But Why Tho?
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Even with its faults that can easily be patched up, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is an absolute love letter to the property and one that any fan should be excited to play. Yes, the gameplay is excellent, but for this game, it's all about the characters. It's about small moments, big moments, and everything in between.
Echo Generation does an excellent job of combining nostalgic feelings for the 90s with modern game development in a way that makes every second an enjoyable time. The characters are diverse and interesting, the combat is varied and fun, and the world is about as beautiful as it gets. Combine all of that with the fact that it’s launching on Xbox Gamepass, and it’s impossible not to recommend Echo Generation.
Into The Pit is a good way to reintroduce a genre one could have assumed a relic of the past. It’s a tad slowly paced and can get repetitive as any roguelike might, but it’s a strong innovation on a tried and true genre.
This leaves Assassin’s Creed Discovery Tour: Viking Age as a pretty solid update that players who enjoyed the setting of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla should definitely check out. However, it doesn’t quite justify its asking price as a standalone title, except maybe for history buffs who want to see a faithful recreation of the period that isn’t bogged down by RPG systems or combat mechanics.
Back 4 Blood is a wonderful call-back to the games that have come before it. And even though it’s not a direct sequel to Left 4 Dead 2, it brings back the most important elements of the series. But it shouldn’t be seen as only a spiritual successor because it adds so many new features that make it an extremely satisfying modern-day FPS. While a few elements impede the gameplay, they can be easily overlooked when you have a great team to play with.
Not perfect by any means, but PandaBall is a pretty solid arcade-style soccer game. It’s missing a few things I wish it had, and some things like the text size are less than ideal, but overall, it’s an enjoyable take on quick and simple soccer matches.
Metroid Dread is not only an excellent game and return of a beloved franchise, it’s emblematic of everything that defined the genre in the first place in a way that many modern Metroidvanias simply aren’t. Its exploration, upgrading, and re-exploration are never spoonfed to you and feel constantly like great accomplishments with great difficulty scaling and thrilling new mechanics and atmosphere.
Overall, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a fun fighting game with iconic characters and easy to learn but challenging to master mechanics. They nailed the feel of a good fighting game, but the game still feels like it has a ways to go before it reaches the level of an iconic franchise like Smash. The potential is absolutely there, and after we see a few DLC launches who knows where it will stand, but for now it’s hard to imagine myself inviting friends over to play All-Star Brawl when Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is still around.
But while I enjoyed the visuals, had fun figuring out the puzzles, and had plenty of laughs, In Sound Mind doesn’t quite impress anything upon you. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the game, but it also doesn’t strike me as extremely inventive or revolutionary. On the other hand, if you’ve played any psychological horror games in the past and enjoyed them, you’ll like this one for much the same reasons.
Far Cry 6 has done a great job tweaking the mechanics typical of the series and creating some extremely fun and chaotic gameplay. While the main antagonist doesn’t shine like some of the past baddies in the Far Cry series, you’ll fall in love with the diverse cast of characters and the island of Yara.
Rainbow Billy is truly a great kids’ RPG game. For anybody looking to hook their kid up with a fun, unique adventure with great morals and a creative “combat” system that doesn’t throw any punches, this is absolutely it.
Whether you’re looking for a great adventure or a devastating one, Unsighted is absolutely both and then some.
Lemnis Gate feels like a bold breath of fresh air. The game is a dramatic new take on the genre that has been fully embraced to its bones. Lemnis Gate is a must for any fans of shooters and strategy titles, especially for players who have a friend to bring along for some 2v2 matches. The future looks pretty bright for Lemnis Gate, and it has more than earned it.
Nostalgia might have some fans of Super Monkey Ball trapped in the little ball with them, running their little feet, futile against the inevitability of gravity. But for those not already on the inside, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is skippable.
Dandy Ace is a great first roguelike and a fun take on the genre. Its very fun combat, not too sharp too fast difficulty, quick load times, and lack of central hub or anything to drag the time between runs on makes it extremely playable and very easy to get sucked into.
Hot Wheels Unleashed is a good addition to the world of racing games, with enough to make it totally unique but not too much to overcomplicate it. There are a few things I wish would make it feel more full, but for what it does deliver, it delivers it well.
If you are a turn-based RPG fan looking for a new experience that brings fresh twists on classic elements of the genre, I cannot recommend Astria Ascending enough, just so long as you don’t need an overly engaging plot to pull you along.
Throughout my time with Lost Judgement, I felt torn about how I ultimately felt about the game. There were moments that I really enjoyed, especially the combat, but the handling of sexual assault and some unimaginative mechanics left me frustrated at best. All in all, I would say Lost Judgement is a perfectly okay sequel that fans of the original Judgement are sure to enjoy. It may not be amazing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth playing. If you can handle the negatives, some genuinely great moments in Lost Judgment are worth experiencing.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a strong game, it’s a contender for game of the year and it’s ultimately one well worth playing. It’s a stunningly astute and whimsical take on death, life, and where we fit in all of it. The game is about Kena finding her place and helping others find there’s too. Beautiful, immersive, and dynamic, I can’t recommend this game enough.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut is a game with a ton going on. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a creative and enjoyable experience. The only question for those who played the original version is whether or not they enjoyed their first trip through Kojima’s brilliant creation. If you did, or if this is your first time playing Death Stranding, you are absolutely going to love every second of the Death Stranding Director’s Cut.