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All in all, Ring of Pain is a different enough take on the card game genre that it’s definitely going to be a good time. While not perfect, it has enough lurking in its depths to keep you thinking “Okay, well just one more run!”
Despite the dark undertones, one might assume a game with the title of I Am Dead has, I certainly felt anything but. The narrative pulls you in immediately. The heartwarming stories you’ll discover are just as great. I didn’t want it to end. Even though I didn’t rush through it, I wish I had spent more time taking in the gorgeous scenery and story. Lately, it seems as though the world is on fire, so why not take some time to pick this up and let Morris and Sparky’s delightful adventure take you for a ride?
Partisans 1941 takes some getting used to in terms of controlling a squad while moving the camera around. The artistic graphics play off the brilliant lighting of the Unreal Engine and the diverse voice acting is believable for the setting. Daedalic Entertainment and Alter Games have come together to bring a perfect blend of stealth and RTS with a twist on history full of rich lore to discover.
I stand by that it plays as well as it ever has. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a proper representation of the sport. If EA Vancouver ever hopes to stand alongside the giants of the genre – NBA 2K and MLB The Show – they’ll need to rethink what simulation hockey really means.
Cake Bash delivers on both style and substance, the game is extremely cute and fun to play. The unique variety of mini-games keeps players engaged and allows Cake Bash to stand out from the crowd. The only downside is that the single-player experience may become a bit boring once you’ve mastered the gameplay. However, Cake Dash is a great party game to play locally or online, and is a refreshing take on these styles of games. If you are looking for a new way to connect with your friends or family, I think this would be an excellent choice. Cake Bash is as sweet as it looks.
While it seems strange at first, Phantom: Covert Ops has been one of my best experiences with VR to date. Despite playing the entire game from within a kayak and a formulaic narrative, the meat of the game comes from its impeccable mechanics and immersion.
Torchlight is a beloved dungeon-crawler that has carved out a place in the competitive genre. With a bright art style and story, it stands apart from its edgier cousins like Diablo and Path of Exile. The good news is that Torchlight 3 carries that torch very well, however, there is a regrettable shallowness to the game that fails to live up to its predecessors… and much of the answer seems to lie within the development of the game.
Every design choice made in this game is sensible and wrong at the same time. The motion controls are an essential feature that rob you of any capacity for precision movements. The courses themselves are marked by a ‘race track’ that enables navigation and interrupts your sense of elevation. The disappearing dialogue boxes keep cutscenes from feeling static while distracting you from what’s being said. VR Broom Racing constantly gets in its own way, and the game is somehow right to do so. If you’re looking for a well-designed magical racing game, Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing is just what you’re looking for. I’m just not sure you’ll enjoy it.
I think The Walking Dead Onslaught might come off more positively if we hadn’t just experienced the greatness of Saints and Sinners just a few months ago. That game felt much more involved and immersive, with a great story that left an impact. By comparison, The Walking Dead Onslaught feels thin, and lacking in that atmosphere of desperation we’d expect from spending some time in the zombie apocalypse. If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead franchise and hunger for more zombie killing, the missions, gameplay and story in The Walking Dead Onslaught are not bad. But if you’re looking for something deeper to sink your teeth into, stick with Saints and Sinners.
Schell Games have forged a winner. The swordplay gameplay feels real and the physics make for a challenging and fairly physically demanding game too. Add in the power-ups and abilities that can be added to each weapon and there is a play style available to suit every player’s needs.
I’ve played Pendragon dozens of times. I’ve unlocked most of the characters (I still can’t see to get Branwen the archer to trust me) and I know there are stories I haven’t pursued to their conclusions (Excalibur is out there, and I will find it). So rather than a traditional RPG or strategy game, Pendragon plays like an impressionistic take on a classic Nintendo formula. You’ll tell your own stories and if you play them right, the dream of Camelot will live on.
Being an ARPG on the shorter side, the different perspectives in Ys Origin offer excellent replayability and gives players a pleasant, rounded experience without bogging them down with too many details. Even though the repetitive grinding can be a mind-numbing task to gain experience points, at least the controls are fluid, making this an easy game to enjoy. As the prequel to an already successful franchise, Ys Origin is a highly recommended addition to the series that gamers new and old to the story should not ignore.
FIFA 21 is a complete package that will keep football fans hooked for the entire season. Although there are only a few small improvements, the tactical possibilities that these unlock are vast. With Dual Entitlement, meaning you can transfer your progress to next-gen consoles and the fact that it’s packed to the goalposts with content, FIFA 21 comfortably takes the golden boot for 2021.
The crux of Ride 4 clearly hangs in the gameplay. Veterans of the franchise and of motorsports will be engrossed with the latest entry in the series. Edging closer and closer to its real-life counterpart, the game is truly the finest rendition of the sport. Featuring a fleshed out career mode, which has choice at the forefront, will please fans who will be eager to do multiple playthroughs.
If you were looking to find a perfect replica of the Netflix series complete with an original storyline you won’t find that here. Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is plenty good fun if viewed as a standalone title but it’s hard not to compare it to the Netflix series and find it underwhelming. Now as a pre-teen or teen, Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is worth a playthrough for sure, especially with friends. As an adult, however, it’s probably not going to hold your attention very long; maybe just skip this one.
The dialogues between named characters and quest givers are equally dull. There was not a single moment of depth in any writing and all characters just spoke their mind and acted out their cliched character tropes. I definitely would not recommend this game for its storytelling.
Unrailed! is essential to absolutely anyone who loves arcade couch co-op games, and I will undoubtedly be playing this for years to come. All that’s left now is for you to grab a friend and go. How long can you hang on?
Sure, the visuals are not quite as crisp (especially in docked mode), but you’d have to be really looking to notice, or really care. No, this huge little game is a must-play on the Switch, and it is in every way a worthy successor to an iconic game classic.
In other words, Squadrons has a somewhat limited audience. I’m terrible at dogfights, but I’m motivated to get better. They’re a ton of fun, but they’re brutally tough. If that doesn’t appeal to you, best you learn it now, rather than later. For those of you starving for a proper Star Wars flight combat game, this is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Otherwise, you’re in for a rough ride, albeit an exciting one, with Star Wars: Squadrons.
Crash is back, baby! Fans can rejoice as Toys for Bob and Activision have come together to create platforming perfection.