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Royal Court is a pricey expansion, but it helps Crusader Kings 3 take another step toward representing that Game of Thones-ian medieval ruler fantasy. Alongside that the cultural hybridisation and divergence also mean it’s building out the foundations of the actual grand strategy in intriguing ways for the game’s future.
Looking back on the three parts of the Far Cry 6 season pass, it feels like something of a missed opportunity. While the roguelite genre really suited delving into Vaas’ mind, trotting out the exact same format for both Pagan Min and Joseph Seed feels rote, stretching the idea out as a means to an end. It would have taken much greater effort and time for Ubisoft to do so, but mixing up the genres, the structure and approach that each DLC took would have been much more impactful. Still, fans of Far Cry will likely get a kick out of the expanded exploration of each character’s tale.
Sifu is a game that I wanted to love. I had high hopes for it being one of my game of the year contenders, but it left me feeling intensely deflated instead. It's a game that confuses the precise mechanical difficulty of Sekiro with a forced difficulty brought on by simply giving bosses armour. I find myself irrationally angry with Sifu. Sifu is a game that had exceptional potential, but squandered it on the wrong lessons.
Behind the chilled out vibes of OlliOlli World's new art style, happy-go-lucky characters and eccentric customisation, this game takes Roll7's flow-state side-scrolling skating to new heights. It's a tad more welcoming for newcomers, but even OlliOlli 2 veterans will have plenty of new tricks to learn and master through its increasingly wild and challenging levels.
Dying Light 2 expands and refines a formula Techland has been peddling since its breakout success with Dead Island. This sequel learns a lot from modern open world video games, its massive, zombie-infested sandbox rarely feeling empty, especially as you breeze through city blocks with a Mirror's Edge-like finesse. However, Dying Light 2 inherits the same problems - a dull story, tiresome combat, and character progression that's a tad too sluggish.
All in all I've found myself disappointed with Century: Age of Ashes. There is a fairly solid central PvP F2P game here but nothing to make it stand out aside from the presentation. The modes are basic and repetitive and levelling up takes so long it seems set to encourage spending real money on cosmetic upgrades. On the surface this looked like the game my teenage self dreamed of, but like most teenage dreams, this mainly results in sore wrists and a feeling of shame and disappointment.
Avicii Invector: Encore Edition in VR the perfect final form of this modern rhythm-action classic.
It's perhaps not what Tom Clancy fans had envisioned for the series, but there's something to Rainbow Six Extraction that's definitely worth checking out. It stands apart from similar co-op shooters thanks to that tactical edge and gunplay it's inherited from Siege. That said, the repetitive nature of running missions, difficulty spikes, and overall presentation hold the game back. This is Ubisoft we're talking about, however, so Extraction will likely sprout a long tail that will continue to grow over the coming months and years.
Pokémon Legends Arceus is a must-play game for fans of the franchise. Not only is it the very best Pokémon game yet, but it elegantly takes the formula and flips it on its head, creating a unique new challenge that fans will love. With the nods to the anime and Pokémon games abound, Arceus feels very much like a love letter from Game Freak.
Long after Nathan Drake hung up his holster for the last time a half decade ago, Uncharted’s legacy still remains. This collection crams two genre-defining prestige hits together – the kind of linear AAA action games we rarely see today.
Growing the burgeoning 'serotonin snapper' genre, Pupperazi is as relaxed as gaming gets. Aimed at pretty much everyone that isn't a cat, this is another indie gem that's sure to leave you with an almighty grin on your face and, as an added bonus, you won't get dog hair on your sofa.
SNK vs Capcom Card Fighters' Clash was a brilliant game two decades ago, and the passage of time has done nothing to diminish that. If you're a fan of DCCG's, or the rosters of these two fighting game powerhouses, then Card Fighters' Clash is more or less essential.
There’s some good ideas at play here, and it’s competently put together, but so far Rainbow Six Extraction feels fairly flat. The Archaeans simply aren’t all that interesting to fight against, their designs rather bland, and their introduction sitting at odds with what the Rainbow Six and Tom Clancy franchises have been about since the late 90s. It’s an inoffensive tactical co-op that’s good for a few short and sharp missions, but is that enough? We’ll report back soon with our full review.
Pagan: Control is… pretty good. It’s just a bit underwhelming as it retreads the formula from the first DLC, albeit with a different villain to play as that might be more or less to your liking. The roguelite idea seemed to make sense in Vaas’ insane mind, but just doing it again here diminishes some of that novelty. It’s like one good idea is being stretched across more than one DLC.
Battle Brothers is like a school-yard bully. This video game brute will do it's very best to break you. It will tell you that you suck. Then it will aggressively inform you that your mum will be performing some sexual favours on it whilst giving you a wedgie in front of the rest of the class. But stick up to this bully, impress it with your resolve and maybe you'll find that it'll be your best friend. Perhaps, eventually, as close as a brother. The question is, do you have the commitment to get there? If the answer is yes, then you'll ultimately - after far too much graft - find a deep and comprehensive strategy RPG. Just be prepared to have to stick with it, as this bully really hates you.
God of War is a great port of one of the PlayStation 4's biggest games. PC gamers have all of the graphics options they could really want, and the game's origins mean that even fairly modest gaming PCs can push for high frame rates and resolutions. If you've not already played the game on PlayStation, this is a great chance to catch up ahead of Ragnarok's highly anticipated release.
Monster Hunter Rise on PC is the best place to play this incredible creature battler. If the series was looking for a permanent home, PC players would be more than happy to see it moving in.
Rush Duelling is a great idea, but Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! is a poorly executed waste of time. While it could be a fun entry point to the franchise for 5–7-year-olds, the frustrating pace of play, coupled with the issues where things just don't work as they are supposed to, makes it far more trouble than it's worth. Do yourself a favour and let this one pass you by.
Exo One is an enjoyable other-world experience that challenges players with the mastery of an alien spacecraft. Tight controls and great physics more than make up for the odd repetitive spot, making Exo One an absolute must for anyone with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Even without one, I’d still recommend picking it up.
Once you're past the horrendously long queues to actually get into the game, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker was an almost flawless experience. This conclusion to a decade-long tale is told with a visual, musical and narrative artistry that isn't often seen in any medium. Endwalker doesn't quite reach the heights of earlier parts of the series, but it sure as hell ends the current arc with a bang and everyone involved with this game should feel damn proud of themselves.