Genis94

As someone who got Anthem for free with a new GPU, I still cannot recommend it at the price tag of $0, let alone retail cost. Anthem is a broken game littered with all manner of technical issues, bogged down by a lackluster story, and features no real endgame content to justify the grind or repeated time investment. If you're looking for a multiplayer online game with open world, shooting, and all sorts of cool powers, Warframe exists.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers isn't just a good MMO expansion. It's by far the best Final Fantasy game I've ever played. The combat system has been refined and retooled to be more intuitive with less unfun mechanics bogging it down, such as the removal of the ammo and heat systems from Machinist. The story in Shadowbringers is far and away one of the best RPG stories in years and is full of twists and turns that challenge your preconceptions of the rules of the world as well as the morality of your struggle. Masayoshi Soken has also blown us away yet again with his OST, managing to implement all manner of musical genre into an ever-evolving game. Shadowbringers is more than worth your time, and I strongly urge new players to progress through the game normally rather than buy skips to jump straight to the endgame. Endgame isn't everything in XIV and the story loses a lot of meaningful impact by skipping it.

Although plagued by server issues during the early access release (this was revealed to have been due to a DDoS attack), Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood has delivered an amazing experience for players of the MMO genre. From a new compelling story about liberation from tyranny and the hardships of war, to completely revamping jobs and adding new mechanics, the game has improved by leaps and bounds. Gameplay: Stormblood has made several balance changes to PvE and PvP, not least of which is the abandoning of the Cross Class System in favor of a new Cross Role System. This means you no longer have to level something like Thaumaturge in order to be a good healer with Swiftcast, as that is one of your options in the Cross Role menu. PvP has now been given a normalized stat and skill system, resulting in matches that are more heavily reliant on player skill than before, and thanks to the increased potency on almost all skills, PvP has become less of a stalemate fest. Graphics: FF14 is still a game that is very appealing to look at and the new zones continue to impress with their level of detail and visual fidelity for an MMO. From different textures to show erosion on rock, to the interesting architecture of Ala Mhigo and Othard, the art team continues to deliver. Music: Masayoshi Soken hasn't let us down as he continues to find ways to take a leitmotif and spin it in several interesting ways throughout the different zones and battles. The Royal Menagerie having one of the most climactic themes of any battle yet was wholly appropriate given the scale of what you are undertaking at the climax of the story. I found myself getting so hyped that I would occasionally sing the small chant from the main theme of the expansion during boss fights. If you're a fan of MMO's Stormblood is a fantastic expansion that builds upon an already strong foundation, and with amazing raids like Omega and Ivalice coming out soon, there's always more content to keep the game fresh on the way.

Nier: Automata is as close to a 10 as a game has gotten for me in a good while. It's rare to find a game that blends together so many aspects perfectly. From the soundtrack and story, to the gameplay and characters, Platinum and Taro don't fail to deliver. I can't recommend this game highly enough.

From amazing visuals to fantastic combat, Heavensward has got it all. Building upon the success of A Realm Reborn, they've opened a few new zones in the form of Ishgard, Dravania, and the Sea of Clouds. I'll be boiling down the key points of my review with Story, Additional Content, Gameplay, and Visuals/Music. Story: While A Realm Reborn kept the story fairly safe, drawing many parallels with the first Final Fantasy, Heavensward flips that on its head and goes for something very new. I'll not go into detail as it is better to experience it fresh, but suffice it to say that this different approach has solidified an identity for Final Fantasy XIV as an MMO that can draw in the player on their story as well as the gameplay. Additional Content: While other MMOs may struggle to develop substantial content to keep players engaged (looking at you Warlords of Draenor) Heavensward releases new patches every 3-4 months that are loaded with additional raids, dungeons, trials, and several quality of life features. From adding new crafting features and recipes to entirely new game modes in the form of Palace of the Dead, the development team pours all their effort to keeping the game fresh and enjoyable for their fans. and let's not forget the three new Jobs added to the game in the form of Dark Knight, Machinist, and Astrologian. These jobs add further diversity to the already unique roles in the game. Gameplay: If you're already familiar with the combat from A Realm Reborn, you'll be happy to hear that the depth of combat has only gotten better. Fights such as Ravana and Bismarck add a new level of mechanics and challenge to test your coordination and skill within the game. Visuals/Music: It goes without saying that Square Enix is known for their striking visuals and great music, and Heavensward is no exception. From the beautiful city of Ishgard to the incredible design of their brand new primal: Ravana, the art team has been hard at work to create a game that looks and feels great. On the musical side tracks add an extra layer of atmosphere to zones and dungeons, and tracks like Dragonsong are truly fantastic to listen to. In conclusion Heavensward is an expansion that nails it on the head in every way possible. Any fan of good MMOs should certainly give it a try.

In an age when developers are trying new and innovative ways at allowing the player to feel more engaged with the game, and failing, There Came an Echo is a breath of fresh air, and a massive success on all fronts. From the first simple commands you give your cryptographer turned soldier, you feel a massive sense of accomplishment and power. You are the on in control. You analyze the situations, give orders on the fly, and watch as your team expertly carves a path through enemy soldiers. There are some parts of the story that feel cliche, and the voice controls aren't always responsive, but the accuracy I have seen from my time playing it far outweighs any minor hiccups, and is leagues above other games that implement similar features. If you have a decent microphone and $15, There Came an Echo is a must buy.