Qualbert.com's Reviews
OlliOlli World really is the most polished skating game ever created – Tony Hawk eat your heart out – and Finding the Flowzone is an added breath of fresh air. The new Windzone mechanic seriously speeds up the game’s pace, and alleviates the frustration of slowing down during lengthy combos. With a heap of added challenge, this is the perfect DLC for players wanting to test their skating skills and compete for glory on the scoreboard! So go with the flow and give this DLC a go.
It’s not often you start with the fourth game in the series, but UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves Collection is exactly that. For players who’ve yet to explore the thrilling escapades of Nathan Drake, this PC collection offers a starting point that will leave players eager to return to previous adventures. For returning fans, the ability to experience the game in the highest possible visual fidelity and ultra-wide resolution may tempt you into a replay.
Valkyrie Elysium is not a perfect package. But what I can say is that I found it to be the perfect length for a game of its style. Action RPGs can drag on at times, but Elysium can be all completed (including all subquests) in around 20 hours or so. My minor gripes with aspects of the presentation are more around inconsistency across elements rather than anything that would be considered ‘bad’. The somewhat ’empty’ feeling world can be ignored with a focus on the excellent main cast of characters and their heartfelt interactions.
Not everyone is going to love Gotham Knights – it caters to an audience, but is so tailor-made for those individuals that it’s a worthwhile game. For those that love DC, powering through open-worlds, and have fond memories of the Arkham series, Gotham Knights is going to be a blast. I was glued to my screen just about the whole time, and can’t imagine how much more fun this would be if I had someone to blaze through the entire campaign with.
Not all golf games are created eagle. They can be a bit hit or miss, particularly if they stick to the tried and overused formula we have seen for literally decades. Thankfully, Chuhai Labs have done something completely different here and made a short yet extremely enjoyable puzzle game. Yes, it can be frustrating at times if your button presses are just slightly off – but if that does happen you only have yourself to blame.
Despite its attractive presentation and heavy political themes, veterans of the genre will likely find DioField too tame, feeling overly repetitive throughout its roughly 30 hour campaign. The game may instead appeal to newcomers wanting to discover SRPGs thanks to its easily approachable squad-based combat and simple gameplay loop. Overall, The DioField Chronicles is not necessarily a bad game, but is all too unambitious and formulaic to be considered alongside the greats of Square Enix, falling short of its mighty strategy brethren.
Session: Skate Sim is the Dark So- I’m not going to use that analogy, but I will say it is a game where you will fall tons of times before you nail the landing. Hell – I was legitimately holding my controller sideways half the time to best pedal and steer. But, like most difficult games, when you finally get the hang of it, it’s a rewarding experience like no other in its genre. Skate fans have been foaming at the teeth for more content, and this is exactly what they’re looking for.
Destroy all Humans 2: Reprobed is a short, fun game full of references, silly moments and stereotypical humour. And that’s exactly why we enjoy it. I mentioned earlier about looking through the lens of nostalgia glasses, well, I may still be looking through the glasses, but the lenses aren’t as thick as once thought. The game isn’t perfect, no game is. But while it lacks in a thrilling story or long gameplay, it makes up for in the comedy that keeps giving us a good chuckle.
The experience aboard the floating hospital is a dialogue delight thanks to its wonderful cast of unique characters, all of whom are voiced with passion and emotion. There’s really only one major downside to Wayward Strand, and it’s that after finishing it, I just wanted to keep playing, delving into the lives of each of the residents even further. This is a heart-warming tale than fans of Australian indie games must experience.
Is The Last of Us Part I a remake that’s truly worth it? Yes, without a doubt. This is not only the definitive way to rediscover one of the finest games ever created, but adds a huge range of not only content, but also much needed in-game accessibility. Coupled with the intuitive features of the PS5 DualSense controller, flawlessly enhanced visuals and immersive 3D audio, and this remake provides an unforgettable experience that sends one resounding message from the talented team at Naughty Dog: you haven’t even seen The Last of Us.
It’s impossible to recommend Lost Epic to everyone, but it certainly has an audience that will enjoy it. I certainly would have warmed up to the title more if I weren’t stuck for a half hour, but that may not happen to everyone that plays (even if there were multiple forum posts about it). If a difficult combat challenge, a vivid art style, and a sense of progression is what you seek, Lost Epic should be up your alley.
Cult of the Lamb is yet another absolutely amazing indie game for 2022, that I am very proud to say was born in my hometown. This is a cute and psychologically disturbed experience where you take the cutest of characters through dark ordeals only to satiate the desires of the demon that saved you from death. Tight roguelike combat crossed with town building is a genius combination and causes you to enter these loops where you want to do just one more dungeon. After that dungeon you get back to town and need to ensure your followers are still happy, fed and faithful. After that – just one more dungeon? Yes please.
A decade later, having constructed a monolithic series from a solid foundation, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 polishes its experience beyond any fan’s expectations. Drawing inspiration from the finest elements of its predecessors, the latest entry features endlessly expansive environments and honed combat, accompanied by vibrant visuals and stellar score. Yet the real highlight is the loveable cast of characters, all of whom breathe life into the game at every moment. Although it was with a heavy heart and teary eyes the curtain finally drew to a close on Noah and Mio’s adventure, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be a near flawless experience that I’ll never forget.
Although it’s not the genre of tie-in game that most were expecting, Burst Forth does a decent job at transitioning the beloved series into a bullet hell shooter while retaining many aspects of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid that fans are fond of. Whilst gameplay may be repetitive and at times even punishingly difficult, the tantalising unlockable reward of series art will definitely appeal to the most dedicated players.
Musou games are a niche genre – small enough that a lot of gamers might not have ever tried them. Omega Force are using big series like Zelda, Persona and now Fire Emblem to reach a wider audience, and I think that is a great thing. Variety in games is great and Musou is definitely its own thing – and Omega Force is simply the best team making these games right now. For fans of the Fire Emblem series (and Three Houses in particular), this is almost a must-play game because it allows us to return to a deep world with engaging characters that are extremely likable.
Cult classic is a term that’s thrown around a lot when referring to retro games, but Live A Live is exactly that. This retro JRPG that once remained elusive to Western audiences has been polished, modernised, and perfected for Nintendo Switch, once again showcasing the power of HD-2D.
There’s quite a difference between loading up a friendly 50cc Mario Kart 8 race and zooming into a RedOut II 2000kmph free-for-all with no room for error. Whether you’re good at it or not, RedOut II can get your blood pumping and serves to immerse you well. If you don’t mind struggling, losing, and not feeling yourself improve at the game, RedOut II is definitely not for you.
The Quarry is an interesting beast. The story is good without being exceptional and the first playthrough is an enjoyable experience due to the strong presentation led by top-quality voice acting talent. The 8-10 hours of adventuring feel like an interactive season of the latest horror show on Netflix. In my view any horror fan, particularly those that enjoyed Until Dawn, should give this a go.
VOID Riders is more than just a DLC pack – this is an enhanced experience that goes above and beyond everything offered in the base game, somehow improving even further to achieve intergalactic skating perfection. With its out-of-this-world visual style, awesome anti-gravity mechanic, and added difficulty, there’s a tonne to conquer for players that were already engrossed by OlliOlli World. Don’t miss VOID Riders for the opportunity to skate not only beyond the stars, but beyond the confines of imagination.
If you’re as rabid for roguelikes as I am, you’ll surely enjoy TOKOYO. Sitting at a nice $12 price tag before sales, its replayability is well worth the entry fee. If the aspect of only attacking in short bursts sounds intimidating, I can assure you it’s a novel concept that adds a layer of suspense to your runs as opposed to impeding your survivability. It’s definitely worth trying out each character to find your favorite, too.