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In the pantheon of anime games, Cyberconnect2 has definitely done more right by the anime than by the gameplay. Its ability to capture the anime experience remains strong, but far too little concern is there for the game and its community. Time will tell if Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles fosters a bright future for humanity or if it will leave them to the mercy of the demons.
Scarlet Nexus, while disappointing in the story overall, is saved by its relentlessly enjoyable combat. The Japanese voice cast did a superb job, even if the English voice acting was not particularly impressive. The levels, while offering stellar visuals, were too linear and never offered any interesting reason to return to explore. It feels like for every great part of this game, another lacks to a noticeable degree. Even so, Scarlet Nexus is worth the money if you are looking for a decent 25+ hour experience.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Shadow Warrior 3. The game will never be the talk of the town, but not every title has to be. Gunplay is fast, frantic, and more importantly, fun. Those who enjoyed the DOOM franchise will feel right at home here. Maybe a little too much. Traversal sections are fun, though uninspiring. Graphically, the game looks great and complements its offbeat nature nicely. However, the bland level design, environments, flaccid Chi blasts, and inconsistent performance bring it down a couple of notches. But I can comfortably say that Shadow Warrior 3 will be one of the best-hidden gems of 2022.
There is some promise in Scars Above. The game presents solid foundations to build upon, and the fact that this is the maiden title from Mad Head Games is an achievement on its own. On the visual side, the game is a looker and performed admirably on PC. However it is hard to overlook its game design and technical shortcomings. While its use of repeated sci-fi tropes doesn’t do it any favors. Perhaps Scars Above will be the necessary learning experience that will likely enhance the studio’s future projects.
Empire of Sin has plenty of good ideas from the great 1920s Chicago setting and atmosphere. From a great diplomacy system that can make or break your playthrough at certain times in the game, to turn-based combat which I love in games shows some promise. But the game is mired by lackluster map design, bad AI, unbalanced abilities, and some clunky controls. I did enjoy the roleplaying aspect of being able to lead a criminal empire as a historically inspired gangster. Empire of Sin manages to capture ambition beautifully in its empire management systems, and its allure of everything is strong.
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.
Gylt is a very interesting game. The setting, the gameplay, the exploration, and the puzzles are very impressive. But it falls very short when it comes to the story. It felt as though the game was trying to tell two different stories in one setting. But the game just was not able to execute it as I would have wanted considering the subject matter it does touch on. But when collectibles and environmental details do that job significantly better, I cannot help feeling let down. Outside of this though, Gylt is an easy recommendation at its price and short length of nearly seven hours to encourage multiple playthroughs for its multiple endings.
So we have a rough game with fantastic turn-based combat with a unique twist. The setting is well-painted, but the smaller brushstrokes are messy. I love this game and am going back to finish all the side missions, but I have to dock it some points for failing to live up to its premise.
Blood Bowl 3 has many things going right for it in my opinion. The in-depth combat system provides layers of difficulty that you can’t just breeze through games. It is very well written and with the voices that come from the characters, you can tell that they would speak or say the stuff they do. Graphics and visuals look great, especially in the cinematic scenes and when it comes to the game gore. Team customization is good with hopefully more unlockables on launch. Player customization is locked behind microtransactions. Having local multiplayer brings about a camaraderie that’s been missing for a long time. The lack of free player customizations, game modes, and a bad online league experience does plague the good things the game has to offer.
No Place for Bravery tries to carve its own place in a flood of Souls-like titles hitting the market to some success. Its excellent, yet tragic, story continues to resonate strongly with me and some of its set pieces were truly captivating. The combat was serviceable with a decent amount of enemy variety and always demanded my attention. However, the game was let down by its bland pixel graphics and technical hiccups.
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.
Windjammers 2 has a lack of depth in content, it feels like it is missing something. Something like a character creator, a level builder, a simple story, or more characters to unlock would go a long way into making it feel like a deeper game. I know Windjammers is from a different time but now it is 2022 and fantastic games are coming out every week. While at MSRP Dotemu is not asking for a lot, today the player's time is the most valuable ask. The game needs to be engaging for more than a weekend.
While it has its problems Fracked is a nice addition to the PSVR library. If you only play on PlayStation and yearn for retro shooters, this is going to scratch that itch. A lack of content in what will be the hardware’s final year makes Fracked one of the few must-own PSVR games in 2021. If I were playing Fracked on just my PS4, I would be disappointed. Given the platform, Fracked is one of the top 10 FPS’s on PSVR. Many of the game’s bad moments are balanced out by its better moments.
Supercross 4 is undoubtedly the Forza of the motocross world. It is an immaculate representation of this form of motorsport. However, its grueling riding mechanics and difficulty truly make you feel like a rookie when you begin. There are some great ways to upgrade your ride and express yourself with player and bike customizations. If you are patient and put in the effort the game is extremely rewarding knowing that you developed your skills to compete with the best. There are plenty of modes, challenges, and variety in the game to keep you busy. Yet, like any other grind, it gets repetitive and ends up feeling samey.
The combat is fun but both Switch controllers were problematic. The gameplay isn’t repetitive because there are multiple very small gameplay loops. Olija is infrequently challenging (if at all). Yet it is a nice game to play between major AAA releases or 100 hour RPG’s. Olija is a great game to take out of your pocket and play in small stretches if you are on the road. Especially at the $15 price point. Unfortunately, there is so much coming out and so many games in all of our backlogs that it keeps it from really standing out. Olija will release on January 28th on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Overall, Peril on Gorgon is enjoyable. At 8 hours, this is a proportionally acceptable length for an Outer Worlds add-on. All of the writing and characters that captured our imagination last year are still here.
In its final months, great PSVR titles are going to be few and far between. If you are looking for a brand new FPS, your options are extremely limited. What has been provided here is more than enough to satisfy as a VR title. If you have an appreciation for WW2 settings and history, this is the game you are looking for. It is not a tech demo, not an experience, Sniper Elite VR is a fully constructed Sniper Elite game. While visually it cannot stand up against the most recent Sniper Elite title, bringing the franchise to VR platforms is a fun and unique take on the series. Plus you get to kill Nazis, and that is cool too.
Overall, Marvel’s Avengers is a good game that has some technical problems.
The original Turok 3 was released during an awkward time. Sandwiched between the tail end of the Nintendo 64 life cycle and right before the release of the PlayStation 2, it likely passed many players’ radar. However, like their previous offerings, Nightdive Studio did a tremendous job bringing back a forgotten gem to modern audiences. If you slept on Turok 3 in 2000, make sure to not pass up it again in 2023.
Jusant shows its best when it shows the past. As you climb through a ghost civilization, you see and hear what was left behind and why. Don’t Nod’s biggest accomplishment revolves around water, or lack thereof. They show that water is life’s most important resource. When the water disappears, or when a jusant comes, life leaves too. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s still a pleasant, cozy, afternoon experience.