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Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a good game that could have been better had Ember Labs tightened up the combat controls and offered better reasons to explore the gorgeous world they created. I hope Kena is a big hit so Ember Labs can have another go at it, and hopefully get more ambitious and really nail down their combat. Meanwhile considering how much I was looking forward to this game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits can’t help but feel a little disappointing.
Outside of the lack of the American Nightmare DLC, Alan Wake Remastered is without a question the definite way to play Alan Wake. Improved performance coupled with immensely improved visuals makes the journey back into Bright Falls well worth taking again for fans. And if you’re one of the many who are new the IP, well get ready for one incredible experience.
Far Cry 6 is the series best entry since Far Cry 3 but if you're looking for something wildly different you won't get that here.
Lost Judgment is exactly the kind of sequel that fans could hope for. While the story is undoubtedly toned down, its varied filled side activities and general gameplay improvements and additions helps cater the series into being its own unique identity outside of the Yakuza franchise. Taking everything that everyone loved about the first game, and learning from all the criticisms, Studio RGG has crafted (despite some faults) one exceptionally well played title that would make any fan of theirs excited to play.
Despite Blizzard’s recent track record of poor decisions and mishandling of the Warcraft 3 remake, in the case of Diablo 2 Resurrected, Blizzard shows they’re able to deliver on a solid remaster that improves the visuals and effects of the game, while still maintaining its classic charms. Overall, Diablo 2: Resurrected is a great way to celebrate the original classic, and bring the game to a new audience.
Ultimately I think Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a worthwhile play for those who don’t mind a stiff challenge, people who have kids that don’t mind a stiff challenge, or anyone nostalgic for the franchise’s early days. The graphical updates are solid and the game is appealing to look at. The music is as bumpy and of-the-era as it always has been. But I wouldn’t say that this is a game that will appeal to everyone so keep that in mind if you’re on the fence. Considering all this I’d say the game is a solid 7. But I’m giving all the preceding Banana jokes a lowly 4. They’re passable but I swear I’ll do better next time.
It’s unfortunate that Back 4 Blood does lack some of the personality of Left 4 Dead but I can safely say that Back 4 Blood is nearly everything I wanted in a Left 4 Dead 3 and then some. Hopefully, over time, Turtle Rock will be able to fix the issues that are present and maybe add in more harrowing Infected, erm, Ridden.
House of Ashes might not offer anything groundbreaking for horror fans, or those used to Supermassive Games, but it doesn’t really need to. Those interested in this knows they are getting a cinematic, horror game that is just as fun watching, as it is playing. It won’t win anyone over who’s expecting a groundbreaking experience, but for those wanting a bit of some B-Horror action in their life, especially with Halloween around the corner, this might just be the game for you.
The expectations that I had for this game were unsurprisingly low, and in fact, I had zero interest in even playing it. That would have been a major mistake on my part, and if you are someone who is jaded by the release of Marvel’s Avengers, rest assured Guardians of the Galaxy is everything you could want out of a Marvel Game. It’s fun, entertaining, and quite possibly one of the best games this year. I’ll say it, it might just be my personal Game of the Year.
Vanguard comes at an awkward time for Activision, and into a sea of competition. While the campaign is decent, it’s nothing to write home about, and the Zombies experience probably should have been delayed altogether. For Call of Duty, multiplayer is where it counts though and they’ve managed to put together a solid offering this year. Kudos to the teams at Sledgehammer Games and the other COD studios for managing to do so on such a tight deadline, in the midst of a global pandemic.
I like to think that some thought was put into the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Definitive Edition, at least when it came to the quality of life improvements. But outside of that, it’s hard to say that this is the definitive way to play these all time classics. The end product of Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Definitive Edition feels more like a mod created from one person. And that would have been more forgiving if that was the case, however, it’s a full team (a small one granted) and the end result just simply isn’t on par with the level of expected quality. We weren’t asking for a full blown remake, but we definitely weren’t expecting to get this. It’s horrendously buggy, disgustedly ugly, and most of all, it’s not the same GTA we played decades ago. The very soul of the original Rockstar Team has been sucked out of them, and in their place, replaced with intolerable cash grab. I would say go grab the originals, but they have been replaced with this not so definitive version of the game. Maybe Rockstar and Grove Street will somehow pull through in the end, and restore much of what made the originals so beloved, but I guess, at least for PC players out there, they can look forward to modders fixing this mess.
All in all, Halo Infinite is a worthy entry to this legendary franchise. That is an achievement by itself. But what I really appreciated is the fact that 343 took risks. These risks are things that could have completely soured the experience and turned away even the most diehard fans of the franchise. In the end though, those risks paid off. Infinite is in my opinion, 343’s best Halo title yet, and I couldn’t be more excited to see where it goes from here.
The upside to all this is, DICE can continually push out patches in order to stomp out bugs, add in features, and so on. This is a live service game, so expect more content to be doled out as the game’s lifecyle continues. However, will players still be there when the game finally realizes its potential? We can’t say for certain. As it is right now, one can’t help but feel disappointed at BF2042. It should have beent he big one that made people forget about the sour taste BFV left in everyone’s mouth. But sadly, BF2042 seems to show that DICE has not learned from their past mistakes, and have even created new ones that shouldn’t have been issues at all.
Narita Boy didn’t have to be very good. It was largely crowdfunded on Kickstarter, and once it was out it could have been like a lot of Kickstarter games, or it could have been a non-starter that got launched and fell flat, but the team at Studio Koba really pulled this one out. It’s not a life-changing experience nor is it some deeply spiritual journey, but I think it’a a fun retro game that understands that it’s still a modern release. This is the sort of project that makes big publishers take a team seriously, and whether they decide to partner with a publisher or stay indie, I suspect we’ll see more from Studio Koba coming down the pipeline…er, datastream.
Ultimately, Rainbow Six Extraction is two conflicting games; a realistic shooter that clashes with fantastical (and dull) science fiction game and they just don’t go together. It’s clear the intention is to dole out progress slowly in hopes of players continuing to replay missions over and over to unlock more operators, maps and content. But for that to be viable the game has to be fun. And Rainbow Six Extraction just doesn’t offer anywhere close to the addictive fun (or fun at all) something like this needs to have in order to thrive.
While Dying Light 2 improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, occasional bugs hamper the experience and a few of the gameplay changes are ones I could have done without. Still, if you’re someone who’s been looking forward to the game, nothing that I experienced in my nearly 30 hours with the game was a complete deal breaker, and in fact I enjoyed my time quite a bit. If you’re someone that’s been on the fence, or perhaps mildly interested in Dying Light 2, I definitely think it’s an experience that’s worth your time, and one that stands out amongst the crowded zombie genre. If you were a fan of the original and have been eagerly anticipating Dying Light 2, it’s an easy day one purchase, and one that delivers on every promise that Techland set for it.
Ultimately, if you are a skating or platforming fan, or you just like a stiff challenge, OlliOlli World is a must-play. It’s a good game that knows what its inspirations are and doesn’t try to be more than what it is. I can see myself coming back to it for a long time and I’m excited that we are getting such a solid start to the year.
Every year there is always that one indie game that feels as a standout amongst the rest. I’m not saying that Sifu is a perfect game or anything, but despite my minor complaints, I genuinely love this game for all it is. Sloclap set out to make a game that captures the very essence of Kung Fu. A foundation they started with Absolver that has flourished into a well defined experienced, held by its addictively fun combat, and stylish visuals. Did they deliver? A resounding yes, as Sifu is an absolute must-play.
The King is back. If you are a newcomer to the series, it is a fantastic game to start on your KOF journey. Returners will have a blast with the classic characters returning and the beautiful style improvements. You can preorder the Ultimate Edition to get three days of early access to The King of Fighters XV.
Horizon Forbidden West is a wonderful follow-up to one of the PS4’s surprise hits, but technical issues and inconsistent controls dampen the otherwise excellent experience. Aloy has quickly grown into one of my favorite Sony protagonists and the wide cast of characters each bring their own unique flavor to the game. Higher quality side quests, combined with a main campaign that feels grander in scope, and is much better paced than the original make for a strong story, and the beautiful environments, combined with highly detailed character models and improved gameplay make this an early candidate for Game of the Year.