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Age of Empires 4 is a deeply enjoyable return for the series. It puts history front and centre, and opts to refresh its gameplay instead of reinvent it. That may not be enough for some. Then again, when you've got a series that's remained the base template for RTS games for more than twenty years, who can blame them?
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a great portrayal of the space-faring heroes and a good game. We encountered some annoying bugs that are hopefully alleviated with patches, and it's pretty linear, but this is an interstellar romp that you can enjoy across a few evenings.
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is the hyper-specific and ultra-niche crossover game I never thought I'd get. It's a delight to see the Senran Kagura crew after so long, and it's a blast to see the Neptunia girls in what is easily the most fun and satisfying to play spinoff in the series. The lack of extra features and watered down story leave something to be desired, but if this is the first of many games, then it's a promising new direction for both series.
House of Ashes adds little to the Dark Pictures formula, and doesn't seem to progress anthology's overarching plot. That said, it's still a great adventure with some jaw dropping visuals and action-packed set pieces. A solid addition to the franchise.
I so badly want to love Back 4 Blood, but its grindy nature and difficulty spikes out of nothing let it down, leaving you with a bad taste in your mouth. It has potential for those in it for the long haul, accumulating cards and building specialised decks to match the challenge, but right now I just have no desire to go back 4 more.
Winds and Leaves has potential, but the waggle-to-walk controls, the constant jaggedness and morphing vegetation on PSVR, and the detached climbing mechanic cover up most of it. provided you're at peace with the issues it has, It can be a relaxing and meditative experience, but there are better options out there.
I had a great time playing The Last Stop. While I don't think the end of the story comes together as well as I would have wanted it to, I would still recommend playing it. If you've liked Telltale's brand of narrative adventure games in the past then I am sure you would really like this. I was instantly hooked, and I can't wait to see what Variable State make next.
Far Cry 6 feels like a sequel that was made because there needed to be a sequel, that's making changes because it needs to show progress. The previous three numbered games in the series felt like they had their own identity and tried to offer more and more options to the player, but Far Cry 6 is a lateral move towards something that isn't quite the Far Cry I originally loved.
Unbound is a great puzzle platformer that takes influence from Metroidvanias without really being one itself. It focuses far more on the puzzling and a refreshingly linear path through its various environments, and the way that powers are handled prevents them from becoming boring while still leaving some room for extremely challenging optional paths. It's well worth checking out for fans of this type of game.
A Juggler's Tale is a good, if short, puzzle platformer with an enjoyable narrated story. Bugs do need ironing out even as rare as they are, but if you're a looking for something to occupy you for a couple of hours, A Juggler's Tale is worth giving a go for fans of the genre.
Lemnis Gate is intoxicating. Lemnis Gate is excruciating. Lemnis Gate is both these things. It's also a unique, compelling, strategic shooter, but one that might be too far ahead of its time.
Metroid Dread sees the galaxy's best bounty hunter return in fine form. It takes the terror of being hunted from Metroid Fusion, the more modern direction of Samus Returns, and the freedom to add to the series' decades of lore to create something that's nigh on essential for Metroid fans.
Hell Let Loose could become a real hit amongst those looking for a bit more of a grounded experience than Call of Duty or Battlefield. However, the experience will rely heavily on the community engaging with each other positively to put plans together and make the experience authentic. Hell Let Loose is a game about teamwork and without it the chaos of war will overwhelm a player.
I've reviewed a fair whack of games so far in 2021 and Tails of Iron is easily the best of the bunch. Addictively deadly difficult combat, a wonderful game world to explore and a compelling story all add up to having a very good time indeed
The Artful Escape is an enigmatic coming of age story, wrapped in reverb-laden riffs and space opera shenanigans. It is quite unique, and absolutely unmissable.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is a great remake of a real classic. It looks and feels just how I remember it from playing in the early 2000s, but with cooler lighting and sharper graphics. It has a few control issues with when using a controller, but it's still a must-play for anyone who used to play it and misses it, and a strong recommendation to anyone else who likes action RPGs, dark and grim atmospheres, or who just wants to experience a treasure from the now distant past.
Aragami 2 is a huge departure from the original game. In exchanging the linear narrative-driven stealth experience for an open-ended co-op mission adventure, Lince Works has created a game that feels just as flawed as the original, but has a lot more charm in it's small moments and simplicity. Repetitive missions and enemies make it hard to get engrossed with the game for long periods of time, but as a stealth action game to hop into for quick little bursts, Aragami 2 can be pretty fun.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a solid, unglamorous return to the series greatest moments. We’ve been steering monkeys in balls across increasingly difficult landscapes for 20 years now, and while Banana Mania doesn’t return the series to its hallowed position of old, I don’t want it to stop quite yet.
There's fun to be had with MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, but it's probably not for everyone. If the management aspect of the game appeals to you almost as much as using a giant mech to launch a salvo of missiles at a large skyscraper-sized enemy, then you'll likely enjoy MechWarrior 5. There's lots of repetition in the gameplay, but it's tempered a little by the changes it goes through as a result of your growing mercenary outfit. It's rewarding if you put the time in, but it's a shame there's no matchmaking to help alleviate the repetition.
Is Aftermath worth it then? It is if you are a fan World War Z and are looking for more content. The new class is a decent addition and can add a new tactical choice when facing the hordes, while both the episodes of Rome and Kamchatka add a couple more hours of content and more variety for when you're grinding for levels and upgrades. However, the first person mode feels undercooked and the rat swarms just aren't scary compared to the likes of the Bull and the Lurker zombies.