Pure Dead Gaming
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I’ve enjoyed my time with Immortal of Aveum, and although it has issues, I don’t want to be too harsh with a new franchise that gets so much right. It’s not going to be for everyone due to the way the game is written, but I’ve had a great time with the game, and it has some fantastic set pieces that grow in scale as the game goes on. I’d love to see what they could do with a sequel, should the game do well enough to get one.
Sea of Stars is an outstanding title, if any newcomers were curious about turn based RPGs, this is the game I would steer them towards. Old hands will also have a great time revelling in this nostalgic quest. Although it may lack the full heft of a classic RPG, there is still enough meat on the bone to satisfy the seasoned RPG connoisseur. In a year already packed with future classics, this stands tall among them. Sabotage’s Kickstarter project has delivered exactly what the fans wanted and took no shortcuts in delivering their promised vision.
What we have here is a short, but memorable adventure. The world has been crafted with excellent attention to detail harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5.2 and the small cast deliver believable, memorable performances. If you are a fan of games that put narrative at the forefront, then Fort Solis is an easy recommendation.
For a new IP, and a game that I didn’t know a great deal about prior to playing it, I really enjoyed my time with it. If this is the beginning of a new franchise, then I will look forward to what Deck 13 have to offer as their previous outings in The Lords of the Fallen and The Surge games have certainly cemented them as a solid hand in game development.
DAVE THE DIVER begins off pleasantly and lays out new mechanics at a steady pace. The joy never dwindles and it’s a pleasure to play through. Whether you’ve settled in for a long or short session of play, you will get a sense of achievement thanks to the structure of the day and night cycles. I played this primarily on Steam Deck and it feels right at home there. An incredibly endearing adventure and one of the easiest game recommendations of the year.
Aliens Dark Descent is currently my favourite game of 2023, which is a massive surprise as it’s one of the most challenging games I’ve played in ages. That’s not usually my style of game. It has exceptionally well-realised game mechanics paired with challenging difficulty, all wrapped up in an engaging little story that adds to the ever-increasing lore of the Alien franchise. If you get the chance, please try this game but be warned, be prepared for pain!
Those two stick around more than half a dozen hours will likely just be playing exhibition matches with friends or against the AI. If that doesn’t sound like enough, AEW Fight Forever may not be for you. However, if like me you are here for the gameplay then you will likely get many hours of grappling fun from a title that successfully pays tribute to the golden age of wrestling games.
Diablo IV is an excellent game that delivers on the promise of being a worthy successor to the Diablo series. It has all the elements that fans of the series love, such as fast-paced combat, a deep loot system and a compelling story.
Needless to say, this is a Game of the Year contender. It took one of the best games on the market and improved it in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible until we got a controller in our hands and played it. A joy from start to finish.
Super Mega Baseball 4 is a highly addictive, arcade sports game that removes the fat and delivers a truly fun experience that is as customisable as it gets. The EA Sports BIG banner may be gone, but under its new publisher, Metalhead Software is doing a fantastic job of carrying the legacy it left behind.
I’m a positive person when it comes to games, happy to overlook minor issues when the overall result is worthy of both my and your time. Unfortunately, Gollum is not a game I could recommend to anyone, even if you were the world’s biggest Lord of the Rings fan.
Walkabout Mini Golf is a fantastic package. The game is an absolute joy to play, managing to strike the perfect balance between being inviting for newcomers and constantly rewarding for hardcore fans. I have been a big fan of VR dating back to the launch of the PS VR in 2016, playing most big titles in the years that followed. Walkabout Mini Golf is hands down my favourite VR game to date. A must-buy.
Respawn set themselves a challenge: follow up and improve on their surprise smash hit Jedi: Fallen Order in only three years. They should have, though, taken four.
Tin Hearts is a puzzle game that challenges players to manipulate the environment and guide tin soldiers to their destination, while also offering a thought-provoking story and exceptional world-building.
Forza Horizon 5 is fantastic; everyone should play the game on whatever platform they can. Even if driving games are not your thing, I implore you to try it
For now, I advise leaving The Last of Us PC port on your wanted list. I can’t recommend anyone spend their hard-earned cash on a port that might struggle to work, depending on their current hardware. In 6 months, this could be a must-own game from PC, but only time will tell, unfortunately.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is a thoroughly enjoyable detective adventure which is well written and explores some dark themes. The gameplay, mostly notably the absence of action, will not be to every player’s taste but for those who appreciate this style, it will deliver an exceptionally rewarding experience.
I really hope that DigixArt can put their energy into creating a true sequel to Road 96 which returns to the incredibly rich narrative style which made the original game so much fun and satisfying. This prequel falls far short of the high bar they set previously.
If you’re a fan of Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing or Dreamlight Valley and looking for a similar title to play, this is a very easy recommendation. For everybody else, there is an incredibly solid game here; but the twee nature can be off-putting, depending on your tastes
This is a good game, and it’s fun and rewarding once you’ve unlocked those second, third and fourth magic sources. I firmly believe Forspoken will in time be given the Days Gone treatment, people who once sneered will be changing their tune. But like any proposed Day’s Gone sequel, I see Forspoken suffering the same fate…