I had fun with Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, especially with the campaign. Zombies remain great and is now easier to swallow, but multiplayer - being the main selling point for a Call of Duty game - is the weakest link in the package. With a strong entry last year, and numerous online games now available that are viable alternatives, Treyarch’s approach in multiplayer this year didn’t sell a good enough case to invest more time on it in the coming months. Time will tell how the first season will go, but the initial burst of content out the gate could fall flat, making some look elsewhere to satisfy that FPS multiplayer itch.
Mortal Shell is bleak, twisted, and poses a challenge from start to finish. It will leave you wanting more, and while some mechanics weren't as fleshed out and diverse as I’d hoped, this game from Cold Symmetry is a commendable adventure that deserves the attention of those who love the subgenre.
The combination of tension, exploration, intrigue, and survival made for an strong artistic foundation for Compulsion Games to build their story upon. They’ve created something special here, and I hope they continue to do good story work going forward. We Happy Few’s stealth and combat, on the other hand, needed more work. While the game encourages you to seek out additional playthroughs, they only serve to cast a harsh light on the fundamental mechanics. And that’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Arrowhead 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?
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora features a familiar open-world formula that is a perfect match for this adventure, as this is a planet with so much care and thought put in that despite its flaws, I found myself itching to explore what’s beyond all those floating rocks. But if you’re not on board with how Ubisoft does open-world games, then you’ll be struggling with half of the game’s core pillars right off the bat.
This is how you bring back a classic to the spotlight with a remake treatment that respects the original team’s vision, improves the game where it's needed, and understands the key points as to why The Second Story is still embedded in people’s minds as one of the greatest JRPGS they’ve played years ago. Hopefully, Square Enix will use this as a blueprint for future projects similar to The Second Story R as they nailed it.
You can’t go wrong with Spider-Man 2 if you were sold on the original game - it’s a fantastic use of the source material, and I think the studio has found its new specialty as they’ve delivered a superhero video game that might not only make one a fan of Spider-Man but a fan of Insomniac Games as a studio.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is proof that the original, stealthy approach to the series’ formula still works just fine in 2023; Ubisoft’s commitment and focus on a single concept is a testament to its core strengths. Mirage lacks ambition, but it’s welcome a correction from recent bloated series entries.
FromSoftware did not disappoint at revitalizing the Armored Core series with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, a title that superbly balances the parts and loadout of a fantastic Armored Core game while injecting the studio’s now-well-known specialty.
In the realm of punishing roguelike experiences, Darkest Dungeon 2 stands as one of the greats. With its immersive art style and complex gameplay mechanics, paired with relentless difficulty, players will be left more battered and bruised, but also wiser and more satisfied as they keep on playing.
Like a Dragon Ishin! is a game that you'll definitely enjoy if you've already fallen in love with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's tried and tested formula, as everything that made Yakuza such a hit series feels intact.
Everything I loved about the first game is intact, now with a visual uplift and a few enhancements. But the changes in The Last of Us Part 1 didn’t greatly enhance the finer points of this masterpiece, to an extent that I wouldn’t recommend this release right off the gate.
The new Saints Row isn’t making any bold statements here or pushing any limits. This release is Volition's way of saying that the series is back and that they have not forgotten why they’ve been able to release four mainline titles with this amount of silliness in the past. The essence of the Saints Row series is intact with this reboot, just slightly altered to fit modern tastes. It’s just unfortunate to not see drastic changes to the game’s core systems like combat, which could have propelled the series to new heights.
I had a blast playing The Quarry, and it was unfortunate that you see more of the cracks during your second or third run of the game. There isn’t anything groundbreaking in The Quarry if you’ve played Until Dawn or any of the Dark Anthology games, but Supermassive games definitely delivered the best and most accessible version of the formula they are known for, and if you’re a horror fan, you’ll appreciate this one night in Hackett’s Quarry.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the best modern Borderlands game out there today. Despite its issues, Gearbox Software has delivered its best take on the Borderlands gameplay, paired with genre-appropriate humor and a setting that reminded me why I enjoy diving into this type of looter shooter every now and then.
Gran Turismo 7 checks all of the boxes of what would be expected from a palatable Gran Turismo game, but has some questionable design choices that weigh it down. With Gran Turismo Café leading the way, this is the most approachable GT game to newcomers, whether in the series, or of car racing in general.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is an okay option for those getting into Uncharted for the first time with the latest games on the PS5. I replayed the new versions of both titles and was reminded how entertaining they are, not only to the player, but to those fortunate enough to be spectating.
I had my issues and frustrations with Cris Tales, but once I dusted myself off from the finale, I emerged with a big smile. It reminded me why I loved JRPGs. Though it featured the usual JRPG tropes, they were executed so well that I feel Cris Tales is an easy recommendation to anyone eager to find an escape, as it was a fun ride despite some hit-and-miss time travel elements.
The expansion gives me hope for future games in this franchise as it shows there’s more stories that can be told in this world, and I would gladly see more of it. If a new game does happen, I just wish it’s a new lead character, or at the very least someone already established and known to many.
It’s a complete game straight out of the box; Outriders doesn’t feel like another one of those live service games - you know the type - where you’re encouraged to go online and do dailies, weeklies, and pretty much not miss out on limited-time rewards. It’s very refreshing, as I didn’t feel the need to question what’s next for Outriders; while I can walk away from the experience happy I’ve accomplished all I set out to do, I can easily see myself revisiting this game again in the future with another character to repeat the process all over again.