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As a casual player, Railway Empire 2 can get incredibly overwhelming quickly with the number of different things to pay attention to, such as: resources, connecting lines, what the competition is doing, and budget. This is a strange contrast to the slow-moving nature of the game and the peaceful feeling that the theme and graphics provide. For anyone who is a fan of train simulators or management games, however, Railway Empire 2 is an enjoyable experience that can provide countless hours of entertainment.
Dave the Diver is an absolute delight to play. Its core gameplay loop is wonderfully relaxing, but before too long players will be finding all the different options in its nooks and crannies. It’s surely one of the best games of the year so far, and players will love taking on the role of our goatee'd hero.
Toys For Bob set out to make a unique multiplayer experience with Crash Team Rumble that's supposed to be more of a strategic multiplayer platform brawler than a MOBA. And while they succeeded in doing so, CTR feels more like a multiplayer mode for a more feature-rich game rather than an entirely new game with a Crash Bandicoot title. With more characters and modes planned for the future, Crash Team Rumble may become a bash worth playing. Still, as it stands, it's a rumble that struggles to stay fun for long.
It's surprising to see how much Nimbus INFINITY is struggling to deliver the level of polish that Project Nimbus did nearly 6 years ago. Not only that, but it has been in Early Access for over a year and throughout that time, players pointed out the very same issues in this review. This is a team that clearly knows how to make a satisfying mech-based action game, and maybe this will turn into one with some post-launch support, but as it stands now, Nimbus INFINITY is a poorly optimized experience that wasn't ready for a full release.
Truthfully, our stay in Kanai Ward was a lot of fun, and we want to see more of the game's setting in the future. Master Detective Archive: RAIN CODE is a great narrative adventure with some truly satisfying detective work. It mostly comes down to this: approaching RAIN CODE like a visual novel with some unfortunate action elements means it's an enjoyable jaunt, and well-worth a look; expecting more from it beyond its engrossing world, charming mysteries, and charismatic cast, however, might make for a less than stellar stay in Kanai Ward for would-be master detectives.
Despite the game not having much more than its single-player and endless mode, Brotato is capable of being can't-put-down fun. Thanks to quick rounds, accessible controls, and easy upgrade options, each run has the potential to be intense and memorable. Still, Brotato's adorably violent art style and characters are begging to be more thoroughly fleshed out with lore. The game would also be a blast on handheld or mobile devices, and with a multiplayer mode where friends could join their spuds together in chaotic cooperative combat. Still, Blobfish has proven itself with Brotato, a fun action game that stars a six-weapon-wielding potato who fights alien hordes.
With an incredible score, an enthralling story, and an eccentric and electric gameplay approach, Final Fantasy 16 is, quite simply, a modern masterpiece.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life manages to toe the line between the core features that made the original great while adding and improving upon aspects that needed a little love. If all the systems had been completely modernized, it wouldn't maintain the charm that made the game so beloved in the first place. The differences between Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life and most other modern farming games will likely be somewhat jarring and divisive among players, but it's a unique journey unlike any other, and one worth going on for veterans of the genre especially.
Park Beyond feels like a throwback to the tycoon games that crowded shelves twenty years ago, intent on recapturing the more manic elements of a genre that sobered up over time. Players interested principally in simulating the management of an actual business might find that Park Beyond's quirks could drag it behind competitors. For gamers looking to scratch the imaginative itch, however, the game rises to the mantle admirably, encouraging the devious designs and flights of fancy that other games might reject. A little more polish could make Park Beyond great, but even with some rough edges, its charm is largely irresistible.
Centering around simple minigames and slice-of-life stories, Fall of Porcupine isn't an incredibly complex title at its core, but it still manages to feel meaningful. This year is full of games billed as cozy and wholesome, but this one manages to set itself apart through an interesting healthcare focus, quaint aesthetics, and impactful characters. Although it's not perfect, Fall of Porcupine is a great option for players looking to have a unique and emotional journey that may very well make them shed a few tears.
Layers of Fear is a game that will strike a chord with players, in one way or another. Bloober Team and Anshar Studios take what strong foundation had already been laid with the first three titles, and improves upon it substantially with fresh, impactful mechanics, excellent visuals, and a brand-new, overarching tale that spans the length of all artists' stories. For both new and loyal fans alike, Layers of Fear is a worthwhile venture back down the rabbit hole.
Here's hoping Star Trek: Resurgence leads to more Star Trek video games. With such a rich history, the world of Star Trek has so much that could be explored. For a series based on exploration, Resurgence does not allow the player to explore much beyond the designated path of the story. With a story as good as this one, that hardly matters, but future Star Trek games may want to consider a different approach. If storytelling and characters like the ones in Resurgence were incorporated into an open-world Star Trek game, for example, it would likely have a much wider appeal. Still, the future for Star Trek gaming looks promising. Star Trek: Resurgence gets Star Trek, embracing the optimism and hope that sets the franchise apart, and celebrating humanity at its best.
All in all, Killer Frequency is a clever slasher puzzler that is well worth the time. Horror fans will get a lot out of its knowledge of the genre as a whole, and its fresh take on telling a slasher story means that even within its tropes there's still something to find. It doesn't always land, and the Switch version does have the odd issue, but Killer Frequency is bloody good fun.
Though We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie is certainly not a game for everyone, with its occasionally wacky mechanics and bizarre at times story, there is no doubt that those who choose to pick it up will be pleasantly surprised by its quirky, colorful, and addictive style. Not to mention that hanging around after the credits will allow players to complete a very satisfying final Katamari level that ties up the game beautifully and will leave players with overall satisfaction both in terms of narrative and gameplay.
As far as survival horror games go, Greyhill Incident is capable of delivering some intense moments. With more fleshed-out characters and aliens as intimidating as Greyhill Incident's atmosphere, the game and its empty world would be much more exciting to interact with. As it currently stands, however, this is one best left alone unless someone is desperate for any alien content, no matter how rote its mechanics.
Speed Crew's developers have already announced they are working on planned updates and DLCs that will include new levels and game modes for players to enjoy. There are some customization options for characters and vehicles in the game as well, which is a fun extra touch. The game was completed in solo mode in about 10 hours and that timeframe could easily shift when played with friends, depending on their ability to cooperate effectively. There were no technical issues observed over the entire course of the game, and its process of slowly ramping up the difficulty felt smooth and natural. Overall, Speed Crew is a very fun game that would be a great addition to any group of friends or family looking for a new party game to enjoy.
Above all else, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is an interesting game. A blend of visual novel and magical relationship adventure, it's an intriguing mix that for the most part works extremely well. It may start to struggle when its simple design approaches fail to match the intricacy of its plot threads, but overall it holds its own.
Perhaps the one saving grace of In Tanta We Trust is that it's visually impressive. Forspoken runs well and looks incredible; its DLC is no different. For those that did enjoy Forspoken, the US$12.49 price point may be worth it, but they should go in expecting a much smaller experience. Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is at best a neat aside, and at worst almost confusingly pointless as an expansion.
Homebody is truly a wonderful debut from the mind of Jory Griffis, with features reminiscent of notable classics such as The 7th Guest, Silent Hill, and Clock Tower, that are sure to leave devoted survival horror fans engaged and enthralled.
Amnesia: The Bunker is not for the faint of heart. Frictional Games courageously breaks free of its own formula to examine what truly gets the blood pumping and the brain racing, and the result is a challenging and nearly unmanageable combination of stress and fear. While it misses the mark somewhat with story and atmosphere, The Bunker makes up for it through engaging and one-of-a-kind gameplay, which stretches the limitations of the horror genre.