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The Cruel King and The Great Hero is as classic as JRPGs get, but its little touches of modernisation truly shine through. As the gorgeous art style and chirpy soundtrack complement the thought-provoking battle system with grace. Some story and character moments are left wanting, and there are a few missteps with the general gameplay. But overall, The Cruel King and The Great Hero is a timeless 15-hour adventure that demands at least one playthrough.
WWE 2K22 attempts to make up for the massive failure that was 2K20, and for the most part, does so successfully. Featuring an overhaul of the gameplay mechanics and taking some pointers from the SmackDown vs. Raw series, 2K22 stands to become the greatest wrestling game in the 2K series!
Tunic initially looks incredible. Featuring a top-down attack and dodge style, it immediately gives off a Death’s Door vibe with an abundance of colour. Upon entering the game though, it becomes very clear that Tunic is just an empty shell of a game. With basically no story, basic combat, and a world that looks amazing but leaves the player wondering where to go. It becomes very stale very quickly.
Relayer sprinkles in some small, yet surprisingly impactful changes to the tactical RPG formula. Being able to check threat squares and an aggro list, alongside an awesome limit break feature really help this title soar. The gameplay itself is so compelling, and the emotionally resonant space opera pays off in spades. Don’t miss Relayer.
Ghostwire: Tokyo features a tried and tested triple-A design approach, but the gameplay and story just won’t hold your interest for long. Battles turn into mindless spam fests, the open-world design elements become tiresome and the narrative loses it steam shortly after the first few hours. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts, but the thought of playing this game again gives me pause.
Crystar’s gameplay can be a little lackluster at times, however the fascinating narrative does more than enough to keep you playing for hours on end! Some hit and miss combat mixed with a story filled with an interesting unpredictable direction makes for an enjoyable, but occasionally tedious experience!
Weird West is exactly that, a weird yet interesting adventure set in the wild west. Featuring many supernatural creatures to hunt and many stories to uncover, it has an immense world to explore and many characters to talk to. The abilities and perks system help dramatically as well – especially when not playing on PC – and the game looks absolutely incredible. A 20-hour experience that could easily take 50 hours to complete.
The Skywalker Saga successfully manages to recreate the fun and humour of its 2005 counterpart! It gives us a new take on the Star Wars series, with many great moments filled with hilarious jokes and gags! The revamped combat feels fantastic, and really helps to keep things fresh and exciting. There are a few jokes that may make you roll your eyes, but despite this, it's hard not to get hooked in The Skywalker Saga's world for hours on end!
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is another spectacular tactical RPG that combines turn-based and real-time strategy to great effect. The battles are definitely on the easier side of things and it can be a bit tricky to read the visual prompts, although 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim makes up for this with a riveting story and addictive gameplay that’ll hold your attention for the game’s 30-40 hour runtime.
While there aren’t too many memorable moments like the games Tormented Souls is based on, the general horror elements work incredibly well in heightening the tension and keeping you on the edge of your seat. The puzzle segments aren’t mere throwaway either and do serve as a great change of pace from the adrenaline-pumping fear. The story is quite intriguing too, although the voice-acting does leave a lot to be desired.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War is the game-iest video game I’ve reviewed in quite some time, but it actually ended up being more entertaining than I thought. While the flow of gameplay is as one-note as it gets and the story is a complete waste of time, Zombie Army 4 still features an amusing 10-12 hour campaign and horde mode that’s best experienced in short bursts.
The full release of King Arthur: Knight’s Tale impresses in almost every area, despite being in Early Access for quite some time. The game expands dramatically, offering an incredible story, fun tactical gameplay and great visuals. Not to mention there is a lot to do once completing the game, whether that’s taking on bosses or playing PVP. Even though it can feel slightly unfinished, the game is still incredible and should continue to improve with more time and dedication from the developers.
Trek To Yomi may have a great narrative and an excellent visual design, however the stiff combat mechanics and tedious exploration sections may quickly diminish any desire to see the game through to the end. Despite having great potential, Trek To Yomi fails to deliver and instead becomes a very lackluster experience!
Dolmen is a serviceable, sci-fi ARPG that sets players up against a gauntlet of strong enemies and varied bosses. Utilising the Metroidvania style approach to progression, the game aims to keep players on their toes with it’s striking visual design and level layout. It’s just a shame the story isn’t up to scratch and a few certain gameplay features are left wanting.
Sniper Elite 5 is a perfect example of a game that is just good. There are no real glitches or screen tearing and the game plays really well on the PS5. The graphics look fine, even if the character designs are a little questionable. The problem arises with the game becoming predictable and boring. However, the devs saw this coming – hence half the game being online. So even though playing through the campaign with a friend is fun, it’s not worth the price, in my opinion.
Card Shark features a surprisingly deep story with much mystery surrounding its fascinating, and somewhat dubious characters. The simple game mechanics and stunning art style really makes for a title that is really unique. The minimalist approach to the gameplay is welcomed and the 8 hour play time ensures that no part of Card Shark feels overused or repetitive! This is definitely one for your Nintendo Switch library!
OlliOlli World: VOID Riders features the most bizarre narrative in the OlliOlli series! Not only is it as strange as it is hilarious, but it is also the greatest one yet! Add to this some entertaining new mechanics and chaotic new levels, and you have the best of what OlliOlli World has to offer!
Gordian Quest is not just a common deck builder, as it features some awesome DND-inspired elements that’ll make fans of the classic tabletop RPG feel right at home. The art design is spectacular and the gameplay is incredibly fun, even if it’s a little easy. The one downfall is the story, which can be quite basic—only serving the purpose of moving the game forward. But all in all, Gordian Quest is immensely rewarding… unless you’re looking for a well-woven tale.
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games contains an addictive blend of escape room escapades and fast-paced bullet-hell segments that will keep players eagerly awaiting the next corner. The story and character presentation are great too, with only a few technical flaws that get in the way of an otherwise spectacular theme park ride.
Ex-Zodiac is the Star Fox game that fans have been dreaming of. It successfully replicates that beloved retro aesthetic without losing what made the original titles so engaging. Those precise flying controls, varied set-pieces and in-depth boss battles are all here, and the game will supposedly be doubled in length by the time Ex-Zodiac hits it’s full 1.0 launch. While the characters and story aren’t particularly interesting, here’s hoping they can pull it around for the next half of the adventure.