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Lies of P is a very interesting game in the sense that it succeeds at emulating the look, feel and gameplay of From Software’s Souls games, most notably (and obviously) Bloodborne, but a handful of issues hamper it from reaching its full potential. It has some neat combat and RPG elements, as well as a fascinating world to explore, but it is also a bit too formulaic.
Yes, Silent Hope isn’t profound, but what it does manage is being stupid fun. The loot grind, when paired with a silky combat system, makes for an enjoyable romp of treasure hunting. Sure, it’s not going to win Game of the Year Awards and won’t redefine Action RPGs, but it accomplishes something I think is more important. It’s a bloody good adventure and has a concept that I hunger to see honed and improved upon for a possible sequel.
Gothic is the kind of ultra-janky game you’ll most likely grab on Steam or GOG, at a monstrous discount, at maybe two dollars during a sale, and play for a few hours whilst trying to cope with dated visuals, controls, physics, and so on. This is NOT the kind of game that deserves being sold for thirty bucks on the eShop, with little to no improvements, and a control scheme that just showcases this has always been meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard.
In the end, people have to decide what they want to do the most. While there’s inherent value in seeking out the first installment to fully understand, the subsequent story is more coherent, more entertaining and fills in the gaps when necessary to bring you up to speed. The action is stronger, but the character development also gives more compassion and connection with which to identify. It’s certain to be a lasting creation, and, even decades later, it stands as the seminole work when it comes to dark future predictions, deadpan acting, successful child stars and iconic lines.
Chants of Sennaar is a wonderfully refreshing puzzle adventure game. There’s huge satisfaction in making progress without the game holding your hand through every step. It reminds me of Tunic in this regard. You’re given only the basic idea of what to do, and the rest is up to your own powers of observation and deduction in order to figure things out and progress.
BIT.TRIP RERUNNER is a very straightforward remake, but one that does exactly what it needed to do. It didn’t change a thing in its gameplay, for there was no need to fix what wasn’t broken. It offers vastly superior visuals, with a brand new “retro meets modern” coat of paint, and an excellent level creator to exponentially increase its lasting appeal and overall value.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4: Bush Rescue Returns lacks a bit of the charisma seen in its predecessors, a consequence of them being 3D platformers, with this one just being a bog-standard 2D side-scroller. It does feel cheaper than any other Ty game, but it is still quite fun, though. It might not be that creative, but it’s certainly less janky and less buggy. It’s also a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch, given how you can enjoy it in short bursts in portable mode.
While I can appreciate the direction of making PAW Patrol World an open world adventure, there just isn’t a lot going on for it. I loved the idea that it sold me on with it being a co-op adventure and working together with unique abilities… it’s just unfortunate that there’s nothing unique about the gameplay at all. There are no different mini-games or activities that require different thinking or gameplay, it’s just always the same bland QTE.
Party Animals is a really fun time to play, whether online with others, or sitting with some friends and family on some good, old-fashioned local multiplayer. This truly feels like a next step up from previous silly physics-based brawlers, even if it does have its own bits of frustrations. However, I think if you don’t try to take it seriously, and are in it for some lighthearted fun, Party Animals can easily be in your rotation of fun party games.
Although I did enjoy my time with El Paso, Elsewhere, I cannot hide the fact it was plagued with some questionable gameplay decisions and repetitive visuals. You will probably play El Paso, Elsewhere not because of its janky gameplay, but because of its strong story and character development.
Payday 3 is a huge step up from the core mechanics of the Payday franchise. The updated gunplay and casing mechanics all come together for a gameplay experience that, as a whole, just feels better. However, it falters at just about everything else. The game is really light on content, progression has been ruined, and the rampant server issues are unacceptable, with the game refusing to work properly even if you want to play by yourself.
Mon-Yu is exceedingly well-coded, runs well, and is just exceptionally boring. The story is cookie cutter, there’s zero stakes ever, and the exhaustively long name just proves that there was the intent to distract from the very beginning. This can be fun if you’re a real dungeon junkie and just want to make a team of different catgirls to wreck house over and over again. Don’t expect anything more than surface level and you’ll be fine.
Believe me when I say that the trailers don’t do it justice, because there’s a much deeper game here than I could have ever expected. Changing up the visual novel formula by telling the story not only through dialogue options, but also through tarot card readings, is an ingenious concept. This encourages replayablility, especially with offering seven different endings, an makes each playthrough unique.
I would absolutely recommend it to gaming historians who want to see examples of solid pixel art and design during the coin-operated heyday. It’s punishing at times, so hardcore gamers can go off on a lark to try and accomplish it without turning on the cheats. But as an individual set piece, I can’t say I’d want to play it again. Such an obtuse title not being part of my regular rotation should hardly come as a shock, man.
Redfall might not be the worst game released in 2023, but I don’t think I have played something more uninspired. It looks dated, its performance is disappointing, its plot is bland, the controls are glitchy, and the entire gameplay loop is the most generic and passion-devoid AAA schtick you could think of. If Arkane clearly wasn’t willing to make this game, then why would any of us should or want to care about it? Not even the fact it’s on Gamepass makes it being worth downloading it and playing for a day or two.
I don’t know how the hell Nintendo allowed for this game to be launched on their system (I do understand WB probably did not care about doing some quality check on their end, though). It is something that needs to be played for you to believe it even exists. Not only is this the worst Switch port of a AAA title out there, this might be the single most pathetic entry in Mortal Kombat history. Yes, even more than Advance or Special Forces. At least those games weren’t being advertised as equals to ports on more powerful machines.
You know the drill at this point: NBA 2K24 is just like its predecessors, in both the good and bad ways. It still looks impressive and has great controls, but it is also plastered with convoluted menus and a ridiculous amount of ads and microtransactions. What can I even add at this point which hasn’t been said in my previous five reviews of NBA 2K iterations? It’s good as an arcade experience, it’s frustrating elsewhere, and you know for a fact nothing will change because there is no need to innovate when you don’t have to deal with competitors.
It’s hard to ignore how creatively bankrupt The Crew Motorfest is, but it is not a bad game at all. When you’re trying to be a carbon copy of a masterpiece of a racing game, and you do your homework to a satisfactory degree, you need to be utterly incompetent not to be, at the very least, a pretty good time, even if not a jaw-dropping one.
There isn’t a lot that needs to be said because Gunbrella, despite the unique premise, is really straightforward: what you’ve seen from previews and trailers is what you’ll get. It’s a really well-designed platformer that might be a bit too brown and dour at times, but plays like an absolute dream. With excellent level design, great boss fights, and just the right amount of funny dialogue bits to remind you that yes, you’re playing yet another high-quality Devolver outing, Gunbrella might not be one of the publisher’s top titles, but it’s still absolutely worth your while.
This is the best kind of sequel. Horizon Chase 2 is the kind of game that makes its predecessor look and feel obsolete in comparison, with vastly better graphics, AI, tracks, and controls. It might not exactly have a lot of cars for you to choose, but there is still so much content in here that complaining about it almost feels like an annoying nitpick. Aquiris has clearly managed to outdo themselves, with this game being one of the best retro-styled racers available in any console or PC right now.