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Foreclosed is a classic case of style over substance, as the lacklustre gunplay and narrative leave much to be desired. The futuristic comic book presentation does look pretty decent, although it can’t mask the mediocre voice-acting, gameplay flaws and extraordinarily average story and characters.
Psychonauts 2 is a game for everyone. Because of the recap about what happened in the last two titles, newcomers and returning players will be able to slip seamlessly into this game. The story is incredibly awesome with a lot of the issues in the gameplay being fixed. Double Fine has lived up to their high standards and made a world just as incredible as the first game. If your fan of the series or never played the original before, this is definitely a game to pick up.
With a lackluster narrative, and gameplay mechanics that are basic and largely unenjoyable, Lake ends up being a monotonous experience that is really not worth the time investment.
Even though NEO The World Ends With You is a 50+ hour JRPG, a good 20-30% of the experience should’ve been trimmed out. Looking beyond that there’s a surprisingly deep combat system (mainly for bosses), wonderful characters and awesome music/art that newcomers and TWEWY veterans will no doubt enjoy.
Tales of Arise is a classic case of almost is never enough. It nails nearly every open-world JRPG staple; the gameplay, exploration, characters, music and presentation are all top-notch. It’s just a pity that the story wrestles with a litany of issues that keep this entry in the Tales of series from reaching legendary status.
The Ascent’s excellent atmosphere and gameplay might just save it from a weak story and a lack of polish, wherein the whole is just less than the sum of its parts.
Lost in Random has many interesting aspects going for it. The stop-start tactical combat system, the Halloween-inspired look, the appropriately moody soundtrack and quality voice-acting/cast make this short journey a worthwhile experience. However, the way combat is structured means its fundamentals can occasionally get lost in execution, and the story itself isn’t really worth writing home about. A solid 7 overall.
Aragami 2 improves on many aspects of the original. Listen mode enhances the flow of gameplay, moveable bodies grant the player additional stratagems and the modernised controls feel much better overall. Even though the combat mechanics are absolutely horrendous and the story/characters are as basic as it gets, Aragami 2 is still a great time for action and stealth game fans alike.
SkateBIRD’s attempt to create a Tony Hawk-esque style skateboarding game with birds, is largely underwhelming and struggles to impress. With unresponsive controls and a camera that seems to flip all over the place, SkateBIRD fails to provide any reasons to be worth picking up.
Though Sable may have a fantastic art style and a large open world, with a variety of environments, its lack of a strong narrative and underwhelming gameplay fail to impress. The game may seem intriguing at first, but ultimately, it will leave players disappointed.
Diablo 2: Resurrected proves that you can’t really improve upon perfection, but you can make it look really pretty. Despite some combat that hasn’t aged quite so well, the overall experience is well worth a step back in time for the atmosphere and unparalleled freedom it provides.
In Sound Mind nails a majority of the typical survival horror elements and then some. It’s just a pity that a couple of rotten game design aspects drag down an otherwise top-notch presentation and puzzle construction. It’s an easy pick-up for horror fans, but be warned – there will be several moments of frustration.
Hot Wheels Unleashed has a well-constructed base, as each aspect Milestone has implemented functions exactly the way it should. However, given that there are too many obvious similarities to a certain other track-building racer, it ultimately doesn’t do enough to set itself apart. Couple that with a serious lack of variety and a litany of added “gimmicks” that serve no real function, and there’s very little incentive to play continuously.
FIFA 22 brings a smidgen of interesting additions to the series, although a few of them recoil – for lack of a better word – upon closer examination. Manager mode is relatively the same, Ultimate Team still heavily prioritises micro-transactions and Volta Football only edges slightly closer to the glory days of FIFA Street. A decent entry overall.
Alan Wake Remastered is a prime example of just how a remaster should be done! Featuring a sinister narrative coupled together with some simple, but fascinating gameplay mechanics, Alan Wake Remastered is definitely worth picking up!
Nickelodeon All Star Brawl is an easy to approach brawler in the same vein as Super Smash Bros. Whilst it does have some extremely intricate mechanics and technical aspects for high-level gamers to get stuck into, the average player may find it’s lack of core game modes and party-style options a major cause for concern.
Far Cry 6 sets its player up for hours upon hours of unadulterated, open-world, action-adventure goodness. While it does contain some very rough glitches and a few story beats that fall a little flat, the over-the-top charm of the series has never been as refined as it is here. Far Cry fans, make sure you’ve got the 6th entry in your shopping cart.
Metroid Dread raises the classic formula to new heights, with a cat and mouse gameplay hook that makes it extremely hard to stop playing. The sprawling level designs, tough-as-nails boss fights and hidden collectible locations help Metroid Dread easily rank in the upper echelons of the series.
The Caligula Effect 2 is another great JRPG. From investigating several different locations to exploring the challenging yet rewarding dungeons, there’s heaps of content here to keep you going for a long while. The combat system is brilliant, especially with its preview system and how it deliberately lets you take on tougher enemies. And to top it all off, the game’s backed up by one exceptional soundtrack featuring both outstanding instrumentals and vocals alike.
House of Ashes belts out some decent cinematic horror, but at the same time, the whole adventure is rather forgettable. The characters are quite fun to watch and the variety of death animations are certainly amusing. Although since the story itself isn’t very memorable, it’s hard to stay invested.