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A truly comprehensive racing game.
The only flaw in Risk of Rain 2’s Survivors of the Void DLC is that the Railgunner and the Void Fiend are incredibly overpowered. However, once Hopoo Games balances both classes, Survivors of the Void is shaping up to be the best addition to the game. The new Survivors, enemies, and levels provide Risk of Rain 2 with much-needed content that appeals to new and experienced players.
Babylon's Fall is little more than a string of indiscernible combat encounters with a few big boss fights. The oil-paint art style of the game makes it difficult to distinguish anything in combat, especially in the darker levels. Unfortunately, the rewards of completing Babylon's Fall aren't worth the effort of going through the unbearably repetitive gameplay. Overall, Babylon's Fall is a combat-focused game with a lot of unvaried action that quickly gets old.
Shadow Warrior 3 is a first-person shooter that is packed with action and it will be enjoyable to those who love carving up hordes of monsters.
Unfortunately, BioWare has some work to do to bring Star Wars: The Old Republic’s Legacy of the Sith expansion to the same quality level as previous expansions. The product’s delay failed to address many glitches and bugs, and developers appeared to ignore community feedback throughout PTS servers and beta testing. As a result, the story’s short length is underwhelming for an expansion celebrating the game’s tenth anniversary, but hopefully future updates will fix existing bugs as time goes on. Players who enjoy SWTOR’s core gameplay and stories may be satisfied with Legacy of the Sith but shouldn’t expect to receive as much content for their money as previous expansions offered.
This is the only noticeable downside to this expansion and it's one that will only affect certain players. Even then, the story alone is absolutely worth dealing with what is realistically a minor inconvenience. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is an achievement in storytelling for Bungie, which somehow has two more expansions still to come for its ongoing game. The Witch Queen is a must play for fans of the series, casual or otherwise, as it's an intriguing story that is well told, exudes confidence, and hints at an even brighter (or darker) future that's still to come.
This is a hard moment to experience and there are many more throughout Martha is Dead, but none of these are implemented for shock value. All of these moments are carefully thought-out and relevant to the story and exploration of Giulia's mental deterioration. Ultimately, Martha is Dead is a game with simple mechanics that tells a difficult but important story that's well worth experiencing. That said, those interested in playing this game should consider doing so on Xbox or PC if possible, as these platforms are offering the game in the way it's intended to be experienced.
Elden Ring is a nearly perfect game.
Anyone discouraged from those popular concerns of free-to-play MMOs will find that Lost Ark is gentle in its pay-to-win leanings. There are predictably seductive premium purchases to be had, but most of them revolve around time-savers and special mounts/skins, and hopefully there's some more free Lost Ark content to come. The architecture of the game seems geared towards dutiful endgamers with decent daily rewards that won’t require dozens of hours a week to maintain. Past that, the early stages of its arrival look promising and there’s considerable content to devour at launch, all for free. Lost Ark is easily worth the download and feels remarkably fully-formed, but it should really thrive with new world events and additional endgame content.
The biggest draw for replaying Ezio's story in Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection on Nintendo Switch is having the option to play on the go. There are only a few minor sacrifices that come with playing the handheld versions of each game, but these are acceptable changes for being able to take The Ezio Collection anywhere. For anyone new to Ezio's story, or those that want to relive his three adventures, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection is a great set of games that have been optimized for the Nintendo Switch.
FAR: Changing Tides is a real triumph. There's a phenomenal depth to the experience here, from its striking ambiance through to a compelling gameplay loop, while the sense of exploration is truly remarkable. Fans of FAR: Lone Sails will no doubt love this, but those who have not played the first game should not shy away from this one.
As such, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires does feel like a step towards righting the problems with the original game. It still suffers from the structural issues that held back Dynasty Warriors 9, and fans of more straightforward musou titles have a wealth of other games on offer such as Samurai Warriors 5, but those who prefer the tactical edge of Empires will at least find some enjoyment here.
Overall, Kingdom of the Dead is a true love letter to arena shooters and the horror genre. This game stands out among its peers and its visual design, as well as its soundtrack, highlight how unique DIRIGO's style is. It won't be for everyone, as the same things that make the experience tight and replayable can paradoxically make it repetitive and unengaging. Despite this risk, anyone with an interest should absolutely check out Kingdom of the Dead and enjoy some good old-fashioned demon hunting.
Overall, Monark is a perfectly functional JRPG with a great combat system, some strong aesthetic designs, and a decent story. It's held back a bit by its school setting and a lack of exposition early, and could have benefited from embracing its darker themes more readily to help establish stakes in the opening chapters. Still, what's here is a fun game with an addictive combat system, and lessons learned in Monark could make the next effort from FURYU Corporation even more appealing.
Anyone who liked Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars will similarly find much to enjoy in Forsaken Maiden. Those who felt that Isle Dragon Roars was a little too monotonous in its early-going should still attempt Forsaken Maiden, since its biggest strength is a streamlined approach to the game's major selling points. Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is a lovely second proof-of-concept for what is an excellent gameplay design approach, and hopefully it inspires some similar risk-taking in other JRPG designs in the future.
CrossfireX is fun to play casually, but it just doesn't measure up to modern FPS standards. The campaign stories are bland and aside from searching for a few collectibles, each mission is pretty much the same as the last one. Completing a few multiplayer matches can still be entertaining in CrossfireX, but it gets old quickly, and there isn't much of a difference between guns. Without the incentive to get new weapons, the Battle Pass and customization options aren't worth buying into, and the loadout doesn't really matter. Overall, CrossfireX is a fun experience for casual gamers, but it missed the mark as a top FPS game.
It’s hard to imagine how a Zero Dawn fan could be at all dissatisfied with Guerilla Games’ choices here - the studio has delivered exactly what they were waiting for.
Zorya: The Celestial Sisters is a fun co-op puzzle game with a few flaws that are more noticeable towards the end of the story. There are some levels that can be confusing, but overall the puzzles aren't too difficult to solve. The hardest part about the game is getting around the somewhat frustrating controls. However, Zorya: The Celestial Sisters is still a good co-op game to play with a friend online or locally, and the relaxing music and vibrant visuals create a soothing atmosphere that balances out the difficulty of completing each level.
As such, Not Tonight 2 is a very strong sequel to the original game. It builds on what worked about Not Tonight and updates it for its new setting, all the while keeping true to the series' tone. Its plot and satirical comedy will be too close to the bone for those who feel video games shouldn't be political, but for those who want more of an ideological challenge this will hit the mark well.
Know by Heart features a meticulously crafted story, and its feeling of nostalgia comes from a genuine place, but it doesn't sell its narrative in an entertaining way. Know by Heart involves a character being given a reprieve from their boring job to relive happier times with their friends, but they have only passed their boredom onto the player.