COGconnected
HomepageCOGconnected's Reviews
Metal Eden is free of mission creep, focusing on refined movement, breakneck speed and punchy combat. It does those things well, embedded in an interesting fiction and shiny cyberpunk environments. A few objectives and systems aren’t always clear, and the game’s linear design and rigid mission structure could use some breathing room, as it starts to feel a bit repetitive. All in all, Metal Eden is a fun, fast and furious sci-fi shooter and will definitely appeal to fans of the genre.
If you’re a fan of Space Adventure Cobra, or looking for more 2D action platform games, then Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening is worth your time. Maybe just wait until it’s on sale.
Lost Soul Aside’s sometimes excellent action is undercut by flat characters, cliche story, terrible writing and rough mechanics.
Its ultimate message about humanity caught in endlessly repeating tragic loops has some weight. For gamers willing to take on its challenges and solve its mysteries, Hell is Us has a lot to offer.
The combat and bosses are undeniably fun, but I kept wishing the mechanics had a little more depth, and the world had more detail. At around $20, the balance between content and price might be, unfortunately, up for debate for many gamers.
There’s a lot of great stuff in Echoes of the End, but it’s impossible to ignore what doesn’t work as well.
The game looks and performs just as it did back in 2022. I hesitate to recommend something so expensive, but the game is still a lot of fun. Returning fans won’t want to miss this one, however. Star-Crossed World is a delightful addition to an already excellent Kirby game.
Is it perfect? No. The choice system needs a rethink, the pacing could use tightening, and the life-sim tasks sometimes cross the line from immersive to plain tedious. But for those willing to put in the hours, Varlet rewards you with a world worth exploring and characters worth caring about.
Unfortunately, the PS5 port is almost the same experience as the Switch and PC versions. It just has the expected visual upgrade that comes with a more powerful console. But it’s a treat to finally have this fantastic game on all modern consoles.
I wish we had the ability to remap controls, but overall, Reloaded did an excellent job of scratching a nostalgic itch I didn’t even know I had. If there are plans to remaster Gears 2 and 3, I’ll be there, Lancer in hand.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is nothing short of incredible. Its layered combat system lets you stylishly cut down foes, while clever level design delivers platforming challenges that make full use of your abilities. The difficulty is demanding yet fair, rewarding you for learning and responding to enemy attacks. More than just a worthy reboot, it feels like the ideal starting point for Sega’s wider revival.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is an authentic recreation of a masterpiece. Each aspect of the visuals has been beautifully and faithfully modernized with painstaking attention to detail.
For those looking for an experience that sidesteps common trends, this is absolutely worth your time.
At this point, The Prince of Persia is more a vague character concept than a game franchise, but it keeps inspiring developers in new directions, and that’s a win for gamers.
The music is chill, the vistas are fabulous, and the vibes are immaculate. If you’re looking for a short, singular gameplay experience, Sword of the Sea will be perfect for you.
Abyssus is a solid title, and one that I expect to return to over and over until I complete it. While there are some aspects that could be improved, they won’t deter me from coming back to the post-launch content when those eventually release as well.
I have to try really hard to find anything to critique about Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant. It’s a turn-based JRPG, with an innovative combat system that hits all the right nostalgia buttons.
For the patient adventurer looking for something heartfelt between the sword swings, Noctuary is a little gem well worth playing.
But if you have any nostalgic love for the original games, then please pick this collection up for yourself, and for the sake of future Nightdive remaster projects.
Unfortunately, persistent bugs, inconsistent commentary, glitchy menus, and occasional game logic flaws keep it from reaching true greatness.