Gamepur's Reviews
On the surface, Blood Bowl 3 should be the kind of game I’d hate. As a denizen of the United Kingdom, I know as much about American football as the average house cat. By contrast, I know a lot about Warhammer, but even that has been twisted in Blood Bowl 3, with the familiar factions settling their disputes through sports, like some kind of ultra-violent take on Mario and Bowser playing tennis together.
For everything that Atomic Heart does well, there’s a caveat in the controls, stability, or simple game UI. At some points, you can even step between sections of loading in the game to abuse AI or see scenery pop in out of nowhere. It’s a beautiful tapestry with a rich story to tell worthy of the games that inspired it, not least the BioShock franchise.
With Like a Dragon: Ishin seemingly in my rearview, I’ve completed every Yakuza game released in the West. This isn’t me bragging about being better than you. In fact, I would bet you would give me a good, old-fashioned Mr. Shakedown beating if we met in the Kamurocho streets. Instead, I want to set the table for what I’m about to say. Even with a story that ends with a bit of whimper and substories that feel stuck in 2014, Like a Dragon: Ishin is now my third favorite game in the series behind Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Judgment.
At its worst, a game can take that formula and copy it shamelessly, which usually reminds me of the game it's drawing inspiration from in the first place. At its best, a game can take those inspirations and stand alongside them. It’s rare for the latter to happen, but Wild Hearts takes the essence of Monster Hunter and grows it with enough innovations to create a compelling experience that confidently stands on its own.
At worst, Blanc has minor gameplay annoyances that can trip you up as you play. However, what really gets you is this feeling that you plunged into this stunning, interesting little world and then you were kicked out of it before you could get your fill. It’s kind of like watching a beautiful little short film that feels like it needs, and deserves, to be a full-length movie.
Although there is a distinct lack of social and side activities for you to enjoy in Fire Emblem Engage, it’s for the better. These cuts made Engage a more enjoyable experience from start to finish, with the overarching plot taking a backseat to the phenomenal strategic combat
Hi-Fi Rush is a testament to how developers with a pedigree in making a particular game can still create something different but still exceptional, if given the proper resources.
The Dead Space remake is a wonderful reminder of why the original 2008 game was fantastic. The story genuinely makes you feel helpless, and the constant escalation throughout the plotline is exciting, with devilishly increasing numbers of enemies chasing after Isaac in constantly dire situations.
There is no denying that Forspoken is a fun game that you can get lost in for hours. The mix between Frey’s ill-formed speech and the medieval-style dialect of the Athians is amusing, while the emotions displayed keep the story grounded. The tale of Forspoken may feel generic at the start, but it quickly sets itself apart from old-school fairy tales and blossoms into an enjoyable story with a lovable main character.
A Space for the Unbound told a stunning, touching story about identity and finding yourself, even in the midst of trauma and crisis. By the end, your heart will ache for Atma and Raya, even if the “game” part of that story gets in its own way sometimes.
One Piece Odyssey is a slice of fan service that is easy to recommend for die-hard fans. As a game detached from its brand, it doesn’t bring anything new or exciting to turn-based combat. From the story's perspective, the plot was straightforward to predict and quickly left my mind as soon as it entered.
The true horror behind The Callisto Protocol is how much it wants to be Dead Space without directly being tied to the franchise. The Callisto Protocol’s style and gameplay feel like hollow shells of what it’s trying to emulate, without any genuine, risky attempts to make the formula feel distinctly unique.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet takes the familiar trappings of the mainline series and overextends them while supporting its structure and foundation with duct tape and silly putty. Scarlet and Violet promises to add more to the core Pokémon formula, but all it truly adds is more square footage. It’s a game that invites unflattering comparisons to other open-world video games, current and past, and even ones from Nintendo itself.
High on Life features unique gameplay and character designs that make this game feel like a psychedelic experience as much as it does a shooter. Along the way, gadgets will enhance not only your capabilities but add to the fun as well. The amusement of experiencing something new and unusual has a certain novelty to it, but High on Life ultimately ends up feeling stale after enough tedious blathering from stock Justin Roiland characters.
Dwarf Fortress looks more modern and offers a lot more ease of access on Steam, but it is still an intimidating game. Another batch of tutorials or contextual tooltips would go a long way toward helping new players uncover the deeper mechanics of the game. There’s something to be said for figuring it out yourself, but that’s not everyone’s learning style.
Need for Speed Unbound has been a blast to dig into. Between the story, the vibrant look of Lakeshore City, and gameplay that strikes the right balance, there really isn’t much to complain about with Unbound.
Marvel's Midnight Suns has a fun campaign packed with really in-depth systems. Every facet of the social interaction and the card-based combat system should clash, considering how far apart they are in presentation and function. However, the two halves come together to create a great Marvel game. It lives up to the legacy of tactical depth Firaxis is known for, without copying and pasting XCOM with Marvel heroes and calling it a day.
Developer Fatshark’s newest outing builds upon the great foundation of its work on Vermintide. Darktide offers a refined and evolved co-op experience with expanded, thrilling combat and more robust customization. While a lack of an engaging story and network issues hamper its potential, this co-op shooter still offers one of the best Warhammer games I've seen in recent years.
While it’s not breaking any new ground in the exploration-based gameplay, the core tenants of what makes a good Dark Pictures game are all here. The Devil in Me is one of the better page-turners in the genre, leaving enough room at the back of the book for the team to make it even better when Season Two kicks off.
Goat Simulator 3 is a game packed with strange and unusual activities for you to participate in. For the most part, this game is extremely entertaining and worthwhile if you have a friend or group of friends to play it with. The crazy clothing abilities, satirical comedy, and over-the-top minigames will keep you amused for a while. Unfortunately, the game is very short and it won’t take you long to get through everything.