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I say this to the highest degree of praise possible when speaking about Avalanche Studios and Hogwarts Legacy. Avalanche Studios does for Harry Potter what Rocksteady did for Batman; a perfect match, delivering a genuine, authentic experience like no other. For the last 20-plus years, I’ve dreamt about an open-world Harry Potter game that has everything you’d expect out of a Harry Potter game, and Avalanche has finally delivered on that dream. The attention to detail that has gone into this game, the love and care, and the pure dedication of the team. It all goes unnoticed.
So what does Atomic Heart truly offer other than an occasionally fun, not at all original, game with too many ideas that aren’t fully fleshed out? Unfortunately, not much. It’s worth a rent or definitely checking out on a subscription service but it needs some more polish and refinement before the good things can surface the way they should.
Overall, I do think Wo Long has a good starting foundation that I’m sure other players in the community will be able to master more than me. I don’t want to claim I’m expert at the game (despite finishing NG+ on hard,) but I have seen others based on the demo manage to pull things off I haven’t. Basically what I’m saying is that the things I disliked, aren’t necessarily going to be the things the community dislike. Wo Long is still an entertaining game to play through. Its combat is solid, making it closer to Sekiro, Ninja Gaiden, and even Onimusha, though I do feel some things could have been fleshed out more. Souls and Nioh fans will no doubt be right at home with this, as it certainly scratches that Soul itch, and for that I do recommend you play the game at some point.
I think anyone that gets into a season sports simulation-style game understands what they are getting. You are paying to have the shiny new toy with some new bells and whistles and the hope that the changes made are enough to be worthy of your purchase, and I believe that is something Visual Concepts has accomplished with WWE 2K23. They have made the best of their time and really delivered on a beautiful game that was well thought out and created with reverence for their community of fans and the WWE Superstars they are putting in the game.
Tchia is a remarkable journey with lovable characters and gross villains that deserves the attention of every fan of action-adventure games with a twist. Soul-jumping is an addition in both senses of the word, a treat that is hard to ignore and that has the ability to distract us from the main campaign. Were it not for a certain feeling of ennui that sets in during the factory missions, it would be an almost flawless game that is way more daring than it may seem at first. Tchia comes out absolutely recommended for anyone who is looking for a fascinating adventure with a couple of original twists, with the bonus of some truly striking tropical vistas. This is a game brimming with soul – actually, make that souls.
Deceive Inc. isn’t merely the umpteenth Among Us clone, as it picks a setting that is prone to suspicious stealth action and camouflage and adds the gadgets and panache to it. Although there isn’t much to praise on the shooting aspect and the low number of maps is disappointing, this is a game that works when you find a group that plays by the rules. The more enthusiasm and immersion the better, and it is very enjoyable when that happens. But find a few ruthless players who will just try to botch your efforts and barely move, and things take a turn into frustration avenue. Still, this is a clever and engaging game that deserves a shot if you enjoy the garish style and multiplayer shenanigans. Even though some repetition sinks in, the concept is fresh and deserves a look – to paraphrase what that legendary spy once said: Yeah, baby!
Even though annual sports games are becoming more of a joke, MLB The Show remains an impeccable product. It offers several ways to enjoy the baseball experience, whether it’s creating your own character in Road to the Show or trying to build a championship team in either Franchise or Diamond Dynasty. But the most important part of MLB The Show 23 is the Negro League Storylines. San Diego Studios should be praised for telling the amazing stories of baseball’s forgotten stars. It’s features like this that transform a game into something more than just random pixels on-screen, and that’s exactly what MLB The Show 23 managed to do. San Diego Studio didn’t just manage to craft a good baseball game, but something special that goes beyond the sport it represents, which is no small feat for any title, more so for an annual sports game.
Destiny 2 Lightfall is somewhat of a mixed bag for me. While the Strand subclass is incredible, and I’ve been really enjoying actually playing the game, the story leaves a lot to be desired, and some of the new additions seem a little half-baked. The new Vow of the Disciple raid feels more like a strike due to how easy it is while exploring basic patrol zones on Neomuna feels like a death trap. If a new player asked me if this is the time to jump into Destiny 2, my honest answer would probably be no. The Guardian Ranks system is a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make the game easier to get into. As a veteran player, I’ve been enjoying my time, though, and hopefully, Bungie can get things back on track in time for The Final Shape.
Everspace 2 isn’t a breakthrough or a significant step forward in the genre, but it’s not exactly trying to be. An extremely engaging and gorgeous space shooter supported by a gripping storyline, the action is frantic and head-turning and cunningly balanced by the interior sections with a puzzle approach. Forget any complex simulation aspects and profound economic systems, indulge yourself in this vast galaxy (somewhat) open to exploration, and enjoy the heated dogfights, even if every once in a while, curse words may echo within the labyrinthine confines of a derelict metallic husk.
Meet Your Maker is the kind of game that makes you raise an eyebrow, wondering just what you got yourself into, but after a couple of hours you are addicted. It’s extremely original and clever, there’s already enough content to burn and it will only grow from here, and the build tools are great, providing everything you need but without pointless overcomplications. You can even raid outposts in co-op mode with a friend, and while that doubles up the fun factor, it’s not even essential as the game is a joy to play alone as well, so don’t make that extra multiplayer bullet point as something to significantly weigh on your decision to get this game. And get the game you should. Meet Your Maker comes with a compelling gameplay loop of raid-build-upgrade-repeat that always kept me eager for the next few round. Despite my traditional reluctance for anything involving map editors, I was extremely satisfied and even a bit proud of my creation, adding more to it at every opportunity. A great example of how to make a genre mix work, Meet Your Maker is a delicious melting pot, even if I don’t trust the Chimera as far as I can throw it.
Road 96: Mile 0 is an offbeat, short trip that doesn’t overstay its welcome. While some of the rhythm mechanics are a little too unforgiving, practice makes perfect and it is easy to retry any song you’ve beaten before from the main menu. There’s even some replayability in trying to unlock all of the different endings. While it may be chock-full of awkward animations and voice acting, Road 96: Mile 0 has a certain charm to it that may leave you wanting to continue the story when the credits roll.
Resident Evil 4 Remake may not be the 1:1 remake that fans may have been hoping for, but for all that Capcom has accomplished with it, it certainly does manage to recapture the very same magic we experienced decades ago. It’s what I remember playing, even though I know how different it actually is, and that, to you, should tell you enough just how good of a remake this ended up being. And sure, there are some changes that fans may not be too fond of, but overall, Resident Evil 4 remake ends up remaining faithful, elevating the original vision to new heights with its overhauled gameplay, improved visuals, and refined story. If it’s even possible, Capcom has made an already excellent game even better, and as it stands now, Resident Evil 4 remake is now the gold standard when it comes to remakes.
With a consistent and crunchy limb damage system, some great sightseeing to catch, and more secret side-quests than you can shake your damaging electrocutor pike at, Dead Island 2 is absolutely worth the ride, despite its flaw – that zombie sticking out of the kitchen sink? That’s not part of the terror ride, you can be certain about that.
This is a game that requires a slow-paced and thoughtful approach and is clever at it, but the downside is that the core loop may become boring if you don’t take a breather now and then. Don’t play this on fast-forward, despite the yearn to keep pressing forward, square after square, one low-level enemy after another. There’s a lot of fun to be had from the mischievous dialogue and bite-sized dungeons, but make sure you give your heroes a well-earned rest.
Creating something innovative is a massive gamble, and God of Rock is trying to achieve something like that, but it sadly falls short. Some strange design decisions and a gameplay style that doesn’t really excel at any of the genres make this one an honorable but ultimately lacking effort – this isn’t quite the new challenger we were hoping for.
While there are tech issues (a lot, to be honest), Survivor is still a very fun game. There are bosses to vanquish, people to help, and even if the story isn’t the strongest part of the game, you’ll still want to finish it just to see how it plays out. Respawn hasn’t hit the dreaded Sophomore Slump with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but it’s not the massive follow-up that a lot of people (including this reviewer) were hoping for. It manages to keep the status quo in providing a fantastic Star Wars experience, but one that’s marred by technical issues. Don’t get me wrong, this sequel is definitely a must-play for any Star Wars fan, but it could have been so much more, given more time and polish. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a fun action game and a worthy follow-up from Respawn; just be prepared to fight some of its tech issues along the way.
Minecraft Legends isn’t a bad game; the issue is that it doesn’t excel at any of the genres that it attempts to tackle. In terms of construction, it doesn’t hold a candle to the possibilities of the original, and to be fair that isn’t quite the aim here – still, it could do a lot more than it currently does; as a tactical warfare game, it’s a simplistic and yet occasionally convoluted take offering slim options to engage in deep and meaningful combat, instead ruling by numbers and basic unit expertise that won’t get your commander juices flowing. Conqueror’s Blade is one of countless examples that perform this art of war in superior ways, balancing complexity with fun in a rewarding way. Too shallow for players looking for a challenge and too complicated for younger players, creativity is mostly absent in this spin-off. Minecraft Legends may retain some of its original blocky charm, but the fun aspect was lost somewhere along the way, being replaced by repetitive gameplay and frustrating unit control woes.
Just when you think you’ve reached the pinnacle of a series, Nintendo comes out with a bigger, more ambitious, creative, and innovative follow-up to perhaps what was already one of the greatest games ever released. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom somehow manages to be better than its predecessor in every way imaginable, once again propelling the series to new heights. It’s insane and absolutely mind-boggling what Nintendo has crafted here, and even more so how the publisher is consistently able to one-up themselves. Believe in the hype because The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom exceeds them in every way. I wish I could rewind this whole experience, just so I can play it for the very first time again because if there is one thing that has now dawned on me, the one thing that has now struck a bit of fear, it’s that I now have to wonder how in the world will Nintendo ever top this. I suppose there’s some solace in knowing that this was the very thing I said about Breath of the Wild, so here’s to the future of the franchise.
The original System Shock was a classic but also a niche game that never achieved commercial success; this remake highlights the niche aspect but will forgo the classic label. It may entice players who want to see how this updated version looks and plays, and while there’s some considerable tension to be had while going down narrow and dim lit corridors, the fun of being lost in maze after maze wears out quickly, especially when you’re doing the umpteenth scan through the map looking for whatever card or switch you have missed. At this rate, SHODAN is likely going to conquer both Citadel Station and Earth, as frustrating her plans is precisely that – frustrating.
Do yourself a favor: ditch your reservations and step into Sanctuary as soon as you can. It’s likely going to be literal hell during the launch queues, but you’ll have a beautifully grim and visceral adventure ahead, one where every leveling up sound will feel like music to your ears. Enjoy it to the best of your possibilities because an action-RPG of this caliber may only arrive in another decade or so, and missing out on Diablo 4 would be something that may just reserve you a spot in hell.