Gaming Instincts
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As a spinoff, XCOM: Chimera Squad ventured into uncharted waters for the series. Some of what it does works and some of it doesn’t. Its revamped combat was a fresh twist on the formula fans were used to but its style of storytelling and presentation leave a lot to be desired. The game’s cast of agents were interesting, but the game holds back on giving them the spotlight outside of combat.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a prime example of a remake done right. It is able to capture the original’s magic while being an accessible and fun title for new and old players to sink their teeth into. Like the Buster Sword, which has inherited the hopes of those who fight, Final Fantasy VII Remake has inherited the hopes of all who await its sequel. It can’t come soon enough.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the series’ return to fine form after five years of absence. The depth this game offers, on top of its pristine layer of polish, will keep players glued to their seats. This is the start of a vacation that will not be ending any time soon.
Overall, Journey to the Savage Planet is a breath of fresh air for a market that’s saturated with battle royale games, FPS, third-person action, and many others. It’s an indie title that’s also priced at $29.99 and is not asking for the full price of $59.99. For the amount of money this game costs and for what it’s trying to achieve, it’s decent.
Warhammer: Chaosbane has excellent combat, looks and sounds great, but feels a little unpolished. It’s the biggest letdown is the lack of diversity in both weaponry and maps. For its asking price of $50, it’s only worth it to Warhammer Fantasy fans, or someone looking for a fresh but familiar action RPG to play when they’re burned out on the latest Diablo 3 season.
For fans of the series, Mortal Kombat 11 is probably the best they’re going to get for a while, as it certainly ends the current storyline NetherRealm started in MK 9. Save from many missing characters, fans will be pleased to see how much time and care NetherRealm Studios put into the game and will have some great time with it. It’s unfortunate some of the modes require way too much skill to beat.
At the end of the day, World War Z is trying to bring back the DNA and formula of the beloved Left 4 Dead franchise. While it does feel familiar and tries to be original, it fails due to how buggy the game is, inconsistency with its net code, and weird design choices of not being able to play a private game with a friend or two. The tacked-on, unpolished, lackluster multiplayer doesn’t help the game’s case either.
Tropico 6 was a highly anticipated game and probably the best game in the series, as the whole world feels much more alive than in previous entries. The game’s pricing is fair, at only $50, and for how many hours of enjoyment it’s going to provide, it’s definitely worth a purchase. Like any other game, of course, Tropico 6 could use some improvement, especially in how much political choices and tasks actually matter and even more so in its military and combat aspects.
Forza Horizon 4 is truly an amazing game with a ton of replayability and content to explore, whether it’s single-player or multiplayer. Players have a ton of events to complete, boards to crash through for game completion and influences, save up credits to buy the most expensive cars and all the real estate, and collect all the cosmetics.
Overall, Halo 5: Guardians is a good addition to the franchise and has the best gameplay in the series, and that is a bold thing to say for a franchise that’s been running for 14 straight years. However, the technical sacrifices and image quality losses are a little too much this time around. Halo 5: Guardians is not game of the year material. However, it’s a great game on its own. The multiplayer is addicting, and the future story can go many interesting directions that will make the fate of Halo exciting.
Dragon Quest: Heroes is a fantastic spin-off with a lovable cast of characters, hilarious monsters, beautiful cartoon visuals, and addicting gameplay. However, the game does have some minor technical flaws, such as FPS issues, despite it being consistent 90% of the time. The mission objectives can get a bit tiresome by the time one finishes the game, but solid, basic gameplay is fun enough to finish the title and even continue post-game to collect everything 100%.