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The First Descendant isn’t shying away from where it’s inspired. Destiny has been a called-out game by its fans and the studio and for good reason, it set the bar. Warframe as well has been a go-to for many in the live service catalog, and by using both as a base and creating something in between, it creates a game that while not terribly original, is an absolute blast to play. Each Descendant has a wealth of skills to make them stand out with a design and graphical fidelity to them that makes this one of the best looking games out there.
Dungeons of Hinterberg was a game I was immediately interested in when it was first shown off. I had been following its development closely and was eager to dive in. In the end, it was an experience that started strong and ended equally that strong. While I certainly have minor issues with some basic combat and its far too simple puzzles, I still find Dungeons of Hinterberg to be a great game, one where its flaws don’t sour my experience.
This 60+ hour adventure to conquer its lands is certainly worth your time and money. Several of the game’s new encounters are among the title’s best, offering battles that will test you in ways most players wanted from the base experience. Shadow of the Erdtree joins the list of being one of the best expansions ever made, an adventure so epic and vast that you’ll continue to write your story in ways that feel as if this adventure is something you are the first to discover.
Kaku: Ancient Seal is often great, but a collective of small issues and bland systems do hold it back. Combat is serviceable in that you have a few options that work well, but you’ll largely find yourself just spamming the best options. The story lacks agency for Kaku himself, making him more of a bystander than an active participant. The localization is being addressed, but as of right now, it certainly has several problems.
Trails through Daybreak does what it needs to do to be a very entertaining new entry will all the action and spectacle needed to succeed. I think it certainly stumbles with some localization issues and a few too many menus for its core systems, but overall, I still rather enjoyed seeing this new era of Legend of Heroes unfold, even if its nowhere near my favorite.
Tchia may stumble in what it offers through combat, but the world and charm built around this archipelago is truly special. The culture and approach to depicting it certainly feels passionate and thought out. Each village has its unique blend of people, history, and music, making engaging with them feel worthwhile and memorable.
Forges of Corruption focuses directly on what was great about Boltgun and offers up just enough new content that it feels like a worthwhile purchase. The level design is far more impressive than the base game with massive open areas that showcase the world of Graia in all its glory.
Roxy Racoon’s Pinball Panic is certainly aimed at a younger audience, but nearly everything it does pushes against that intent. Its menus are obtuse and incoherent on what you are actually selecting, and the story mode has significant difficulty spikes in the score you are meant to achieve.
RIPOUT has a great concept and strong visuals, but fails in being an engaging experience just a few short hours in. Its repetition undermines the cleverness of its systems, crafting, and arsenal as you simply feel like you are repeating the same mission ad nauseam. The foundation here is solid, but more hand-crafted set-pieces could truly elevate this to be something worth exploring.
XDefiant has a chance to be something pretty impressive and while there are traces of that excellence here, it’s too soon to say considering the lack of significant content and the slim variety within each faction. Once XDefiant begins to grow and add to its core systems, modes, and factions, then Ubisoft will have a major contender in the Free-to-play space that could be something special. When and how they go about that remains to be seen, but with tight gunplay, fun faction abilities, and some clever map design, XDefiant is an impressive game that has a potentially bright future.
Part of what I love so much about Hundred Heroes is the story and its cast of characters. Combat excels well enough in its simplicity, even if I wish it had a bit more going on to take advantage of that turn order. While Suikoden was never a series that I gave notice to or engaged with, apart from Tierkreis, I can see why so many people adore it and why having its creator back and producing such an experience can mean so much to so many people.
Horizon Chase 2’s visuals and approach may deter the more hardcore audience, but it’s a solid throwback to the arcade racers from years past that is ultimately a very satisfying experience.
System Shock’s presentation is honestly quite great as it retains the look of the original while expanding on its locations and scale. The limited voice acting that is here is good, even if the overall narrative just did nothing for me. While the game is rather difficult, it is easy enough to just save anywhere you want with a fast load time to get back into the action. Nightdive Studios has taken a game that was a beloved classic and retooled it to work within a lot of modern sensibilities, even if it does still maintain a certain look and feel.
Like Senua's Sacrifice before it, Saga is a showpiece of technical innovation by an incredibly small team. Its use of mental illness as a narrative device continues to be a core pillar of its experience, tapping into nearly every avenue of combat and narrative. Melina Juergens is joined by a phenomenal cast that each has some fantastic moments to shine. Senua's Saga is a cinematic masterpiece with noticeable blemishes in its puzzles that don't quite measure up to the quality bar raised by nearly every other part of this whole experience.
Hypercharge: Unboxed has been an absolute delight in being one of the only true gaming experiences that allow you to really relive your childhood. The battlegrounds are filled with so many toys that I remember playing with to set pieces and encounters that feel ripped directly from my memory.
Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters was the first title in the series to really disappoint me, and yet Game Maker R:Evolution hands down disappoints me further, making me question if this series is even for me anymore. Its combat and level design are barebones and empty of anything remotely engaging. While the visual novel charm of its writing and characters are as good as they have always been, it's not a strong enough outing for the game's flaws to not be front and center.
Heading Out is a solid concept that I would love to see perfected and improved upon should we see a follow-up, because frankly, it’s a sharp-looking game that really stands out in a sea of games that all look the same.
Mullet MadJack is a tour de force of sensory overload and pure chaos, wrapped in a tight 2-3 hour package that begs to be played over and over. If the final chapter is any indication on where a possible sequel could go, I am strapped in and ready to count down the seconds as bullets and mullets coalecse into something downright incredible.
Terra Memoria does a great job at presenting its story, characters, and combat in a very easy-to-read package, making it a fun almost bite-size adventure that is certainly worth the journey.
Little Kitty Big City will certainly entertain those looking for this type of experience. My own cat was personally interested in the journey I took and was hyper-focused on many of this cat’s movements. The Untitled Goose Game approach certainly works and the game is extremely digestible that you can easily polish it off in a single day or a more casual weekend. If this is the start of a Little Kitty Big City franchise, then Double Dagger certainly has my attention and my time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more adorable hats to find and a city to explore.