Noisy Pixel
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Inmost took me by surprise as I wasn’t prepared for the incredible story it has to tell. Its gameplay and puzzle elements are perfectly symmetrical, making it easy to immerse yourself in this dark world for an evening and come out feeling satisfied, if not, a little melancholic. Load times and lack of direction do very little to hinder this adventure that I think is well worth your time.
Crysis Remastered is more of a capsule from a simpler time of the first-person shooting genre. Playing is undoubtedly fun because of the various things that players can do, with the inclusion of tight gunplay and engaging missions. However, I can’t help but wish for a complete remake because the age of this adventure holds it back from being anything more than a way for us to show our kids the terrible mechanics and AI that we used to put up with.
Hades takes away all the annoying parts of the roguelike genre and adds accessible systems without lowering the difficulty that these types of games offer. It is a standout experience within the genre and will test your skills in a balanced and manageable way that makes each run challenging, yet, approachable. There is so much to unlock here and so much to discover that dying for the hundredth time isn’t that bad.
Moero Crystal H borrows a lot from its predecessor to the point that returning fans may just feel like they are playing the exact same game. Still, it builds on what made the first entry so good and doesn’t take from its more sophisticated systems. Collecting monsters girls becomes the only real fuel for this adventure, but I don’t think it needed more than that. It’s entertaining to those looking for a mindless game and strategic enough to be a straightforward dungeon-crawler RPG. Regardless, I’m sure you knew if this game was for you within this review’s first few sentences.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim makes its mark on the adventure genre by expertly telling a story through 13 protagonists. The time-traveling segments don’t leave the player in the dark as it pieces together everything using a unique adventure-based system. This game has a story to tell, and it rolls it out perfectly; the added strategic battle-system only makes it clear what this group is up against and what’s at stake if they lose.
Something went terribly wrong with the development of Tamarin. Nothing works and everything comes off like it was slapped together causing this entire adventure to feel like a random and confusing mess. Still, if you’re trying to experience one of the most bonkers 3D platformers ever developed, you found it, but I urge you not to put your money into this game.
Minoria brings an excellent action game to consoles. It plays it safe with its Metroidvania design, but it excels when it comes to immersive world-building and environmental layout. There’s so much to discover here, but expect to die many times doing so. Thankfully, there’s an evolving and competent battle system to rely on.
The Outer Worlds: Peril On Gorgon doesn’t hinder the experiences of the base game; instead, it enhances this small corner of the universe with more grand adventures. I appreciated the dedication that went into writing the main campaign and found the side-missions to be just as crucial to piecing together the full narrative. There was an abundance of items and weirdly placed enemy encounters that didn’t completely flow with the events, but that didn’t take away from this fantastic space opera experience.
Gleamlight may have been great in concept, but it does not work in execution. There’s nothing here that players can attach themselves to as a reason to continue playing outside of some great visual and sound design. The battle system is basic, the upgrades are the bare minimum, and the level design is a copy and pasted maze. The UI-less experience has worked in other games, but it comes off as lazy game development here when the team didn’t try to provide a reasonable explanation of its systems or narrative.
Marvel’s Avengers isn’t the superhero adventure I was hoping for, but it is an adventure I didn’t mind playing through. There are moments of gameplay where you feel like a member of the Avengers, but that requires you to look past some repetitive stage designs and surface-level combat systems. Regardless, there’s no doubt that there’s plenty of fun to be found here, and I’ll for sure keep my cape ready for any future experiences this game offers.
Star Renegades offers players a fresh and unique experience that sadly loses its appeal after its punishing roguelike systems have you experience the same elements over and over. Even through the repetitive enemies that you face along the way, there’s no denying that the characters and environments that make up this world make it a must-play game within the genre. Still, the best parts are reserved for those who are seeking a genuinely challenging roguelite RPG sci-fi adventure, which may leave others lost in space.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 offers more than just a nostalgic experience. It’s a return to the skateboarding movement that shaped my early teens and will surely give gamers growing up a chance to capture that same feeling I did. The experience expertly balances the arcadey systems of the series without pushing it too far to the mundane or cringy. Instead, what you are left with is a genuine Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater experience and one that I immensely enjoyed.
No Straight Roads is such a good game in concept, but the mechanics hold this gorgeous adventure from being something great. The world feels empty, and the level designs become a repetitive mess. However, if you can look past that, then you are rewarded with some stand-out character writing and fantastic animation work. Call me when No Straight Roads gets its own Netflix series.
Even though Jump Force has tried its best to stay in the fight years past its release, it just can’t land a punch. All of its problems far outweigh its positives, leading to an experience that only hardcore Shonen Jump fans can enjoy. If you’ve been waiting for the Switch port of the game to finally jump in, you’re almost certainly better off just waiting for something better.
Wasteland 3 will consume your life as it did mine. The game makes progression come across so naturally through its narrative focused world-building made by player choice. During the countless quests across impressive setpieces, I would say Wasteland 3 is one of the best entries in the RPG genre. Throw in accessible leveling features, likable characters, and wrap them up with an engaging cover-based battle system, and you have everything you need to keep you playing for months.
Control AWE is an excellent expansion for fans who are craving to go further down the rabbit hole. The focus stays heavily on Jesse and her goals, even with the inclusion of Alan Wake, who doesn’t overpower the scenes. The expansion once again proves how good Remedy is at storytelling and I’m glad to see them continue to provide those WTF moments that we all love.
Madden NFL 21 is a strange beast. It is the same fun football experience that millions of players have come to love, yet I still expected a little more from it. While it features refined gameplay and fun game modes, its lackluster story mode and plethora of graphical glitches don’t reflect what a game releasing this year should look like. The online modes will keep you playing through various simulation and customizable options, but most of this is just more of the same in comparison to what has already been delivered.
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is an absolute rush to the goal as its soccer systems don’t lean too heavily into the outrageous. Instead, it finds a perfect balance of zany and strategy through control depth and over-the-top systems. The highlight is the two very different, but equally as important story modes, with a few multiplayer options to cap off the fun. You may encounter some AI issues, and some objectives during the story mode may not sit well, but you won’t want to sit on the bench for this game.
In its early moments, Windbound had my attention, and I was completely ready to discover more about this world. However, after the first chapter, I was left mostly disappointed with the lack of execution the game provides through the systems it introduces. A rather tedious travel system enhanced this feeling. Through its colorful scenery and a heartwarming soundtrack, are some decent experiences to be found, with the help of some fine-tuning.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition carries with it many hours of action dungeon crawling and loot collecting. It’s a Final Fantasy game where the story is centered around the player’s actions and how they take on the many trials thrown their way. This is a game created for multiplayer, so the lack of local offerings hurts it a great deal, but the online features are their to group up with friends and create your own adventure.