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Azure Saga: Pathfinder is a competent but generic game that will likely only appeal to fans of the genre
With an awesome inspiration and some very cool ideas, it's an immense shame that City of Brass game ends up being as dull as it is. With lacklustre combat, enemy design, rooms and movement, City of Brass feels like a chore to play. With the smorgasbord of Rogue-lites to play these days, some of which are among the best games you can play, City of Brass is an easy pass.
While Wizard of Legend will be too difficult for some, but for those who love the Rogue-lite genre and enjoy a challenge it is definitely in the upper echelons. Consistently challenging but impossible to put down is certainly a cliche, but it's a perfect description of this game.
There's so much wrong with Raging Justice that it's easy to forget that it's not completely unbearable. It's an average romp through arcade-like levels and while the key gimmick doesn't hit a home run, it at least is fitting with the theme. That said, this does sadly come off as a cheap imitator that misses the mark more often than not, and as I eluded to earlier, that hurts for me to say.
If you can look past the flaws, there's still a rather lovely and charming tale here to explore.
Membrane is an immensely enjoyable puzzle game filled an increasingly interesting use of it's simple base mechanics.
A variable frame rate is an out and out killer for any racing game, and despite Trailblazers' clear potential it's impossible to see past that. The overall concept, of merging F-Zero and Splatoon, is a fantastic idea, but perhaps it needed a bit longer in development in order for it to be fully realised.
Laser League is phenomenal. It's easy to pick up, thoroughly appealing in its style, and dangerously captivating. It builds on the team game chops that made Rocket League so successful, yet turns it into something utterly unique and tense. The minor negatives outlined above could be fixed with a patch or two, while others are specific to the PS4 hardware limitations. Those looking for the next big thing in esports or a fun party game to play with a bunch of friends – look no further!
Project Nimbus: Code Mirai is a frantic mech shooter that ticks all the right boxes, but is ultimately let down by a lack of variety. The combat never fails to set your pulse racing, and I'd love to see more from the team and the series, since, for a short while at least, this is the best mech combat we've seen in years.
While you can of course use Xbox Game Pass to try this out for yourself, I can't say that you'll be playing Robocraft Infinity for long. Limited tools aside, the construction process is the best thing the game has going for it, while the multiplayer just seems to play second fiddle; there's too much focus on the creation and not enough on making the game fun. I'm sure they'll add things to it, but the progression is just a tad on the frustrating side.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a game about choices and epic story lines, grounding itself with the unique characters you find and the fact that your ultimate aim is to get the rest of your soul back. Having such a personal quest at the centre of such a fantastical plot really keeps you invested in both the people and the world, whether you're carrying on your adventure from the first game or starting afresh. Either way there's a genuinely likeable cast, both personal and global stories and the pleasure of mastering all its systems. A genuine joy of a game and one which is simultaneously approachable and impossibly deep, Deadfire is a fantastic sequel and one which you will be thinking even when you are away from its world.
The tactics and tactility of a good tennis game remain amongst the purest of gaming experiences, but AO International Tennis is not a good tennis game. Overly complicated and bereft of any emotional resonance, the positive elements, including the detailed character creator, will likely be as swiftly forgotten as the game itself will.
It's a shame not to see anything new here for the gameplay, but the 4K visuals and orchestral soundtrack do a lot to drive home the point that VanillaWare make good looking and sounding games.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is much better suited to Switch and outperforms the original for a stable frame rate.
Distortions is a really mixed bag.
Taken on its own it's a feat of cardboard engineering tethered to a technically impressive, but ultimately shallow game.
If you're after a 2.5D side-scrolling stunt game, the Urban Trial Playground is going to scratch that itch for you on Switch. Sure, it's riffing off the Trials series, but it's a fun and lengthy alternative that's a good fit for Nintendo's platform.
Frostpunk is a truly harrowing game in the best possible way and one that will have you steeped in the harsh reality of eternal winter for dozens of hours to come.
Penny-Punching Princess is a fascinating take on the usual capitalist impulses within loot based games and combines this with a fun and humorous cartoon aesthetic, but it just never really feels fun to play.
I can't help but feel a bit sorry for Gunstar Studios. The game they ended up with is nothing like their original plans and you can tell this single player shooter has been created by hacking bits from their MOBA. Despite it's many small flaws, it's not a bad game, it's not even dull, it's just very rudimentary. A noble failure, I really wish I could score the game higher but sadly I can't.