Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a fine addition to the storied series, but it’s definitely made for a niche audience. I personally couldn’t put the game down for over two dozen hours, so despite its clunky menus, tedious upgrade system, and repetitive grinding, it’s doing something right.
Read MoreWith over 20 hours logged, I've traversed vibrant planets and chased after the promise of the ultimate big score. But as the novelty wore off, a harsh truth emerged: beneath its polished surface, Star Wars Outlaws is a missed opportunity, bogged down by repetitive gameplay and a narrative that struggles to find its footing. It’s a game that tantalizes with potential but ultimately leaves much to be desired.
Read MoreThis is one of the meatiest expansions I’ve ever encountered in a video game. All of the additions Shadow of the Erdtree makes are everything a soulslike fan could hope for, as they’ve delivered a challenging experience with fresh ideas not only in the boss encounters, but in the environments, enemy variety, and even new items that freshen up the co-op and even player versus player space. If you love Elden Ring, you should definitely not skip Shadow of the Erdtree.
Read MoreIt has been slim pickings for Nintendo fans recently in terms of first-party content. Even so, I would only recommend Endless Ocean Luminous to fans who are already madly in love with marine life and to whom spending countless hours swimming and scanning sounds like a relaxing evening, and not simply a meaningless grind.
Read MoreWhile Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has much to recommend it, especially for newcomers, in many ways it is a literal downgrade of a twenty-year-old classic.
Read MoreHellblade 2 feels like a living, breathing shapeshifter, manipulating its surroundings around the player with precision and consistency, making it one of the most visually stunning video games of this generation. This is an amazing title that carefully balances its artistic and gaming ambitions, a masterpiece that I encourage any gamer to experience.
Read MoreLittle Kitty, Big City has appropriately-sized ambitions, as it manages to be both grounded and lofty, keeping the player’s eyes scanning the city for open windows, holes in fences, nooks and crannies in which to hide, and vent pipes to climb. Exploration and character interactions are a joy, and I look forward to Double Dagger Studios’ next creation.
Read MoreIt’s easy to describe Animal Well as a puzzle-focused Metroidvania eschewing traditional combat, where nearly every room is a puzzle room, but that falls so far short of describing just what this game is and how expertly it defies genre and classification that it feels like a disservice. Animal Well is a paragon of the art form, a game that simply must be experienced.
Read MoreStellar Blade’s potential was clear, but as its ambitions expanded into something greater, it lost focus. As soon as Stellar Blade tries to bring everything together, it merges into a single figure that looks deformed and uneven. The quality is unquestionable but it wasn’t the final product I was slowly building in my head as I went through the game’s first half.
Read MoreIn the grand scheme of things, Capcom has delivered a sequel to make Dragon’s Dogma fans happy and wishing for more, but this isn’t a massive upgrade. Rather, it’s a modernization of the overall concept as the highs and lows of the first game mirror the sequel. If you can weather the storm that is Dragon’s Dogma 2, you might come out as one of the players who consider this one of the best RPG experiences they’ve ever played, or simply the worst.
Read MoreFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth was a joy to play from start to finish and is a title every FFVII fan should play as they’ve done an exceptional job at bringing to life the world outside Midgar. There are a lot of changes to the original, but they’re changes I find myself welcoming, as this has now been one of my favorite JRPG experiences in recent years.
Read MoreArrowhead Games Studios has delivered an impressive sequel that elevates the concept they introduced back in 2015, and has established a commendable foundation for a live service title. I can already see Helldivers 2 being at the top of people’s minds when they are faced with the question – do you have any co-op shooters to recommend?
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