GGRecon's Reviews
Plenty of other racing games are the equivalent of a big, greasy cheeseburger that tastes wonderful, but Gran Turismo 7 is like visiting a Michelin star restaurant, and they've deconstructed the same burger to become a beautifully presented, fancier meal. It's like the JRPG of racing games, wearing its Japanese development on its sleeve, which is something not often seen in the racing genre. In 2022, Gran Turismo 7 is one of the best racing games available, and undoubtedly the best for pure racing on consoles.
Victoria 3 is a niche game that at its core is about enacting social and political change through close internal management of your nation, and nothing on the market comes close to replicating it.
God of War Ragnarok raises the bar for blockbuster storytelling in gaming - a reminder of what single-player games can be in today's standards.
It's rare that a game with 2002 feels, or even looks, as good as Metroid Prime Remastered in 2023. And yet, Retro Studios has somehow managed it -- even with no prior knowledge and a lack of history with the franchise, Metroid Prime Remastered is one of the best Switch games you can buy right now.
It didn't take me long to realise how special Octopath Traveler 2 is. It is a game that has so much to do and explore, but never feels overwhelming or watered down in any way. Featuring one of the best turn-based combat systems I've ever encountered, alongside an emotional and deeply connecting narrative on all fronts, Octopath Traveler 2 is truly a monumental achievement that confidently stands among some of the genre's finest entries.
Simply put, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is as action-packed as the original and keeps to the same sincere vision whilst updating on graphics, controls and all the other modern comforts of gaming that we come to expect. If you're a franchise fan that's been there from the start, come for the excellent reanimation of one of gaming's finest. If you're a newcomer, come for campy atmosphere and superlative visuals. Whatever you come for, be sure to stay for bingo.
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.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a gold standard for RPGs, setting the bar incredibly high for future games in the genre - and it's something I know I'll be coming back to time and time again in the future. With a cast of fleshed-out, fully realised characters; tactical turn-based combat that presents an opportunity to stop, think and plan your attack strategically; and a dizzying amount of customisable choices, BG3 is truly a roleplayer's dream.
Through all the beauty and bloodshed, Blasphemous 2 is a game that demonstrates why the pixel style endures and should be recognised as one of the best-looking games of the year. As you find yourself entrenched in its eerie environs, you will undoubtedly find it hard to put down.
Mortal Kombat 1 is the most complete package I have ever seen in a fighting game. It is an excellent new chapter for returning fans and a great jumping-on point for new players. In this new golden era of fighting games, where more people are playing them than ever before, Mortal Kombat 1 is exactly what we need. A fighting game for everyone, and a beautiful reminder of why we play.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the triumphant continuation of an already spectacular series that raised the bar of superhero games. With a story that takes turns that I wouldn’t have expected, fluid combat with haptic feedback considerations, and an expansion of an already flawless and dynamic way to traverse the map, I was smiling all the way to the end from a thwipping great time!
Forza Motorsport is the best kind of racing simulator. It understands that some players sometimes just want to sit down and smash out a few laps in a Bugatti without having to think too hard about it. In the same breath, it’s also capable of letting you challenge yourself to become a better racer and provides a comprehensive number of tools to enable and encourage you to do so. Presented in a way that is truly player-first, and wrapped up in one of the most fully-fledged packages of cars and tracks I’ve seen for a long while, Forza Motorsport sets a whole new standard for racing games. Whether you’re a casual racing fan or a hardcore motorhead, this should be a permanent install on your Xbox for years to come.
The more I played Super Mario Bros Wonder, the more I fell in love with its whimsicality and endless redefinition of what Mario can be. It’s a glorious reimagining of Nintendo’s most iconic franchise. It takes the ingenuity and innovation that made Mario’s 3D escapades some of gaming’s greatest achievements and finally introduces them into the side-scrolling world. Wonder is everything I wanted it to be, and might be the most inventive 2D platformer Nintendo has ever made.
Asgard's Wrath 2 is the most impressive showcase for any VR headset I've seen and is a game I'm desperate to get back to even after writing this review. Packed full of secrets, layered with systems, and likely to get even better over time with new in-game events, it's a huge RPG that's worth exploring.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
From its banging soundtrack to its pixel-perfect paddling, C-Smash VRS is one of Meta Quest 3's most enjoyable titles, even a year on from its PSVR 2 launch. One more game, yeah?