Geek Culture
HomepageGeek Culture's Reviews
At the end of the day, the Resident Evil 4 remake sets out to reimagine one of the best survival horror games of all time, and succeeds in every area, big and small. The combat is the smoothest it has ever been, the monsters are disgustingly delightful, and this world has never been more inviting for those that love the dark side. The sheer breadth of the improvements made means that a new bar has been set yet again, and it is a no-brainer for anyone hoping to enjoy the best the genre has to offer.
For what it’s worth, Have a Nice Death is a competent roguelike that pushes hard on the challenge when it comes to big encounters. The afterlife need not be that dreary, and there is something inherently fun and delightful in the worlds and characters, but its progression systems definitely need a refresh to breathe new life into this punishing new kid on the block.
A game that truly knows what it delivers and does so excellently, Powerwash Simulator is perfect for players seeking a simple and relaxing time while engaging in a relatively straightforward affair. While cleaning, in reality, can be annoying, the meditative nature of Powerwash Simulator proves otherwise with a controller in your hands. Although it is certainly not made for everybody, for those willing to don the suit, it can be one hell of an addictive ride trying to erase all existence of dirt for a paycheque.
Rhythm Sprout does excel in what it wants to do, which is to provide an action-oriented rhythmic experience that boasts a decent story championed by a protagonist and plenty of colourful, absurd characters that will more than likely elicit laughter from its audience. While beginners will likely have a harder time, genre veterans will have a great time rocking to the beat.
It is hard to say that Scars Above is a bad game, but rather, it feels like something that was not made for the modern gaming audience. There is some merit to how it approaches some of its systems, but they never ever go far enough to make a significant difference as a whole. Interesting ideas are only half the battle, and with its mixed visuals and wonky controls, it turns a potentially complex alien journey into a road of forgettable crashes.
To sum it all up, Octopath Traveler II comes close to being the ideal sequel. It once again totes that amazing HD-2D aesthetic and style, and continues to build on the successful foundations of the series. The storytelling has also improved, with crafted tales that feel both easier to get into and remain invested in. Yet, the game does lack meaningful surprises in a sense, remaining steadfastly familiar to the 2018 release save for the new tweaks. It doesn’t make Octopath Traveler II any less of a great JRPG; just be sure to check your expectations at the door.
Wild Hearts occupies an intriguing position, both as its own game but also as one that takes its inspiration heavily from a beloved franchise. The familiarity is not a dealbreaker, and in fact, it helps as a starting point for players with its increased accessibility and improved quality-of-life features. The Karakuri system is easily the biggest innovation that takes things up a notch, and if more Kemono are on the way, then Wild Hearts is in a good place as the next step for your monster-hunting journey.
While the gameplay may fall into a routine that can grow stale, there is no denying that what Guerrilla Games and Firesprite have achieved is an adventure that will astonish and impress once players put on the PS VR2 headset and wrap their hands around the Sense controllers. It may still be early days, but Horizon Call of the Mountain is an undeniably great start for this new generation of VR gaming.
Even if you are a relative stranger to its source material, the way Hogwarts Legacy introduces magic and all of its astonishing quirks, helped by a cast whose performances are always worth a watch, and bookended by a satisfying combat and exploration loop, this is an unforgettable experience from start to finish. By melding the allure of the Harry Potter franchise with an interconnected gameplay system that is always pushing players forward to the next entertaining activity, the game is more than able to keep you under its spell for a long, long time.
The barebones nature of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is ultimately disappointing, especially when there is so much potential with the license. While it delivers the charm and characters from the beloved television series, the lack of creativity makes it a barely enjoyable video game experience. Even for the most ardent of fans, this is one game that should remain in a pineapple under the sea.
Having released in this day and age where the classics of the genre are probably a memory for most, Chained Echoes has everything going for it to make a mark. It meshes modern-day conveniences and improvements with old-school formulas, making it a much more refined JRPG experience that simply needs to be played. While there are some stumbles along the way, it is an impressive effort from a solo developer, and a giant leap in what is hopefully the first of many successes to come.
Forspoken is not charting new territory, so to speak, with what it brings to the table, but at least its magical slant delivers fun exploration and combat in a relatively short RPG of 15 hours or so. The checklist style of design might not be for everyone, but there is a rough diamond in here, and perhaps with some more work, it won’t become a new IP that gets forsaken.
All in all, our expectation of the Dead Space remake being just a marginally updated version of the cult classic was blown out of the water just a few minutes into the journey. Instead, what we found was an astonishing and impressive experience that will set yet another high bar for its contemporaries to follow, a true survival horror adventure chocked full of surprises both obvious and subtle, and a fabled return to pure ecstasy while trepidation coloured every step. Dead Space has never looked or felt better, and a homage has easily surpassed its inspiration and become a flag bearer for the genre. If this is what Motive Studio can do with a remake, then we look forward to losing our minds further for even more Dead Space in the near future.
Nevertheless, The Devil in Me runs close to being the best in the series alongside House of Ashes, with a good-paced story and genuine characters that are probably better off alive than dead. The gameplay sections have been freshened up, even if the engine and look of everything feel just a little dated for the final entry in the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology. Hopefully, the second will feel more like a killer attraction.
In the end, The Callisto Protocol ramps up the atmospheric horror with plenty of visceral action, with the linear design helping to keep the focus on the main objective from start to finish. Although it can have trouble when it comes to empowering the player and losing its horror edge, the main issue remains the fact that we have all seen and done this before. Depending on your preference, that might just be exactly what you want, but the nightmare fades a little, especially with the Dead Space remake on the horizon.
To sum it all up, Marvel’s Midnight Suns is everything a licensed game can be with a sprinkling of Firaxis magic in many areas. The action is bombastic and great to see in action, the top-tier tactical depth and strategic play deliver near-infinite replayability, and the narrative does consistently surprise in the most pleasant of ways. While there are areas that can be further refined, it shouldn’t take too much away from what is a quintessential turn-based affair, and a true superhero fantasy come to life.
All things considered, The DioField Chronicle does what it needs to for the most part. Players will be entering a world full of action-packed instances, plenty of opportunity for tactics and strategic nous, and a bunch of characters that can be made truly your own. As long as you can ignore the less-than-ideal controls and narrative, this is one medieval adventure that is still worth having.
Despite the nature of this recognisable mascot character, Sonic Frontiers is perhaps best enjoyed when you take the time to see everything each island has to offer. Be it combat, platforming, or exploration; there is something in it for every kind of Sonic player, even if frustrations are never too far away. Yet, the overall direction of Sonic Frontiers is exactly what the series needs, and hopefully, future releases will continue to build on this foundation and go full steam ahead.
Do the latest Pokémon games get everything right? Not always, but when they do, therein lie adventures that is giving players the keys to crafting their own experiences in a wonderful world filled with fantastic creatures. Whether you are chasing down the title of the best in the land or hoping to detail the hundreds of Pokémon out there, there is always something fun waiting for you down the line, and that’s a world we can all agree is one that is exciting to be a part of, much less a key figure in.
It is clear that there have always been high hopes for the sequel, but the fear was that the heights of the reboot could not be reached again or even surpassed. Yet, just like how it did four years ago, the final product blew our expectations out of the water, a divine experience that marries storytelling, gameplay, and presentation as flawlessly as it could. Descending upon the PlayStation audience like nectar of the gods, God of War Ragnarok is a game that truly deserves its place as one of gaming’s greatest achievements, and a legendary addition to the pantheon of best games ever made.