GamesBeat's Reviews
Now we have this game that will produce an effectively limitless number of Super Mario stages. I'm not great at math, but I think if you multiply timeless gameplay by countless stages, you get something that is astronomically fun. But Nintendo didn't just do the bare minimum here. It didn't just scrap together a level editor and sharing system. It has put unparalleled craft and care into every element of this game because it loves Mario as much as we do. And that propels this game into a whole other realm of greatness.
It's rare for a game to so ruthlessly and completely nail the altered reality games place us in the way Undertale does. Whether it's the nameless NPCs you always meet in RPGs or the hundreds of mooks you mow down with gunfire in games like Uncharted, Undertale brilliantly demystifies these conventions and questions why games are still codified this way. But even outside of its ambitious themes, it proves to be a compact, perfectly paced RPG experience with hilarious, tense writing and endearing charaters.
This is another Mario all-time classic that we'll be remembering and celebrating for decades to come.
But now, I feel safe saying that Crash Bandicoot 4 is the new best game in the series. It captures that fun-yet-simple platforming from the original, but its creative levels, mask abilities, and clever bosses help it surpass the PlayStation trilogy
If you’re a seasoned Souls-like fan, then it’s worth picking up a PS5 just for Demon’s Souls. If not, I still recommend having your passport stamped in Boletaria, but know what you’re getting into beforehand and proceed with caution … and plenty of Moon Grass.
Hitman is a world made up entirely of Chekhov’s guns, and it’s a blast finding out how to get Agent 47 into position to pull the trigger.
You can play a lot of 3D Mario games on your Switch. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is just as good as any of them. It contains makes the Wii U game feel better than you remember, and the bonus campaign makes the package one of the best ports Nintendo has brought to the Switch.
I struggle to think of another co-op puzzle game that’s better. Maybe Portal 2? Even if that’ true, It Takes Two belongs on that same tier. Find yourself a friend (or an emotionally distanced spouse) and spend a little time with It Takes Two. It’ll be some of the most fun you’ll have this year.
Rift Apart is a special game. And as long as Sony Interactive Entertainment has Insomniac releasing games like this for the PS5, I’m going keep showing up on day one with $70 in hand, ready for the next adventure.
And while I don’t know if I ever felt like a genius while playing Breath of the Wild, I did feel like I was 11 years old and unlocking the magical secrets of Zelda all over again.
In my review-in-progress, I said if I were to score it now, I’d give it a 5/5. More than a month later, I’m ready to do so. This is the best Crusader Kings release yet — and it’s Paradox’s best game release ever.
I have found the narrative somewhat overwhelming at times — just in terms of the amount of information the game throws at you. But Arkane has accounted for that as well with one of the best mission- and info-tracking systems in a game ever. Even if you failed to pick up on a key piece of intel, the game will tell you what you need to do next as long as you found the key piece of evidence.
Yes, Banana Mania is essentially just the kind of Super Monkey Ball game that you’d expect. I just didn’t realize how much I’ve missed this series. The single player levels present a challenging and creative experience, while the minigame offerings make this collection essential to anyone who likes to play local multiplayer. This is the best Super Monkey Ball has ever been.
Its playability matched with MercurySteam doing right by Samus Aran has turned me into even more of a fan of Metroid. Even beyond the context of my own affinity toward the character and world, Metroid Dread is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game in 2021. It’s a contender for game of the year.
Consider me a Halo fan now. I was never really looking forward to Infinite. But now that it’s here, it’s so much more than what I was expecting. And I think that whatever 343 does next will be even better, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting it.
Not only does Endwalker offer a satisfying conclusion to one chapter of Final Fantasy XIV, but it creates an amazing foundation for the MMO’s future. Endwalker will ensure that Final Fantasy XIV’s recent meteoric rise won’t come crashing back down to earth any time soon. Final Fantasy XIV’s prospects are over the moon.
Maybe I’m just becoming jaded by all the games lately that I think were overhyped and then underdelivered, but Elden Ring is a rare example of a game that grabbed ahold me and won’t let go. I’m joyfully exploring every inch of the land and delighting in my discoveries, and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon.
I’ve seen a lot of people say they have skipped Horizon: Forbidden West to play other games like Gran Turismo 7 and Elden Ring. I’m in the middle of Elden Ring now, and I feel like I have my training wheels on. But I wouldn’t skip Horizon: Forbidden West, as I feel like this is going to be one of the best games of 2021.
It’s a great example of when you start with a clean slate, improve all of the graphics and game systems, and then wind up with a much better product than the original. This remake of a classic goes to show why video games just get better with the passage of time.
Those miniscule grips aside, this is a masterful fighting game experience that excels in all the ways you want it to. It’s another standout from Capcom, which has entered something of a new golden era thanks to its revitalization of Resident Evil and the broadening global appeal of Monster Hunter. Street Fighter 6 is further proof that Capcom is on top of the gaming world these days.