Charles Hartford
I can only say that my time with Sea of Solitude is one of the best gaming experiences of my life.
So if you came into this wondering if the Hades port is worth a second look, I could not recommend it enough. The charm, character, and challenging gameplay that made it an instant hit last year gives it more than enough appeal to warrant a second go.
Marvel Snap is a fun, mentally challenging game that rewards creativity and adaptability and that can be played in a snap. Whether an old hand at card games or a novice, this game should have plenty to offer as you battle with some of your favorite superheroic characters.
With Sea of Stars Sabotage has crafted a unique and engaging game that any fan of the genre will enjoy playing. Its polish and innovation make it not only a Game of the Year contender but also makes it deserving of being added to the pantheon of indie games’ greatest right up there with the likes of Celeste and Hades.
Overall, The Outer Worlds is an experience I cannot recommend enough. With its breadth of player choice, and equally diverse cast there is sure to be something here for the majority of gamers.
When all is said and done though I found myself completely in love with the characters, world, and gameplay of Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
When all is said and done I feel that Super Mario Maker 2 does an excellent job of delivering both an amazingly deep, and intuitive, creation tool, while coupling it with a fun single player campaign full of classic Nintendo charm.
There are few things I love more in video games than when a developer questions real world morality within the narrative of their game. Bulkhead Interactive does this magnificently in The Turing Test.
The game is fun, interesting and puts enough twists on the tried and true CCG formula to stand out from the crowd. It’s filled with fun personalities and supported by a microtransaction system that doesn’t feel like it’s out to fleece you.
The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos is a marvelous farewell to the memorable cast and locales that this game has delivered to players. If you have enjoyed the quirky adventures of the Unreliable’s “heroic” crew, you owe it to yourself to experience this last hurrah in Halcyon.
Dark Deity delivers virtually everything I could ask for from an entry into one of my favorite genres. Fun, intricate battles, meaningful character progression, and a cast of characters I quickly became invested in. If these features sound appealing to you, I cannot recommend this game enough.
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story blends wonderful characters and a fascinating world with some of the finest turn-based gameplay I’ve ever experienced. Despite a few stumbles, this is a package that anyone who loves this genre should check out. While I still have to give it some more thought, this game is most likely going to end up being my game of the year.
When all is said and done, Halo: Infinite delivers an amazing entry into the franchise. While it doesn’t manage to take the top spot on my personal list of favorite Halo games(Remember Reach!) it is easily in my top three. And with Xbox looking to keep players engaged with Xbox Game Pass I can only imagine that we will be getting more stories with the Chief as he continues his fight against the Banished. If 343 Industries can keep what comes next to the same level of fun and polish they have established here, I will gladly pick up my trusty Battle Rifle anytime they have a new mission for me.
If you’re one of the many gamers who hasn’t played The Outer Worlds before, then now is the time. Given that I’ve scored the base game and its DLCs highly in the past, coupled with the gameplay improvements and a reasonable 60-dollar price point makes, this is the best way to experience all this game has to offer.
Tekken 8 offers great gameplay through precise controls, gorgeous visuals, and audio that energizes the player.
Gears 5 more than lives up to that legacy. With only a couple hiccups, Gears 5 delivers a nearly flawless campaign I cannot endorse more wholeheartedly.
When all is said and done Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War delivers an exciting, and intriguing spy story with its campaign. While it only clocks in at about six hours, those six hours rarely failed to entertain me. As a single piece of a bundle, it is top notch. However, if the rest of the game’s offerings hold no interest for you, I don’t know if it’ll be enough to justify the full purchase price.
Scarlet Nexus delivers a game that hits every gameplay beat flawlessly, providing the player with stylish visuals to enjoy, all mounted on characters and a narrative that only sometimes lands. However, the narrative struggles shouldn’t be nearly enough to keep anyone who loves fast-paced action games from reveling in just how fun, cool, and bombastic Scarlet Nexus’s gameplay is.
If you are a turn-based RPG fan looking for a new experience that brings fresh twists on classic elements of the genre, I cannot recommend Astria Ascending enough, just so long as you don’t need an overly engaging plot to pull you along.
If you are looking for deep, turn-based combat, blended with a healthy dose of superhero angst, Marvel’s Midnight Suns will serve up something special and well worth making time for this holiday season.