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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tango Gameworks made something special here. I think it is my favorite looking game of all time. And while there were a couple of things that I can critique, the whole package of this product is so compelling that I can’t help but recommend everyone at least try it. I don’t imagine that everybody will get into the combat, and some might find it too difficult given the rhythm mechanics, but you should at least see the opening and play through the initial tutorial. If Microsoft was hoping to make a statement by dropping this game out of nowhere, they did a bang up job. Ironically I’m not a huge fan of the name, but Hi-Fi Rush is a shoo-in for my personal top five titles of the year. You should play it.
Without a compelling story or likable protagonist, or a compelling world to explore, Forspoken only has its combat to rely on, and while I always found that fun and engaging, it’s not enough to justify an open world for a decidedly linear game. It tries a lot of things and comes up short in most of them. There’s a really good game in Forspoken. It just needed to be refined, polished, and edited.
Simply put: It doesn’t matter if you’ve played and finished the original Dead Space or not, Motive Studio’s remake is a perfect reimagining of the franchise. This is how remakes should be, and I’m very glad Motive nailed it out of the park. Hopefully, this means that we’ll see a Dead Space 2 remake (which is the best one in the trilogy in my opinion) announced soon. Rejoice, franchise fans! Motive has resurrected the franchise and with style! Dead Space 2023 is a fantastic way to start the year for horror fans, and is one indoctrination worth experiencing.
With a truly accomplished pixel art style and a noir vibe that gets under your skin, Hell is Others is a compelling loot shooter that shows its flaws when multiplayer starts to take preponderance over solo play. It’s a shame that the brilliant concept is dragged down by something so inherently tied to its core gameplay that it’s impossible to dissociate, but if you persist and overcome the early and frustratingly unbalanced player versus player battles, this is a bloody gem that deserves several excursions to this cursed city.
When I beat Evil West’s last fight and watched the final cutscene, I went to the main menu, took some notes, and immediately launched the New Game +. I then replayed the first two levels and part of the third. I just wanted more. It might be the fact that it feels like the games I grew up playing. It is an imperfect game. But I loved it and I think it is exactly what I’ve been wanting without realizing it. The up close and personal brutality of a third-person brawler, with the pattern analyzing of a Soulslike and the frenetic action of DOOM. Not to mention the western setting which I am on the record as loving. I have not had a game where I so wanted to immediately play a sequel in a long time. I so hope that we get one as I think this is a world worth exploring and characters worth revisiting -- especially if Flying Wild Hogs is given a bigger budget of which I very much think this franchise is deserving.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is a splendid remaster of a classic PSP game, that feels and looks like a modern-day video game. It’s combat brings some much needed quality of life improvements, and the visuals, outside of the video formatted cutscenes, are pretty top notched for a remaster that could have taken the easy way of just given us a resolution and frame-rate bump. There are some places I do wish were changed, but as far as staying faithful, Crisis Core does just that, and I can’t help but appreciate it even more than I did back then, as it certainly is a title that has aged surprisingly well. If you’re new to the world of Final Fantasy 7, then Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is the perfect place to start your journey.