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Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and it delivers that vision with confidence. Its story is heartfelt, its world is stunning, and its gameplay loop is more engaging and refined than ever. While it still may not appeal to everyone, those who connect with it will find an experience unlike anything else out there. This is current-gen gaming at its finest – cinematic, ambitious, and deeply human. Kojima has once again cemented his place among the giants of game development, and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach stands as a bold, emotional, and unforgettable addition to his legacy.
While I may have been let down by the isolated nature of Lost In Random: The Eternal Die’s design, with its single-note narrative and detachment from its predecessor, I was happy to be back in the wonderfully weird world of Random, with its charming cast and bizarre rules. I thoroughly enjoyed its fun, easy-to-pick-up combat, progression systems that offer variety and strategy, challenging boss fights, and delighted in the superb voice acting and singular art direction. I may not be a gambling man, but if you like a good roguelite, Lost In Random: The Eternal Die is a sure bet for a great time.
FBC: Firebreak never takes itself too seriously and plays on the themes of being a cog in a corporate machine. Your manager is a voice over a loudspeaker, giving you pearls of wisdom but never actually helping. You are severely understaffed and never have the right tools for the job, and with friends, FBC: Firebreak is incredible fun.
Ruffy and the Riverside is an incredible culmination of inspiration and innovation, offering hours of fun in a wacky world with a wonderful new duo. Zockrates Labs have gone beyond my expectations with their first game, and I hope we get to have more adventures with Ruffy and Pip in the future.
Perhaps with a little bit of tweaking, Shuffle Tactics will begin a new trend or find some great footing. For now, it’s just a bit too much to be enjoyed by many. It will find an audience, but it may be quite niche. A bit more polish and maybe removal of some of the too much content and this might be a great way to bridge these genres together.
This game makes me fall in love with football and I’m simply not a sports person. Its fast paced action forces you to think fast on the field and really think deeply about your next button input. Its art style, vast customization options, and gameplay make this game one you won’t forget anytime soon. I sincerely hope we start to see other iterations of this game play style sports games from more developers. But due to a few flaws, the need for further polishing, and approachability, it makes me second guess recommending it to just anyone. I can however highly recommend picking this game up and testing the waters for yourself to see if its for you.
Bambas! is a game unlike anything I’ll probably ever play again. It’s a short indie with a lot of ideas and gameplay designed for the missions given to players. Unfortunately, there are two fundamental problems – the repetitive trigger spamming and camera angle – that prevented me from having a good experience. It’s unfortunate as some of these issues would have likely been flagged with some extra playtesting.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a well designed way of introducing a brand new console with an array of features under the hood. I was quite struck by the complexities and considerations around all the minutiae of console design. However, the way it relays the genuinely interesting information can feel a bit tedious with a lot of reading and taking tests. The minigames and tech demos are fun, and nabbing all the medals are a nice challenge for completionists to keep playing through to that 100%. If you’ve got the cash to ensure you’ve got all the accessories needed to do so, of course.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is Yoyovania that excel in all aspects of what makes metroidvanias great and so much fun! A definite must-play for fans of this genre
Splitgate 2’s execution of Battle Royal feels more like a fast paced shooter than a typical BR mode from other games. Its vast array of game modes kept me locked in and excited to try out the next one. From map design, loadouts, game modes, abilities, and gun play, everything about this arena shooter feels expert crafted. The biggest thing from my review that I would like to highlight, is that in every aspect of this game, it is all well balanced. Nobody has the upper hand on you, it all comes down to skill. That is what makes a great multiplayer game great.
I find myself very conflicted with rating this game. On one hand, Siren’s Rest has built one of the most convincing terrifying underwater playgrounds I have seen in years. It is bleak and beautiful in the same breath and really does an amazing job at bringing you back to the events of the first game in the most depressing way possible. On the flip side, the gameplay is relatively tame. I don’t mind an “on the rails” narrative adventure, and they do a great job at that aspect of the DLC, but the gameplay and lack of many of the horror elements present in the base game are bound to make fans drawn to it’s Lovecraftian undertones a little disappointed.
Mindseye is a game that falters on nearly every level. It’s story is an interesting enough concept, but it seems to be in such a rush to get to the finish line that any semblance of character development or emotional attachment is completely brushed over without a thought. Pair the average story with the fact that the game runs awful on even the beefiest of rigs, has the most barebones gameplay loop in recent memory, and clocks in at a meager ten hours to complete and you have what amounts to a half-baked experience that should be avoided at all costs.
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is a mystery game that executes everything they want to do to near perfection. It’s a fun, simple, and short palate cleanser game. Only downfall, if any, is that it’s executed so well, that I wish there were more. This is the second game to the Duck Detective series, and I am very much looking forward to the next one!
Credit to Sassy Chap Games for coming up with so much on their first game. Of course, yes, many of them have so much experience behind the microphone, the switch is quite smooth. The game delivers everything it promised and more. It truly is a labor of love and it shows. The team also made a point to ensure that during the date with developers, each team member has a chance to speak and get highlighted. The work given into even this moment, shows how important this was to everyone.
All in all, The Alters delivers a unique and memorable experience. It’s the kind of game that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. For those who enjoy deep storytelling and intriguing character dynamics, it’s absolutely worth exploring.
Overture somehow builds on the foundation of excellence the base game started. The story is emotional and connected in ways that make every decision have weight, the gameplay is as polished as ever and filled to the brim with tons of challenge and skill expression, and the world is one of the of the most depressingly beautiful setting I’ve experienced in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the ruined streets of Krat and can’t wait to see what Neowiz comes up with next. Overture stands as one of the most fun, albeit short, DLC’s I have played since Phantom Liberty and I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone who enjoyed the main game, or Soulslike fans in general.
Trails is a relaxing and well-designed experience that will keep puzzle game fans happy for a few hours. While it may not always be smooth sailing, I think it is a cerebral excursion across the dunes worth taking.
The biggest criticism a game can have is that it’s boring, which about half way through to a T quickly becomes. Teen’s story starts well and full of charm, but as the eventual uninteresting mystery began to unravel my interest dropped off. Should the game’s 6-8 hour run time have been an 2-3 hours shorter, much of the uninspired dialogue could have been cut.
From the puzzles to customization, Instants truly was a game made with players who like a little of both in mind. But Instants goes beyond just solving puzzles. It reminds us to focus on preserving the good stuff. To remember the fleeting moments that have built a beautiful life.
As we wrap this review up, I can honestly say I’m impressed. Fromsoft took a big gamble by pursuing a game of this caliber that is outside their usual palette and dare I say it is a great experience when it’s firing on all cylinders. Certain things such as a lack of in game chat, and weird balancing issues for anything other than the three person queue make it a little trivial, but the game plays flawlessly for the most part and retains much of what made the 2022 Elden Ring game so fun.