Analog Stick Gaming
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Dragon’s Dogma II is certainly a title I strongly recommend, but one that I do caution as it lacks a degree of hand-holding many are likely accustomed to within the genre. If you can meet the game on its terms and find a vocation that works for you, then I certainly recommend this journey as there is nothing really quite like it.
Ereban: Shadow Legacy is a solid adventure that allows every tool at its disposal to be used well and by a team that is clearly passionate about what they do. It doesn’t always land, but I still found it engaging, enjoyable, and very entertaining.
I’m very conflicted on Planet Zoo: Console Edition because the core game and systems are absolutely outstanding and among the best in the genre, but I couldn’t help constantly thinking, “I bet this is a much better experience on PC.”
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is often incredible and a top-tier experience in so many ways; however, some of its reliance on padding the experience with its open world and reliance on far too many mini-games, doesn’t always pay off.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a triumph in storytelling and a strong example of how to improve a game significantly from the previous entry. Interesting new characters, strong performances, the new setting of Hawaii, and gameplay improvements combined with an almost infinite amount of things to do, resulting in arguably the best game in the franchise and certainly RGG studio’s best turn-based effort to date.
Unicorn Overlord never faltered and has cemented itself as one of the best tactical strategy games I’ve ever played. The similarities to Fire Emblem are certainly there, but its gameplay during battles presents a different approach to its combat that absolutely soars.
South Park: Snow Day, likes its use of COVID here feels out of date across the board. The simplistic visuals feels several generations behind, and its shallow gameplay cannot be saved by a card system that shows some true promise. As a lifelong South Park fan, I know the series can produce strong and compelling video games because we have seen it done twice before.
I do think the final encounter is a tad harder than it should have been, given the encounters before it, but all in all, Pepper Grinder is incredible fun that takes its drilling gimmick and creates a fun and engaging experience around it.
I loved the four hours I’ve spent with Brothers: Tale Of Two Sons Remake. This fantastic remake tells a perfectly paced story that needs no words and combines it with simplistic controls and cleverly designed puzzles. If you missed the original previously, this is a great time, which shows that shorter games still work perfectly.
Alone in the Dark does well to utilize their performances within their own campaigns. While the dual canon approach to telling the story doesn’t ultimately satisfy in ways I personally was expecting, especially as it makes both campaigns far too identical, I found it to still entertain, even if I never felt the main story to really grip me. I think Pieces Interactive has a solid foundation here with their take on this franchise, I just would prefer a more direct horror route to really amp up the atmosphere and make me free truly alone in the dark.
Ultimately, Taxi Life is a cool concept that sets itself apart from something like the more hectic and beloved Crazy Taxi and deserves the same level of execution and resources as Asobo Studio’s Flight-Simulator series. Unfortunately, the technical shortcomings shine through the most, which takes lots of points off this otherwise unique and interesting experience.
Outcast: A New Beginning is exactly that type of OG Xbox or early Xbox 360 game made yet again for a modern audience. It can at times look fantastic, but character’s don't always shine and the technical issues present, at least in the review build, made for a tiring experience of seeing massive framerate drops, excessive screen-tearing, and more. While these issues are set to be addressed in a day one patch, that is something I cannot speak to currently. This return to Cutter Slade is enjoyable, but not everything works well, especially coming from a team that built the first 3D open-world game.
I think Expeditions is a solid experience when it brings with it the best qualities of its past, but there are times when the title doesn’t do a good enough job at hiding the puzzle-like nature of what these titles are at their core. While Expeditions does a great deal to be more streamlined and accessible, all it did was make me wish I was playing SnowRunner instead.
WWE 2K24 has a fantastic Showcase mode celebrating the spectacle that is Wrestlemania; the same fun, fast-paced gameplay is here alongside vastly better presentation during matches within new and returning modes. The team at Visual Concepts clearly listened to fan feedback and each year is building on the strong foundation they started with in WWE 2K22.
Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League is a co-op game that feels stretched out to accommodate the live service model. The Arkham games meant a great deal to its fan base, but Suicide Squad clearly shows that even the best marksman can miss their shot.
Yes, there is fun to be had here with solid combat and a decent co-op-fueled endgame, but the world structured around Skull and Bones is lifeless, bland, and uninspired, destined to be one adventure long forgotten.
The appeal of what Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons offers is through the aesthetic of Story of Seasons. Each puzzle pulls from the people, the places, and the tools you’ll use through the inspired game. Days pass as you solve puzzles, and you’ll see the characters tending to the farm. This starts to show progress as you work through the seasons.
Overall, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is marvelous, a wonderfully crafted love story by a team that has elevated their game to new heights. Its central cast is remarkable with lives that felt truly lived, their pasts that really define them as people. This is easily Don’t Nod’s finest work, despite my undying love for Life is Strange. Simply put, Banishers is a true work of art; a love most spiritual.
Alisa: Developer's Cut, if you understand what the game is trying to emulate. It’s not the best of these imitations, but it does enough well that I do still strongly recommend it to those yearning for that era of gaming to resurface. It can be a little clunky and suffer from a few decades-old annoyances, but it’s a true and honest love letter to a classic series that excels in its purpose.
As it stands, Rogue Trader is a game that is good but should have been substantially better, given the pedigree of the studio. It had all the pieces to be something truly fantastic, but a wealth of technical issues and poor execution caused the game to suffer far more than it succeeded.