Spongebob: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to platforming, and much of its gameplay feels every bit as old as its 2003 counterpart. But what Rehydrated gets right is preserving what made the original so special, while also bringing the visuals up to date in dazzling fashion.
Star Wars: Squadrons balances fun with complexity to deliver a robust star-fighter sim. While it often is conflicted in how it wants to present itself to players, Squadrons offers enough of the Star Wars fantasy to be enjoyable. While playable on a standard monitor or TV, Squadrons should really be experienced with a nice VR headset and a flight stick.
Pumpkin Jack oozes with ghoulish delight that is a must-play for any fan of Halloween. While there are some nitpick issues I had with the game's combat, the music, humorous dialogue and beautiful art direction make it hard to find much to dislike about Pumpkin Jack.
Subnautica: Below Zero is not as large as 2014's Subnautica but it is as deep. Between its fantastically mysterious story to its compelling biome, Below Zero builds upon what made the first game strong while being unique all on its own. The on-land segments of the game were pretty lackluster overall, which was slightly disappointing; but for a game that is all about discovering what lies beneath, Subnautica: Below Zero is a breath of fresh air.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite encapsulates everything Aliens. From the iconic sound of pulse rifles tearing through hordes of Xenomorphs to plenty of "IT'S GAME OVER, MAN" quotes being thrown out in party chats, Fireteam Elite is a ton of fun. Mission variety, a lackluster campaign, and wonky AI teammates bring the game down from being truly exceptional, but it's undeniable that the moment-to-moment gameplay with friends is worth the price of admission.
The Eternal Cylinder is a fun romp through a weird and wonderful world and I would consider it to be a must-play indie game for 2021. While its survival mechanics are typical of the genre, the transformative abilities of the Trebhum allow the player to get creative with their choices on how to survive and outrun the colossal cylinder bearing down on them.
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is a fun if not brief, epilogue to Horizon Forbidden West. Those looking for massive reveals may be a bit disappointed, but there's enough fleshed out in Burning Shores to make it a worthwhile play. Seyka jumps straight to the top of Aloy's best companions, and the Bilegut & Waterwing are awesome machine additions.
Overall, I found Infinite Warfare as a solid first step for the Call of Duty franchise as it heads into space, and is certainly worth checking out for the gameplay alone.
For Honor is a game that not only excels in it’s combat, but excels in it’s multiplayer execution. Nothing is more satisfying than challenging friends to a quick 1v1 battle to see who is the superior fighter, only to have your clock cleaned in a public match. While I found the story to be lackluster and more of a set of tutorial stages, there’s enough there to get players engaged with how the game operates. Multiplayer is the real crown jewel of For Honor, and is set to have players wanting more for the weeks and months ahead.
CoD: WWII's The Resistance DLC is a strong start to the DLC packs for WW2. While the highlight is certainly The Darkest Shore zombie map, the other four map additions are certainly welcome, and offer some much needed variety to the multiplayer mode.
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 isn't the best in the series, but it's solid enough to justify it's sequel monicker. Blackout is such an exhilarating take on the Battle Royale genre that it's hard to not recommend it to even casual fans. Zombies is engaging and fun, especially with its story, but I wish it took more liberties with its maps. Multiplayer is great for veteran Call of Duty players, but offers little to no innovation over previous entries in the series.
NBA 2K20 features the best gameplay to date with a plethora of content to chew into at launch. It'll be interesting to see how the game shapes up throughout the year, even after a shaky launch. Launch bugs/glitches aside, NBA 2K20 is one of the better entries in the series.
DragonBall Z: Kakarot isn't necessarily trying to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have to. After years of adding more and more "new" lore to the canon, it's nice to take a trip down memory lane and re-experience the characters and story that makes DragonBall so special. While the open world isn't necessarily the most engaging aspect of the game, the combat is epic and the characters are always entertaining. Simply put DragonBall Z: Kakarot is fun and is sure to please new and old fans alike.
Maneater perfectly embodies the fantasy of being a super-powerful shark to great effect, even if there are some small technical issues and rough-around-the-edges gameplay decisions. It never overstays its welcome and is fun to devour a few hours here and there.
Darq isn't the most difficult puzzle game out there, but it does excel in all uniqueness categories. Its greyscale art style adds to its overwhelmingly gothic vibe while providing puzzles that are difficult enough to force you to pause yet easy enough to solve. It's definitely something to check out, even if you won't be challenged to the fullest extent.
Stray's strength is delivering a fun gameplay experience in playing as one of the world's most adored animals. While its story isn't going to be attempting to say anything new about the world, it's hard to pass up the opportunity to play as a cat.
If you're looking for a JRPG on the PC, this one is certainly an option, but it would not be my first.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope isn't a long game by any measure, but what it delivers in its time is used effectively enough to purvey a sense of dread. While not necessarily a traditional horror game full of jump scares or horrific machinations, Little Hope attempts to deliver nuance in the style of an arthouse horror film. It mostly gets there depending on a player's choice, but overall it doesn't completely stick the landing. Little Hope's themes put in a 2020-context make it stand out as a horror title but otherwise, it offers very little in terms of true horror.
NBA 2K22 features the best gameplay in the series to date, but also succumbs to the weight of its other feature sets. While a step in the right direction in terms of gameplay, its over-reliance on a player's time or money (and sometimes both) continues to be the hurdle keeping the series from achieving new heights.
House of Ashes doesn't offer a new unique tale that I found with Little Hope or Man of Medan. I did enjoy my time playing through another The Dark Pictures Anthology tale, but it hasn't left an impact on me as a player as Little Hope did. Choices often felt inconsequential, and few and far between. Character development for all of the characters outside of Salim was underwhelming and disappointing, even though the backdrop of the Iraq War in 2003 was ripe for compelling character development.