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The world of Portia is full of promise but the time investment it requires makes it tough to recommend as is. A significant cut in crafting times across the board could go a long way toward making things feel more rewarding.
Yet, Shadow Heritage is more Assassin's Creed Odyssey and I'm absolutely going to take it as we wade through an AC-less 2019.
I remain invested in The Walking Dead as it nears its conclusion, now just two months away. Though the move to Skybound hasn't improved the technical reliability of the Telltale Games experience, the artists, writers, and voice actors continue to present a story that remains suspenseful, delivering some great individual moments, even if it sometimes pads the run-time to reach them. Beyond that, it's just nice to see you again, Clem.
Ultimately, the success of Block Quest Maker lies in its community. With the game only readily available on Switch in Japan during my review period, I was greatly limited in the number of levels to choose from. Many of those that were playable were simple, forgettable affairs, which is a nice way of saying not worth the time it took me to complete them. But some creators out there took the tools to heart, crafting complete mini-RPGs with a story, dialogue, secrets, boss battles, and a princess to save.
So if you can stomach the price tag and are dying to have an arcade classic on your Switch, Sega Ages Out Run is highly recommended. As far as I'm concerned, this is the benchmark that all future releases in this line have to live up to.
Foundations is more of the same niche-scratching space exploration from previous iterations with a more immersive feel and I can't wait to dive back into my personal galaxy. For those that have been watching the X series from the outside, Foundations is a great entry point, provided you meet the beefy system requirements.
As I continued to make my way through Ashen a calm of complacency washed over me. It doesn't have quite the same highs as a lot of its predecessors, but it maintains its tranquil equilibrium throughout. If you have an adventurous spirit and the patience and time to put into it, Ashen will pay dividends.
Viviette tries to go gonzo with the jump scares and frenetic furnishings rather than showing a crumb of constraint, something that would have gone a long way to keeping the tension from the first 45 minutes or so alive through its conclusion.
Much like its predecessors Silver Lining is over in an hour with a slight extension offered for sidequests, and three more suits. Then bam, there's a proper Stan Lee dedication, credits roll, and the wait begins. Hopefully Spider-Man 2 builds on top of everything we've seen so far, including the DLC trilogy.
Rastakhan's Rumble isn't the best expansion Hearthstone has ever released, and it's only a small step up from August's Boomsday Project. Unfortunately, like its predecessor, the reward for completing the single-player content is extremely disappointing. Rumble Run is a decent way to spend about an hour, but that's all it is and you'll never go back to it. I hope Blizzard puts more resources into the next expansion's single-player mode.
Some players will relish the challenge, but I just couldn't. Not in this game. Below puts its best foot forward in its early hours and then never stops losing steam. If the experience were somehow compressed into a tighter six- to eight-hour adventure, I'd confidently recommend it to a wide audience. As it stands, the game has a masterful command of ambience, but it comes with too many caveats.
Mutant Year Zero seems like the natural evolution for tactics games. The real-time aspects make things move faster and add a unique layer of tension. On the story end of things, it manages to keep you interested until the linear campaign finishes up. You won't find a groundbreaking narrative but it doesn't overstay its welcome, and the characters are just charming enough to keep you invested.
Override: Mech City Brawl had a lot of potential, but ultimately I like the concept a lot more than the execution. The fighting engine is adequate, but I felt like it should be a lot more fun blowing up a city in a million-ton robot suit. It kinda seems like this one was sent out to die, and that's a damn shame.
Toki isn't a perfect game -- hell, I'm not sure it's even a great arcade game. But it really hit me in the nostalgia-feels. It's a fantastic remake from a technical perspective, even if it's totally lacking in extra features. If you like good old-fashioned arcade games, you can do a whole lot worse than this one. Just make sure you temper your expectations, as a lot has changed in the gaming landscape in the 30 years since its original release.
Just Cause 4 is not a better game than its predecessor. In many ways, it feels like the same game, just with a new continent to explore. For some, this may be all they ever wanted, but for the rest of us, it's just not enough. The formula starts to show itself early and can feel monotonous only a few hours in. There will always be joy in the mass destruction of the Just Cause 4 games, but the games seem to rely more and more on "making your own fun" instead of pushing the player into exciting and unique scenarios via the mission structure and overall game design.
It's more Forza Horizon 4, but Fortune Island has a hook that's worth its weight in gold. Turning an island into a giant scavenger hunt is the kind of allure that works perfectly with Forza Horizon. Elsewhere, completing events has its own intrinsic appeal; excelling at racing and stunts is rewarding because it's a racing and stunts game. In Fortune Island, progression brings about a sense of mystery and discovery. That's a reward that's nearly as rich as the millions of credits scattered about the island.
With GRIS, Nomada has created an abstract adventure, as beguiling as it is haunting. By focusing on its courageous protagonist, and creating a bewitching but frightening world for her to overcome, GRIS succeeds with its short but unforgettable odyssey. Awash with meticulous detail, charming aesthetics, and smart design, GRIS is something special. Take the trip.
Gungrave, like when it debuted over a decade ago, is an acquired taste. It's rigid and not particularly welcoming, two qualities that are exasperated in VR. Despite its problems, I'd welcome another go at Gungrave (or a revival of that Planet Gunsmoke Trigun game), and it looks like we're getting it. But you can skip this outing.
While I might have aimed a little high with my expectations for Everspace, as a fan of the space combat genre, it ultimately is enjoyable. I don't think it's for everyone but that's the beauty of niche games like this, they don't have to appeal to everyone.
That really explains DUSK well. This is shooter perfection and something fans of the classics need to experience. Maybe it doesn't redefine what is possible with video games, but it beats out basically every other shooter I've ever played. I know I'll be replaying this for years to come and I look forward to seeing what fans are capable of with mod tools.