But Why Tho?
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Overall, Iris.Fall is a phenomenal game. It’s gorgeous, emotive, and not exhaustively long. It’s an immersive game that aims to blend a somber tone with an innovative design. While there are some tedious moments and less than ideal elements that don’t map to controllers well over a mouse, this isn’t enough to make it a game to pass on. Having found success on PC, I’m excited for fans of the genre to play Iris.Fall on their consoles. For the beautiful world and score alone, this is one game that I want more of.
Super Meat Boy Forever is a fun and just-challenging-enough platformer with endless replayability and lots of polish.
Calico is nothing grand or over the top, but that’s the point. This small, quaint game is filled with lovely people and adorable animals for you to pet, collect, and ride as you resolve simple tasks and sell cute pastries in a beautiful little world.
Space Invaders Forever is a nice celebration of the franchise. Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders are both quite fun and could make for great occupation on a long trip or while trying to kill time. They’re quite replayable and offer challenges in a tight package. Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE is hardly even worth a glance though, and makes the $30.00 price tag a bit hard to justify.
Overall, the Planet Zoo: Aquatic Pack expands on the lacking water dimension of the game. The addition of the seals and penguins along with finally pre-made waterfalls are the shining parts of this DLC. The time-challenge will be good for players that are already a fan of them but can lead to issues if they are missing prior DLC. The Planet Zoo: Aquatic Pack was also released with a free content update (Update 1.4) that is available to all players. This brought some new features that really help players and additional content along with some improvements.
Cyberpunk 2077 offers players an interesting world to explore, great storytelling, and loveable and deep characters. But the main story is light on cyberpunk themes, and the bugs and bad graphics really hinder the playability. Once the technical bugs are hammered out, Cyberpunk 2077 will be a game I would recommend.
When all is said and done, John Wick Hex delivers an interesting experience that provides a unique, and brutally difficult time. If you are looking for that brutal difficulty to bang your head against, this game might be for you. For anyone else, however, I think this one will be a hard pass.
Evolution is an exciting and unique board game with a little bit of everything when it comes to playing solo and competing with others near and far. It’s a great game to add to your library if you’re missing that connection that board games bring when we’re all together.
Per Aspera is a unique planetary simulation game that brings a narrative, exploration, and even combat to the genre. There is plenty to do with tons to build in Per Aspera as you get to experience terraforming and colonizing Mars that is based on real-life science. I really enjoyed this game and think there is plenty of potential for this game as it continues its life cycle and things are only going to get better.
When all is said and done, what sells Haven is its characters. If a deep rich character-driven narrative that centers around two exceptionally realized characters is something you believe is worth a few gameplay hiccups to experience then this game is worth every second of your time. It’s characters deliver in every way I could ask for. Crafting a tale that was the most emotionally impactful gaming experience I’ve had since I played Sea of Solitude last year. And to put a little perspective here, that was my game of the year last year. And while its gameplay shortcomings keep it from quite reaching that level of gaming perfection, its story is as close to perfect as I could ask for.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has expanded the worldbuilding to such a scale that every new dungeon or quest is a chance to explore lore new and old. At the end of the day, I can’t ask for more than that.
Where Chronos: Before the Ashes goes wrong is in comparison to Remnant: From the Ashes. As a prequel, this comparison can’t be helped. The reduction in action, lack of complicated boss fights, and the removal of guns are a step-down. But alone, it’s a good game. The puzzles are fun, and the story is interesting, especially when used as a foundation for the events of Remnant.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a visually stunning, heartfelt, and welcoming game for everyone and easily lands the honor of being my game of the year.
Planet Coaster was a pleasant surprise, making the transition from PC to PlayStation 5 seamlessly. The control scheme is, by far, the most efficient and easy to use experience I’ve ever had with a controller in a simulation game. Everything about the game looks sleek and shiny, making your parks pleasant to look at and fun to build. Along with that, the customization options, like build-your-own rollercoasters and scenery or pre-made models, allow players to essentially pick their difficulty level, offering complex and simple solutions depending on the player’s preference. Planet Coaster is my new addiction, joining RollerCoaster Tycoon as one of my favorite simulation games.
Astro’s Playroom took me by surprise. I was expecting a short tech demo that would impress me because of the new controller, but instead, I was greeted with a full-blown, short and fun 3D platformer.
Miles Morales doesn’t reinvent the superhero genre or change any of the core gameplay that Spider-Man fans fell in love with during the original game. Instead, the charm is found with Miles Morales himself and his journey to establish a presence in New York while becoming confident in his abilities without Peter Parker by his side… Miles Morales makes you feel like a fledgling superhero and a teenager, learning the ropes of life, love, and web-slinging.
I think Planet Coaster: Console Edition is absolutely a worthwhile port. It manages to take an immensely complicated game and package it into something it was never designed to fit into. Just come in with a healthy serving of patience and willingness to forgive some glitches and issues, some banal and some a bit rough, especially if you are free playing and not in pre-built scenario parks.
Observer: System Redux is one of the more impressive definitive editions of the last few years. Bloober Team does an incredible job highlighting where Observer succeeded (storyline and graphics) and improving upon where it needed to (stealth gameplay and interrogation sections). Its success was perfectly timed with the release of new consoles, as Observer: System Redux is tailor-made to enjoy aesthetically.
Mars Horizon is a game that anyone who ever wanted to be an astronaut dreamed of having. The ambient music sets the tone for players as they set off the uncover the Solar System. This is by far one of the hardest games I’ve had to review in that on the surface this game looks so simple and monotonous, but as you break it down you get to unravel all the challenges and complexities it has to offer.
Bright Memory has so much potential and I am eagerly awaiting Infinite’s release in 2021. Gameplay looks and feels familiar as far as first-person shooters but when it comes to graphics, the Xbox Series S makes it look so good. If you’re looking to kick back after a long day and just want to shoot things up in style, Bright Memory is definitely that game. Granted this is only a taste of what’s to come, its replayability just might hold you over, especially if you’re an achievement hunter looking to boost your Xbox Gamerscore.