Game8's Reviews
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the best Call of Duty games in recent years, complete with an actually fun and memorable Campaign, a Zombies Mode that follows the original tried and tested round-based formula, and your typical CoD multiplayer experience. As we’ve come to expect from this franchise, its gameplay, audio, and visuals are among the best in the genre. However, long-time issues that have plagued the franchise for years like cheating and Skill-Based Matchmaking still remain for now.
MOUTHWASHING is a rare horror gem that taps into psychological fears rather than relying on cheap thrills. Its ability to unsettle and disturb is enhanced by an ever-shifting visual style that reflects the characters' fragile minds. Although short in length, the game compensates with a memorable experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. The overall execution of story, atmosphere, and gameplay earns MOUTHWASHING its place for being one of the most thought-provoking horror experiences in recent memory.
Spiral is a masterfully emotional game that delivers an impactful narrative, but it’s not without its shortcomings. While the game’s strengths lie in its storytelling and character dynamics, there are moments where the pacing can drag, and the lack of a consistent guide, such as Elfie, detracts from the experience. Still, it’s a beautiful journey worth taking for anyone seeking a narrative-driven experience.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a remake of a 30-year-old classic that, much like its inheritance system, preserves and inherits the best traits of the original while improving upon its visuals, combat, and overall experience. Though some of the original issues remain, it serves as an excellent entry point for newcomers to the SaGa franchise and stands as a timeless classic that will never be forgotten.
Kill Knight excels in its unforgiving, skill-based gameplay, but its high difficulty may alienate more casual players. Its strengths lie in its challenging, but fair, design that rewards players who invest time in learning the mechanics. However, the repetitive level design and lack of enemy variety hold it back from reaching its full potential.
AWAKEN - Astral Blade is an excellent metroidvania that will surely turn heads upon its release. Not only does it look great, but it also plays incredibly well and has a very engaging story to boot. It’s the kind of game that’s hard to drop once you start playing, as it maintains its captivating pace consistently, leaving only very few moments to rest at very opportune moments.
SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS is the best of both worlds, where you can re-experience the greatness of Sonic Generations while being able to play a new game focused on Shadow the Hedgehog. It’s a great audiovisual experience as well, as the graphics have been upgraded and feature more of the franchise’s adrenaline-pumping soundtrack. Other than remastering an already great game in its own right, it adds more story content and introduces more gameplay mechanics for our favorite anti-hero, which we definitely need more of.
Card-en-Ciel is a roguelite deckbuilder that teeters on the edge of feeling more like a rhythm game. Its audiovisuals are so peppy and animated that it’s hard to associate them with the dark tones roguelikes and roguelites usually embrace. In fact, the audio is so well-developed that there are 300 unique cards with voices that can interact with each other, as well as 50 distinct, mechanically important songs! Unfortunately, the story delivery leaves a lot to be desired, and the game can become repetitive rather quickly. It’s also rather expensive for what it offers.
Unknown 9: Awakening suffers from a clear disconnect between its mechanics, genre, story, and ambition as a AA to AAA title. On one hand, it hints at being a semi-decent action-adventure game with its visuals and okay world-building—forgettable, but at least functional. On the other hand, the combat feels flat, the stealth is clunky, the experience is rife with bugs, and the story is hard to follow, making it difficult to appreciate from any angle. Altogether, this results in a subpar experience that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone anytime soon.
In Ys X: Nordics, we journey back to the formative years of the legendary series, where a young 17-year-old Adol finds himself embarking on yet another thrilling escapade. While the story unfolds really slowly and is quite simple, it compensates with a vibrant cast of characters that truly brings the adventure to life. Among this ensemble is Karja, who shines as one of the most compelling female characters in the series to date. Her dynamic presence alongside Adol elevates the narrative, and I can’t help but hope to see her return in future installments.
TMNT Mutants Unleashed is a decent 3D beat ‘em up that has its hits and misses. It has a surprisingly unique progression system that works since it builds up on existing characters while building the world around the main cast. However, its gameplay problems, missed opportunities, and not-so-great voice acting do more harm than good. It’s quite clear that the target audience is for the younger generation similar to the film, and not a lot of people might appreciate its simple gameplay, stylistic and cartoony visuals, and snarky dialogue.
The Road Ahead excels in capturing the tense atmosphere of the A Quiet Place franchise, but it struggles with some notable issues. The pacing is a double-edged sword, creating immersion but sometimes dragging on too long. While the survival mechanics add depth, the story falls short of reaching its emotional potential, making it hard for some moments to stick with you. Add to that the dated visuals and occasional performance issues, and the game ends up feeling a bit uneven. However, it still manages to deliver a unique survival experience, setting itself apart from other post-apocalyptic games through its focus on sound and silence. For fans of the franchise, it’s worth playing, but it may not fully captivate those who aren’t already invested in the world.
Super Mario Party Jamboree accomplishes its goal in showing new ways for you to enjoy the chaos that is Mario Party. The new mechanics in the main Party Mode introduce more variance to the already unpredictable game. However, some of these additions are a classic case of quantity over quality. The game has over a hundred different mini games included in it, but not all of them are hits. To add to this, the standalone games are other examples of what should’ve been in the main game mode, while some feel unfinished or need to be tweaked a little more.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure feels like the first true Life is Strange game since LiS 2, but mainly due to it mostly borrowing the lightning-in-a-bottle formula the original game had. From the gigantic expectations placed upon it, being the series’ first sequel, it plays it safe and ‘familiar’ to try to satisfy old and new fans alike, but has some troubles getting the angle right. From its execution, Double Exposure is objectively the best developed LiS game, from its storytelling, characters, art, graphics, and music, but finishes with its main subject out of focus, and any core themes being left off frame.
Neva stands as a testament to the potential of video games to convey powerful stories through stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and heartfelt narrative design. It masterfully crafts a tale that’s both intimate and expansive, drawing players into a world that is as beautiful as it is tragic. While the game’s length might leave some craving a longer experience, and certain scenes could benefit from a more pronounced emotional impact, these are minor imperfections in a work that largely excels in every aspect. The relationship between Alba and Neva forms the heart of the game, and it’s this connection that makes the journey unforgettable.
Blazing Strike is an okay fighting game but is held back by a ton of dated game design choices. Regardless if it was intentional or not, the game just simply lacks content to appeal to potential players. It may have been a great game a few years or even decades ago. Even if the game looks amazing in terms of visuals, players will definitely lose interest quickly since there’s not much to do in the game.
Europa is a game that’s fun enough to play but hard to miss, and not for the lack of trying. It’s clear that this game had some pedigree behind its creative team, as evidenced by its great visuals and equally stunning audio. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, a game has to be engaging, and Europa simply could not deliver on that front, at least not in a way that makes it worth remembering.
Aside from decent audiovisuals, finding words beyond “average” to describe this game is almost as tough as 1cc’ing Perfect Cherry Blossom’s Phantasm stage—and trust me, I’ve done that. It’s no longer a roguelike or even a roguelite anymore, either. In many ways, it’s a direct downgrade from its predecessors, which were much better games with a lot more heart.
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire takes you on an emotional flight, and while there are a few turbulence bumps along the way, it soars to a remarkable landing. A true love letter to classic JRPGs, it blends a modernized turn-based system with fun exploration and a cast of unique characters. This game really sticks the landing and takes off into the skies of nostalgia while charting a fresh course forward.
Metaphor: ReFantazio isn't just a game; it's Atlus’ magnum opus. The game surpasses its influences, Persona and SMT, not by overshadowing them but by standing on their shoulders, blending the best of their legacies into something that feels both familiar and entirely fresh. With its breathtaking visuals, innovative gameplay, and complex storytelling, this game doesn’t just honor the JRPG legacy and genre—it ReDefines it. Every moment feels meticulously crafted, with each piece fitting perfectly into a grander vision. Without a doubt, this is not just the JRPG of the decade—it’s a fantasy masterpiece that stands tall with no equal.