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And therein lies the inherent issue with launching Halo Infinite as a platform for the Halo series. It’s clear that there’s tons of potential here, and there’s so much to love about what 343 Industries has already introduced, but playing it at launch feels like you’re playing the worst version of what could rightly wind up being a fantastic game. Game Pass lets subscribers experience games like Halo Infinite on a whim, and it also lets developers like 343 take risks on launching a “Halo platform” that’s a work-in-progress. Currently, its single-player campaign is fun if somewhat empty, while its multiplayer flickers between exhilarating and frustrating. With the former being available on Game Pass while the latter is free-to-play, it’s not much of a gamble to just play it despite its problems, but by now I think we all miss when games felt like they were finished at launch.
Nintendo, Game Freak, and The Pokemon Company have made some odd decisions with pricing their products lately. Unfortunately, for many fans, these remakes were a bad omen that these trends will continue. The series has been criticized as being stagnate, and even going backward with things like Dexit. New and casual players likely won’t notice or care that the quality of the games has gone down with the last couple of releases. However, longtime fans are feeling increasingly disappointed, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have done nothing to assuage that.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition can be tolerable on the right system. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X offer users the best chance of brute-forcing past the performance barriers but, even then, occasional bugs and glitches can occur. Fun can be had on those current-gen systems, especially by those with some sentimental attachment to the original trilogy, but there’s still likely to be moments of frustration. When it comes to the Nintendo Switch version, as enjoyable as a portable version could be, the experience is heavily compromised and I can’t recommend players drop serious cash on this product.
Sledgehammer Games is no stranger to righting wrongs, as seen with its previous Call of Duty entries, but even with additional balance tweaks and new content, I’m certain five years from now that Vanguard will be looked down upon as one of the weakest games in the series.
Shin Megami Tensei 5 brings back the things that fans love about the series. Its biggest sin is that it doesn’t do much to innovate. Fans that were expecting to see a brand new vision for SMT will be confused because this is essentially the same demon collecting dungeon crawler it has always been.
Forza Horizon 5 is the best Forza yet and, not only that, but it also makes a strong case for being the best racing game period. A joyous combo of arcade racing and simulation-level depth, all wrapped up in a beautiful bow thanks to its diverse, expansive Mexico setting, this is an unmissable iteration in what is arguably gaming’s most consistently fantastic series.
All in all, Football Manager 2022 is another sublime sports simulation. It once again proves that you can enjoy football games without directly controlling the players. Its new additions add to an experience already brimming with depth, and the refinement of the gameplay style means that you’ll struggle not to lose yourself within Sports Interactive’s digital training ground. Its proficiency on even the oldest of hardware means there’s really no excuse not to dive in. This is Football Manager at its best, the virtual equivalent of a top-corner goal.
I hope that in the future, the devs take the asymmetrical civilizations further and focus on mechanics that evolve the Age of Empires franchise. There’s a solid foundation here, and if built in the right direction, it could lead to something special. For now, it’s too old school for its own good.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a solid original story from Eidos Montreal that deviates from both the MCU and the comics, providing something for Marvel fans across mediums to enjoy. However, while it’s certainly a step up from publisher Square Enix’s Avengers, it suffers with its own notable bugs and glitches that detract from the on-screen action. The day one patch will hopefully tackle these problems, and if so this is a highly recommendable superhero game that doesn’t quite step it up like Insomniac’s Spider-Man series, though still does right by its unlikely group of misfit anti-heroes.
The biggest question about this game is whether the player base will stay strong or not. Left 4 Dead still gets a steady stream over a decade later, but it’s still up in the air whether Back 4 Blood will inspire the same loyalty. Fortunately, it’s on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, so there’s little to no risk in giving it a try.
So far, Metroid Dread is a serious contender for my personal game of the year. It takes all the things that I loved about previous entries and streamlines them into a much more playable game. It’s the most accessible Metroid title to date, and it’s sure to win many new fans for Nintendo.
Unfortunately, Far Cry 6 has missed the mark again, with too few significant improvements and a lot of bloat.
I’ve been impressed by my time with FIFA 22 thus far, with it shaping up to be one of the tightest entries in the series so far. While it doesn’t offer a great deal in terms of new modes, the improvements made to existing staples of the series such as Ultimate Team, Pro Clubs, and Volta are all welcome, helping to diversify current modes and make them much more distinguishable. We’ll have our full review soon.
I wish that more quality of life improvements were introduced with this remake/remaster. Just a few more small changes could have rectified some annoyances that stem from it being a 20-year-old game. As it stands, it’s almost too close to the original in all the wrong ways while missing multiplayer options that were removed for no reason.
Kena: Bridge of Spirit’s exceptional visuals clash with its unexceptional gameplay to create a gorgeous experience that would be forgettable if not for its technical prowess. Its combat, puzzles, and platforming are enjoyable but fail to set the world alight, though the adventure is elevated by the beauty of its open world and its highly animated characters.
This game’s biggest fault is that it has too much going on that detracts from the main plotline. I’m hoping Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio keeps taking risks with exploring gameplay outside of the Yakuza norm, and our next outing with Judgment (or another spinoff) will go further toward distinguishing itself as a unique property.
In order to avoid the tedium organically produced by playing the same level over and over, Arkane has implemented a truly magical multiplayer component, one that has the potential to offer top-tier multiplayer moments. Unfortunately, the weak recon missions made too easy by the lack of challenge from AI enemies, the small number of maps that are quickly mastered, and the limited variety in gameplay burdened by uninspired upgrades, ultimately prevent Deathloop from reaching the highest of highs.
Arcade racers should be better represented on console and PC, with Cruis’n Blast ticking a lot of boxes for those who love this genre and wish that it wasn’t almost solely confined to arcade cabinets. There are few games that will pitch a unicorn in a race against a UFO, and such possibilities in Cruis’n Blast should be celebrated appropriately. However, performance problems, the absence of online multiplayer, and the lack of things to do for the solo player make for an altogether disappointing port, that nonetheless just about offers enough to warrant the attention of arcade racing fans.
“Why pay $4.99 on Steam for something that’s free on your browser?” is a common question that’s popping up. For me, Cloud Save alone is worth the price of admission, as I no longer have to worry about cookies (the other type) and backing up my saves manually. This combined with the music from C418 and support for Steam Achievements makes Cookie Clicker Steam the definitive version that’s worth paying for.
Tormented Souls is the successor to classic survival horror. I’ve wanted a new Silent Hill (or classic Resident Evil) game for years, but I’d trade all the drama and disappointment for a fantastic spiritual successor like this any day. Exploring Winterlake Hospital channeled all those feelings of dread and loneliness that made those games special and proves that the format still works.