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If you've ever dreamed of what it would be like to fly through space in an X-wing while dogfighting TIE fighters, Star Wars: Squadrons is a must play. Sitting down in the cockpit of your favorite starfighter is a surreal experience. Not only is the cockpit perfectly recreated, but the actual experience of flying feels faithful to the source material. Familiar characters from Star Wars lore make appearances in the campaign and planets we've seen in films are given new life from the view of a starfighter. The controls feel tight and the combat strategy is surprisingly deep, but given that this is only a $40 title, more content is left to be desired. Star Wars: Squadrons is comprised of a short campaign, about 8 hours, and two multiplayer modes. Though this isn't a full priced title, the lack of content surprised me. While value is subjective, there is an apparent disparity between the amount of content you get in Squadrons and the breadth of content you can get for $20 more in Star Wars: Battlefront II when comparing the two titles. If you visit any of the forums for this game, it is clear that there is a solid and passionate fan base. After playing Squadrons consistently from launch, I believe that this game was not made for the masses. The depths that Motive Studios went to when developing Star Wars: Squadrons should be praised, but I do think that it decreases the approachability for most gamers. I am saying this as a seasoned Battlefront II Starfighter Assault player: multiplayer matches are super difficult. There is a hardcore fan base for this game and I feel like I end up against the best players in every match. The Fleet Battles game mode has a ranked system, but I found that this would be more applicable in the Dogfight game mode where there are less random variables like AI fighters and turrets. The deep mechanics that I didn't expect from Star Wars: Squadrons start with a unique power management system, where the player can divert power to various subsystems to strategically approach scenarios in the best way. Trying to outrun a ship firing on you from behind? Throw the power to the engines and hit the boost to outrun the tailing fighter. Attempting a bombing run on a Star Destroyer, but the turbo lasers are blasting you from the front? Flip the power to your shields and power them up in the front for additional protection. Finally have that A-wing you were chasing for five minutes in your sights? Divert all power to your lasers and let that rebel scum have it. Star Wars: Squadrons excels at providing options for the player in the heat of battle. If a fighter comes out of nowhere and starts blasting you, you always have a sense that there are options for you to escape the predicament at hand. Choosing the right method though is much more difficult than one would expect. In addition to deep power management mechanics, Motive Studios implemented a starfighter customization system. Players not only select between various starfighter classes, but they are also able to choose the loadout for their ship that best fits their desired play style. I found myself equipping the highly shielded bombers with barrage rockets and homing mines that transformed my starfighter into an X-wing and TIE fighter hunter. The freedom and choice of customization is felt in the midst of battle as well. When an enemy destroys your ship, you can quickly deduce what sort of load out they are using and counter it. Cosmetic customization is also an appreciated feature present in Squadrons. These customizations range from hull color and pilot outfit to in cockpit decorations, like a Baby Yoda bobblehead. Squadrons has plenty of aspects to criticize, but customization depth is not one of them. Squadrons' campaign successfully transports you to the 'far, far away galaxy' and recreates the feeling you had watching your first Star Wars battle on the big screen. It does suffer from the generic 'go here and destroy this' repetitive mission structure, but overall it does not overstay its welcome and I walked away with a positive experience. Star Wars: Squadrons is another example of Electronic Arts clawing back their trust with the Star Wars fan base. Months before the release of Squadrons, I wrote a blog post discussing the importance of how fans receive this title. After playing Squadrons and reading various reviews, I feel like EA delivered on their commitment to do better with the Star Wars IP. Though this game has it's issues, I highly recommend it for any Star Wars fan or combat flight simulator fan. Busch League Gaming gives Star Wars: Squadrons a 6 out of 10. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/star-wars-squadrons-podcast-review.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars does a fantastic job of preserving the nostalgic titles included in the bundle, but this release does not fit in 2020. In an age where remasters/remakes of beloved games and franchises have dominated sales figures, like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, it was an odd choice for Nintendo to simply release these classic games without any apparent upgrades or changes. This bundle includes Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy almost entirely in their original form. Besides the necessary Wii remote changes made for Super Mario Galaxy, these are exactly the same games you remember. Even down to the wonky camera from Super Mario 64, which should have been the first thing they changed. In addition to the odd choice to not improve these games, Nintendo is also enacting a forced scarcity model on this title by only selling it until March 31st, 2021. We are not making this up. This isn’t some remarkable collectors edition that comes with limited edition art or a cool steel case. This is a glorified emulator for two of the best games ever made and one okay game. Forced scarcity is a weird thing in the era of digital gaming. Do you expect me to believe that there is some bigger reason, beyond greed, that you can’t keep a digital game on your store longer than 6 months? All of this complaining and I haven’t even touched on the actual games yet, but for the most part, these are the same exact games that existed on their original consoles, good and bad included. The likelihood that this review enlightens you on some new aspect, of these two amazing games and one okay one, that hasn’t been covered over the last 20+ years is low. These games are markers for generations of gamers and signify the leaps we have made. They've driven the video game industry forward and laid down the framework for 3D platformers. Super Mario 64 signaled a change for what video games could be and the fact that it is included in this bundle elevates it to high levels. Even with Super Mario Sunshine trying to pull it down. To clarify, Super Mario Sunshine is not a bad game when compared to most 3D platformers. It is just an okay Mario game, especially in contrast to its successor, Super Mario Galaxy. Super Mario Galaxy revolutionized what a Mario game could be and it's an absolute delight to play. It's a whimsical and beautiful adventure through space that replicates a lot of the magic felt in Super Mario 64. It is worth noting that this was my first time playing Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, and let me tell you, playing Super Mario Odyssey before these two paints them in a much different light than they were originally played in. Galaxy still has unmatched gravity mechanics and world design, but Sunshine falters significantly when it comes to creative environments and enjoyable move sets. The most stark realization after playing these three classics, in contrast to Super Mario Odyssey, is how unenjoyable it is to be taken out of a world after acquiring a star or shine. Odyssey beautifully maintains momentum when playing through worlds by allowing you to continue your adventure in the same location after obtaining a moon. This momentum is critical in a grueling game like Sunshine, where the difficulty level was turned up to 11, and the temptation to throw down your controller and turn off the console is high. For the most part, these three titles hold up very well, but they also highlight the masterful evolution that is Super Mario Odyssey. In summary, Super Mario 64 is as good as you remember, barring the camera issues. Super Mario Sunshine is still the black sheep of the Super Mario 3D family, though offering some interesting mechanics that are worth trying if you’ve never touched the title. And Super Mario Galaxy holds up pretty well as one of the best 3D Marios, even though it can feel awfully linear at times. Super Mario 3D All Stars is exactly what it is described as and nothing more. That being said, we discussed on a recent podcast episode who the demographic for this game is. We do not recommend this bundle to those who did not grow up with nostalgia for it, but would rather suggest Super Mario Odyssey for a new Switch owner. For those of us who have nostalgia for these titles, like the BLG team, we definitely recommend this. These three games are must haves for any fan of the classic 3D platforming genre. At the end of the day Busch League Gaming gives this a very nostalgic, biased 8 out of 10. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/supermario3dallstarspodcast.

Nostalgia is a tricky thing. It can drastically skew your perception of history, but it can also create a deep sense of comfort. For someone like myself, who grew up in the 90s, it’s impossible to review this game without some nostalgic biases, but consider it an extremely high level of praise when I say that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 lives up to every ounce of nostalgia I had for it. This is the part where I ask that you turn on Superman by Goldfinger and listen along while you read this review. I’m serious. Turn it on now. Let that beautiful ska saxophone fill your ear holes. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 perfectly recreates the feeling I had when I played the originals 20 years ago and that is no small feat. Remarkably, Vicarious Visions was able to preserve all of the good content from the originals while elevating areas that needed it. Consuming content you loved as a child in adulthood is a dangerous game to play. More often than not, familiar films and games do not stand the test of time. I’m looking at you Batman Forever. THPS 1 + 2 doesn’t just throw a fresh coat of paint on the game we loved from the '90’s, though it is absolutely gorgeous, it’s a full remake of the levels we thrashed and the characters we crashed. The gameplay is exactly as you remember it. Drop into a level for a two minute arcade session where you need to hit the high scores, collect S-K-A-T-E, “Ollie the magic bum,” and many more challenges you fondly remember. Depending on your skill level, the first two games' original challenges can be completed in a weekend, but Vicarious Visions created even more challenges for players to accomplish. These new challenges unlock cosmetics for your create-a-skater and objects for your create-a-park. I can firmly say that the content in this game far exceeds the $40 price tag. If you’re the competitive type, there is a handful of fun online and local multiplayer modes that can be enjoyed for hours. Tony Hawk games, especially the first two, resonate with a wide range of people. You never had to be good at skating or even own a skateboard to enjoy these games. Our recent podcast review discussed how THPS 1 + 2 is a great equalizer for a diverse gaming audience. There is a wide range of content for all ages in this iteration of the game. Not many games can pull in hardcore combo magicians while also providing a fun experience for less advanced players. Tony Hawk is for everyone and that should be celebrated. The music of Tony Hawk has shaped the taste of generations of gamers and I am happy to report that this strength is preserved in THPS 1 + 2. The majority of the songs you loved from the originals make their return, but Vicarious Visions played with fire and significantly expanded the music library. This could have easily backfired since the original soundtrack is so beloved by fans, but it is clear that they put in extreme care when selecting new songs. This new collection of songs results in the ultimate skateboarding soundtrack. These new additions excel at preserving the original soundtrack's roots while bringing it forward into 2020. In a Variety interview, senior sound designer at Vicarious Visions, Justin Joyner, goes into great detail on the research performed to select the right songs for THPS 1 + 2. This curation was done so well that I have a hard time telling what's a new song and whats old because the whole soundtrack feels homogenous with what I experienced as a kid. The music in this game cannot be praised enough for the nostalgia that it invokes and how it creates the skating vibe we so fondly remember in Tony Hawk games. This game was incredibly difficult to score due to my admitted biases and my love for the genre. Vicarious Visions was able to masterfully elevate the gameplay and visuals to recreate the game I loved as a child. THPS 1 + 2 magically took me back to a simpler time where we still had optimism for the Star Wars prequels and Destiny’s Child was still together. My hope for this game is that it doesn’t just resonate with the old fogies like myself, but that it can find a new generation of wannabe skaters. It is clear that the two minute arcade sessions were pivotal to preserving the structure of the original game, but this play style can become stale for a generation not familiar with the arcade skateboarding genre. I believe that Vicarious Visions elevated THPS 1 + 2 as high as they could using the original's aged structure. This is a game that I recommend to everyone, as I would love to see this genre make a triumphant return. Busch League Gaming gives Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 an 8.5 out of 10. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/tonyhawksproskater.

Spiritfarer is a strikingly beautiful game from Thunder Lotus that lands itself in the simulation and adventure genre that fans are increasingly demanding. It brings the zen-like relaxation of managing, building, foraging, and exploring but in a new way through a unique oceanic theme. In **** Valley, you forage around Pelican Town. In Animal Crossing, your adventure begins upon the island of your choosing. And while Minecraft isn't considered a simulation genre, you'll appreciate the foraging aspects that transfer as well. Spritifarer contains features from all of our favorite simulation games but with multiple twists. Your building, foraging, and community exist on top of a boat, which is continually growing and changing as you progress through the story. Most importantly, within Spiritfarer exists an emotional rollercoaster through the dialogue and friendship provided by the game's characters that create an experience few games have ever offered. STORY The story and the relational narratives are what sets Spiritfarer apart from other games. You might've already seen the countless memes about some of the emotionally driven relationships encountered in Spiritfarer. If you haven't, sit down and buckle up and also grab some tissues. Actually, just grab some tissues regardless. The characters you meet in Spiritfarer are leaving the world and journeying on to the afterlife atop of your boat. You quickly learn that each character has their own unique story recounting life before they passed. If you are a button masher, we encourage you to slow down and intentionally interact with each spirit. Listen carefully to the things they have to say while depicting their past careers, friendships, wisdom, life hardships, and anything else they feel comfortable sharing with you. The dialogue is laden with nuances that are easy to miss if you are not wholly present. Please don't take these moments lightly, or speed through them with haste. Let the weight of these interactions overwhelm you entirely. This unique aspect is sure to provide a fresh experience to your gaming resume that most players will not have already acquired. BUILDING As the newly chosen spiritfarer, you will welcome lost spirits onto your vessel as you explore the map and uncover new territories. As with any new management simulation game, you will need to learn which materials do what, where to find them, and what they upgrade. Not only are you able to upgrade your ship to compliment your buildings, but you are also able to edit and upgrade structures as you progress along on your adventures. FORAGING One twist I thoroughly enjoyed was the unique foraging concept. In most simulation games, you'll traverse a known space to gather and create desired provisions. In Spiritfarer, foraging takes place on the go, and it often involves relationships with giant sea turtles, exploring new islands, buying from town markets, scavenging ship wrecks, and discovering various geographical occurrences. In addition to the various foraging facets, you’ll need to remember to keep your spirit passengers happy, fed, and comfortably boarded. MAP I am a **** for archaic treasure maps seen in any pirate story. If the dotted-line path to a mysterious treasure chest does anything for you, you'll enjoy Spiritfarer's map. While the map is opaquely hidden, you will unlock more as you explore and begin to uncover the names of towns, islands, sea creature symbols, and everything else. Like many simulation themed games, you'll need to upgrade quite often before acquiring the ability to break through ice, and later rock, to explore an even larger map. So far I’ve found the grind to have an excellent balance and not over burdening. Map lovers, prepare to explore a vast and enigmatic ocean. CONCLUSION For starters, if you enjoyed any of the games mentioned in the opening like **** Valley, Animal Crossing, foraging aspects from Minecraft, or simulation management games in general, I'm ecstatic to say you'll love this one. So what are you waiting for? Go buy it and play it, stop reading this? If you enjoy the fantastic art, emotionally intelligent stories, and the oceanic sea-explorer theme you should stop reading and get to playing as well. Although I cannot speak to ThunderLotus' previous titles, Sundered and Joltan, I can emphatically state that I would have paid $40 or $50 for this title and been satisfied. While I don't claim to be the simulator or foraging genre expert, as I personally despised Minecraft, I am confident this title will scratch any in-game management itches you might have and will be a re-playable title to keep on your digital shelf. In accordance with our rating criteria, Spiritfarer gets an 8.5 out of 10 (Impressive) on the Busch League Rating Scale. Thank you Thunder Lotus, and gamers stop wasting time, go inundate yourself into Stella's journey. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/spiritfarer-review.

As a long-time fan of the Paper Mario series, the only thing I can say is that Nintendo sure is consistent when it comes to taking creative risks. Unfortunately for The Origami King, the risks fell flat (haha). Before we dive into what went wrong, let’s talk about the undeniable strengths of the game. The most obvious quality of The Origami King is the incredible visuals. At almost every scene, you can't help but pause and appreciate what you are seeing. There are points where Mario and his team rest on benches providing you a glimpse of the incredible artwork in the surrounding area. Nintendo could not have created a more interesting and satisfying world to explore for the Paper Mario franchise. The images included in this review are just a taste of what you'll get to see and if stunning and unique art styles are a priority to you, I think this game will exceed your expectations. Another unexpected endowment of The Origami King is the story. Paper Mario has always been known for exploring characters from different backgrounds in the Mario Universe. It really is the only Nintendo series that gives you the perspectives of Goombas, Koopas, Bomb-ombs and a plethora of other Nintendo species. In this regard, The Origami King did not disappoint. The character development was strikingly deep and well thought out. Real sacrifices were made by each individual you befriend as they desperately try to help Mario save their world. There is even a super meta moment where the villain is forced to face his origin in a very interesting way. From my perspective, this is the furthest any Mario game has gone to give you a sense of dire need for a hero. It is not just a princess you are saving, but the entire Mario universe as we know it. Other aspects worth mentioning are a hilarious script and great diversity in challenges. There were lines in the game that made us laugh out loud and showed that it did not take itself too seriously. With everything I have described so far you are probably wondering why I started this review the way I did. And that is exactly what you should be thinking. So much of this game was propelling this title towards legendary status that it should be clear how much friction the risks they took ultimately caused. A key feature in the Paper Mario franchise is the combat. Any fan of the series knows Nintendo is no stranger to completely changing how fights progress. But the leap they took in this game left many fans wondering, how did we get here? The mechanics employed by Nintendo are called "carousel combat". The model is comprised of puzzle-like challenges where Mario must expend most of his time and energy lining enemies up rather than strategizing with weapons and abilities. It is as dull as it sounds and after a few hours it became exhaustively boring. Not only are the combat mechanics horribly chore-like, but Nintendo decided that leveling up your abilities through experience was no longer worth it. It is almost as if Nintendo knew how bad of a decision carousel combat was. There was so much incentive to circumvent combat with enemies that I found myself sprinting and dodging entirely through the game to avoid any contact that was not absolutely necessary. I could touch on the boss battles, but they were more of the same, just with extra steps. Another disappointment was the uselessness of your team. I fondly remember the older titles where each character that joined your squad brought unique and exciting combat features that created more depth to strategy. But the characters this time around stand awkwardly beside Mario while he pretends to be a kindergarten teacher and lines foes up single file. Even worse, they lazily perform moves that attack singular enemies for a fair amount of damage but without any thought given to their actions at all. You have no control over who they attack or what move they perform. This aspect was extremely disappointing to me and to my friends that I had encouraged to buy this game. Perhaps our expectations were too high, but that is only because we knew what Paper Mario: The Origami King could have been. Combat has evolved in every Paper Mario title but this time around Nintendo has many fans wondering if the future of the series will continue along this puzzling path. With a heavy heart and a lot of confusion, we at BLG give Paper Mario: The Origami King a 6 out of 10. This game was enjoyable and we only recommend it if you genuinely love the franchise for more than the combat, or you actually somehow enjoy hours of making enemies stand at attention before you perform one of two moves on them. Nintendo has always been perfectly clear that they will prioritize reinventing game play with every title, so hopefully that means we will never see carousel combat again. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/paper-mario-the-origami-king-review.

The Animal Crossing series has created a unique sense of relaxation and joy for close to twenty years. The newest entry, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, continues that tradition while elevating the gameplay to new levels. This elevation in gameplay is quite literally in-game now where a player can actually change the geography of their island. Island terraforming is debatably the biggest addition to this version of the game. In past iterations, customization was reserved for the players home and clothing, but it is now possible to modify everything from where your cliffs and rivers are located, to a coffee cup placed on an outdoor table. The debut of vast island customization options are accompanied by a robust crafting system. Players can now gather resources located across the island to craft custom furniture and tools. These new aspects feel like they were heavily influenced by survival games, like Minecraft, but they still retain the Animal Crossing charm that fans cherish. One added survival game mainstay that has caused some outcry amongst Animal Crossing fans is tool degradation. In previous entries, tools like shovels, fishing rods, and nets could be used indefinitely without breaking, but in Animal Crossing: New Horizons players have to fight the constant battle of tools being destroyed through use. It appears that this decision was made to strengthen the need for the crafting system, however it seems to impede on the relaxing elements of the game, like fishing. One of the most frustrating aspects of this game is being in the midst of a peaceful fishing trek around the permitter of my island only for my rod to break with a half full inventory of fish. Then forcing me to return to my islands town center to craft a new one. In the past, this return to town was driven by a need to sell your goods from that fishing session. This rewarding journey into town to sell your commodities is now joined by a similar but shameful trip into town to craft another fishing rod. This new element has certainly detracted from the joyful and relaxing cornerstone of fishing in Animal Crossing games. Though the crafting system is a cumbersome addition in regards to tools, its inclusion has certainly evolved the overall gameplay from a depth perspective. It has added more incentives to collect items and forage for resources across your island while rewarding you with interesting things to craft. Island customization is a welcome addition that can result in hours of rewarding gameplay. One of my favorite things to do is to add a small decorative piece to the island and wait to see if my wife notices when she is playing with her character. I don’t ever see my island being “complete” and I plan to constantly tweak aspects of it throughout the years. Island customization adds to the replay-ability of the game, but something that pulls me back in even more are the seasonal updates and events that Nintendo releases for free. Two large updates were summer updates that debuted new gameplay elements to the Animal Crossing franchise like swimming in the ocean and diving to the depths of your coasts to retrieve sea creatures. Nintendo is even teasing their next big update which appears to be a Halloween themed addition. These updates provide a reason to hop back in and you will quickly find yourself **** right back into the joyous gameplay. One unfortunate side effect of island living in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is that it minimizes the enjoyment, previously supplied in previous entries, of adventuring to other islands. In previous entries, players could leave their continental town and take a boat ride to explore a tropical island where unique fish and items could be found. This enjoyment to escape your typical scenery has been replaced with the option to take a plane ride to randomly generated islands. Beyond plundering an island of its fruit and potentially discovering the elusive tarantula island, the incentive for players to get away isn't quite there anymore. An update that I would love to see Nintendo explore would be to diversify what you might find when taking a plane trip. Potentially discovering different biomes and fauna on these excursions would be a fantastic way to incentivize exploration and could recapture the magic of island visits from previous entries. Overall this entry is a welcome addition to a beloved pedigree of games. Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes the chill and relaxing vibe of previous titles and modernizes it with more customization and structure. For Busch League, this game bordered a 9.5 out of 10, but features like item degradation and a less enjoyable island exploration process were steps back for the series. Busch League Gaming gives Animal Crossing: New Horizons a 9 out of 10. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/animal-crossing-new-horizons.

Journey to the Savage Planet is a unique take on 3-D metroidvania style platformers. If you enjoy sarcastic artificial intelligence consistently telling you that "you're going to die," like in Borderlands or Portal, you might love this game. An exploration/puzzle based platformer is nothing new but the vibrant colors and expressive creatures underlined by a dark and demented plot make an interesting experience. In many games of the metroidvania genre you are constantly in a closed off temple/cave/small clearing, but Savage Planet shows off the size of the map at every point. Right from the start, the goal is clear: climb the tower. You can literally see where the top of the tower disappears into the clouds from the beginning of the game. As you climb the world, you can look back at most any point and see how far you've come which is a feature I didn't know I loved until playing this game. Teleportation checkpoints relieve some of the grueling progress punishment these games tend to have. A surprisingly large library of special upgrades is also available. The upgrades to your gear help you advance through the world but only about 50% of them are required to beat the game. The rest are fun add-ons that provide alternative game-play styles. The progression feels smooth, and the difference each upgrade makes is instantly felt, making for a fun experience. The humor in this game is top notch. The team at Typhoon Studios clearly enjoyed themselves during development. The premise of a poorly run, overpopulated, and trashy earth is reminiscent of the movie Idiocracy. Imagine a sequel to the movie in video game form where the same immoral, hedonistic lifestyle has pushed humans to occupy alien planets and exploit them to the fullest. The life forms you discover are diverse and each has abilities or attributes to utilize on your way to the top. You quite literally punt small, helpless birds into razor-bladed vines throughout the game. While it is quite sad that you are taking advantage of every living thing on the planet, the game is very pointed and satirical about the future projection of the human race. Another hilarious aspect of the game is that you and your partner are perpetual "meat clones". As you die, they just grow a new body and download your consciousness to the new host. If you come across your old dead body in the world, you can bury it out of respect. It is both eerie and amazing at the same time. As for the game-play, there is a lot to consider. The controls are reminiscent of the N64 at times, which is not ideal when a giant beast is chasing you and their hit-points are tiny and moving. It was clear that world design was prioritized over actual controls. The environment is very interactive but it is at many times unclear if there's a purpose to something or if its a meaningless distraction. For a platformer, the game can be unforgiving while jumping from floating island to floating island and you can often knock your partner off a ledge just by walking passed them (it's also hilarious sometimes). The game itself is not very difficult. What is difficult is knowing what upgrades you need to reach a certain area but not having enough resources to purchase the upgrade. The constant backtracking can become tedious towards the end of the game. Depending on how you play, this game can be a lot of different things for you. It is clear that Journey to the Savage planet is meant for two player co-op. I am not sure I would have finished it by myself. But being able to explore and mess around with a friend made the game substantially better. It is a good, relaxing transition game between larger titles. With about 12-15 hours of story and plenty of collectibles for our treasure hoarders out there, the game was a pleasant surprise. As far as replay-ability, I am not sure there is anything left to see after finishing the game so replaying would not add to the experience at all. We at Busch League Gaming really enjoyed playing this title but would not have been willing to pay the full $30 price tag to try it out (thank you Xbox GamePass). For our full podcast review, check out ****/podcast/journey-to-the-savage-planet.

A REFRESHING, SAFE MOVE Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a warmly welcomed title in the Star Wars video game universe. Finally, EA made good on its responsibility to carry one of the most coveted franchises with respect. Although fans of the Star Wars galaxy did get a breath of fresh air with Fallen Order, the game was a safe and low-risk venture. Respawn took gamers on a fun but uninspiring journey through the heavily explored fall-out after the Great Jedi Purge. The protagonist, a young man named Cal (who could be 16 or 28 years old for all we know), begins his adventure stuck on a junkyard planet. He has no family, he is force sensitive, he finds a guide with a dark and complicated past, he has a snarky-bad-boy pilot with a disposition for gambling, and he is destined for great things. I know the plot may sound familiar but this time it's different. THIS time, our hero gets tempted to join the dark side by an angsty edge-lord that wants to conquer the galaxy! Okay, so maybe the story is completely typical for a Star Wars tale, but is that so bad? Respawn seemed to understand that they did not have to completely revolutionize game-play, creative story-telling, or world design. Instead, Respawn listened to fans and gave us an opportunity to explore the galaxy in a way that was previously unseen. You can swing from vines with Wookies on Kashyyyk, slay hellish zombie night-sisters on Dathomir, and collect your own kyber crystal to build a custom lightsaber on Ilum. THAT is what Star Wars fans have always wanted: an immersive experience on the planets they love. The introduction of new planets and a few exciting villians was just a bonus. Nothing about this game will change the gaming industry. There is nothing as far as mechanics, graphics or design that you probably have never seen before. The story did not reveal incredible insights into Star Wars lore; aside from bringing to life an ancient force-wielding species that fell in the exact same fashion as the Jedi Order (what an absolute twist). The customization was weak and felt hurried (likely due to the looming release of Rise of Skywalker). Replay-ability is certainly not a priority, but then again, it is not a priority for most games in this genre. However, the climax of the story was a glorious fan-service that reinforced the legend of arguably the greatest villain in all of fiction (you will know when you get there). All said and done, if it were not for the Star Wars intellectual property, this game was more consistent with a 7.5 in our books. But it scored an 8.5 because it stirred the hearts of Star Wars fans in the best way. And that is all Respawn needed. An 8.5 to get their foot in the door and [hopefully] prelude a new era of Star Wars gaming. We are patiently holding our breaths here at BLG. Overall, this game was impressive. We all enjoyed ourselves a lot while playing it, and even more while discussing the countless Star Wars references and experiences as each of us reached them. This review can be found on ****/reviews/star-wars-jedi-fallen-order

Before you write Nexomon: Extinction off as just another wannabe remake of Pokémon, hear me out. Prior to playing this game I too thought there was no room for another franchise in the pocket monster genre. Against my better judgment, I set out to review Nexomon: Extinction to prove to myself and others that we were not missing out. What I found was an inviting, vibrant world full of undiscovered creatures more unique and exciting than anything I had seen in the last four generations of Pokémon. Not only that, but there existed a story, lore and legends within the Nexomon universe that were more expansive and interesting than possibly all of the Pokémon story-lines combined. If I have your attention, please continue reading. If none of this excites you, consider the possibility that Nintendo and Game Freak have let themselves go and have sat upon a genre monopolized and abused. There’s never been pressure for them to be better, and we as consumers have continued to consume. VEWO has stepped into the ring and challenged a giant in their own hometown. Please consider offering a developer that we at BLG are utterly impressed with a chance to open your mind to a universe worth exploring. STORY The Nexomon universe is saturated in lore and legend. The history depicted in the game is compelling and you almost wish it were true. The relationship between humans and Nexomon is incredibly complicated. The humans are considered vermin to some Nexomon but are highly respected and loved by others. There are multiple tiers to the Nexomon hierarchy and the timeline of the story is trapped sometime after the ultimate king of the Nexomon, Omnicron, has been slain. His children, and other powerful monsters called Tyrants war against one another for the throne, and humans are tangled in the fight. Cities are scattered across the Nexomon world, each with their own culture and philosophy of how to defend against the Tyrants. You quickly become empathetic for the people of Nexomon, but it is evident that everything is not as it seems. As the story progresses, the world becomes a lot more complicated than you'd ever imagine from a pocket monster game. Twists and surprises are around every corner and it is up to you to decipher the truth. HUMOR Perhaps Nexomon: Extinction's greatest attribute, is how hilarious the writing is. In an extremely meta way, they challenge the strange things about the pocket monster genre that Pokemon takes itself too seriously to address. They acknowledge the hilarity of strangers stopping you to fight your creatures for money without your consent, the fact that your belt can only hold 6 creatures, and how you can walk straight into someone's home unannounced and expect them to kindly give you a gift. Nexomon flips the genre on its head and willingly insults itself and owns its short-comings. That is exactly what players of Nintendo games love; self-deprecation and a roller-coaster of ups and downs. But seriously, we could all use a reminder sometimes that at the end of the day, these are games made by people who love games. COMBAT So far it probably seems like this game is unstoppable and an absolute must-buy. And maybe to someone who loves this genre of game it is. But combat is where this game falls short of incredible. I do not necessarily blame the poor combat on the developers, but in a type of game centered around a combat mode Pokemon has mastered, there needs to be some serious improvement. But there is not. Nexomon combat is similar to the earliest Pokemon games: basic, choppy, and often a chore. They have replaced the Pokemon "PP" system with a "Stamina" system. Instead of each move having its own amount of uses, all moves are dependent on your Nexomon's overall stamina. Run out of stamina and you can't make a single move. This distinction may sound harmless, but once you play for a few hours, the difference is easily felt. This dynamic makes leveling up in an already grueling XP system even harder. As you level up you realize that many of the moves are almost exactly the same. The moves may have different names and slightly altered graphics, but perform the same amount of damage and status effects. Not only that, but when you are about to learn something new, they often present a move you already know! Crushing your excitement of even trying to learn something new. CONCLUSION As I mentioned at the top, I would encourage any fan of the genre to try this game and give the developer VEWO Interactive a fair shot. Nexomon challenges what we have accepted from Pokemon for so long, and gives players a breath of fresh air in many ways. While there are some things that definitely need improvement, BLG is incredibly excited for the future of this franchise. Nexomon: Extinction has earned a 7 out of 10, and is an enjoyable experience for anyone who wants to try something new. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/nexomon-extinction-review.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is debatably not an Assassin's Creed game and that is one reason why I loved it. If you've skipped a couple entries of the Assassins Creed game, you’ve missed a lot. Assassins Creed Origins came out in 2017 and was a complete rework of established gameplay mechanics found in earlier entries. It leaned heavily towards an RPG game opposed to the traditional action/stealth game that previous Assassins Creed games were defined by. This drastic departure has resulted in many fans longing for the traditional gameplay, but with the release of Odyssey, Ubisoft doubled down on this style even more. If you were to show this game to someone who was stranded on a deserted island for the last four years, beyond the title screen, there is not much that would signal them that this was an Assassins Creed game. Also, there would be a lot more that you need to update this castaway on before showing them Assassins Creed Odyssey, but that is beside the point. Essentially, how you approach this game will heavily dictate how much you enjoy it. If you go into this game expecting your traditional Assassin's Creed experience, you may be disappointed. I recommend you approach this game with new eyes and an open mind to what the franchise might be evolving into. The Assassin's Creed franchise is no stranger to taking historical events and subverting the details to fit their characters; modifying the event to fit the game’s narrative. Odyssey opens up with an epic battle where you are fighting as King Leonidas at the battle of Thermopylae. I would regret not mentioning that you can absolutely Spartan kick your way across this entire game, like Leonidas did in the film ‘300’ (click that link, that scene is so satisfying). Though you only play the introduction as Leonidas, you continue the entirety of the game as one of his heirs, Kassandra or Alexios. Odyssey takes place in the historical setting of Greece during the Peloponnesian War. If you're not a history buff and don’t immediately know the context of this war, the quick summary is this: the Spartans were at war with the Athenians due to concerns regarding the growing power of the Athenian Empire. Throughout your journey you will encounter historical figures like Socrates, Hippokrates, Pythagoras and many more. These characters present you with quests or dialogue that directly connect to historical events and emphasize the complexities of the war. This history rich backdrop creates a perfect setting for Odyssey where players get to serve both sides and make choices that will impact the war. Odyssey introduces “Conquest Battles” where players can choose to partake in large scale battles fighting for either the Spartans or Athenians. I was not the biggest fan of this mechanic due to the pure chaos of these scenes, but it served the story well and drove home the impact of your choices. In my opinion, the biggest issue with this game is that the experience grind is far too slow and that story missions are gated by your player level. There was a similar mechanic in Origins, but the impact is far more hostile in Odyssey. There were times when I wanted to dive deeper into the main story, but was stopped due to my level-forcing me to then complete side quests. Many of which were quite boring. Side quests like generic fetch quests or “kill this animal” quests, lack the depth to justifiably pull you out of a compelling and entertaining story. It feels like Ubisoft intentionally slowed the overall character progression to nudge you towards buying an XP boost. There has been plenty of backlash due to this practice and hopefully we see this removed in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. All in all, this does not feel like an Assassins Creed game... and that is okay. The story contains very little reference to the Templars and Assassins Order, but both groups are represented by philosophical concepts of order and chaos. Assassinations are far less reliable in this entry; trading in your hidden blade for a broken spear and a more direct combat approach. The player menus are unrecognizable from classic versions of the game where skill trees and armor selection screens now reside. While not a traditional version of Assassins Creed, I hope that this is the new formula that Ubisoft iterates on. There are classic elements that I wish were more present (like a larger emphasis on stealth and parkour) but I can’t deny that this is the most fun I have ever had with an Assassins Creed game. From the vast array of things to do in Assassins Creed Odyssey to the deep RPG mechanics that enable enjoyable gameplay, this is debatably the best entry in the Assassins Creed franchise. Assassins Creed Odyssey is truly an impressive game and a 9 out of 10 on the Busch League Gaming scoring metric. For our full podcast review, visit ****/podcast/assassins-creed-odyssey-review.