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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.
While the single-player offerings are decidedly paltry, the game's tweaked and revised mechanics along with its superbly gratifying presentation deliver in spades with an impressive roster that will only get stronger over time with at least 12 characters coming to the title as DLC. It is then that the lack of single-player content stings ever so slightly more, but with the incredibly smooth online experience offered by the title's rollback netcode, players will find plenty of reasons to return again and again. The announcement back in 2019 placed anticipation at an all-time high over nearly three years, and SNK Corporation succeeded in shattering all expectations with The King of Fighters 15, offering fans a title that holds its own among the best in the franchise that all began in '94.
Players willing to push through some frustration, however, will find a macabre yet charming experience that harkens back to gaming’s early years. Infernax is a solid tribute to the Castlevania series and a fun time for anyone looking for an old-school monster-slaying dungeon crawler.
With a game like Dread Hunger, some may feel that this death system hinders the core objective of the Thralls, while others may feel that it forces them to be more creative in dealing with other players and focus on turning the crew against each other rather than rely on brute force. Similarly, the crew may feel like there is too much to keep track of or they may feel like the gameplay loop is encouraging and rewards creativity. Ultimately, Dread Hunger is truly a well-thought-out and brutal game that feels novel in its execution, but its difficulty and gameplay loop may not be for everyone.
There's not much to say about Breakout: Recharged other than it's a decent-looking revamp of Breakout. The gameplay is still a lot of fun, which is why official and unofficial Breakout games have been released on so many platforms over the years. The Breakout: Recharged package doesn't add much outside of its endless arcade mode. Breakout: Recharged may be a budget game, but the original Breakout is something that can be played for free within Google, so it's harder to justify paying for a new version of the game when it's already available in so many places.
Earlier impressions on Sifu’s camera issues have not been resolved either, and getting cornered by enemies would be less punishing with a more sensibly directed viewable angle. For beat ’em up fans starved for new games to play, Sifu remains an obvious recommendation. Even those taken by its copious charms will want for more after they’ve seen it all, however.
The foundation for an incredible online card game is very much present in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. There's all the tools here for the next online TCG sensation, and its free-to-play friendly beginnings coupled with smooth UI make it quite watchable from a viewership perspective. If Konami sinks more content into ranked play and maintains a steady schedule of single-player releases and game modes over the next year or two, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel could become the top-tier online representation of tabletop card game experiences - something that would've been absurd to suggest after lengthy head starts by Magic Arena, Hearthstone, and others.
At its core, OlliOlli World is an intricate action-platformer game that offers a fun experience and a vibrant, interesting world of unique characters. With additional challenges unlocked, side quests to find, competitive seasonal online tracks, and the ability to play in the Gnarvana Portal, there's plenty of post-game content to enjoy. Although some mechanics can take a while to master, and challenges may be frustrating at times, OlliOlli World is an overall fun experience with a lot to offer those familiar with, and new, to the series.