TheGamer's Reviews
Hades is, to put it plainly, a masterpiece. It has a refreshingly unique trajectory, tells a compelling story with an alluring cast, and has such a good handle on moment-to-moment play that it is never anything less than genuinely excellent. It’s a game that grows the more you play it, as opposed to being something that suffers from a slow descent into tedium. And for that reason, it is a genuine forever game.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 is not just a must-play title for skateboarding fans. Given its longstanding history, it can arguably also be considered an essential title for gaming in general.
Every looter struggles in the early days, and it would be naive think a studio that's never made a game of this type before would nail it right out of the gate. That being said, it's already in way better shape than I ever expected it to be at launch, and, most critically, the combat — particularly in multiplayer — is an absolute blast. I'm hopeful, and I'll be sticking around to see where things go from here.
Ultimately, Tell Me Why taught me how to not be defined by my past, and gave me the tools to thrive in the future. In a time where I needed hope perhaps more than ever, Dontnod delivered it. For that, their masterpiece has firmly cemented itself as my absolute favorite video game I've had the pleasure of playing.
In summary, Crusader Kings 3 is so complex that even after hours of playing, you can still discover new features or uncover intricate systems you've not needed before. For those who want full control of a domain and dynasty, you won't be disappointed. Just be prepared to put a chunk of time into learning the ropes.
There are valid criticisms of Wasteland 3, but they are relatively minor, and too much nitpicking of individual issues would detract from the overall impression of the game – it is fun to play and enjoyable to experience. Wasteland 3 attempts to make a world that the player exists in rather than just moves through, and it is a complete success.
Ultimately, Microsoft Flight Simulator was well worth the wait. For enthusiasts of past installments, there is so much to look forward to. For those who might be on the fence about a flight simulator that is virtually an endless sandbox game, the great news is that it has been added to the Xbox Game Pass on PC right from launch, and players can check it out there before making the plunge.
Nexomon: Extinction doesn’t provide a ton of innovation from the formula that made the first Pokémon games a success, but honestly, that’s a big reason why I think I enjoy playing the game as much as I do. I missed the boat on the newer generations of Pokémon games like Sword & Shield, primarily due to the fact that the more modernized gameplay just didn't appeal to me.
Tiny Racer doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, but can offer up quick and fun racing challenges for younger gamers especially.
Fast & Furious Crossroads combines a great driving game with the franchise's signature campy machismo for a fun movie experience.
What Happened is a game chews you up, spits you out, then goes back for seconds. And that’s kind of the point.
With its bright visuals, thrilling gameplay, and an excellent soundtrack, Fall Guys will arguably make its mark on the battle royale genre.
With its tight controls and overall gameplay, charming visuals, and wondrous audio design, Skully is a game for platforming fans young and old alike.
Hellbound is a retro FPS with some neat ideas that suffers from lacking execution and a lack of content.
While Skater XL's learning curve is steep, for those who stick with it, there is some fun and satisfying skateboarding action to be had.
As I've always been an advocate for imagination over mechanical perfection, Destroy All Humans! is something that works for me. Perhaps it isn't the most polished or modern game of 2020, but it's definitely one that I'll keep coming back to, and it's absolutely the best remake to come out of THQ Nordic yet.
That said, the atmosphere, mystery, and overall feel of the game offer enough of a reason to see things through to the end, and, though it will primarily appeal to horror fans, Maid of Sker is definitely worth checking out.
Roki is one of the most pleasant surprises I've had this year. A lot of highly-touted AAA games have come out and disappointed me on some level, but this story about a young girl trying to keep her broken family together even when faced with impossible challenges and brutish monsters is incredibly heart-warming. I got choked up on more than a few occasions as these poor characters were put through the emotional wringer. Even beyond the narrative, I was delighted by the game's puzzles and how solving them usually led to something special happening. This might not be a difficult game for veterans of the adventure game genre, but I was truly satisfied from beginning to end.
Truthfully, the only kind of person I can recommend this game to is a diehard Sword Art Online superfan who has never played a JRPG (or honestly, any other video game) in their life and therefore has no basis to compare the trainwreck that is Alicization Lycoris to anything else that has substance. Otherwise, just watch the anime. Or play a different game.
There is more I can delve into, but I'm at a loss for words. Ghost of Tsushima is something I was drawn to because of its inspiration from classic Samurai cinema. What I ended up getting was a Hollywood interpretation of that. It isn't bad in the strictest sense, but it truly fails to live up to the films that inspired it.