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More than an attempt to cash in on the growing popularity of a series that started out in a somewhat niche way, Risk of Rain Returns is a welcomed remake that offers enough quality-of-life improvements and new content to be relevant and appealing to both fans and newcomers to the action roguelike genre. It plays great, has enough content and diversity to keep you entranced for weeks, and the new additions might just be what the game needed to appeal to a crowd that wasn’t attracted by the original. While not perfect, it’s a blasted good time where every frustrating death is nothing but an invitation to another run with renewed confidence.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may not have had the strongest response from fans upon its initial announcement, but Ubisoft really knocked it out of the ballpark with this one in the end. Coming in at about the 20 to 25-hour mark for a well-explored playthrough felt just about right for this type of game to avoid overstaying its welcome. Taking Prince of Persia and mixing it with the Metroidvania genre was a brilliant move, as the gameplay and abilities from the series mesh very well with this style, and it makes me hope this is only the beginning of this franchise’s foray into this new direction and is not just a one-off experience.
I will admit, after spending some time with Granblue Fantasy: Relink across two different preview events, I wasn’t convinced Cygames had done much more than produce a by-the-numbers JRPG adaptation of their popular mobile and browser-centric franchise. But I suppose that’s the difference between being dropped into the middle of a game and starting from scratch. There are a lot of fully fleshed-out characters and systems to get used to and master, over a hundred different weapons to level up and upgrade, plenty of quests to undertake, and as much lore as most fans might be willing to sift through. Yet the main campaign doesn’t overstay its welcome. Relink also has a beautiful, if slightly technically underwhelming, look to the world. In short, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a great JRPG, and even if you’ve never played Granblue Fantasy before if you enjoy action JRPGs at all, you owe it to yourself to give this one a shot.
I have no experience in making games, but I imagine crafting a AAA experience on a new IP is not an easy task, and Don’t Nod manages to do that and then some. Prepare yourself for the first surprise hit of the year, and if the game’s quality is any indication, this looks like the start of a new franchise — one that I can’t wait to dive into yet again. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one haunting you owe it to yourself to 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Shadow Warrior 3 represents a true return to the series roots, rekindling the very reason why many loved the first as well as the classic titles it inspires from. There are plenty of small and big improvements, and while I am disappointed by the fact that I won’t be able to experience this with a friend or two, it’s compensated by what Flying Wild Hog was able to deliver on. It’s a fantastic game that calls back to the mindless fun that we all had when we were growing up, filled with the crude humor that modern day gaming dares to no longer do.
Young Souls, despite several blemishes, shines as one of the strongest beat-’em-up titles in recent memory, joining the likes of Streets of Rage 4 and Castle Crashers. With accessible options for difficulty, a simple but straightforward story, local co-operative play, and challenging combat that fuses concepts from multiple genres, it provides a roadmap for how the genre can and should continue to evolve for modern audiences. With any luck, we’ll see Jenn and Tristan another time in a sequel, with double the swear words included.
Tango Gameworks manages to embalm it’s player in a beautiful and enticing world that is known as Ghostwire: Tokyo. There is a sense of the unknown that shrouds this new, and interesting universe, and while I may have some issues, ultimately I believe the studio has laid out a solid foundation, for what is hopefully a start to a beautiful franchise. The story will get you hooked, but the world itself will have you staying, searching for answers to those questions you dare not ask.
I have been itching for a game just like this and I didn’t even realize it. The story is intriguing and the setting is realized in a lovely way. The moment to moment gameplay is fun if not occasionally simple or buggy. Even still, I would not say that those things detract from the experience enough for me to not recommend it. Weird West isn’t likely going to spark a genre boom, but I hope it gets a sequel because I would love to spend more time in this strange and wonderful world, and I would love to see what the developers would be able to make with another outing given how successful this first one was. Here’s hoping that WolfEye gets the recognition they deserve and that somehow enough people peel off of Elden Ring to give Weird West its fair shot.
If you ask me if I think it’s worth it, here’s what I’ll say: If you’re a new player, most definitely. If not, just wait. No one’s rushing you to go out and buy this one, and I think it’s clear that the target audience is geared towards bringing in new players, rather than catering to the old. It’s perfect for new fans, imperfect for old ones.
Metal: Hellsinger seamlessly blends tight first-person shooter gameplay with a fantastic soundtrack and rhythm mechanics that will constantly keep you on your toes. The game’s eight levels progressively get more challenging, as you slay your way through hordes of demons and bosses. The original soundtrack is one of the best metal soundtracks I’ve heard ever and it makes the rhythm-based gameplay that much more enjoyable. While the short runtime is disappointing, it’s only because I wanted so much more time to experience it. Combat feels tight and is surprisingly good coming from a small indie studio, although the bosses leave a little to be desired. Despite that, it is absolutely worth checking this out.
The game serves as an excellent foundation for (what is hopefully) the start of a franchise. The gameplay is fun, though with flaws, and the writing and story are hilarious, despite overstaying in some parts. And visually speaking, I think this might be one of the best-looking games I’ve played all year, thanks to its unique art direction. As a title that is part of this month’s Game Pass offering, I cannot recommend this anymore. And if you aren’t a subscriber and fancy the dark humor Rolland is known for, it’s well worth the price of admission.
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.
Amnesia: The Bunker does what it sets out to do, and after finally completing your mission, you may look back and realize that every chill, every shiver down your spine was absolutely worth the price of admission, no matter the fate of our hardened French soldier.
It’s not a flawless game, but the anguish and thrills that it conveys are almost one of a kind, delivered with confidence and brutality to match the source. This is one for horror aficionados and everyone else who likes a good old-fashioned game of murderer cat, and stealthy mouse.