LTTS_Kyle

I'm not really a big extraction shooter fan, mostly because the time needed to memorize the maps and loadout options is too investing, plus the threat of "losing everything" was equally stressful and **** I'm happy to say that ARC Raiders nails the formula. It's a great balance between a more casual approach and investing the time and effort to collect the rarest, best loot. The UI is friendly and uncluttered, the gameplay loop is addicting and flexible, the AI for the robotic enemies is impressively smart, tons of great QoL features, it's just as fun solo thanks to some matchmaking magic, the monetization isn't front-and-center like a lot of live service games, the audio design is fantastic (especially with a good quality headset or surround sound), it's graphically beautiful and immersive, a permanent skill tree keeps the momentum going from run to run, and at the end of the day it's just a polished, fun game that controls well.Personally, I can see how a more "hardcore" extraction shooter crowd might overlook this or think it's too simple, but the ability to extract with other players and a focus on the PvE threat helps create a really engaging, unique looting experience. Memories are made organically just by the nature of the chaos, and even losing can feel fun and exhilarating.Especially at $40, ARC Raiders is pure fun. The maps aren't as big as some other extraction shooter offerings, you may feel stuck in menus when you're not actively deploying, and some of the contextual actions (like climbing) can feel a little janky occasionally, but the minute-to-minute gameplay is what solidifies this game as a thrilling multiplayer treat - even if you don't want to team up with anyone.

I never finished the original, but had been recently playing it. I only stopped when I found out this was about to come out, and I'm glad I did. This remake is a perfectly faithful retelling of the original story, with beautifully updated graphics and new combat mechanics. It does an insanely meticulous job of recreating the tone, dialogue, maps, and core mechanics of the original while making it feel fresh and new, despite being a decades-old game. Why not a 10? It's a little linear, exploration doesn't feel super rewarding, and the story can still feel a little slow/corny in a lot of areas. The new combat mechanic - where you can fight enemies in Action RPG button mashing fashion and switch to the traditional turn-based system at any time - is a welcome addition and always feels so good to use, I just wish you had a few more options at your disposal when out of the turn-based mode. It feels good but gets repetitive, with most characters only really having 2-3 "moves" at their disposal; it devolves into mashing attack and sporadically using heavy attack pretty quick. These are light gripes though; Trails In The Sky First Chapter is a perfect entry point for newcomers to the Legend of Heroes saga, and the experience is only elevated if you played the original. This is a massively impressive, ambitious effort from Falcom, and I pray it sells well enough to get remakes of Second Chapter, The 3rd, Azure, and Zero - as great as those games are, this injects new life and energy into games that, graphically, may be a hard sell. If they pull it off, though, they'll open the floodgates for new fans of the series, lining up nicely with the newest crossover entries starting with Trails into Reverie.

I don't get the bad ratings; I'll get the negatives out first - it can feel derivative of the usual Ubisoft open world formula, and the story and side quests are pretty forgettable. They really just rehashed the central premise of the films for the game. But if there were ever an IP that would benefit from the Far Cry formula, it's definitely Avatar. The world is so inviting, lush, meticulously detailed, and gorgeous whether your Tarzan-ing your way across canopies or flying 1000 feet in the air on your Ikra. This is a game that's just fun to exist within. The combat is fun - with the caveat that guns feel janky but likely on purpose since your character isn't used to them and they're not the preferred method of combat (which makes sense, in-universe). The bow, aka your primary weapon, feels great - ESPECIALLY the heavy bow that has such satisfying feedback. Progression feels well-paced and fair, even if it is a little basic. The story is pretty tame, and even the side quests are a little repetitive and mundane. But for its narrative faults, the game's immersion is impeccable - parkouring through dense forests and climbing up steep cliffsides feels so rewarding. The traversal feels as good as the better Assassins Creed games or Spider-Man 2 - smooth and fun. One of my favorite moments in any game now belongs to Frontiers of Pandora - without spoiling, the mission where you get your Ikra (the flying bird dragon) is incredible and is, quite literally, a game changer. If you're sick of Ubisofts open-world formula, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora probably won't win you over. But for those who enjoy exploration, immersion, and game full of activities - it's a no-brainer for me. As long as you have a powerful PC or a current-gen console, Frontiers of Pandora is an experience you shouldn't miss - take it from someone who couldn't care less about the movies.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a syringe of nostalgia to the veins of any old-school gamer who fell in love with the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre. Luckily, the visual flair, rogue-lite elements, and healthy number of unlockables keep it from feeling too stale. While it may not have staying power past a couple of weeks, for around $20 you get a fun, slick, simple side scroller with an array of unique-feeling characters to play as. Especially with a friend, the new Double Dragon is a blast, if even for just a couple hours.

A richly detailed world with fun gameplay and fun stories makes Hogwarts Legacy the ultimate Harry Potter experience, even if you don't know a lick of the stories. Full review: With the plethora of open-world video games flooding the market, they're becoming increasing cookie cutter, with most adopting Ubisoft's formula of icon-filled maps and side stories to complete. My biggest gripe with these games, though, is how often they feel empty. Even Breath of the Wild, though unanimously praised for its innovation, didn't have a great "open world." The bulk of interesting map points are tied to aesthetically copy/pasted temples and simple puzzles for minimally rewarding Korok seeds; but this is just to highlight how special it is when an open world game makes the world feel truly realized, and that's probably Hogwarts Legacy's biggest strength. Exploring the castle grounds and its surrounding areas always feels rewarding and interesting, and it's helped by the uniquely rich world of the Harry Potter universe. As someone who's seen the movies but never really got "into" the whole franchise, I was entranced by all the flora and fauna, all the characters' and their stories, all the background details, and of course all the cool spells you can learn. Hogwarts Legacy's combat plays like a spellcasting class in Dark Souls, without the tremendous challenge. You lock on to opponents, hit them with combos utilizing your various spells like Incendio to light them on fire or Accio to yank them towards you, and dodge roll or parry their attacks. At its core, HL's combat is simple but once you start unlocking Talents, you can really tailor it to your playstyle. Luckily, despite the late game becoming a bit repetitive, utilizing talents keeps the combat feeling fresh and consistently fun, even if it becomes diminishing returns after a certain point. The story is intriguing, but it's clear that the game is meant to be played by a younger audience as well. It doesn't go anywhere super controversial or interesting beyond its initial story, but the cast that comprises both the main story and its side quests are all fun and engaging, adding to the beautifully realized world of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. Graphically, the game really shines and while it likely won't contend with Horizon or The Last of Us for truly mind-blowing, it's incredible how real the world and its inhabitants feel considering how fanciful and magical they all are. You'll get the usual uncanny valley in some facial animations and often hear the same voice lines over and over as you traverse the world, but these are minor gripes for what otherwise feels like a lived-in universe with gorgeous foliage, skyboxes, and of course all the bombastic special effects when the magic starts flying. Hogwarts Legacy is a win-win: it's the ultimate Harry Potter experience for those who got into the franchise while also being a great introduction to the universe for total newbies. Even without the HP knowledge, it's a fantastic, dense open-world experience that feels as fun as it is to watch and listen. Once you feel the groove in combat, it's hard not to smirk when you take down a troll or an evil wizard with a thunderous bolt of lightning or disarming them and beating them with their own weapons. THIS should be the blueprint for open world games going forward, as well as video game adaptations.