GGRecon's Reviews
Every beat of this game still lands, and the developer was right not to fix what wasn't broken in the first place, developing and refining the definitive version of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. If you have never experienced the game before, you owe it to yourself to strap in for an evening for a beautiful story that will drag you through a motley collection of emotions.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of my favourite games that I've played in a long time and does so much with its narrative that feels uncompromisingly ambitious and fresh.
For a small team to develop an ARPG as polished and as player-friendly as Last Epoch is astonishing. To do it with the complexity that the genre demands as a prerequisite is something else, and I'm truly, truly impressed by what's on offer at launch - and can't wait to see it grow.
Bandle Tale feels like a game some people will thoroughly enjoy, but others might grow tired of when the systems start piling on top of each other. It’s surprisingly complex, and about as long as the average big-budget RPG, but whether players will have the same patience for it remains to be seen. A lot of heart has gone into this game, and I really wanted to love it. As it stands, it’s a solid crafting RPG with a cute aesthetic that doesn’t really match the menu-heavy gameplay. It would be a lot more fun without systems like the auras restricting you from doing what you need to do.
There’s a lot to like about Foamstars, but there’s unfortunately a lot to dislike, too. I appreciate that it goes all-in on the candy-coloured visuals and embraces its silliness, and there’s something to be said for the adrenaline rush it provides in standard 4v4 matches. But with a poor story mode offering, wildly expensive microtransactions, and visibility issues that really hamper gameplay, I can't see Foamstars making waves in the sea of multiplayer shooters that already exist.
Helldivers 2 keeps kicking me in the rear end, and I can't help but respect it. Visiting its warzones often feels like a one-way trip, to the point where I'm surprised to make it through. My group chats are awash with war stories of hard-fought victories and those times I dropped an airstrike on my head. And through all of the chaos, like a grizzled veteran who's seen some s**t, I've got a smile on my face every time I drop.
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a treat, and a very pleasant surprise. Combat is slick, challenging, and thoughtful all at once, while the story, despite some obvious twists, is well worth experiencing. Here's hoping Sand Door Studios can expand further on its scope next time around - or I'll have to loop back and play it again.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an example of Don’t Nod doing what Don’t Nod does best - deliver an enthralling, story-driven title that had me hooked in its world and characters from the opening titles. It’s elevated by inspirations from other titles with bigger budgets in this genre and is all the better for it with a stunning world that invites you to explore. The combat sections fall a little flat, and the run-time feels ever so slightly too long. However, the weight of the storytelling more than offsets these frustrations and will drive players through to see the ending of this magnificent adventure.
Airhead has redeeming qualities, including stunning art direction, an amazing soundscape, and a steady drip-feed of upgrades that serve to keep the gameplay loop fresh. Metroidvania fans who have the patience to stick out the frustrating gameplay will find themselves an incredible world to explore, and one that’s filled with an interesting story, concept, and secrets. However, the core gameplay loop quickly spirals from being an interesting gimmick to an infuriating irritation, and it’s not one that I can see most casual players enjoying all that much.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, live service ambitions aside, is a fun shooter that feels like the closest you’ll get to a virtual DC Comics theme park; it looks great, and it’s full of recognisable characters. And, like a theme park, much of it feels hollow, designed by a committee for a focus group that may not even exist anymore to keep them engaged and coming back. Despite this, and like every time I've been to a theme park, I've come away feeling like I've had fun, as forgettable as the specifics may be.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink was unfortunately a rather disappointing experience for me, which is a shame to say considering how excited I was for it all those years. It does offer excellent combat that achieves genuine variation between its vast cast of characters, and many spectacle-filled boss fights - but remains largely unengaging due to a bland narrative that barriers off much of its character development behind tedious text segments. There is likely to be plenty of life found within its extensive post-game segments, as players can team up to take down countless missions across numerous forms, but that grind might not be for everyone in the long run, especially if you're playing solo.
Persona 3 Reload is one of the best remakes I’ve ever seen - a faithful but stunning reimagining of a classic JRPG that will please Persona veterans and newcomers alike. With the only small negatives coming from Atlus’ dedication to recapturing the experience of the original, fans will without a doubt debate this being the best in the series after being reminded why Persona 3 is so spectacular.
Another Code: Recollection is a lovingly crafted remake of two underrated gems that helped to demonstrate the innovations of their original platforms, and adapted them to the current generation.
Suffice it to say, Infinite Wealth has everything good about the Like a Dragon series going for it. The previous game was a revolution, a total change of what a Like a Dragon game is. Infinite Wealth is evolution, the ideas of the past polished and perfected.
Alongside the games themselves, the assortment of bonuses including music, concept art and cinematics enhance the experience by allowing players to completely immerse themselves not only in the game world but also in the development and impact of the titles, making it a definitive title for veterans of the franchise and even newer players starting their Ace Attorney journey for the first time.
It almost feels clinical to say, like it's a technicality, but this is the best Tekken game I have ever played. Tekken 7 was the best, and this one is better. It gives you more of everything, bigger, louder, and better. I don't say that with one ounce of begrudgery, I am wholeheartedly in love with Tekken 8. It earns the top spot by being undeniably brilliant.
It’s hard to talk about The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered without speaking directly to two different camps; those who have played it and want to know if it’s worth the ten-dollar upgrade fee, and those who have yet to experience it. For the first, I’d say there’s more than enough here to warrant the upgrade, especially if the game got under your skin the first time around. Collectible character models, No Return, and the developer commentary are likely worth the price of admission for you alone. For those who haven’t played it yet, I feel like I can say with my whole chest that The Last of Us Part 2 remains one of my favourite games of all time, and this remaster has only reminded me of that.
It's tempting for me to say that Prince of Persia is back with the release of The Lost Crown and leave it that. But that feels like a disservice to a game so boldly different from its predecessors because ultimately it's more than that. While it certainly still feels like a Prince of Persia game at the core, it stands on its own merits as a consistently brilliant and challenging Metroidvania experience, holding its own against some of the genre's very best.
While lacking the polish and production value that saw the genre float into the mainstream this year, Rogue Trader is a refreshing CRPG experience that values everything that makes games like these so special. It's impossibly expansive, full of rich characters and stories, complex without being over-encumbered, and so much more that doesn't fit into a snappy conclusion. Owlcat has really gone out of its way to bring the Warhammer 40K universe to life here, and in doing so, it's created one of the most memorable RPGs of the decade.
Although continued technical issues and the grinding of its quests can be irritating, the finale to the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion makes its imperfections far easier to ignore by doing more to excite all manner of players. Whether you love catching Pokemon or simply want more challenging battles, The Indigo Disk marks a clear step up from The Teal Mask and ties a nice bow around the whole package. Despite not exactly being the treasure its name implies, it still has enough sparkle to keep Pokemon fans happy.