GGRecon's Reviews
Diablo 4 has taken everything that fans love about the ARPG format and elevated it to new heights. With a fascinating world to explore, a strong cast of characters, and purposeful combat, it sets a new standard for the genre. The wheel hasn’t been reinvented, and is remains to be seen how the series will adapt to a live service model. Nevertheless, anyone picking up Diablo 4 at launch will find themselves playing a very strong package with plenty of promise.
It was always going to be tough to pull off a Gollum game, but there’s simply nothing precious about this amateur stealth adventure. A general lack of refinement lurks in every shadowy corner of LotR: Gollum, a game disappointingly barren of interesting ideas or substantial gameplay. Even the most loyal Lord of the Rings fans will struggle through it. If you value your time, do yourself a favour and avoid it like the Eye of Sauron.
In a time when retro graphics have been done to death, Warhammer 40K Boltgun still manages to impress with its visual style. Better still, it feels amazing to play. Your Space Marine feels weighty, but also extremely quick. You get to be just as deadly as an Ultramarine should be, and you will need to be to take on the horde of classic Chaos monsters this game throws at you. Many fans regard Warhammer Space Marine as the gold standard of games from this setting, and I can say wholeheartedly that this game belongs in that conversation. The upcoming Warhammer Space Marine 2 will have to fight to get my attention away from Warhammer 40K Boltgun, because I cannot imagine it having as good a Boltgun as this game does.
Miasma Chronicles is a promising strategy game with satisfying but challenging combat, a generous skill tree with sci-fi elements and intriguing lore. The characters and writing are somewhat cheesy which you'll either love or hate and the story doesn't set any new ground in the crowded post-apocalyptic space, but it's still a fun romp.
Tears of the Kingdom is an impossible feat. It manages to one-up perhaps the most influential game of a generation, masterfully surpassing it in areas I never thought possible. This is undoubtedly the most impressive title on Switch, and one that will be talked about for a very long time to come.
There is simply so much to do in LEGO 2K Drive with engaging side content and a car creator that will soak up as much time as the game itself, that regardless of age you will be amused for hours. The multiplayer is what we have come to expect, joining a pal is seamless and once you’re done player 2 can just drop out without a second thought. The release of LEGO 2K Drive means we could be looking at one of the best family-friendly racing games around and we can’t wait to finish off the rest of the side missions on offer.
Though there are flashes of fun in Tin Hearts, it ultimately fails to follow through on its promises to supply intriguing puzzles at the same time as telling an intimate story. Of course, there is still the VR version of the game to come, and while there will presumably be some positive changes, especially when it comes to camera angles and the slowness of movement, it's also hard to expect that Tin Hearts may become the next VR must-play.
Darkest Dungeon 2 takes everything about the first game and amplifies it. It's darker, and more brooding, but oozes more personality. It's not easy, but the long exhale after a successful expedition is difficult to match.
Disney Speedstorm, even in its early access form, is shaping up to be a great kart racer that can shape up to other top-tier titles within the genre. With plenty of challenges, racers, and modes to try out and unlock, completionists out there have a multitude of reasons to hop into the game again and again while burning rubber as your favourite Disney or Pixar character. While the sheer amount of quests and challenges to complete can get overwhelming at times, personally, I can't wait to see what Disney Speedstorm has in store for us - and I'll be right there at the finish line cheering them on.
Redfall tries to bite far more than it can chew and delivers a package with a middling presentation, a lack of interesting mechanics, and some pretty woeful performance. Despite its issues, and perhaps like its cultists, I want to love it - it just won't love me back.
Overall, if you're a Final Fantasy fan who has never had the chance to play most or all of the titles in this collection then you should jump at Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, as it provides the best way to play all six entries to this day. My own gripes about the font aside, there has been remarkable care taken in restoring these six titles, giving them a proper chance to shine on modern consoles. However, for those who aren't quite die-hards it might be a better choice to select certain games individually as opposed to the whole collection, as some titles have stood the test of time far greater than others.
An even more gripping and heartfelt story than the last, incredibly broadened combat, immersive exploration, and a much deeper assortment of customisation and RPG elements make this Jedi experience your own whilst simultaneously remaining the intimate tale of Cal Kestis and his crew. All in all, with small gripes aside, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is everything you could want from a Star Wars game. The only thing truly holding it back from perfection are some bugs, but this truly feels like the best Star Wars game in decades.
Overall, Live A Live emerges as a must-play title, feeling both wonderfully part of the golden era of Square RPGs, and as modern as other similar titles released today. There were some chapters that weren't quite as impactful as others, and the lack of a strong and continuous narrative might turn some players away, but Live A Live is a fantastic overall package that leaves you hungry for more at each turn. For both seasoned JRPG fans and players new to the genre alike, you won't want to miss Live A Live, as its comparatively short 20-hour playtime is always giving you something new, having you wishing that you had the chance to play it when it first came out.
Despite a few fumbles, Burning Shores is an essential pickup for anyone who’s invested in the Horizon storyline. The gameplay doesn’t do too much to differentiate itself from Forbidden West, but that’s hardly to its detriment. With plenty of side content, pristine locations to explore and intriguing characters to meet, Burning Shores is everything you could want from a Horizon expansion. Now all that’s left to do is wait for Geurilla to close out the trilogy it’s spent the last six years setting up - and we can't wait to see the results.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly Episode 2 is the perfect pick-up-and-play title whenever you're looking for an escape from the bustle of everyday life. Delivering everything you'd expect to see from the previous instalment alongside enough small changes like a new outfit for a returning character, new drinks and ingredients, and the addition of Stories on Tomodachill, it feels familiar yet fresh. With an incredibly relaxed, ambient atmosphere, and a cast of fully realised, memorable characters with storylines that echo the real world, this fantasy-based visual novel is an absolute treat to play. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to practise my Coffee Talk latte art.
Dead Island 2 could have been the Return of the Living Dead of zombie video games, making for an irreverent, B-movie romp through an undead-filled LA, but it just ends up marginally better than the original game without ever approaching its full potential. The improved combat is the game's main saving grace, but it isn't enough to redeem the shallow progression mechanics, inconsistent tone, and unfocused story.
Nothing in Minecraft Legends is entirely unique, and its most memorable aspects are its commitment to the series’ art direction and its PvP matches. Between the two, there’s a formulaic campaign that feels like a fun social space in co-op but lacking in variety and direction when played solo. It’s Minecraft, but not as you know it - for better and worse.
There is plenty of quality in the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, but it is stretched over a lot of quantity. Ten games for the price of one sounds great, but if those ten games are almost identical, that changes things considerably. To reuse that Pokemon comparison, this is like buying a bundle of ten older Pokemon games, which seems like a bargain, but those ten games are spread over just two or three generations. That quantity is what you are really paying for, so you should be aware of that going in. If a heck of a lot of Mega Man Battle Network is an appealing prospect to you then by all means, jump right in. If that water looks a little deep, then you might want to hold off for now.
Overall, The Sims 4 Growing Together is an expansion pack that you'll love if you're a generations player and love playing with the same family across generations. The gameplay mechanics alone are enough to provide entertainment, which is a good thing as the world is somewhat bland and boring. Although the Build Mode items are confusing without a solid theme, the CAS items are stronger. For gameplay alone, this is a great companion pack to the base game and perhaps another pack like Seasons or High School Years - if your focus is more on the familial gameplay aspect. Nevertheless, this does bring up an ethical debate. It can easily be argued that you would have gotten this and more with The Sims 3 Generations - possibly bundling The Sims 4 Growing Together, High School Years and Parenthood in one instead of being split into different packs. Whilst the pack holds up against other expansions, it is lacking just that extra oomph for elders and critically needs more outdoor activities and places to visit as a family.
We knew very much what to expect from Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe, and it doesn't disappoint. Perhaps not the boldest Kirby title we've seen, especially on the Switch - but it's a chirpy, charming throwback that brings the core of what Kirby is all about to the Switch after the frustrating misstep that Star Allies proved itself to be. For fans of who Kirby is, what Kirby has been, and what Kirby may become, Return to Dreamland is potentially a precursor to a new, changing era of the pink puffball, and may very well be the last of its kind as Nintendo looks to the future of the series. It's good news, then, that it's such a rosy treat.