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There's a lot to like about Far Cry 6, but not a lot that's new.
Metroid Dread is an instant classic. Its seamless blend of exploration, combat, puzzle-solving, and light touches of story creates one of the most engaging experiences on Nintendo Switch.
Between combat with free-aim and comprehensive exploration through the Geoscape, Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition has a lot of content to offer. Like other strategy games, such as Empire of Sin, players can win multiple ways, and there are plenty of chances to lose. Unfortunately, the console edition has a lot of issues with loading and crashing, but as long as players have the patience, the game is still enjoyable. Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition comes with the base game and four DLC expansions for players to tactfully explore.
Overall, however, New World shows a lot of promise and has plenty of room to continue introducing unique and genre-defining ideas to the MMO space.
While the fast loading times and updated graphics show off the beauty of Dharma City's neon-grunge aesthetic and keep players in the action, it's ultimately the same experience. Screen Rant's first Ghostrunner review perfectly sums up the PS5 version's experience, in that it's "Sometimes Fast, Sometimes Slow." Ghostrunner is a great game that provides a proper adrenaline rush when everything works as intended, but those hoping for any significant changes in this next-gen version will be disappointed.4
Aside from some performance issues and a rushed ending, JETT: The Far Shore provides a solid experience with fantastic flying mechanics, interesting world lore and a keen grasp of the spectacle of space exploration. While it's not the best among the many titles eager to tell their particular tale of the exploration of the stars, JETT: The Far Shore succeeds more often than it fails, and it's worth a look for those looking to scratch an interstellar itch.
Insurgency: Sandstorm is a balanced mix of realism and enjoyable gameplay, with very few downsides. The game is challenging and can take some getting used to, but even with its level of difficulty, it's still a lot fun. Insurgency: Sandstorm offers the option to spend some time with AI teammates to develop strategies and practice. Although there is no campaign mode, players can also train at the range, which spawns in different types of enemy forces. Insurgency: Sandstorm is a realistic and difficult first-person shooter with diverse game modes and hours of unique entertainment.
Alan Wake Remastered's improvements are subtle and won't dramatically change the experience, but that also means it retains what made it so special in the first place. The atmosphere is chilling ,and the story holds up after over a decade, meaning it doesn't need a full-blown remake to still feel worthy of a modern retelling. Even with its flaws, Alan Wake Remastered is worth playing in 2021, especially for those who missed it the first time around.
Ultimately, eFootball 2022 is a disaster at launch. It's a buggy, unenjoyable mess with limited gameplay options that strip back the core strengths of the PES series, and the fact that it was released in this state at all is shocking. Konami may bring in fixes as it implements further free-to-play updates, but even then, the question over eFootball 2022's worth will still need to be repeatedly asked.
If it weren't for the game's varied levels and quirky scenarios, it's likely that I Am Fish would sink under that weight, but thanks to excessive charm, it still manages to get enough right to justify a look from anyone with enough patience to appreciate it.
The original Actraiser achieved cult classic status back when it first debuted thanks to its unique premise and gameplay. Fortunately, the promised Renaissance is able to more than give this gem another look for those who understandably missed its decades-old launch, and Actraiser Renaissance is an exciting, engaging experience in 2021.
Overall, Lemnis Gate brings a lot of innovation to the table, surpassing its time travel rival to present a strategic FPS that's well worth some attention. While held back by a lack of modes outside of online multiplayer and an outdated presentation, launching on the hugely successful Xbox Game Pass service makes the game palatable to those with an existing subscription. Whether it's jumping into an online lobby or gathering a group of friends for private matchmaking, there's nothing else quite like Lemnis Gate on console, and it's well worth a look for anyone who wants to see one possible future of the FPS genre.
Aeon Drive is an otherwise solid experience with nuanced mechanics. The biggest areas where the game struggles are, luckily, in the smaller details such as the lack of hangtime and forgetting to include a mechanic in the tutorial that, thankfully, didn't hinder the gameplay until the end. With its comfortable three-hour playtime, native speedrunning leaderboards, competitive mode, and charming personality, Aeon Drive is definitely worth checking out.
With over 12 hours of gameplay, and upgrades that streamline the repair process, Rover Mechanic Simulator turns out to be too much of a good thing. The game's job diversity only lasts for the first half, and there's not much challenge after that. Still, the accuracy of the machines, and the satisfaction of completing a complicated repair make Rover Mechanic Simulator an enjoyable game that can help players unwind, as long as they're okay with the limitations at play within its gameplay mechanics and design.
Overall, Gas Station Simulator is vastly better than a lot of the simulator games that are available. It's a charming and occasionally buggy experience, but one that allows the player to find a little bit of peace in a daily grind.
Astria Ascending has the makings of a great game, but it falls short on several fronts. A version of the game that started out at an earlier point in the story, in order to gradually introduce each character and their abilities, would have helped smooth the transition into the main quest. A number of QoL improvements, especially related to the speed of the battles, would also drastically improve the gameplay. As it stands, Astria Ascending feels like a throwback to a different era, while needlessly ignoring the modern conveniences that have improved the genre in the time that has passed since then.
As is the case with many battle royale titles, a player’s enjoyment of Super Animal Royale might ultimately boil down to how quickly they can get a handle on the game’s simple mechanics - and how many near-instant deaths they’re willing to put up with to get to that point. Still, Super Animal Royale contains enough charm and cute unlockables to give it that “one more game” factor, and there is enough bite-size fun to make it a decent time-waster for those so inclined.
Overall, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a competent and well-done remaster of the first three Monkey Ball console games. There are issues with how engaging those games can be, mostly due to the nature of the franchise's arcade style, so there are caveats about replayability.
That just scratches the surface - there’s also crafting, a chip slot equipment system, companions to help in battle, some simple item fishing a la Hades, unique weapons to divine, and many more secrets we haven’t even touched upon. For Brazilian developer Studio Pixel Punk, Unsighted is an accessible and content-rich debut with a compelling sci-fi drama at its core, and certainly in the argument for one of the best metroidvanias of the year.
Guardians Of Hyelore’s auto-pilot combat isn’t for everyone, and the game might grow dull in prolonged sessions. However, there’s an oddly hypnotic feeling to summoning new units as old ones fall in the heat of battle, and building Guardians' stats by equipping and combing items carries some element of strategy. As such, Guardians Of Hyelore is a reasonable time-waster in short bursts, but those expecting a deep tactical experience should look elsewhere.