Jordan Samuel
I finished Hellblade: Senua Sacrifice with the biggest smile on my face, as the story and world engrossed me with vivid imagery for years to come. Understanding Senua's mental state, was great. I want more of the creepy storyline and that is a win in my book. It feels like a game handcrafted with care, as each sound and motion captured element propels the story forward.
Playing through Agents of Mayhem is a mixed bag, with great ideas thrown out the window in favor of explosions, and the creative messages lost in the process. The game ends up feeling unfinished.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) is a fantastic sequel aside from the controversial transactions and quite terrible marketing campaign. It follows up Mordor effortlessly with the expanded nemesis system, being the best mechanics in current generation video games. It can sometimes get bogged down with confusing mission placement and skill requirements for story progression. Tolkien fans will be happy as the lore is expanded upon and newcomers are set to enjoy an insight into the famous world
South Park: Fractured but Whole is an excellent addition to the franchise, while it doesn't share the silly glee from the original. Overall content quality and improved gameplay make up for the less funny story elements. It does new things with the excellent battle engine, character attributes and fart magic push it into new territory. The Fractured but Whole is another superb sequel!
Ubisoft takes a few pointers from the open-world brothers with clear inspiration taking from The Witcher 3, Destiny and Far Cry. Robbing ideas which limit Bayek from having a signature experience, but in today's climate, I can take that because the 30+ adventure was a great one!
Despite a few new ideas and sublime soundtrack, I cannot for recommend picking up Sonic Forces on any platform until a low bargain bin sale. It's just embarrassing the iconic character hasn't been given the right treatment in his next generation debut, perhaps 3D sonic games are over? Or the franchise needs to stay buried.
A few neat ideas a sprinkled throughout the latter half of Star Wars: Battlefront II with the story being competent in going through famous areas in the universe, the game is solid at the core but the needless microtransactions and terrible locked content keep it from being outstanding. I wanted to love it but left feeling used and abused despite fun times had
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 while doesn't deviate from the successful LEGO formula but adds enough new content and fun for multiple ages. Boss fights and the complex game design might not set the world on fire, but the diverse characters make it worth the admission price. Hopefully, we get more wholesome game like these from the geniuses at TT Games
Rockstar Games tackling the handheld version with so much care is worth the full price: with Cole Phelps adventures in LA getting a new lease on life.
I can see right ideas, but ultimately the Last Frontier feels like a demo for greater things to come, the apes behave like the actual movie versions but lacks the needed detail. In a nutshell, a good experience is deep inside the game but final results needed more cooking in the oven.
Monolith Soft creates a solid sequel in the anticipated Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which brings a more streamlined RPG experience to audiences, but the odd design elements do limit it from being a classic.
Steep: Road to the Olympics brings enough to the table for the price and should tide fans over until the next snowboarding title. The expansion is a solid little Christmas stocking filler for people needing a taste of the iconic Winter Games, without the real dangers and costs.
Monster Hunter World is the best game in a long-running franchise and should be recommended for newcomers to jump into a grandiose world. The stunning visuals and monsters to slay, push into new territory with next-gen consoles, as everything just feels more alive.
Yakuza 6: Song of Life is the most heartfelt entry in franchise history, giving Kiryu his final goodbye for a future series without him in the lead.
Far Cry 5 does not change the genre, in fact, embraces what made it a favorite series with the audience creating their adventure within beautiful surroundings.
While some might not like the grounded take, long-term fans should be engrossed in the changes and outstanding story elements! The god of war has returned and brings with him the best video game experience in the last decade, without question a masterclass in the PS4 echo system
Detroit tells an impactful story about equality and the pace technology grows in society, while there are problems in terms of tone. Quantic Dream pushes the console to its max while providing a solid adventure for fans and newcomers!
The sequel is a total mixed bag, filled with odd design choices and pointless campaign race that don't match the tone.
A perfect slice of Yakuza life, with added toppings of humour and a badass crime story.
Insomniac Games have created the most immersive superhero game in a decade, which lays the groundwork for more Spidey adventures.