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Characters operating as power creeps in the majority of Penacony’s fights are not a good indicator, as HoYoverse needs to develop a way of continuing to challenge parties without simply boosting enemies’ Max HP. Overall, Version 2.0 is a fairly positive release for the game. While it does have some issues in combat and is occasionally lackluster in some aspects, it does offer a wide range of content and hits the nail on the head with its campaign, which sets the groundwork for another impressive year of stories told in Honkai: Star Rail.
Without the free new Leviathan Mode, the Purgatory DLC would not be much to write home about on its own. However, for players who've yet to experience Metal: Hellingsinger, the addition of the new mode makes the game feel more than worth its $30 asking price. Those who've defeated Metal: Hellsinger's epic final boss and are hungry for more rhythm shooting gameplay have quite the challenge ahead of them with Leviathan mode, which is made even more enjoyable with the Purgatory DLC's new music and bow.
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.
Still, the premise oddly works once it really gets going. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum doesn't shy away from how much it relies on Tolkien's works - and not Peter Jackson's movies. Anyone who enjoyed LOTR and Tolkien's novels will probably find Gollum to be fine. Nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking, but an enjoyable stealth platformer that takes Gollum (and players) across some of the more iconic places in Middle-earth.
Overall, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful selection of remakes of some hugely important games. Although the games to vary in quality - mainly due to their age and how much games developed over the course of their release - there's something magical about going back to even the earliest Final Fantasy game. And with Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, it's possibly the easiest way to do so.
What makes Showgunners so addicting is that its combat is tight, responsive, fair, and accessible. The options available to players during combat and exploration are just enough to feel varied without feeling overly complicated; though the combat U.I. can get cluttered at times. This is the perfect game for players that are new to this genre or for veterans looking for a more casual experience that still provides enough of a challenge to stay interesting.
The stand-out feature of Coral Island, however, is the message. While it's not completely uncommon to see conservationist messaging in farming simulators, the way conservation and nature exploitation is addressed in Coral Island is integral to the game's story without feeling too preachy. It also combines well with the more metaphysical lore of the island. It's not an especially subtle message, but it is well-incorporated and elevates the story and stakes. Fans of cozy gaming will find a lot to love about Coral Island, and, even in Early Access, there is a polish and sophistication that bodes well for the full release.
So far, it's looking good with FIFA 23.
During its next stage of development, it will be interesting to see how ANVIL will establish its identity as something greater than the sum of its parts. It's clear that ANVIL is utilizing the best designs and systems from the games mentioned throughout this review, but it comes at the cost of not feeling like it's doing anything new or at least anything that is uniquely "ANVIL." With ANVIL: Vault Breakers promising regular updates, it has plenty of time to become something entirely its own.
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.
Skate City is a relaxing skateboarding game.
There's not a lot of content, but the coop is fun.
A campaign cannot survive on dialogue alone.
Destiny 2 looks and plays great.
Rogue Company proves its worth on current-gen.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition looks incredible!
Dead by Daylight now runs at 60 fps and 4K on Xbox Series X/S.
Ubisoft's hacker title shines on Xbox Series X.
Fortnite has landed on Xbox Series X.
More Tetris Effect is never a bad thing.