Digital Chumps
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'NHL 25' is a good game. Don't get me wrong. The work and progress that the team has put into this year's release shows itself,,, However, I just don't know if this is enough of a step or leap forward to justify it for the average NHL fan or game player.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred from Blizzard is a worthy expansion that adds more than it subtracts. It continues a great story with compelling characters, introduces a new class, returns mercenaries, and provides additional content, making it more than just a simple DLC release.
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns adds a good amount of kontent for MK1. Price concerns aside, the additions of Sektor, Cyrax, and Noob Saibot should be seen as a blessing for MK fans. It remains to be seen about the future of MK1's story and the rest of the Guest Fighters coming soon, but this is a good step in the right direction for a larger-form kontent in year 2 of MK1.
For me, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of Souls games that I have played; I liked the old, and new, Lords of the Fallen better, and Lies of P — but Enotria is significantly better above Mortal Shell and Thymesia. Ultimately, I’m happy to recommend it.
Final Fantasy XVI from Square Enix is a marvelous experience that brings strong characters, a passionate and fiery revenge-driven story, and simplistic action that is just as easy to pick up and go. It’s one of the best Final Fantasy games in the series, and certainly a solid option for PC gamers.
God of War: Ragnarök from Santa Monica Studio and Sony Interactive Entertainment is a beast on the PC. It brings the same big adventure while sporting some of the most gorgeous graphics the game has shown to date.
This is all to say that the overall direction of Keylocker as a JRPG is top notch. It contains beautiful pixel art, excellent soundtrack, thorough worldbuilding, and difficult gameplay. It's only held back by a lack of optimization of its Switch port.
Marvel versus Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a superb release from Capcom. It has all the 90s Marvel/Capcom arcade classics, a decent Punisher game, and some goodies that were only featured in Japan (mainly Norimaro). The collection will please any gamer who enjoys classic fighters. The younger crowd may not love it, as fighting games have become more complicated and competitive, something not as prevalent in these, but it’s a great way to revisit some classics for those who enjoy doing so.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Demon’s Mirror. Whether you’re a hardcore deck-builder fan, or just a casual gamer looking for a fun experience, this game will not disappoint. The combat mechanics are immensely diverse and one could easily sink hours upon hours replaying runs. The game also comes with masterful art direction that is just clean and beautiful all around. Demon’s Mirror is a bit short, but it never overextends itself, which ultimately leaves the player wanting more. Be-Rad Entertainment has done a great job with this game and has certainly set itself up to expand upon it.
NBA 2K25 from developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K has a lot of intriguing and fun modes it offers from MyCareer to MyTeam, and MyGM, if you love that sort of control. It seems to have a nice spread of goods that caters to almost every basketball interest out there. Sadly, its need to stay online for single-player experiences and its need for smoother less animation-locked gameplay mechanics hurts the experience considerably.
Wild Bastards' bite-sized first-person shooter showdowns were a treat, especially when I was able to put together pairs of characters who complemented each other and made for something more than a simple shootout. A traditional shooter it is not, but its original gameplay loop and striking visuals make it a helluva good time.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection from Capcom is another wonderful entry in the Ace Attorney family. It brings a new style of gameplay, two great games, and the same amount of traditional difficulty that the series hangs its hat on.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions from developer Unbroken Studios finally brings a decent version of Quidditch to the video gaming world. While the controls are going to certainly frustrate some, especially when mixed with the chaotic Quidditch gameplay, the game does a decent job of bringing some good modes and reasons to keep playing. This is very much a vanilla beginning and hopefully, that can be improved in the coming months.
Star Trucker from developer Monster & Monster and publisher Raw Fury is a solid game and a fun concept. It does enough to keep you in a space truck’s cockpit with its skills tree, challenging hauls, and push to keep exploring space and its vastness. It certainly has some fixable shortcomings but has more positive than negative.
PGA Tour 2K25 from developer HB Studios and 2K Games is probably one of the best entries to the franchise in the last three years. It brings better gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and just enough modes to keep the game consistently interesting as you play. It is one of the better sports games to arrive in the last year.
Concord is an incredibly distinct PvP shooter in an incredibly busy space. Tight, polished gameplay drives its diverse cast along a number of memorable maps. Distinctly old-school in its execution, it is multiplayer game stripped of annoyance and packed with fun.
Charming, inventive, and constantly transforming, The Plucky Squire is not only a celebration of adventure and games, it's an exploration of creativity and art. Wildly distinct art styles and genres harmonize in this perspective-bending tale.
Gundam Breaker 4 from developer Crafts & Meister has more depth in its customization than with story and entertainment. While the latter won’t grab you and keep you in the gaming experience, the former will certainly have you hooked on how far you can take your Gunpla’s design and customization. Gundam fans and mech model enthusiasts will adore this title more than gamers dying for a rich and full gaming experience based on the Gundam brand.
Ninza has quite a bit going for it, most being positive. Its take on combat is refreshing, albeit requiring some mental burdens in relearning PvP that requires solely utilizing the environment to smoosh an enemy into smithereens. While I might have some reservations over how its cast of characters are implemented in-game, the UI, and its future content, one thing is clear: Ninza is quite the fun and addicting platform battler.
Underneath its charming exterior, WitchSpring R is a JRPG…it's just not evident of that classification until the 20th hour. At that point, it doesn't matter what genre it is, only that it keeps you fully engaged. From the lack of necessary grinding, hidden depth within its crafting system, and piecemeal sidequests, there's quite a bit of unique things to do in WitchSpring R on Pieberry's quest for pie. Thankfully, that charm persists until the very end.