polish the game down the line and provide a more consistent experience. Unfortunately, as it stands, Sonic Colors: Ultimate doesn’t quite reach for the stars.
Overall, Button City is comforting and reminiscent of a fresh, early 2000s summer afternoon: no responsibilities and no worries. Just a pocket full of quarters and a curfew. Visit Button City and escape to a land where friendship is the true winner.
Golf Club: Wasteland caught my eye as a game that was visually pleasing with an interesting twist. It was far more than I expected, showcasing a ton of value. I found it to be a fun, challenging and interesting spin of what our future could be. While it is short, roughly four hours or so, it’s exceptionally effective with the time it provides. With over 30 stages and tons of dialogue, Demagog Studio has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the future. Here, they’ve made a game to represent that.
Overall, Star Hunter DX is able to distinguish itself from its numerous peers through a focus on strong gameplay. For a small indie game, it packs a punch in content for shmup lovers. While it has few stand out moments, newcomers and veterans will be entertained by its uncompromising classic feel.