Far Cry New Dawn hardly reinvents its core formula, for better or worse. The expected bits are all there, peppered with a few low-impact RPG elements. This isn’t an evolution of the franchise, but rather a more favorable pairing of gameplay and setting than past releases. New Dawn sure feels familiar, but it definitely knows how to have a good time.
Metro Exodus emerges from the underground to explore a world far more colorful than the Moscow railways. Exodus does a fine job of injecting larger spaces with familiar gameplay, even if the two don’t always compliment each other. The refocused survival aspects are welcome additions and add to the hopelessness of the post-apocalyptic setting. The game goes off the rails a bit due to abundant technical issues and restrictive movement that reveal the lack of AAA polish. Even with its lesser parts, Metro Exodus takes the franchise forward with an experience worth seeing through to the end.
Battlefield V is very much a work in progress. The core experience is thrilling and comes together beautifully with the right players. It’s a multiplayer offering that DICE could no doubt expand upon in the coming months with meaningful updates to put it more in line with community expectations. Once the balancing issues and technical problems become a thing of the past, Battlefield V will stand as one of the most engaging multiplayer experiences on the market.
Crossing Souls is teeming with personality, even if it all isn’t originally its own. It expertly weaves the nostalgic tones of 80s media, covering its lesser parts to an extent. The crew may not be as lively as the environments they find themselves in, but utilizing them for general platforming and combat is enjoyable enough. Crossing Souls will no doubt pique the interest of those currently enveloped in this re-emerging stylized culture.
Hob is Runic Games’ first, and only, departure from Torchlight. And by most accounts it is a success. Hob packs so much personality into its world despite never uttering a word, letting every carefully placed object and interaction speak for itself. The game loses itself in moments where its camera works against its own goals and the ease with which a player can become lost before grasping the layout. However, the competent combat and engaging puzzle solving save Hob and make it a notable platformer to lose yourself in.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War plays to the strength of its predecessor by doubling down on the Nemesis System. In a lot of ways, this works in the game’s favor. Creating rivalries and forced companionship out of the wildly eccentric hordes under Sauron is an absolute joy. Whether Talion is attacking strongholds or defending his own, these personalities punctuate the action. The height of this achievement quickly reveals the areas of Shadow of War that have fallen short, such as the narrative that dips into a monotonous grind and the overly cluttered systems present in the menus. Still, Shadow of War‘s attention builds itself around the Nemesis backbone and it succeeds more than it fails by doing so for the majority of this adventure.
Far Cry 6 is a familiar yet fun outing for the franchise. What Ubisoft has crafted generally fits within the confines of the blueprint first put into place in 2012’s Far Cry 3.
ZeniMax has largely adhered to their tried and true recipe for The Elder Scrolls Online story content. And while there is much success to be found, there is much that could be improved upon as we wrap up the year-long Shadow of Morrowind storyline bookending the Necrom chapter release. Looking ahead, it’s exciting to theorize what will come next. But for now, looking at Necrom as-is, we still have an amusing if by-the-books expansion drenched in the allure of the arcane arts and a truly stunning setting brought forth with Apocrypha. Whether you are a new player or someone looking to create their nth alt character, Necrom is sure to offer up hours of content to get lost in.
The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is a packed compilation of a long-sidelined spin-off teeming with value and nostalgia.
Diablo II: Resurrected is a revitalizing experience that blends old and new together, simultaneously showing us where we have been and how far we have come.
All in all, Insurgency: Sandstorm is a competent, exhilarating tactical shooter. Even after countless hours of capturing objectives and eliminating aggressive AI, each battle maintains its high level of tension. The weapon behavior and audio work beautifully in tandem to provide an offering that is difficult to find elsewhere currently. The small flaws that crop up occasionally do little to detract from the overall experience, although they don’t go completely unnoticed. New World Interactive has crafted a quality FPS that builds emergent war stories in every battle. Here’s hoping they someday release the cancelled single player/co-op story mode. One could only imagine what their advanced grasp of sound design could do in a structured, nail-biting narrative.
Destiny 2 has been trudging along, kept alive by the weekly log ins of its most faithful Guardians. Forsaken makes Destiny 2 fun again, giving more meaning to those log ins. The Tangled Shore and Dreaming City are visual treats and the Barons make for deserving recipients of those new Supers, but it may be the hefty collection of smaller changes that accompany Forsaken that make it feel all the better. The weapon slot revisions, return of random perk rolls, and other back-end modifications bring Destiny 2 closer in line with what it was expected to be from the start.
Onebitbeyond has crafted something special here. It rips one of the early 90’s most iconic titles and brings it into the modern era with meaningful additions to the beloved formula. The world is rife with an intoxicating personality and entertaining adventure, beautifully wrapped in eye-catching imagery. The Swords of Ditto does require commitment and acceptance of failure to see through to the end, but it is worth the investment.
Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition brings the renowned installment to the PC in stunning detail. The all-inclusive offering is easily the definitive version of the title, stepping above the console counterparts with its platform-specific enhancements. The game has evolved not only the series, but also itself since release thanks to added content and cutscenes that help the narrative feel more cohesive. Because of this more realized form, there has never been a better time to experience Final Fantasy XV.
Nioh: Complete Edition houses some impressive gameplay designs and mechanics that are partially undermined by its development choices. Depending on your preferred control scheme for PC gaming, Nioh will either mark an addictive addition to your library or the very bane of your existence. Assuming you can forgo the use of a mouse, this comprehensive Nioh package has plenty to offer that manages to rise above its faults to deliver a memorable offshoot that is able to define itself in a world where the “Souls-like” label usually engulfs all identity.
RUINER is a competent cyberpunk shooter, dripping in stylish presentation and teeming with ruthless engagements. These components manage to provide enough of a reason to see the journey to the end, filling the void left by the all-but-absent narrative, and enjoy the time spent doing so. RUINER is an exceptional, adrenaline-filled diversion bathed in neon lights that is sure to please as long as you don’t expect to find more under the surface.
The Evil Within 2 offers plenty of variety and freedom within its horror-filled town of Union. Sebastian Castellanos’ second outing is a much more fulfilling affair, filled to the brim with some truly inspired design. In a lot of ways, The Evil Within 2 feels like a spiritual successor to Resident Evil 4, giving us the horror experience that other developers had forgotten for a while. An unrefined stealth system and stiff voice over from the rough-around-the-edges ex-cop do little to diminish this terrifying treat, leaving it on the precipice of being something truly outstanding.
Serious Sam’s Bogus Detour is a nostalgia-filled romp with familiar characters tossed into a new genre. The game loses little in its move over to the twin-stick shooter category, maintaining the components that we have all come to know and love over the past decade and a half. While not every new ingredient to Sam’s formula adds significant value, the end result is a lovingly-crafted shooter that retains the soul of Serious Sam.
The Long Dark takes an interesting approach to the bustling survival genre by adding a story-heavy campaign, and it looks to be paying off so far. The tale being told in Wintermute has not developed into anything wildly deep at this point and there has yet to be given much of a reason to care for the characters in play, but by the end of the second episode I still felt the desire to see everything through to the end. I needed to know how this unique apocalypse pans out, so the developer is clearly doing something right. The slow, methodical pacing may turn some potential players away, but those that can carry the weight of the game’s encumbering systems will find a gorgeous adventure worth the time investment.
The Thaumaturge is a rich narrative experience that contains a world awaiting the player's influence. Maneuvering through society's upper and lower classes, gaining insight into their specific struggles and desires as you pursue stunningly-designed salutors makes for a strong impression, even if the regular flow of on-screen text that begs to be read leads to periods of downtime. Even with the slow-burn pacing in mind, The Thaumaturge presents an emotionally engaging, morally grey trip through early 20th century Poland with a dash of mysticism and a heaping spoonful of inquisitive exploration.