Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is a fantastic blend of turn-based and action RPG combat with an engrossing storyline. The chemistry between the cast works nicely and is reminiscent of something like Lupin III or Cowboy Bebop, where the ensemble cast allows everyone to shine. The brisk battle system keeps combat engaging, while alchemy makes weapon and item forging satisfying...
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demons ignores everything that fans are looking for in a Bayonetta game to deliver a charming and deeply-emotional experience. Players who are only interested in the traditional Bayonetta experience might want to skip this, but those who are willing to see the familiar character in a completely different context will be rewarded for their open mindedness. The...
Tchia is a terrific ode to New Caledonia that’s sadly hampered by a bloated and standard open-world design that tries to do too much. Still, even if the gameplay isn’t wholly original, there’s fun to be had here, with truly impressive sights and sounds that can make the archipelago a delight to explore at times. Just try to maintain some focus as you navigate the numerous distractions and you’ll experience...
It may have been sold on seemingly every platform on the planet, but finally we have a proper remake to the 2005 classic. Every square inch of Resident Evil 4 has been remade with incredible detail. There’s new side quests to take care of, such as mini-boss fights, and optional backtracking to open up the three major areas, allowing each to feel lived in. There are locations that have been removed...
2K and Visual Concepts continue to show commitment to this franchise in WWE 2K23 by making necessary gameplay changes and additions to an already-strong core that was established last year. WWE 2K23 then pushes the graphical fidelity forward to the point that it possibly surpasses its NBA 2K counterpart in the grand spectrum of things. The big help coming with cleaning up previous nuisances with the...
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen was the evolution Destiny 2 needed with its great story, revamped campaign structure and enough interesting activities to keep players excited. Destiny 2: Lightfall only had to follow that template and continue building toward the ultimate conclusion of this saga. It doesn’t, delivering a threadbare story and a dangerously-low amount of new content for its cost. The story...
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a title previously confined to the annals of gaming history. Never having been localized outside of Japan when originally released, this remastered installment is a fantastic opportunity for new and established fans of the franchise to get acquainted with Fatal Frame. Offering wonderfully smoothed-out character models and textures, the remaster spruces up the...
Relic has taken everything that makes the first two games great and made sufficient additions to help Company of Heroes 3 succeed in this renaissance of RTS titles. While the visuals are improved and more detailed effects are there, the overall look still feels dated and the lacking performance hampers the experience. Having two campaigns is an awesome direction and while one is more streamlined than...
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a dark fantasy take on the Three Kingdoms. The difficulty is high, almost seeming insurmountable at first, but part of what makes Wo Long great is how the difficulty isn’t unfair. The gameplay is structured where players are rewarded for learning the fighting style of their enemies and using their mastery of their own skills against them. It can be frustrating and requires...
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a wonderful remaster with a good amount of love put into it. While it may not be as vast as last year’s new Forgotten Land title, it has a lot to offer players, especially those who may not have touched it before. Those who have previously played Return to Dream Land might not have much to look forward here unless they’re a hardcore fan, but those who like Kirby...
Perhaps if Scars Above had put more work into the areas where our lead heroine has to explore this strange world and analyze it more in order to solve various puzzles, basically letting her be the scientist she is, it could have been vastly better overall, or at least help give it a better identity to help it stand out more. Instead, Scars Above settles for being a generic third-person action game...
Atomic Heart is an “everything and the kitchen sink” type of adventure that feels like it should explode from the weight of its ambitions, yet keeps it together through a combination of good pacing of new elements and a deeply likeable world. The Major actually comes across as a decent person, upset at hearing about people dying and loyal to those who have helped him, and Granny Zina owns any scene...
Exactly what fans of the series have come to expect, whilst still providing one or two interesting deviations in gameplay along the way, Like A Dragon: Ishin! fuses familiar traits with a delightfully-versatile combat system to great effect. Those worried that a game both spin-off in nature and far-flung from the series’ present day roots would feel too isolated should take comfort from the fact this...
Wild Hearts offers a fresh take on the monster hunting formula. The nature infused Kemono are an original approach to monster designs and some of them look so majestic you almost feel bad about killing them. Azuma is a gorgeous location, and using the different forms of the Karakuri to travel gives exploration a unique quality. The Karakuri in general really what sets Wild Hearts apart from other monster...
Already a masterstroke of design and execution on original release, Metroid Prime Remastered goes one better in cementing Retro’s debut Metroid outing as one of gaming’s greatest evolutions of a series. Still as brilliant to replay all these years later, now with added customization and improved technical details that are unmatched on the Switch at present. It may not ease us of Prime 4‘s ongoing absence,...