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While the RPG mechanics may feel like a crawl compared to similar RPGs, the world it presents players is rich and beautiful in every way. The characters Yin meets on this journey are all distinct from one another and a joy to interact with, regardless of if they're a ride or die companion or a random blacksmith that's incapable of understanding why his crush finds him a bit weird. While Wandering Sword is a wonderful game that may not resonate with everyone, it's a very easy recommendation to hardcore turn-based RPG fans that are looking for the next big adventure to dive in to.
Ultimately, what makes NBA 2K24 wonderful ends up being negatively overshadowed by the level of pay-to-win that the game has. There are many cosmetic items for styling MyPlayer with fun clothing or having fancy new hoverboards and animations that all would have been plenty valuable as microtransactions, adding in the ability to improve actual game skills by paying money was an unnecessary and distracting feature. The game itself is fun, realistic, and addictive, and could easily be a must-play for any basketball fan if the in-game purchases can be overlooked.
Mortal Kombat 1 reboots the series for the second time in 30 years, and while the fighting is good it's clear everyone is unsure how to move forward.
Depending on the path players take and if they utilize the scene-skipping function, a run through of The Isle Tide Hotel will generally last about one and a half to two hours. The many ideas introduced in the game could've been explored more with a longer run time, but it's fairly satisfying to go back through multiple times to discover new endings and not have it take a huge amount of time. While it's not quite as creepy or deep as it intends to be, The Isle Tide Hotel offers an inspired environment to explore and engaging acting that make the title mostly worthwhile for the price.
Eternights is commendable but contentious, an intimate apocalyptic action-adventure that reaches for greatness with limited resources. For every unsophisticated story beat or half-baked mechanic, a pleasant surprise or diversion appears to take its place, a dynamic which should motivate almost anyone intrigued by the premise to see the story through. It all makes Eternights a fine first date, but it might not be marriage material.
While The Final Update doesn't necessarily break new ground for the kung-fu brawler, it certainly punctuates the completion of the game. While previous updates for Sifu may have felt more impactful, Sifu The Final Update provides hours of more difficult content for those skilled enough to take on the challenge.
Fae Farm is a game that's easy to sink many hours into, and with post-launch content already planned, it's exciting to think about what the future holds for the already expansive title.
Even though Starfield is slightly rough around the edges, it never detracts from all the fun and adventure. With engaging storytelling, charismatic characters, and an enthralling world, Starfield is an instant classic and a triumphant homecoming to blockbuster gaming for Bethesda Game Studios.
For those looking for a fun and charming puzzle platformer to play, especially with friends, Trine 5 is the perfect choice. Each hero is distinct and lovable in their own ways, the story is fun and engaging, and the puzzles are intuitive and simple, if not lacking in creativity towards the end. In a series full of positively received games and support from players that have stuck with it for years, this is yet another great entry that's sure to leave players with a smile on their face.
Sea of Stars is more than just an excellent turn-based RPG that pays homage to the greats. The gameplay choices it makes turns the game into a must-play for fans of the genre, while the story is suitably charming for RPG aficionados. This is far more than simply a prequel to The Messenger, and is a tremendous achievement in its own right.
Overall, Ride 5 is a stunningly realistic approach to motorcycle racing simulations. It features immersive graphics and physics that can cause races to be simultaneously challenging and rewarding, while also providing some rider aids to help those who are struggling with the difficulty. The depth of content that is available with the various game modes will allow people to spend countless hours racing and playing around in their virtual garage decorating and tweaking their bikes. Anyone who is a fan of racing, particularly motorcycle racing, should absolutely give Ride 5 a try.
Armored Core 6 is one of the best mech games I've experienced in years, and it's one I expect to play through at least two more times. The story of Rubicon, and how your decisions as a mercenary shape it, is my favorite story in gaming this year, up to and including all the big releases that have come out so far. It's an exceptionally well-made title with few bugs, incredible graphics, great gameplay, and a thought-provoking narrative. I just wish it was a little longer.
Immortals of Aveum is not quite the must-have new IP that some would have hoped, but there are some genuine moments of brilliance here. It has absolutely fantastic minute-to-minute combat, and once the player is in sync with their powers it's a wonderfully fluid experience. Unfortunately its story and writing doesn't match its gameplay, and its visual design is a bit of a mixed bag, but with gameplay that ranks among the most enjoyable for shooters of this generation so far, those flaws may well be worth overlooking.
Overall The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a fun multiplayer game. There is a lot to love here and with it being brand new the additional possibilities of DLC are exciting to think about (House of 1000 Corpses anyone?). There were some framerate issues in the pre-release PC build, especially when a Victim was being killed, but these have been noted by the designers and should be ironed out shortly after release. As a fan of asymmetrical horror games, and looking for something new to scratch that itch, this is absolutely a must-play, though it comes with a fair number of issues that might turn off people from returning over and over the way some other online multiplayer experiences actively encourage.
Then again, this is exactly how isolation works. The world continues on outside the window at breakneck pace, leaving only stories and memories to cling to in the aftermath. The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is about the forgotten, punished, and lost finding their footing once again, reclaiming authority and placement in their world. Do they feel vengeful towards their captors or betrayed by the lost connections who now casually darken their door with a smile? Do they punish themselves for their actions, or blame it on the broken system they now seek to change? Don’t allow the colorful outfits and smiling faces to fool you, as The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood can form a rather insidious narrative dependent on player input, to make for an entirely original and rewardingly rich adventure.
Overall, F1 Manager 2023 is a successful management sim. It understands the complexities of the sport of Formula One well, and replicates it with gameplay that is accessible for people without them getting lost in data. Although there's room for improvement, it's an excellent option for fans of F1 in general.
One playthrough of Stray Gods takes about five hours, but one of the most impressive things about the game is its immense replayability. Different dialogue choices coupled with the huge amount of musical permutations mean that no two runs are the same, and it's hard to resist going back for more even after the mystery is solved. The title certainly isn't for everyone - those who completely abhor anything even adjacent to musical theater are certainly not the target audience. However, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical presents an engaging story and song mechanics that feel beautifully personal, making it worth looking into even for players who don't consider themselves musical lovers.
Both the Quality and Performance Modes of Atlas Fallen sport incredible visuals and gameplay, especially with Performance Mode's 60fps. Atlas Fallen's photo mode was also a distracting highlight, especially when finding a rare glitch in the game and being able to have the main character express disappointment while pointing at said visual glitches to take the above screenshot. Developer Deck13 promises updates at launch will further improve the game, which did not suffer from any dramatic performance issues like other open-world games tend to release with. In its current state, Atlas Fallen is an excellent showcase of modern gaming that features some exciting mechanics that other action games could benefit from.
Wrestlequest is a lot of fun, and there is clearly a strong nostalgia for wrestling here, as well as the old-school style of roleplaying games. This is both a blessing and a curse. Wrestlequest does its best to keep the player engaged, and the story is a delight even if you aren't a wrestling fan, but the slow pace of old-school RPGs can quickly wear on modern players. However, if someone is yearning for the old 16-bit Final Fantasy style of gameplay, Wrestlequest will absolutely scratch that itch: ooooh Yeah!
Baldur's Gate 3 is imposing in stature and its best moments are truly memorable, but some early issues with scale suggest an uneven experience.