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The Chant has some good ideas, but unfortunately squanders its current-gen pedigree by delivering a straightforward survival horror that doesn’t innovate nor entertain. Featuring underwhelming visuals and repetitive combat mechanics, its short playthrough can be a challenge. What we have is a forgettable by-the-numbers survival horror game that tried too hard to become other games when it could’ve stood on its own with its charm and ideas. Truly a missed opportunity.
Sonic Frontiers is a great new adventure for the blue blur. While it suffers from the overly-used open-world gameplay mechanics, it is certainly a fresh experience to see Sonic run around in vast expanses of land while interacting with classic Sonic elements. Despite its hitches, Sonic Frontiers is the jolt that the franchise needs and is a step in the right direction, despite this step being marred by generic open-world tropes that can get tedious as players progress through the game. It’s serviceable enough for both newcomers and fans and will certainly dictate how the franchise progresses moving forward.
The developers have created a myth of epic proportions through a divine marriage of storytelling and gameplay, renewing the franchise with a tale of hope that ties itself up well enough to offer a satisfying and exhilarating conclusion. God of War Ragnarok is Santa Monica Studios’ way of raising the bar, creating a new challenge for themselves on how they will manage to top this one in their next outing. It is easily one of the best games of 2022 and quite possibly one of the best franchise sequels of all time, taking its rightful place in the gallery of legends.
Valkyrie Elysium is a very rough time, which is a shame considering its pedigree. Despite a few bright moments like its fast-paced combat, the game is bogged down by questionable design decisions and repetitive gameplay that sour the whole experience. The fun combat system can only do so much to carry the weight, but alas, everything else feels average and fails to live up to its storied past. A deep sale is recommended before even trying it out.
Overall, New Tales from the Borderlands is a great addition to the series, and despite switching developers, it hasn’t skipped a beat. Borderlands fans will certainly enjoy the many references that will get you past the fact that you can’t fire too many guns in this one. Even if you’re not a fan of Borderlands but enjoy story-centric Choose Your Own Adventure books and games, basically titles like any of the old Telltale releases, you’re in for a treat. The game feels distinctly more Gearbox now than Telltale – not necessarily for better or worse, but it’s a more refreshing version of the game genre that can easily get stagnant if not done right, and New Tales from the Borderlands is hilarious world-building and storytelling done right.
Gotham Knights does a lot of things right but keeps flying low and fails to push past the point of just good to great. Crime fighting is best done with another Knight by your side, and the untethered nature of its co-op play feels great until you experience the massive performance drops. Players will need to look past a number of things before considering the game, which could be a tough ask, especially with other big-ticket titles launching within its release window. It’s a shame, because Gotham Knights has some interesting ideas that simply suffer from average implementation. A lot of things in the game feels ok but not great, but fans of the Bat-universe can find quite a decent adventure that can easily entertain.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a triumphant return for Mario and the Rabbids, offering a fun and engaging experience from start to finish that will be appreciated by both newcomers and fans of the first game. The changes made here are significant, providing players with a refreshing take on the genre all while bringing the familiarity that makes it easy to pick up and play. All of the systems in the game don’t feel overwhelming, and introducing each element is paced just right to get players onboard without much confusion.
Serial Cleaners improves a lot of components from the original, especially when it pivots towards a more story-driven interface. The voice acting and the overall creative choices make it an indie game worth trying out for the story and also for its unique way of telling a crime story from a different perspective. The best part of the game is interacting with the unique cleaners that give Serial Cleaners so much character by utilizing creative ways to tell the story through different eyes. Above all, there’s the enjoyable stealth action that takes you from start to finish, allowing you to tackle each level at your own pace.
NBA 2K23 is by no means a bad game. Year after year, the team has been adding tweaks and making changes to the formula that further solidify it as the best basketball game out there. The addition of the Jordan Challenge is a cherry on top of the cake that makes this content-complete package truly delectable. Once a highlight, it feels like MyCAREER has been relegated to the background in NBA 2K23. The lack of an engaging story is sorely felt, and this year, more than ever, the decision boils down to what mode you actually enjoy playing the most. Overall, NBA 2K23 feels like the most realistic it’s ever been, and that may be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. While the gameplay remains fun and engaging, some parts of the whole feel like they have regressed in favor of others. There’s a definite give-and-take here that’s more pronounced than in previous years, and players will just have to pick their poison.
Return to Monkey Island is a delight for both fans and newcomers, showcasing the genius of Ron Gilbert and providing an unmissable experience from start to finish. The latest entry makes changes and upgrades to where it matters and keeps the personality of the series by still making it a point-and-click affair, resulting in a charming and heartfelt entry that surely makes the 30-year wait worth it.
The Diofield Chronicle excels with fantastic strategic elements that give a fresh take on the genre. The game moves away from the traditional turn-based chessboard movement system and allows for a deep real-time strategy involving a diverse unit customization system. However, The Diofield Chronicle fails to deliver a solid overall experience because of its basic plot, bland visuals, and lack of engaging side activities. Players don’t have a reason to get attached to the characters and the story, making the playthrough a tedious one. The game certainly shows promise, and it looks like the developers have a solid framework they can work on here, making us look forward to what the next iteration of The Diofield Chronicle will look like.
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection certainly deserves its title as a collection that’s as awesome as the franchise itself. From classic games to nostalgic side content, this is a dream come true for longtime fans. Konami has gone above and beyond to make this package worth it, filling up the Turtle’s Lair virtual museum with enough material to justify calling itself a museum. Concept art, advertisements, guides, and even retail boxes are here for players to enjoy. A collection like this will mostly appeal to fans such as myself, but objectively speaking, the value in the collection is immense. While newcomers may find the games dated, TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection can easily offer hours of mindless fun for everyone.
Steelrising is a game changer for more casual players that want to experience the genre. The Assist mode is truly a gift, offering a good compromise for both sides of the difficulty conversation while alienating none of them, allowing both newbies and veterans to easily jump right in. What awaits players is a game with a frenetic pace and fun combat, topped off with a serviceable story to keep you interested and motivated to keep going.
Soul Hackers 2 is a solid JRPG that manages to be fun, challenging, but also overly familiar. It’s easy to dismiss it as a Persona clone because of a lot of borrowed elements, but it doesn't take away from it being a fun game despite its lack of originality. The game shines because of its story and characters, both of which are interesting enough to give it a life of its own. You’ll find them endearing during the more lighthearted moments, but at the same time, root for them at their darkest, which will really compel you to see the story through.
Inscryption is definitely a game I’d recommend trying for its unique experience, and I’m happy to get a chance to play it on a console a year after sticking to the PC. It’s a perfect synergy of roguelike deck builder and horror mystery that’s engaging from the moment you start playing until after you’ve completed the story to further explore its many mysteries. While it does have its issues and it may require a little bit of effort to gain momentum, it’s definitely worth the reward as you uncover Inscryption‘s many secrets and become fully involved in its world. It’s exhilarating, anxiety-inducing, and you may even get a laugh from its quirky dark humor; taken as a whole rather than the sum of its parts, this is where Inscryption truly shines.
Metal: Hellsinger is a smashing good time thanks to its unique mix of mechanics and heavy metal soundtrack that delights and excites. The pace is extremely fast, and players will have to manage by juggling many things at the same time, but its satisfying and rewarding gunplay is enough to keep you locked in. That said, the game is not for everybody, and less coordinated players will rue the lack of auto-beat matching options. The game has a decent difficulty curve, but some won’t even make it past the tutorial because of its rhythm mechanics.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is a fantastic installment and a great update to the classic fighting game from almost 10 years ago. It’s made even better thanks to changes that should appeal to both fans of the source material and those looking for competition. Newcomers looking the use All-Star Battle R to get acquainted with the series will be out of luck, as the closest thing to a story mode in the game will expect players to already be familiar with the characters and their stories. That being the case, this shouldn’t stop newcomers from enjoying a fun and solid fighting game.
It bears repeating that The Last of Us Part I is an absolutely essential experience. There are no two ways about it; the $70 tag will be a sore point for those who have already played past iterations, which merits waiting for a sale, but the quality and experience brought about by a Naughty Dog release are unmatched. The visual upgrades are truly noteworthy, upping the drama of each scene and doing wonders for an already stellar script. From the heart-wrenching opening scene with Sarah to the many tense conversations between Joel and Ellie, each line delivered hits harder, making for an unforgettable playthrough. The suite of accessibility options also opens the game up to a much wider audience. Not content with just copying from The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog has also improved on it by adding options like allowing the players to feel the emotion of the lines delivered through haptic feedback. Whether or not the game is worth the price tag will be a tricky argument that will persist long after its launch, but The Last of Us Part I is an exceptional title that can stand on its own merits and is the best version of a classic that will be enjoyed by a whole new generation of players for years to come.
Digimon Survive is the latest entry in the series that takes a surprising twist with its setting and visual novel/strategy RPG hybrid. The result is a fresh take that’s fun, challenging, and a familiar treat for those who like monster collecting. Longtime fans should definitely give this a shot, and newcomers who haven’t played any of the previous Digimon games shouldn’t have a problem following the story or any of its proceedings. Despite the unfortunate delays that the game has experienced over the years, Digimon Survive is another worthwhile entry in the long-running series that won’t disappoint.
Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed is a fun romp now as it was back in the day. The charm of the game is easily felt, and going through its varied arsenal to explore its many different areas is certainly a highlight. THQ Nordic has preserved the content of the game while giving Crypto a facelift to modernize the series. The humor may not work for everybody, but given the chance, it is a fun game that you can clear over the weekend by yourself or with a friend. Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed is a breath of fresh air, and while it doesn't attempt to do anything needlessly clever, it is an honest game doing what it does best: to entertain.