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The Last Of Us Part One is a great remake of a masterpiece. The story feels more impactful than ever. The gameplay is more fluid and polished, and everything looks and sounds fantastic. However, the omission of the Factions multiplayer mode means Naughty Dog didn’t remake an entire portion of the game. I understand that Naughty Dog is working on Factions separately, and maybe it comes later in an update. Similar to what Sucker Punch did with Ghost Of Tsushima’s multiplayer. But that still means part of the game just isn’t here.
Overall I enjoyed my experience with Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires on the Xbox Series X. Its shallow character creation system was disappointing and could dampen your time with the game. Unfortunately, the game did not take advantage of the new hardware, as its visual look dated, despite its solid animations. I feel after the indefinite delay the developers might have changed course a bit and that’s why we got what we did. Both the Domestic Affairs and Way of Life systems are welcomed additions. Especially if you decide to play as your child in a second playthrough. I can say that Dynasty Warrior vets and new players alike will have a lot to look forward to in the game, despite its glaring shortcomings.
Soul Hackers 2 was an absolute treat. The style on display from every character, location, and demon was fantastic. The story, despite having a basic plot, had incredible characters to back it up. It also knocked several emotional moments out of the park. The deep and engaging combat system with the staggering demon collecting aspect was fun and rewarding. All of this coupled with one of the most unique areas I’ve seen in a game like the Soul Matrix. Which gave me so much to enjoy in my playthrough, despite its annoying design at times, leaving me eager to start again. Soul Hackers 2 is an easy recommendation, even if you have not played a game from Atlus.
In all, Cult of the Lamb is a fantastic game that perfectly blends two genres. While the combat is simple and there is room for improvement when it comes to level variation, this indie game punches way above its weight. The layers upon layers of mechanics make Cult of the Lamb a dense game with tremendous value at its indie price point.
Stray is a beautiful platforming adventure with a meaningful story. The characters, environments, exploration, and soundtrack make this game truly stand out, even if the ending leaves more to be desired. Restrictive gameplay keeps Stray from reaching its true potential, but BlueTwelve Studio’s ambition shines through its gorgeous art direction and engaging exploration. Stray is an unforgettable experience and is one of PS5’s best independent titles.
As Dusk Falls delivered an enthralling narrative with solid characters to follow. The game’s original graphics and art direction were off-putting at first but grew on me over time. The soundtrack and voice acting were both excellent. Multiplayer was well realized and added a whole new dimension to the gameplay. Though the game’s ending was a huge letdown and felt cheap overall. Despite this, As Dusk Falls is a solid experience and is worthy of your time.
Cuphead originally cost $20 and contained nearly 30 levels of boss fights and platforming mayhem. The Delicious Last Course costs $8 and has a dozen levels, a new playable character with a notably different move set, and more armor items from Porkrind. All fans of the original should not hesitate to drop those $8 for The Delicious Last Course.
F1 22 has a lot of under-the-hood improvements that might not be obvious at first. Driving remains satisfying, engaging, and adaptable. While the AI is aggressive, it will likely add to your race experience. The game’s presentation remains impeccable and truly reflects authentic F1 coverage. There’s a ton of content to enjoy that will satiate F1 and racing fans. But its aging graphics and a lackluster F1 Life show that an overhaul is overdue.
Ultimately, the main reason people play video games is to have fun. And Kao The Kangaroo delivers this in abundance. There is a fine line between taking inspiration from something, and just plain copying something. Kao The Kangaroo walks this line very precariously, and a couple of times it does verge on copying. Particularly collecting the letters K-A-O in each level, and the chase segments where Kao is running away from something towards the camera, have pretty much been lifted straight from other platformers (Donkey Kong and Crash Bandicoot, respectively). Despite the lack of originality though, Tate Multimedia have successfully created an extremely well-rounded platformer. Ticking all of the main boxes for visuals, gameplay, and aesthetics, it’s a slick, modern take on a beloved genre. If you’re willing to overlook a bland protagonist and a forgettable cast of characters, you will find a lot to love about Kao The Kangaroo.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is not just the best TMNT game in the past 30 years, it is one of the 10 best games released in 2022. I would rank it among the best 2D brawlers in recent history. The only things that I could possibly ask for are better matchmaking, a full collectibles library, and a sequel.
If you are new to the Sniper Elite franchise, or a veteran of this long-running series. Then I recommend checking the title out at some point this summer. While the story and overall polish are a little rough around the edges, the gameplay loop is rewarding and has a ton of variety. Bloody x-ray-soaked action combined with a great drop-in drop-out co-op experience, plus a unique twist on the PVP experience. Sniper Elite 5 feels like it has expanded the series in a new and bold direction.
For a developer’s maiden title, Dolmen is a really ambitious project. In some places, it works. The boss encounters are the high point and for Soulslike addicts, they alone are probably enough reason to check the game out. There are, however, some glaring issues that prevent this game from getting anywhere near the heights of a Dark Souls, or even a Nioh. Poor enemy and level design, lack of visual or audial atmosphere, and a story that doesn’t engage the player. The list goes on. On balance, the bad probably slightly outweighs the good. Too much emphasis was placed on difficulty, without ensuring there was enough meat on the bone in other areas of the game. However, for Soulslike fans, there is certainly enough here to warrant a look, especially at its launch price point. The raw difficulty, and the tough, engaging boss encounters, provide more than an ample challenge for those looking for their next fix in this post-Elden Ring world.
If you love the history of the Samurai or enjoy the black and white films of the 1950s. Then Trek To Yomi is an absolute must-play. With the cinematic delivery of its narrative, in a short and concise amount of time. Combined with challenging and rewarding combat, Flying Wild Hog has delivered on potentially one of the best indie titles of 2022.
Weird West is a strong debut for Wolfeye Studios. A lot of time and consideration went into crafting a fascinating setting and intertwined narrative. The game’s immersive sim mechanics are deep and truly reward player agency. The twin-stick combat works well enough as do the perks and abilities systems. Though the loot and leveling system were both underwhelming and the AI can act up at times. The cel-shaded graphics, while not groundbreaking, suit the aesthetics the game is going for and remain consistent all around. All in all, Weird West continues Devolver Digital’s strong pedigree of indie titles. Do not miss out on this wonderfully weird title.
In Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox submits a new entry into the looter-shooter subgenre they popularized in 2009 with Borderlands. While it has the same bones as its predecessors, Gearbox took some risks in its shift to a fantasy world. Most of these risks pay off, culminating in a 30-hour experience I anticipate returning to with a new Fatemaker. Despite a weak story, a bland antagonist, and a repetitive endgame, Wonderlands’ stellar gameplay and humorous side-quests make it a worthy addition to the Borderlands Universe.
The finale of the campaign is undoubtedly one of the high points. A couple of near-end frantic and action packed segments reveal more twists and revelations than a rerun of a Jerry Springer episode. After the credits roll in Stranger of Paradise, you are treated to a fun endgame that has the potential to be entertaining, and even better, the game’s co-op feature allows you to buddy up with 2 of your pals for some friendly monster slaying. The problem is though, that getting to the finale may well prove too difficult for some. Not because of the game’s actual difficulty, but because of the string of huge issues that litter the game. The graphics, the characters, the dialogue, the inconsistency amongst levels and boss design. You could literally spin a roulette wheel with all of these things on it, and whichever one the needle lands on has the potential to make this game very tough to play through. Given the pedigree of both Final Fantasy and Team Ninja as developers, it is incredibly disappointing that this game fell so short of expectations. The combat is super fun throughout, and the story concludes very cleverly, but these things are dwarfed in comparison to all of the issues Stranger of Paradise presents us with.
Whether you are looking to experience Demeo on PC or through the world of Virtual Reality. If you are a fan of D&D then Demeo is a must-play. Challenging encounters paired with straightforward control and gameplay design. Sprinkle in a beautiful art style, with 3 unique campaigns to explore. Demeo is the perfect game to work into your party game rotation with friends. As well as worth exploring on your own time. Despite being an early access title, you will likely get dozens upon dozens of hours of entertainment from the world of Demeo.
The campaign in Moss: Book II will take you somewhere around four to six hours to complete. To achieve the Platinum Trophy, you are going to be on the six-hour side. With that said, the Platinum Trophy is not very hard to obtain and does not require more than one playthrough. For players on other VR platforms, make sure you check out the first Moss game in preparation for a potential Moss: Book II release. Polyarc plans to release Moss II on more VR platforms on an undetermined date. For PSVR players, this may be the only significant title to release in 2022. Moss: Book II is absolutely worth dusting off that old headset for. As it is a technical evolution of classic PS1-era platforming games designed for VR. The level design, combat, and puzzles make Moss II a top-tier VR platforming title in 2022.
I absolutely adored my time with Kirby and The Forgotten Land. HAL Laboratory has reimagined Kirby by exploring his possibilities in a 3D space and knocked it out of the park. I am excited for what lies ahead for the pink puff and his pals. After rolling credits, I dipped my toes into the post-game. I still have plenty of Stage challenges to complete, not to mention Target Times in Treasure Road challenges. However, this really is a weekend game. You can beat it in less than 10 hours, and I think that will be a bit of a letdown for some people. I think of a game like Ratchet & Clank (2016) being forty dollars (USD) at launch and look at Nintendo with a little side-eye after completing Kirby and The Forgotten Land. Personally, I think Kirby and The Forgotten Land would make a spectacular pack-in game if bundled with new Switch consoles. But someone simply picking the game up on its own, I might suggest waiting for a sale.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is an amazing addition. The Vow of the Disciple raid further strengthened Bungie’s strong launch. This expansion’s story stretches further beyond imagination. Its narrative continues after beating the campaign. Then, more secrets are revealed after beating the raid. The momentum is building to a climax. Chiefly, a conclusion to the Light and Dark saga. Savathûn herself has been a key player for years in Destiny’s story. Bungie delivered us another great villain. One that surpasses Oryx in my opinion.