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C-Smash VRS is an incredible multiplayer with the potential to become a staple of any PSVR 2 owner’s collection. The simple premise and excellent execution leads to intense matches that will keep you hooked. Whether you’re up against a friend or a complete stranger, the thrill never subsides. With a focus on multiplayer, the game needs to add more incentives and regular updates to build a community. However. the addictive online loop and replayable single-player options help to make C-Smash VRS an absolute hit!
In many ways, XVI hardly resembles the usual FF experience. There’s no massive party of adventurers, no MP-based magic system, and no open world map traversal, among other things. And yet, I got the quintessential Final Fantasy experience. There’s a sweeping, epic story. The stakes are incredibly high. Clive is beset by tragedy and hardship. He experiences character growth, moments of joy, companionship, and love. The battles go from mundane to impossibly epic. Clive is given all the power, special moves, and responsibilities of a capital ‘P’ Protagonist. The game is gorgeous, the music is incredible, and the story got its hooks deep into my flesh. Despite my initial misgivings, I’ve come to love this game completely. Long-time fans, series newcomers, RPG enthusiasts, hear me now: Final Fantasy XVI is the platonic ideal of FF games. They don’t get better than this.
Crash Team Rumble is a surprisingly great multiplayer. The simple premise is compelling and fosters a more-ish cycle. Each of the characters is well-designed and gives gameplay options that allow you to strategize during bouts. The lack of single-player content, multiplayer modes, and the inclusion of a battle pass is disappointing, however, the core gameplay is a ton of fun and is definitely worth a spin.
Overall, the game is too easy and you can complete it in around 4 hours. Still, there’s a lot of fun to be had. Especially if you grew up in the Atari era or are a big fan of the Atari 2600 era of gaming.
As with each generous and engaging new expansion, there is an abundance of excellent content to experience. Appealing new companions, distinctive new zones, and fantastical monsters are paired with a useful and fun-to-play Arcanist class. Necrom’s main quest is more mystical than political this time around, and there are some extra-challenging encounters out in the wild. As always I come away from The Elder Scrolls Online both impressed and disheartened that I don’t have more time to play.
Aliens: Dark Descent nails the tone and tension of the movie franchise. Its genre-fluid mechanics are clever, too, and provide some unexpected challenges and opportunities. A very slow, creaky start and some consistent technical issues hold it back from the top spot, but Aliens: Dark Descent is still appealing for fans of the films and tactical action games in general.
Being my favourite entry in the STORY OF SEASONS series, A Wonderful Life is a wonderful game. If you are new to the STORY OF SEASONS series, A Wonderful Life is an excellent place to start. Having previous knowledge of how the game works can be an advantage but there isn’t anything you can’t learn. All you need to do is work hard and make the most out of every day – but most importantly, have fun while doing so. And if you’re like me, you’ll fall in love with everything the game has to offer and find the Forgotten Valley is truly an unforgettable place.
Trepang 2 has a pretty narrow focus, but it does the bloody first-person combat genre proud. Kudos to developer Trepang for doing a few things really well and not trying to make the next Call of Duty clone. Trepang 2 borrows a few ideas from F.E.A.R. and snags some mechanics from classic shooters, and the result is both fresh and familiar fun.
For every infrequent good idea, Crime Boss: Rockay City seems determined to undermine it. First-person roguelike mechanics in a narrative-focused game is an intriguing concept, but between bugs, bland performances, and rote action, the killer concept is dead on arrival.
Dordogne is a gentle and comfortable adventure that manages to capture an authentic quality. The intriguing narrative threads are thoughtfully implemented to allow you to tie strands together. Gameplay aspects are rudimentary and at times feel unnecessary, however, they do help make the jaw-dropping environments feel alive. While at times you may wish that Mimi could run, that thought seems to dissipate as you take in the beautiful surroundings. Although this is not for everyone, those who enjoy narrative-driven games will fall in love with Dordogne.
F1 23 covers a lot of bases. The 2023 version offers a variety of ways to play the game depending on your skill level and preferences. It is a good iteration for newcomers to jump into and the greater depth of options will satisfy the needs of veterans.
Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is the best arcade-inspired baseball game on the market. It also does a great job with its simulation aspects while keeping the Super Mega Baseball form. My favorite part of the game, aside from its strong gameplay, is the amount of customization there is. Whether you want to customize players, teams, leagues, or difficulty levels, there is something you can change. Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is a great baseball videogame experience, especially if you want a departure from the MLB.
Amnesia: The Bunker lacks the story-telling and emotional heft of the previous games in the series. But, if you are in the mood for a scary and tense game of cat and mouse, this game will satisfy your needs.
I love these RPGs. I’m psyched that they’ve come to the Nintendo Switch, and I’m overjoyed that they’ve been improved upon. But still, I recognize that these are difficult, imposing, extremely retro games. To say they’re not for everybody is a slight understatement. Even so, if you’ve always wanted to check out the Etrian Odyssey franchise, this is a perfect opportunity. With a little patience, and an open mind, you might find your new favorite series.
In Tanta We Trust is conceptually a bit odd. While it can be played as a stand alone game, it wouldn’t make sense to do so. On the other hand, players who have beaten Forspoken may not appreciate the pared down mechanics and small scope. There is a way to access the new content from the main game’s campaign, which probably makes the most sense, making it feel almost like a robust side mission. In any case, In Tanta We Trust is neither significantly better or worse than Forspoken, but very much of a piece with it.
Nocturnal has a strong core mechanic that generates some interesting puzzles and game play. Aside from that, the environments and story aren’t especially interesting, and while there is progression and a bit of depth, there’s some frustration, too. Nocturnal does a lot with its basic premise, but the rest of the game feels like an afterthought.
Experienced platformer and puzzle game players will have seen Planet of Lana’s mechanics before, maybe executed with more style or depth. What they won’t have seen is art quite as affecting or heard music that’s so in sync with the visuals. Planet of Lana is only around six hours long. More than that, and the lack of combat or missing originality in the puzzles might be an issue. Planet of Lana is an artistic, beautiful game with just enough satisfying gameplay to keep the player moving from one lovely scene to the next.
Of all the possible stories to tell in the wide universe of Star Trek, Resurgence picks a good one. It takes place in the “present” of the story, and while it has some fun with cameos, it doesn’t overdo them. It presents a galaxy in a time of uneasy peace, and a diverse Federation crew. I would certainly recommend Resurgence to anyone who loves Star Trek. If you’re a curious non-Trekkie well, how much can you tolerate quick time events? Because by the ancients there are a lot of them. But this reviewer didn’t mind one bit.
In the end, Convergence: A League of Legends Story is a game about choosing who you want to be and forging bonds with others. No one can save the world alone. Isolation will only make you lose sight of what you were trying to save. It’s also a game about how awesome time-bending parkour is, and I respect that.
Loop8: Summer of Gods started so promisingly. It has an extremely compelling narrative, and gorgeous visuals. I loved how the story tied into the gameplay structure. But all of the JRPG elements are way too light. The combat is pure trash, and devoid of almost any strategy. And every loop after the first few became an aggravating chore. By the end of Loop8: Summer of Gods, I was only playing for the story.