TheGamer's Reviews
Overall, the game very much feels like the very best of the original Harvest Moon title mixed with the newer mechanics and ideas that have been developed in the Story of Seasons franchise. It's a perfect mesh of old and new that feels well pitched for both veterans and newcomers to enjoy. If you're looking for a relaxing game to calm your mind at the end of the day, then Story Of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is here to fill that gap.
Let me be clear: I liked The Last of Us: Part II, and I feel like I can’t succinctly convey all of the things I wish to say about the game in 1,000 words (which I am well over at this point). The dystopian world created by the Naughty Dog team is one that I enjoy exploring and surviving in. For everything that The Last of Us: Part II gets right, though, I can’t help but feel like I just played through an extension of the same game from 2013. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and like Ellie with Joel, I'm trying to accept the game as it is. Considering the impact that The Last of Us had on gaming, I guess I just expected to be blown away all over again.
The gamers who missed out on a chance to play Xenoblade Chronicles in the past owe it to themselves to try out Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, which is one of the best action RPGs on the Nintendo Switch. The game has a few niggling design flaws that will annoy people who love jumping straight into the action, but Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition makes up for its slower moments with an engaging combat system and a huge world that begs to be explored.
Overall, the game is a fun introduction to dungeon crawlers for all the family. While there is still plenty for older or more experienced gamers to enjoy, hardcore dungeon crawler fans will likely find the gear mechanics too limiting. However, this title is not designed for that market. It's every inch a family-friendly co-op or solo player experience, and this is a goal it achieves perfectly.
If the upcoming patch completely irons out the save data, framerate issues, and other technical problems then this could make for a decent bout of fun. Mindlessly chomping on fish while leveling up your shark to be even more murderous can make for an enjoyable albeit frivolous time. As of right now though, until Maneater's problems are definitively dealt with, it might be safer for players to stay out of the water.
The character placement and controls in Cannibal Cuisine could use a bit of tightening - for instance, there seems to be a pretty wide and inconsistent margin as to when a player falls into a gap and when they don’t - but for the most part, Cannibal Cuisine is just as fun as other co-op party games such as Overcooked and Tools Up! Its bloody cartoon violence - and, you know, cannibalism - is probably a bit too much for younger players. But for groups of older gamers who are fans of this sort of game, you’ll likely eat up Cannibal Cuisine. Which is better than the other way around.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is an awesome game with a few annoying flaws that stop it from reaching the same heights as its predecessor. Final Fantasy VII was lightning in a bottle, while Final Fantasy VII Remake is just a really good game that wears its skin. The story of the remake series isn't over yet and we hope that Square Enix improves upon the formula for the later entries, but for now, Final Fantasy VII Remake is still well worth your time.
Alyx doesn't propel VR to unseen heights, nor does it overcome the limitations of the platform. What it does is provide an exceptional name-brand experience that is extraordinarily polished and just about the best example of what VR has to offer right now. Every puzzle is satisfying, every gunfight is a thrill. The environments are beautifully horrifying and the interactables are absurdly detailed. It has no lulls, nothing ever gets played out or boring. It has a ton of fan service and builds some really exciting hype for the future of the series. However, I wish that the game built its core mechanics over time the way Portal 2 so famously did. Alyx is much more akin to a rollercoaster ride than a hill to climb. If you can afford the price of admission though, it's one wild ride.
In the end, I guess, it was just another quintessential Persona experience: a wildly, wonderfully fun story-driven game with a story that fails to live up to its own potential and fundamentally misunderstands the core of their own characters. Atlus both made the most of and absolutely squandered the chance to improve upon Persona 5—and honestly? I don’t know what I was expecting.
Failure is part of mastery, and by the end of my ~20-hour playthrough of DOOM Eternal, I felt like I had developed a far greater mastery of the game than I ever did in DOOM (2016). Some battles took me 20 tries or more, it's true, but by the time I got through it I learned the timing of every wave and used every single one of my abilities to survive. For that, DOOM Eternal is likely the most satisfying shooter ever made. The easy mode (I'm Too Young To Die) is still available for anyone who prefers the mindless carnage of DOOM (2016), but I promise you, DOOM Eternal is worth the struggle.
Overall, playing New Horizons was well worth the wait. The game is relaxing, enjoyable, well thought out, and fantastic chilled out fun for all ages. Right now, we really need a distraction from the chaos around us, and this game has come at the perfect time. So relax, hop on that plane, and enjoy your new life on the beach, in the woods, or even by the river. The choice is yours.
If you're the kind of person who can't stand bugs ruining your games then maybe you might want to wait a bit until this is good and patched. But even with the glitches, Ori and the Will Of The Wisps is undeniably a captivating, marvelous game that makes us hope that we won't have to wait another 5 years to see Ori in action again.
Dreams is a wonderful game. It encourages deep learning and imagination for those who truly want to create. It also encourages collaboration. Many Dreams are made with the help of others. No matter what, creating in Dreams is going to be daunting. Thankfully, the tutorials are here to assist.
Like the video game equivalent of an orchestra, Florence is comprised of so many different elements that all work seamlessly together to create an emotional masterpiece. Video games exploring romance is nothing new - but this short and sweet game is probably the best and most realistic title that portrays what the realities of falling in love is actually like.
While it is short in terms of basic playtime, it does still take a good number of hours to explore everything the game has to offer. It's also engaging, humorous, and quirky. The fact that it is LGBTQ+ friendly is a great and much-appreciated bonus, and the puns are legendary.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a game that manages to be both a homage to the classic games of the past, while also being one of the most original RPGs in years. It's just a shame that the console version of the game has so many issues, as they really hamper the experience. It's advised that people play this gem of a game on PC in order to experience the best version of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, but the drawbacks of the console version can be overlooked by people who are really patient or don't mind messing around on their phone every couple of minutes when going back to a town to restock on times.
I'm not in the unenviable position of giving a score to a game with no generic touchstones or precedence. I can't help but laugh at the absurdity at giving a score to something like Kentucky Route Zero. Did it accomplish everything it intended to do? Almost certainly. Was it "good?" Making a qualitative determination for art almost certainly means you missed the point entirely, doesn't it?
Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf has moments of enjoyment and there is definitely depth to be found in building multiple decks, but the slow speed of the game and the random nature of the enemy placements diminishes what fun there is to be had. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is currently underrepresented on the Nintendo Switch and fans of the franchise might enjoy the game as a simple strategy game that uses the lore of the series, but there isn't much else to recommend for those who aren't familiar with the tabletop game.
Journey To The Savage is a short-but-sweet title you absolutely don't want to miss.
A game about anime waifus spouting rap slangcould be great, but somehow Orangeblood is simultaneously too insane and too boring to make it work.