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Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop provides an interesting mechanic simulator and expects you to figure things out as you go. This is the perfect undertaking if you’re a fan of taking things apart to see how they tick and diagnosing issues. The difficulty can be a little offputting, especially when you think you’re doing well, but that’s all part of the job.
As awesome as it was back in the early 2000s, the many improvements made in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake breathe new life into the franchise and help to make it a more enticing affair for fans of the genre and beyond. It still remains a deep and comprehensive experience, but the options to learn and tweak stuff boost the accessibility to a new level, making this trip back to ancient China one well worth taking.
With so many great RPGs competing for your time this year – especially on the Switch – Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a worthwhile return to one of Nintendo’s novel ideas for red and green plumbers. There are plenty of great Mario & Luigi games, but Brothership cements itself as one of the better ones thanks to an excellent battle system, an engaging story, and a joyous approach to the history of this series and Mario as a whole.
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure is the ultimate comfort food for fans of the 2015 title. It focuses on all the exciting and enjoyable things about the first game in the series while also adding a unique twist on gameplay that improves an already enticing storyline. Even if it is devoid of a certain foul-mouthed, blue-haired rocker girl, fans will certainly still find plenty to love in this sequel.
With a runtime of 8-12 hours, LEGO Horizon Adventures is an entertaining spinoff that should be seen as an evolution of the beloved LEGO formula but comes short when it comes to populating levels with meaningful things to do and see or alleviating the repetitiveness that becomes more apparent in a shorter adventure. There is value in this more approachable take on PlayStation’s first-party IPs, and is something I hope to see for other games like Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and more, but only if the right balance can be found with these building blocks.
The biggest surprise of Ys X: Nordics is that it didn’t just give me the Ys game I was expecting, and I did love that. Sure, not everything it tried (ship-based traversal, multi-island exploration) quite worked, but it was a new experience. I’m exceedingly happy to see a series that has been going since 1987 continue to grow and change. If nothing else, picking this up gets you a solid action RPG, even if you might not jive with everything the game attempts.
One of the best parts of Vampire Hunters is that it can be enjoyed in small bursts. It uses the usual mechanic of getting harder over time, but in the early game, you’ll probably be making it under 10 minutes and then buying upgrades to improve future runs. The dual modes also make the game easy to pick up and play as you get two flavours of a fun game to progress. This game is perfect for Vampire Survivors fans, and I like seeing where the bullet heaven genre is heading.
Sonic X Shadow Generations takes one of the best 3D Sonic games and packages it with one of the best Shadow experiences in some time. This package has so much value for those who have yet to experience Sonic Generations. Even if you have, Sonic X Shadow Generations is worth the double-dip if you love speeding around in 3D. It isn’t free of some of the original issues that held Generations back all those years ago, but Sonic X Shadow Generations is a confident reminder that 3D Sonic has always had the potential to be genuinely excellent.
Gimmick! 2 is a short experience with only six levels, but that won’t feel like the case if you are not willing to buy into its design choices. The assisted mode should help more casual players get into it, but at its heart, this is a platforming trial that may look simple but has much more to offer.
With each milestone hit in Metaphor: ReFantazio, there is a growing feeling that Atlus has reached the zenith of its craft. Having already delivered excellent RPGs in the past, the systems and coherence of everything else in this latest adventure are just on another level, helped by a much more mature story that touches on relatable themes and beliefs and motivates players with actual purpose and the ability to change things. It is not often that a game can bring enjoyment as you play through it, while triggering questions aplenty about your ideals and how everything fits into the complex worlds both in and outside of it. That is the core of Metaphor: ReFantazio, and it shines brilliantly.
At a glance, there is something there with what Dead Season is trying to achieve. The premise has plenty of meat to offer, but that is contingent on the systems working well together to create real challenges that ultimately feel fair. It need not look or sound the best, but at the very least, it shouldn’t feel this unfair, even if we are facing the apocalypse of the undead horde.
While it is not breaking the mould or bringing groundbreaking innovations to the genre, G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra serves a particular audience and does it admirably. There is always a bunch of Cobra henchmen waiting to be trounced, and the license is put to work in all the best ways. If the developers can find a way to freshen things up in the various stages more and hasten their plans for console ports, then it will certainly help make the game more comparable to contemporaries which are more fleshed out.
Setting out to modernise a true classic, the Silent Hill 2 remake essentially achieves its goals of refining an already great experience into something better. The environments engender that sense of fear and trepidation, and the worldbuilding makes it impossible not to take another step into the nightmare. Combat feels much more fluid and exciting, and having everything look and sound so good only draws you in even more, even down to the campy dialogue that has benefitted from better delivery. Yes, the padding during the puzzle sections is hard to ignore and breaks up the otherwise excellent pacing, but the Silent Hill 2 remake is still an excellent addition to the genre, one that very fan of the genre must try to see what makes it so special.
It remains a recurring argument, even as NBA 2K25 comes together as a complete basketball package that can be considered in the echelons of all-time greats. The gameplay is fantastic, the presentation is top-notch, and it is wonderful to see how the team continues to iterate and improve the fundamentals of the series. If only there was a way to remove attribute-padding with virtual currency, but alas, that day may never come, and we are all the poorer for it.
In what has become an annual exercise, the already enjoyable gameplay of the series continues to be both a pro and a con, but with FC IQ being a feature that actually makes a tangible difference in EA Sports FC 25, it is easier to recommend new entry as something veterans should check out. The increased focus on Career Mode is undoubtedly welcome, as is the expanded use of women’s football, but everything else comes down to how you feel about marginal gains. In high-level sports, that can make all the difference, but in video games, it just might not be significant enough for you to join the team.
In essence, there is much to like about Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. Capcom has kept to its word in delivering an enhanced adventure for Frank, upping the ante when it comes to graphics, the zombie horde, and the crimson-filled action throughout. Smart tweaks make it easier to hold out over the 72 hours, and the progression system remains a good motivator in pushing players to the end. Unfortunately, there are also some issues that still crop up every once in a while, but they shouldn’t get in the way of enjoying a nostalgic romp through the Willamette Parkview Mall in 2024.
Space Marine 2 is a sequel I never expected to happen, but it has indeed done the original justice. I booted my PS3 up once I finished the campaign just for a comparison, as it had been years since I played the original, and I thought the sequel had changed something up. Nope, it is a faithful (and extremely well-made) sequel that fans of the original will certainly enjoy.
From its first reveal to finally putting down the controller and collecting the Platinum trophy for Astro Bot, it has been a delightful experience that infuses lovely nostalgia with a perfect package of gameplay, design, and a true celebration of the genre and the history of PlayStation. Even with our high expectations, Astro Bot has smashed them to pieces en route to becoming a powerhouse that rivals the all-time classics. This is one of the best games of the year, and everyone who can should find a way to play it.
That said, if you are willing to invest the time and effort to follow through on the story of Kay Vess in this particular period of Star Wars, there is much to get out of it. Underworld intrigue, systems that work well with each other to entice players to do more, and the interesting reputation system that figures into most actions you will take all help to create a true sense of progression both in a narrative and gameplay sense. Whether it will hold your attention is one thing, but at the very least, Star Wars Outlaws will have you shouting dank farrik out of astonishment and frustration during your journey to the top.
When it comes to the execution of its vision, Dustborn might not necessarily score high marks, but at the very least, the approach to gameplay is more than laudable, helping to deliver its messages in fresh and more engaging ways than most. Whether you are receptive to that is another matter, but it is always good to see something out of the box, and that is exactly what you’ll be getting when you join Pax and the crew on this road trip to remember.