Malooga

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Make no mistake - this is budget X-Com. However, the pieces of X-Com it chooses to replicate come through very well. There is the inherent feel of "creating" a scenario as you play. While difficulty is only present on Iron Man play-through's, I feel that games of this nature lend themselves more to an organic difficulty curve that the player creates. Sure - you can take the boring straight route on missions if you like, with little deviation or difficulty in game-play. However if you want to mix it up - set up traps, complete side objective, find loot and hidden playable characters - you can do all of that too. The option the go in stealthy or guns blazing exists on almost every level, which is a nice touch. I was please to find even in the first level of the game there was plenty of freedom in terms of approach. I waited for the game to drop below a $5 price point - and that's where I think the real value lies here. Currently going on Switch for $3 - so be patient and you should see a drop on your respective platform. Pros: - Competent strategy presented in layers - Good replay value (new game ++) Cons: - UI is a little confusing / muddled - Story is basic and uninspired

I don't get it - Micro-Trans Monster Hunter? Who asked for this? Was Monster Hunter such a loved genre that we needed to spin it off into a low-budget knock off? Does anybody remember Paladins? Look I get it, if you can't spend money on games AT ALL - it's nice to have these options. I may have even booted up a title like this from time to time when lacking cash. You know what a better solution is? Sell your console. Because if this is the quality of game you want to enjoy - you're either misguided or masochistic. I would spend time actually going over the game mechanics, but its pretty much Monster Hunter - minus the polish and meat that makes Monster Hunter so good. Instead, you get cookie-cutter designs for characters and beasts, pay-to-upgrade BS and not much reward for investing. I find the Fortnite approach (while I don't play the game) of having optional "seasons" to buy into - is a much more favorable one to just generally slapping a price tag on anything unique. This is to Monster Hunter what Fallout 76 was to Bethesda fans - a low budget cash grab. **** too, as I am a big fan of the Monster Hunter formula and wouldn't have minded a low-budget replication, but this is more reminiscent of a hot, wet, steamy pile of gaming trash - cooking on a sidewalk in a **** neighborhood. Avoid it if you value your time. 4/10

*This is the first Luigi's Mansion game I have played* I only mention this because I feel there are probably others that passed on earlier Nintendo consoles, and may also be experiencing this series for the first time. What can you expect? Mario + Ghostbusters, pretty much what you think. There are a few **** issues (the controls are finicky and tough to get use to, and the MP mode is devoid of any campaign co-op option) but overall this game is incredibly satisfying and fun. One thing that stood out was presentation. I'm a Nintendo fan, so I say this with love - Nintendo is terrible at presentation in games. I've never cared about Mario, Luigi, Peach or Toad as actual characters, and I doubt many others have either. However the amount of distinction they are given in this title is inspiring. From Luigi's hilariously over the top "scared Italian" voice to Mario only speaking in Mario euphemisms - it was a delightful presentation of character that is sorely missing in other games they are featured in. The animations of Luigi are entertaining too - I just about died laughing the first time I noticed "scared face". There is so much charm here its almost sickening, but its cut nicely by the dark and dreary atmosphere the game creates. Difficulty is there, surprisingly. It doesn't ramp up until about halfway through - but that's still much sooner than most Nintendo FP titles that leave the difficulty spike for the last damn level. There IS local co-op, in the form of one person handling the gooey and green Luigi variant "Gooigi" - but this also must be unlocked past the main campaign tutorial section. The humor was a little more relate-able than usual, not really darker or more mature but certainly more encompassing of the adult players. Some references I'm sure no kid is going to understand. Nintendo continued to be the "Disney" of gaming, creating entertaining and varying games from their staple cast of familiar faces. It's refreshing to find each time I pick something up - it feels fresh, not just a regurgitation of past ideas. Still the same for Luigi - and now I'll be a lifelong fan of this series as well. Worth a buy 8/10

Don’t listen to the “Dexit” reviewers. The game is awesome. There’s over 300 Pokémon and lets be honest - it was too much at 150. Keeping the games unique in offering certain Pokémon is a staple of the franchise. Expecting it to change now is silly. Sound/music is excellent - new designs are awesome. It has a cartoony and pleasing aesthetics and much of the annoying “grind” is gone. Replaced by clever mechanics that keep you searching for new partners and customizing the ones you love in cool ways. It feels like a NEW Pokémon game - 40+ hours long (didn’t even see the first gym until hour 10). I even like the odd mix of cockney slang they throw in to dialogue over the “baby-English” in most Pokémon games. If you want a new Pokémon experience, and you don’t mind some subtle gameplay formula changes to enhance experience and keep things lively - then check this out. If you’re an OCD completionist who likes to whine about promises that were never made - you’ll find good company in the droves of spoiled gamers who review bombed this release. Babies. 10/10

WE ALL KNOW what to expect from EDF-5, if you haven't played before; you kill bugs. Big ones. 'Nuff said. So what I want to focus on are the changes this time around. * About 20 additional levels on the vanilla campaign * The ability to earn weapons/armor across all classes, regardless of what you play as * The ability to upgrade weapons and vehicles through extended use * New weapons, dialogue options, settings - but still no extra customization!!! (play Iron Rain for that) * Refined mechanics for class actions - EG the pull back and rotation camera for Air Raider during bomb drops * More dynamic level progression / more multi-tiered levels * More enemy, weapon, vehicle unlocks This is it more or less, besides this everything is a little more polished, a little smoother and just a tiny bit closer to what I suspect is the ideal EDF game. Here's the one issue with that - these are VERY minor changes, I can't really imagine an even FURTHER fine-tuned game making it as a stand-alone release. Much like the gripes emanating from many other long running franchise fans - D3 needs to find a way to quell the people looking for a meatier departure from the mainstay formula. Iron Rain was a failed attempt - not for being bad but for being too much the same. EDF-5 is definitely another tiny step forward, but its getting harder and harder to tell. 9/10

If you were bummed that Shenmue wasn't a 2D side scroller, and you thought River City Ransom WAY better than Double Dragon (I did), then Friends of Ringo Ishikawa may be right up your alley. The story is interesting but tired. The "coming of age" stories are getting a little thick these days, although this one has its own flare and manages to translate pretty well in the atmosphere and characters presented. Speaking of translation - if it's not intentional then the English translator for this game should be fired. Misspellings, misused words, broken sentence structure, it's a mess. I don't typically get annoyed by this much in text (voice work is a different story), but if its one of your ticks, stay away. The combat is responsive, and easy to learn - it simply doesn't evolve with the same freedom of choice that RCR did. Instead it feels much like Double Dragon in this way. You'll learn the basics, you'll learn new ways of stringing together the basics, and then you'll be done learning combat. The game is short however, so it never has a chance to annoy you too much with repetitive mechanics. In fact, keeping things fresh and non-repetitive is one thing TFORI does tremendously well. By peppering in JRPG mechanics at different intervals, and a plethora of mini-games - the game as a whole does a good job of breaking you away from the monotony before it becomes overbearing. All in all, a worthwhile experience. One I would have liked to see released at a sub $10 price point, so maybe wait for a light sale before investing. 7/10

I want to give EDF a perfect score, it always makes me smile and I've been playing since the SHMUP entry on SNES. The thing is, EDF is like an anti-game in a lot of ways, just with a "normal" game skin. Sure there is shooting, and leveling and all the stuff you come to expect from a gaming experience - but it feels purposefully campy. There's no reason why this should be the first entry on the newest version of Unreal, but it is - and it STILL looks dated. If that's not intentional, not sure what's going on. The voice work, tone of the game, everything oozes that B-movie feeling (Starship Troopers: The Game) you have come to expect. The changes in this entry really set off the gameplay, and for the first time ever I found myself actually pleasantly surprised by the pacing of the game. Don't get me wrong, the changes aren't drastic - but ramping up the party size online, removing class restrictions and generally making each class smoother and more fun to play were all good moves. The trade in of a 90+ level campaign for a more modest 50 levels at first did not strike me positively. However seeing how quickly the missions ramped up to be multi-tiered and interesting I see why they opted for a tighter experience overall. One thing I'll say in the negative, there is not a great use of level space. The areas look different (not the same muddy greens and browns I'm use to seeing), but there is a LOT of wasted space. That's also normal for an EDF title - its just something I would expect to be fixed in this entry. A tighter space would have allowed for more detail and variation, but what's there is still a step above the last few entries. This isn't the game with the best story, the best graphics or the best gameplay - but its still the best game that's not best in anything. The EDF deploys again! 8/10

A 2D western style RPG with an assortment of mini-games taking the place of combat, Rainsdowne Players manages to bring something fresh to the table, but falls just short of greatness. The idea is perfect, two struggling thespians make one last run at getting their shabby theatre to produce numbers. You as the player are tasked with making this happen through various games and activities. Where it does well is in the layers of story that pertain to each town member, and how you can custom tailor the performances to audience member tastes. There was a level of complexity in this that I wasn't expecting, but really what it boils down to is the more time you spend with the game, the more you are able to do in it. That's true of many games, but executed very well in TRP. Where it fails is difficulty, with most games being baby-time-frolics and the odd challenge spike being little more than a poorly explained goal or a janky mechanic tied to winning, very little in the way of a structured challenge. Probably for the best though, the rest of the games tone is very light in nature - so a challenging puzzle mechanic may not have suited it well. 6/10, a casual RPG experience that will probably leave you wanting a little more at the end of it all - but worth a look for a sub $5 price tag.

I waited on **** Valley when it launched, despite being a solid Harvest Moon fan and everybody telling me it was an amazing title, I just wasn't feeling it. When it came to Switch I figured why not? If you, like me, waited on this game - you're doing yourself an injustice. The last time I used the words "perfect game" I think it was after Witcher 3 launched. **** Valley is a perfect game. Perfect sound, perfect gameplay - perfect embodiment of the classic in every way and it expands on those ideas even further. Within about 5-10 hours, you'll feel about as accomplished as you would at any point in classic Harvest Moon - and then the floodgates open up. This is a 50+ hour campaign, and you could easily sink three times that long into completing everything. Add a layered and deep social system, classic adventure style segments and a literal metric ton of things to unlock, progress in or complete - you will spend about as much time searching this tiny map of **** Valley as you would in the world of Skyrim or any other massive playing field. As a long time gamer, I can value this much more in terms of achievement - making a small space feel dense and full of life some dozens of hours into an experience is a much more meaty endeavor in my opinion, and much harder to pull off. The fact it was all done by one man is simply incredible, and I sincerely hope he's getting the support he needs to keep doing this - but I can't see how he wouldn't after an initial game like this. TLDR - just buy it, especially if you're a retro/RPG/simulation/adventure/good lord this game has everything fan. 100/10

A very simplistic puzzle title that takes roughly three hours to complete solo, probably slightly longer in co-op due to the need to communicate and plan your approach to some of the later stages. Nothing is done poorly, but nothing raises the bar any either. Overall a run-of-the-mill title, with a decent challenge spike that probably won't frustrate players too much. Pro's: A good couch co-op puzzle title, great price, charming (yet simplistic) graphics. Cons: Too short, could have used some added challenge post-game for the hardcore puzzle fans Overall: Standard fare, but worth it for the sub $5 price tag (anything more and my score would have been lower) 7/10

Don't Nod studios is a AA development team - so firstly lets get this "it's not AAA quality" trash out of here. Because aside from the fact that it IS a smaller dev group, the game manages to shine in many ways reminiscent of a large budget title - and one way that outshines even the greatest AAA games. I'm speaking of the games social mechanics, which work similarly (yet more refined) to the "Nemesis" system in LoTR. Meaning: each area of the game consists of persistent AI - each of whom you have the option to learn more about via missions or dialogue, but you also have the option to kill. Doing the latter grants huge XP boosts, while keeping the citizens in good health ultimately adds to your overall good boy points and allows you the ability to see far more of the well-told if not standard story. It's a very delicate risk reward system that keeps you wondering whether its worth risking killing a major player in the plot or sub-plot for the ability to dispatch baddies more effectively. At a certain point, the game seemingly forces you into making a decision to end a life. Not that its impossible to progress, simply far more difficult to play saint over sinner. My one gripe is the voicing of the protagonist. He's plain enough to start, the bitter definition of bleak as far as protagonists go - but I never got any true sense of emotion from the voicing. It was bland, overall - and when EVERY SINGLE other NPC is voiced so well, couple with tremendous ambient noise and a decent soundtrack its even more frustrating to play as this dullard. Still, it doesn't hamper the experience overall - and if you crave some Western RPG action akin to Bloodborne meets KOTOR - this is a really good bet. 2 hours in and you'll be hooked. I really cant understate just how impressed I was with the AI and social mechanic as well as the UI that connected it all. Fast and crunchy combat, great sound, good story - but that RPG and social depth is where its at. Definitely don't sleep on this one. 9/10

****AMAZON PRIME MEMBERS CAN GET THIS GAME FOR FREE**** Pikuniku us firstly and foremost a charming SINGLE player adventure platformer. I emphasize single player because like a dummy I pre-ordered without researching, thinking the two identical looking characters indicated a co-op adventure. There was also footage of this in early trailers, however the local co-op is restricted to just under 10 levels - and a snarky basketball game. All good fun mind you - just not the focal point of the (already light) content. However, the story that is there is clever and well-told, and the simple to learn mechanics never made me feel like I was working too hard to progress. Rather it slightly suffered from a bit of "random button pressing" to get where I wanted to go. This is a shame, and the pitfall of a lot of physics based platforming. Forcing you to push as many things as possible when logic fails and hope for the best result. There isn't much of it though, thankfully - and being that your arm-less protagonist (Piku) can only kick things its nice to see nearly everything in the world be reactive to it. Truthfully most of the fun in the game was in goofing around, experimenting and just getting lost in the charm of it all. Katamari levels of charm here. But beyond that - the world is small and the story short - so maybe wait for a sale. However as stated above, this game is free for Prime members currently. While that IS the PC version of the game, its not a demanding game by any means. If you MUST have it on Switch (like me), it will probably be on sale within a couple months. Definitely worth a look if you're a fan of cute and silly - 8/10

Let's get the big question out of the way - is this a suitable substitute for Monopoly on consoles? Yup. For a fraction of the cost. The Bad: UI, aaaaaawwwwwwwwful. Just terrible. The "B" button always acts as an exit to the game, menu's are shaded to similarly on selection - making it hard to see what you're selecting and in general the menu's just don't respond well. Down triggers the toggle switch, left moves you up through some menu options and it's normal in others. I mean, full on train wreck on the UI. The Good: Pretty much everything else. It's not the prettiest buy a long shot but that's not really important for a Monopoly clone. The rules are pretty much exactly the same, with some spaces on the board being replaced by risk/reward spaces. Not a bad touch. Where the game really shines is in the tweaks you can make to the standard formula. Special dice that change the roll outcome, scrambled boards and special rules make this fun to replay in several new ways that Monopoly simply doesn't offer. Add to that, online cross-play with PC, mobile and Xbox players and you have a sustainable online community to play with. The developers have already added one update with even more options to tweak the game, so its getting post-launch support as well. All in all, for under $10 this is the way to go if you want to experience that Monopoly hype - unless you just HAVE to have the classic, then you'll be shedding out $40+ for the experience. Did I mention the mascot is a dead ringer for Kim Jong Un? Icing on the cake. 8/10

A Souls-born 8 bit marine adventure where you pilot an upgrade-able submarine and try to reveal what happened to the citizens there before collapse. The difficulty is moderate-high, with most of the challenge coming in boss battles. Gameplay is reminiscent of Titan Souls, with most of the between sections filling in atmosphere and lore. Overall the game suffers slightly from the chosen aesthetic, and it becomes very easy to lose your player character in the mess of on-screen assaults that will occur. Stylish as it is, it creates an artificial difficulty curve that is more annoying than it is engaging. Outside of that there is much to be loved about the game as a whole. Smooth controls, a simple but well told narrative and some good challenges to tackle post-game. If you're into boss crawls, or adventure RPG's, this may be worth a look. 8/10

Desert Child is a racing arcade game first and foremost, with an interesting design choice that falls somewhere between Turbo Grafix and Microsoft Paint. Aside from the main focus of side-scroll racing/dodging - the light story accompanying the game is steeped in more of a classic JRPG vibe. As somebody who grew up with games like Off-Road and Pod Racer, this is kind of a quaint nod to those good old days of race/progress/buy/race with just a little extra meat thrown in. Where it failed was surprisingly in the marketing department. People were led to believe this was a story heavy RPG - with less focus on the racing only as a means of earning money or experience. The developers liken the game to other JRPG staples like FF, and anime staples like Cowboy Bebop. This can give all sorts of impressions of what your game truly is, so a word of caution there about building hype that AAA devs know all too well about. It's sad to see reviewers hate on the title on that alone though - because what IS there for a $12 price tag is pretty worthwhile. If you enjoy arcade racers, or endless runners - and don't mind some artistic flare of light RPG mechanics, give Desert Child a spin. 7/10

Lets get all the bad out of the way right now - the intro song ****. That's about it, everything else is more or less the epitome of Smash, if you've played any of the recent entries you'll feel right at home. The game is PACKED with content, so value is there in spades, and if there's a Nintendo character left unrepresented by either playable characters or the new support characters (known as spirits) - then it must be the most obscure character license they own. Literally its as overwhelming as starting a new massive open world game, just staring at the list of unlockables. It's almost too much, but Nintendo does a masterful job of layering elements and peppering in extras at certain intervals that keeps it from becoming too much of a chore to manage. The combat is still the same, but the same for somebody not akin to Smash, that may like a more traditional "hard-counter" set-up like in SF, this may be a little bit of a turn off. Not every character has fluid movement, for instance. Some feel floaty, and not as impactful. This is a far cry from something you'd see in a traditional fighter. It's not a BAD thing necessarily, but if you aren't use to it you may think Kirby is a great representation of how the gameplay works. Where as playing with a character like Little Mac leaves you feeling like you're outpacing all opponents. This is simply the nature of the game, as mobility is a big part of what distinguishes the fighters. Overall I don't think its for everybody, perhaps the hardcore fight fans who don't squeal with glee everytime they see their favorite Nintendo (or Sega) mascots on the screen - perhaps its worth testing first. For everybody else, fork it over and hail to the king, Smash is back! 9/10

Circle of Sumo is not the game to end all party games, or even one that manages to add anything drastically new to the genre - but what IS there, at the price point its offered is well worthy of a look. The base game revolves around the simple Sumo Wrestling mechanic of forcing other players out of a designated ring. There are standard combat mechanics at work, like dodging/sprinting/counter-attacks and so on, and 8 different fighters to choose from, 4 male and 4 female. The fighters have varying stats - with one fighter favoring each stat and one balanced fighter in each gender. Again its a basic set-up that does little to inspire strategy, rather its about timing and learning the functions of the game adequately IE: don't charge attack when you should have dodged and so on. "If you pizza when you should have french-fried, you're gonna have a bad time." All in all its a great pick-up-and-play title, with good stage variety and some extra game modes to boot. The extra modes, like 2v2 hockey and free for all racing - do pale in comparison to the replay-ability found in the main mode. I would liken the experience to something along the lines of Nidhogg, simple to understand and tricky to master with all of the focus on local party play. It's a Nintendo/Steam exclusive for the time, which gives it a little more appeal IMO - and for $20 you can do far worse on the Nintendo e-shop. 7/10

In the muddled history of Spider-Man games there are few that most people will agree are amazing (no pun intended), but rather a mix of games that endeared themselves to some while angering others. This is where Insomniacs entry will break the mold. Anybody who claims this is not a spectacular entry is likely far up their own anal cavity. That said - there are a couple **** issues that while they do not hamper the overall enjoyment, may be worth noting before taking to the streets as the man of many webs. 1. Combat: Now this isn't an issue with the way combat looks - it's gorgeous and fluent and I love every second. However, the game over-explains many of the combat features early in the game, and does little to reinforce them after, causing a bit of confusion as you quickly encounter large groups of mixed classes. Furthermore, even when combat shines the brightest there is an inherent feeling of "I didn't mean to do that but it looked cool!", basically like you have less control over Spidey then I'd personally like. To compare to Batman, where eventually you could play the timing game so well you'd never be touched (even without gadgets) - to reach that level with Spidey you'll have to become reliant on using gadgets frequently, and more or less smashing the dodge button. 2. Sound: I love the sound, but the problem is the game handles ambient and voice work poorly in many areas, with ambient noise popping in suddenly and loudly, drowning out dialogue. Or that dialogue is so baby soft during the loudest scripted events. Fortunately there are a couple audio options even on console that may help you even this out. All in all sound is incredible, the game just handles volume poorly on the basic setting. Overall the game is magnificent, few times have I played with such a wide grin on my face the entire time. Insomniac did an amazing job of making the city feel alive, and making your part in the ecosystem feel natural and fluid. This is where it succeeds in spades over the Arkham franchise, because while I love those games too I always felt like I was "playing Batman well", not "I am Batman" as so many would cry. **** Spider-Man. 8/10

Morphies Law plays like a strange mix of Gotham City Imposters and Splatoon - but inherently FEELS like a low budget version of either title. Below average shooting mechanics, bland level design and a general lack of variety in gameplay between the different modes keeps the game from realizing its full potential. The hook is great (shoot/shrink parts on other players and grow your own), but it feels the downside of being a larger target vastly outweighs any physical buffs, and the maps are just too small (think Drawn to Death sized maps) to really implement layered strategy with any success. So it just feels like a "pray and spray" formula. Positives: No pay to win crap, and some good customization for characters although in the end it just ends up looking like a "dia de los muertos" costume party either way. Sound is great, it all has that animated/cartoony vibe and that seems to fit the pace of the game well. The other major positive is the cost - and the fact that it's (currently) Switch exclusive. For $20 you could do worse, there is a good amount of charm here so if that's a sell factor for you - have at it. Unfortunately the lack of polished shooting mechanics (at least in the early stages of the game), couple with small, disorienting maps and lackluster game modes means this multiplayer shooter has a ways to go before wowing any hardcore fans of the genre. 6/10

If Golf Story was the perfect melding of golf and traditional JRPG - than consider Pool Panic as the likewise impeccable mix of traditional arcade pool games and adventure/puzzle platformer. The latter is developed by Adult Swim Games, and like most of their fare the game tends to favor the weird and wonderful comedy associated with the brand. Adult Swim Games is very hit or miss, with more of a presence on mobile platforms due to the simplicity of most of their games. Pool Panic manages to shed the trend of favoring mobile in many successful ways. Adding an engaging over-world and deep puzzle mechanics in later stages. The main goal is always the same, clear the level of all pool balls by running around and using a life sized pool stick to launch yourself at unsuspecting peers. The caveat is the 8-ball, which must be saved for last but will constantly harass the player as you try to complete a level. The formula works to great avail, with very few complaints. They are listed below: 1. Sound is lackluster. Effects are good enough, with typical sounds of a cue cracking ball, and panicky noises coming from the other pool balls as you launch them around. However, it is redundant, and the game does little to add worthwhile stage music or ambient noise to keep things interesting. 2. Difficulty. It's not a lack there-of or too much, rather the game does a poor job of explaining new mechanics to the player. While typically I don't mind some "trial by fire" in learning a game, some levels have you working against time sensitive goals, or require something different to 100%. It means back-tracking or playing a second run becomes slightly more enticing as you'll be ready for anything - but by itself doesn't warrant several play-through's, so it ends up being more of an annoyance than adding anything worthwhile to the mechanics. Overall its a nice pick-up for the price, and a console exclusive to Switch. If you are looking for a charming experience you can't find on PS4 or Xbox, you can do much worse than Pool Panic. *EDIT* I increased my score by a couple points, as I was very pleasantly surprised by both the sheer variety in level design (stagnancy is almost no issue), and the enjoyable 2-player mode which was overlooked in my initial review. Typically I feel these to be "tacked on" in games like Pool Panic that favor a platforming or puzzle mechanic, but I was surprised at how well it fit within the confines of the game. Definitely worth another couple of brownie points in the review. 8/10

Octopath Traveler is a competent and charming title with only ONE real fault, but it's the average execution of many JRPG tropes that overall lend it less of a "masterpiece" entry from Square. Despite the run-of-the mill story and combat mechanics there are some stand-out features that make this worth the price tag in my opinion, just be aware of a few things before purchase: 1. The English voice acting while not poor in audio quality, is TERRIBLE in terms of portraying what the character would sound like. Solemn moments are punctuated with upbeat inflections, and therefore upbeat moments lose distinction. I tried SEVERAL characters, each cringe-worthy. Then I switched to Japanese dub - problem (mostly) solved. That is unless reading is a chore for you, in which case I would have to seriously wait on this game. It was that bad it many cases. 2. Combat while deep, does not ever really challenge the player to plunge the depths of the mechanics at hand. Personally I think a 3-player party restriction would have solved this a bit, as there isn't anything inherently wrong with the combat itself, it's quite enjoyable. Still, any real difficulty curve would have to come from skipping potential party members, or forgetting to restock items before battle. Not much else is there in terms of difficulty curves, especially since most of the "weakness" puzzle is solved from simply attacking until you solve it. Those are the two major gripes, aside from a generally lackluster story for roughly half of the available characters that falls squarely into the "generic" classification. Still, seeing as how Square helped pioneer that genre in the West, its a somewhat fitting homage that while not vastly different, is very much the best of what we remember from youth. There are some outlandish rave reviews that I think come from behind some tight nostalgia goggles, so go in expecting average and you will be pleasantly surprised. 7/10

Excellent re-imagining of a classic. Consider this the fighting game for those tired of getting out-skilled in larger titles like Street Fighter. The focus is on mastery of 3-4 skills and kick-punch combo's/range. So just like a fighting tutorial the whole objective is mastery of the hit box. A great pick up and play title - but pro's should be wary of meat-on-the-bone here. Its a light fighter, competitive play is going to be riddled with inconsistency. This means everybody has a better chance of winning, but also that skill won't take you as far. 8/10 - well worth the price tag.

*TIME SAVER REVIEW* It's fun enough. Wait for a sale unless you are a die-hard Mario Tennis fan. Plays like all other Mario sports titles, not much here in terms of redefining the genre. Better with two players, but fun single player as well. The story is kind of a wash but who expected a masterful story about a plumber playing tennis? 7/10 - A $40 price tag or lower.

* Time Saver Review! * Gameplay: Park-sim builder with the classic JP license behind it (think Operation Genesis on Xbox). Everything works well enough, with some lack in focus on the finer details of the building mechanics, but does a nice job utilizing the park and dinosaur components to create satisfying chaos. Graphics: Very nice, a few dips in frame-rate when the screen was filled with screaming citizens. Some of the texture pop or collision detection failures when flying in the chopper. Nothing too drastic, a good look overall. Sound: EXCELLENT. The Dino's sound great, you can tell having access to audio files from the films paid off here. Ambient noise is done well, voice actors all did very good - even Goldblum was a joy to listen to and never felt un-enthusiastic or detached in the narrative. Overall: Easy to pick up and play, but with a good amount of complexity stemming from menu management and balancing the three tiers of your park (Science, Amusement, Security). Its a nice tribute to a forgotten Xbox game and the JP franchise - although you can tell the focus here was all on the dinosaurs. That's fitting, but some of the other builder/sim mechanics in the game suffer for it. Chaotic and fun - 8/10

* DISCLAIMER: I did not have the chance to play this game on PC - so I cannot to speak to what is different from last years release * Gameplay - Somewhat one dimensional outside of combat with a focus on exploration and puzzle solving. Puzzles are very reminiscent of the classic adventure style minus the point-click interface. It's very much about collecting "item x" for "quest giver y". Inside combat the game plays very much like a traditional turn-based RPG, complete with character customization and party management as well as the natural level progression and skill building associated with those titles. All of these elements are done well, but not so well as to really standout in either genre. Sound: While limited I found the music and ambient noise in the game to be quite enjoyable and indicative of the setting (wild west). There were a few instances where the music got a little redundant, but overall it matched the charm that oozes from this title. Graphics: This is where I was surprised. The graphics I expected to be a low point, this IS a game featuring stick figures and using two colors after all. I was wrong however, as the simplistic design leads way to complex ideas and points of reference, and is overall one of the most endearing aspects of the game. It gave everything a sort of "Blues Clues" charm about it, one that I found myself drawn to more than expected. Overall: I can't quite place my finger on it - but this may be the most warming and hilarious titles in the RPG/Adventure genre for some time now. The writing is incredible, and the jokes just keep coming - but it doesn't let itself become one big massive punchline. In the end, this was a pleasant if short adventure worth revisiting a couple times after. At an $11 price point its a must play for fans of the genre - 8/10

*TIME SAVER REVIEW (Nintendo nostalgia goggles removed)* Gameplay - very reminiscent of the new Rayman formula but with a Lost Vikings twist. You swap between usable characters with differing powers (absorbed using Kirby's patented eating disorder), in order to solve puzzles and progress the levels. Hidden characters, levels and unlocks are plentiful. Graphics - Very crisp and vibrant, as Kirby fans have come to expect and again reminiscent of the Rayman vibe. Effects are handled wonderfully, with chaos ensuing often on-screen and no dip in frame rate. Sound - Meh. It's the typical Nintendo soundtrack, lots of chimes and happy crescendo's. Nothing really standout here, suffice to say it does the job. Other - I am a **** for the Nintendo couch co-op experiences, they do them so well. That said, the game suffers a bit when playing solo, it was clearly designed with cooperative play in mind. Verdict - Not a bad entry for Kirby on Switch by any means. A little unimaginative, the story is bland and the difficulty doesn't really see any kind of spike until late game (like most Nintendo platformers). Overall a worthy pick-up if you love the franchise or are looking for something fun to play with a friend. Otherwise it may be worth waiting for a sale, or looking for a deal. 7/10

*TIME SAVER REVIEW* Gameplay - All of the best SF titles in one place, pretty straight-forward. Online support for three SF2 variants, SF Alpha 3 and SF Third Strike. Seamless jumping between games in lobby, with options to spectate. Custom control configurations and typical arcade settings abundant. Graphics - Fluid and with few breaks in frame-rate, all games look preserved well - with no added adjustments to pallets beyond vibrancy of the colors. Sound - All original soundtracks are here, sound is crisp. Other: Still doesn't feel quite right with an Xbox controller. That's not a slam on Xbox (I love their controller), its just a bit too crunchy on the d-pad and I noticed some latent response in the sticks. Verdict: A perfect companion for those of us that grew up with the late 80's classic fighter. All the best of the franchise is here, and this is the smoothest I have seen servers for these classics in a long time. 8/10

*TIME SAVER REVIEW* Gameplay - Tried and true walking simulator with a tiny bit less emphasis on control over monotonous tasking. Even on the "adept" difficulty, button combos rarely exceeded three buttons pressed in tandem. Interactive objects are rarely hidden too well, and light exploration reveals much of what there is to see. Graphics - GOOOOOOOORGEOUS Sound - Excellent use of ambient noise, coupled with some stellar voice acting performances. The orchestra numbers were hit or miss, but mostly got the job done when it came to denoting the games pace. Replayability - It's there in spades. LOTS of potential branches to follow with a visualization of your taken path. However like most Cage games there is a larger narrative being explained that can only be affected so much. Still, well worth two or three plays to see more of the stand-out performances. Verdict - A mash-up of David Cages finest work. Of the three narratives you can see a little of each previous Cage title. Kara has the emotional family driven narrative of Heavy Rain, Conner is the detective drama from Indigo Prophecy and Markus shows the supernatural signs of technological instability - nodding back to the supernatural presence in Beyond Two Souls. It really feels like Cage took all the elements that worked in those titles, and lost those that didn't for an overall enjoyable experience. 8/10

Still the same great experience with remastered visuals and music. However for a $50 price tag, I would have expected the now 3+ year old title would have gotten at least ONE new map or character to freshen it up for returning players. Sadly, there is little to nothing in the way of game-play additions, making this a better candidate for "wait for sale" material. Unless you have not played it prior to this release, in which case its certainly worth every penny. 7/10

TIME SAVER REVIEW! Story: Still choppy and not the focus of the game Graphics: Goooooooooorgeoooous Gameplay: Standard FC fare with an EXCELLENT map this time around (THANK YOU UBISOFT) - fully co-op. Replayability: In spades, the FC Arcade is an excellent addition, map editor is VERY intuitive. Verdict: Worth it, not much else in this genre coming, and NOTHING in the co-op open-world FPS department. Maybe Agony (minus co-op) until post-E3, but if you are craving that kind of action just go ahead and bite. If you're familiar with and enjoy the Far Cry series, this is a worthy addition. 8/10

As somebody who has never played this franchise before perhaps its not the best game to play first, but my time with Monster Hunter World was not the inviting experience I had hoped it would be. It is in fact, a VERY long lesson in redundancy, and while done with a particular flare for the fun and silly - it wasn't enough to save me from the feeling of overwhelming simplicity. For those of you looking to experience a traditional hack-and-slash adventure RPG, stay away - this is not that. I see a lot of people likening it to Dark Souls, but the Souls series has nowhere near this much crafting and menu time - and I think the comparison largely draws from the flare or "SOS" mechanic, that works a lot like signs did for Dark Souls. It DOES have a distinctive MMO lite feel, which I detest on consoles, and in general. MMO games are not something to commit to casually, as we learned with Destiny and The Division, and here its no different. MMO fans will be disappointed by the lack of depth and adventure RPG fans will hate the lack of action. I definitely felt as though I was being spoon fed a line of boss battles as I trudged through the campaign - and if you want that wait for the Shadow reboot. Sound was good, graphics were good for an engine that was being used to make Dead Rising and Dragons Dogma some time back. Customization was decent, and at first I liked the feline companions until they made it a point to force a cat-pun every five seconds. There are plenty of weapons to choose from but really its the same three classes as always (melee, ranged, magic/tech), so take it for what you will. The one thing they did brilliantly was timing, because the game launched when there was nothing but Far Cry to contest with for a 4 month span, and everybody was bored. So naturally, it will be a huge success. Just beware - if you aren't a Monster Hunter fan and you were expecting more of the Dark Souls/God of War vibe, its very limited. Expect Final Fantasy with more menus and less magic. 4/10

Gotta say I am impressed. When I saw they were remaking my favorite Genesis sports franchise, I figured there would be a pay wall, or not enough time spent on the little things that made Mutant League Football/Hockey unique. Boy was I wrong. Everything from the kills, to the hilariously punny (although sometimes trite) names for players and the interesting mix of strategy/traditional sports/insanity that made the original so fantastic is present in the modern installment. The object in MFL remains the same, score points while avoiding pitfalls, giant worms and landmines (among other things) and using a variety of dirty tricks to bolster your play. Every team gets their own assortment of offensive and defensive tricks - and its all good fun. Bribe the ref, forcing a counter-bribe or outright manslaughter, send opponents into an acid trip haze, become 2 stories tall and pound the offense into bloody chunks. Its all satisfying. The sound is great too, with both announcers delivering a great performance, although it does get a bit repetitive after time. The same can be said of the soundtrack in general. It also suffers from the same frustratingly frantic moments (think NFL Blitz), where the ball switches hands six times before the play gets blown dead. It can be fun when it goes your way, enraging when it does not. All in all, this isn't the competitive light style that lends itself well to e-sports, such as the likes of Rocket League, but it is great fun none-the-less and even more enjoyable online or with a friend on the couch. It will definitely remind you of the Blitz/NFL Street days, and does the original franchise justice in every aspect. 8/10 - an easy buy for $20, see you on the field!

X-Morph won't shatter your expectations of a twin-stick shooter or a tower defense title, but does marry the ideas quite well, with attention to detail that I did not expect from a small-budget title. Graphics are standard fare, but clean. Some good particle effects and chaotic moments make for some good eye candy, and there is minimal slow-down despite high enemy counts on certain missions. The sound was probably the most impressive aspect, it was punchy and well voiced - explosions were loud and the whole game gave a very campy "Earth Defense Force" vibe. It worked incredibly well, and I liked playing as the invading force for a change. The couch co-op is the real draw here. Not many in this category can do a decent job of making co-op fun and still challenging. This one absolutely does, and there are a good amount of missions to keep you playing. I would say having some more customization options for the ship would be nice, as would developing the tower defense aspect a little more. I like how they handled the build mechanics especially in that it allows for on-the-fly building mid-battle without killing the intensity of the game. Really did not expect the polish I got with this title, I'm eager to see an expansion on this idea, and the price point ($25) isn't terrible. Still, if you can snag it for less (I got the base game on a sale for $13), its absolutely worth it. 7/10

A surprisingly fun title in the vein of Puzzle Quest, but despite match-3's getting done to death a little due to the mobile appeal, this one has some depth to it that sets it apart. Love the steam-punk Victorian style, and the fact that its a rogue-like adds to the flavor a bit and makes it different from others in its genre. The progression system is rewarding enough, but could use a little more meat. I felt like I unlocked all characters/mec's pretty quickly, and there really weren't many variants on powers. Despite the simplistic design I sunk an easy 8-10 hours into this title in the first couple of days after buying it - its got that addictive charm with no petty micro-trans crap to go with it. The story, characters and most of the graphical effects (while serving their purpose) are uninspiring. There is an added level of strategy here though due to the gameplay style and the ability to target enemy systems individually when launching attacks, and that makes it fun enough to rinse and repeat time and again. Overall its worth the $15 asking price, but if you happen to notice it go on sale (I **** it for $3 this Xmas), don't pass it up. Especially if you're a puzzle/strategy fan. 8/10

I got it for $15, absolutely worth it for that price. It doesn't greatly expand on anything from the ME series (aside from a decently entertaining co-op mode), but it does tackle a lot of the **** problems. Being able to respec and change appearance early and often was cool, having "mark all as read" options on the codex...stuff like that. Graphics and animation made a lateral move here. Some small instances of brilliance, but overall hum-drum. Voice acting is all over the place, as is the writing. While the Turian and Krogan companions were voiced well, the Asari companion is atrocious, as are quite a few of the supporting cast and the male Ryder (play a female character and thank me later, she did worlds better). It's not worth $60, and you should probably kick yourself if you paid that much, but for $20 or less - even for the base experience - you can't go wrong. Especially if you're a Mass Effect nut (I'm not). 8/10

As a fan of The Longest Journey and somebody who was fairly pleased with the Dreamfall saga as a whole I must say...this game has not aged well. Maybe its just me, but everything from the plot to the characterization and even the visuals seemed to have deteriorated tremendously for this final chapter, in such a way that it begs you to consider: were the pre-quells really any better? I wanted to re-experience the story, but apart from some mashed together clips on YouTube there isn't really a good synopsis of the story thus far (and it is a convoluted one), which kind of leaves newcomers at a disadvantage. This is something I was sure the re-release of Dreamfall Chapters would remedy, after all this is the FINAL chapter. I was wrong. Upon start-up of the game there IS an option for a quick recap, which is narrated by the games leading protagonists. However to say it was brief is an understatement, and it left out some critical information from the ORIGINAL game that has a huge impact on the universe at large as well as character motivations. I guess you could argue that at this point only hardcore fans are following the series, and this isn't REALLY a good point of entry, but what a huge ball dropped. Even knowing all the ins and outs, to see it summarized is tantamount to the experience as a whole. Fans have come a long way with this series, and supported it with hard earned cash - we deserve a summary of our exploits at the very least. That's a minor issue however, compared to the larger problem with Dreamfall Chapters. Its BORING. I mean dreadfully boring. Context is seemingly added for every unnecessary object you stumble across, and while done the right way this can show a deepness of universe, all the writers ever did was find way to shoehorn in ways the item pertained to the character examining it. So we get tons of background on characters in this sense, but not much else. It leaves a lot to be desired, and it seems the games mechanics have actually regressed over time, simplifying themselves in nature and pandering to the lazy gamer who's there for a story. Here's the problem with that, Telltale has raised the bar significantly for this style of gameplay and Dreamfall Chapters misses ALL the queues. Engaging and interactive player sequences - nope. Huge set-pieces and impactful decisions - nope. Relatable protagonists and problem solving? Absolutely not. It's like they expected this games legacy to account for the obvious dip in writing and gameplay, but it simply does not. For all of that it is more Dreamfall, and perhaps the closure console fans needed. However in retrospect a remake of the classic would have been far more pleasing, and its an experience that console users also missed. This was basically a wasted opportunity to capitalize on the adventure game trend, and it feels like it in every way. A disappointing 5/10.

I'm gonna do something I don't normally do for reviews and focus this one on the couple of things that kept Neverealm from achieving greatness this time around. Mainly, the single player experience and the AI. Everything else in this game, from character selection, to sound and graphics, to gameplay-is solid if not remarkable. Hence, the 8/10, but SO frustrated am I with the inept ability to do these two things well really struck a sour chord with me. Here's the problem: AI: Okay, so you create a DEEP (amazingly deep) customization system. It features pieced out armor, additional unlockable abilities and stat boosts, even hidden characters and voice actors. Really amazing stuff. WHY then, is this games iteration of "hard" mode, no more then the same cheeseball **** spam tactics seen in every other fighting game. Two words, wasted opportunity. Why couldn't hard mode just be characters who were decked out in all this stat boosting gear you created? You basically just did all the leg work for a deeply customizable difficulty and then said "screw it, 5 hit 300 damage unblockable combos is a smarter system". Whhhhyyyyyyyy??? It's so disappointing, and the end game boss actually has moves not even available to the playable character, even more of a cheap shot to spike difficulty. These are old tropes and WB has been doing a great job of pioneering the genre. Just a huge ball dropped here. Single Player: So no real issues here with the campaign, it was standard fare. Contrary to popular opinion I didn't think they stretched the characters too far in the main campaign, they all more or less felt like their comic identities save the differences explained through this story and the last. The issue comes in when you play the individual characters to their unique endings (arcade style). Whoever wrote these endings needs to be dragged outside, spiked through the balls with a nail-gun and fired...from a cannon into the sun. They are the most uncharacteristic, slapped together stories I have ever seen. Atrocitus decides he shouldn't be so rage filled and celebrates with a rainbow coalition of lanterns...f*cking WHAT. F*CKING WHAAAAT!? I'll spare you any others, but they are worth looking up if you just want to puke with hatred. Usually I could care less about these little stories, but because they are standard fare and fit the lore. They retconned like 10 stories in these **** was like watching Fantastic **** of them, pick one. I can't in good conscience knock a score for such a good game low because of these things, but whoever it is that put them in the game, shame. SHAME and a pox on your family. 8/10

Friday the 13th offers everything fans of the movie series (or just the 90's horror scene in general) everything they could possibly want in terms of presentation. The tone comes off as frantic when playing the counselors, though very cat and mouse as opposed to the straight forward shooting frenzy that Evolve would build to in matchmaking. You scavenge for parts to help you escape but, GASP, there isn't enough space for EVERYBODY!? This mechanic was actually kind of nice, and it speaks volumes that they built an asymmetrical multiplayer system where it doesn't take perfect teamwork to succeed (because lets face it, that doesn't happen with public matchmaking). On the side of Jason, you feel like an unstoppable killing machine. In this sense it is VERY similar to Evolve, however instead of being on the defensive from the start you simply build up to your more insane powers the longer the match drags on. It's probably the thing that works best, and its a true joy to play as the iconic killer when your turn comes up. However that is infrequent (random selection and chances are 1/8) so settle in for some horrible facial animations because every counselor has them and you'll be playing them A LOT. Seriously, one of the first orders of business should be a boss mode style match, where its Jason V Jason V Jason or something, because as of right now the best part of the game is the smallest part of your play time with it. This is a game you may want to wait on, but at the same time you risk never playing it while the community is thriving by doing so. Its tough to recommend a buy because while the formula is fun and works well, there just isn't much to it. There IS a surprising amount of progression and unlockables, which was a nice touch that I wasn't expecting, but its a thin veil for the lack of gameplay options. Devs promise some good post release support, but have also mentioned several times that they were running into issues with console updates, so expect PC gamers to get the nod here for early content access, and perhaps even exclusive content. Overall I'm a fan. The sound is good, the graphics are passable but there's nothing quite like the feeling that you're IN a Friday the 13th movie, frantically running for your life. A+ for the presentation, and by far the best game this movie has ever seen made in its honor. 7/10

Friday the 13th offers everything fans of the movie series (or just the 90's horror scene in general) everything they could possibly want in terms of presentation. The tone comes off as frantic when playing the counselors, though very cat and mouse as opposed to the straight forward shooting frenzy that Evolve would build to in matchmaking. You scavenge for parts to help you escape but, GASP, there isn't enough space for EVERYBODY!? This mechanic was actually kind of nice, and it speaks volumes that they built an asymmetrical multiplayer system where it doesn't take perfect teamwork to succeed (because lets face it, that doesn't happen with public matchmaking). On the side of Jason, you feel like an unstoppable killing machine. In this sense it is VERY similar to Evolve, however instead of being on the defensive from the start you simply build up to your more insane powers the longer the match drags on. It's probably the thing that works best, and its a true joy to play as the iconic killer when your turn comes up. However that is infrequent (random selection and chances are 1/8) so settle in for some horrible facial animations because every counselor has them and you'll be playing them A LOT. Seriously, one of the first orders of business should be a boss mode style match, where its Jason V Jason V Jason or something, because as of right now the best part of the game is the smallest part of your play time with it. This is a game you may want to wait on, but at the same time you risk never playing it while the community is thriving by doing so. Its tough to recommend a buy because while the formula is fun and works well, there just isn't much to it. There IS a surprising amount of progression and unlockables, which was a nice touch that I wasn't expecting, but its a thin veil for the lack of gameplay options. Devs promise some good post release support, but have also mentioned several times that they were running into issues with console updates, so expect PC gamers to get the nod here for early content access, and perhaps even exclusive content. Overall I'm a fan. The sound is good, the graphics are passable but there's nothing quite like the feeling that you're IN a Friday the 13th movie, frantically running for your life. A+ for the presentation, and by far the best game this movie has ever seen made in its honor. 7/10

Before I start - to fans of the original (which I am), this is not that game. It shares some similarities, but is far more derivative of the action/RPG franchise Bioshock, or the other Arkane franchise everybody is familiar with, Dishonored. Where the 2006 release of Prey had more of a puzzle/platformer undertone, with more run and gun shooting, its 2017 predecessor shifts the focus to a survival/horror vibe, with an emphasis on stealth and careful planning. The results are inspiring to say the least, and this is definitely an evolution of both the Prey series and Arkane themselves, who took some notable gameplay risks that pay off BIG time in this new/old IP published by Bethesda. What's worse this time around? The music. Gone are the lengthy spiritual instrumentals from legendary Jeremy Soule fused with 80's metal tracks, replaced by a respectable palette (if not a confusing one at times) of music and sound effects that leave a little to be desired. A couple quirky moments like notes flaring up with seemingly no catalyst, it was a little jarring and broke immersion slightly a few times. For instance, when a creepy string solo starts ratcheting up tension only to hear what sounded like the Rooster Teeth logo sound play out of nowhere. I spun around to see what had inspired the slight change of tempo, but it was nothing at all from what I could tell. What's better this time around? EVERYTHING else. The combat is thoughtful and intense, the risk/reward of the many different upgrade paths is enforced beautifully, and the enemy variety is decent (towards the second half). The story will have you wondering whether its a great story or a terrible one, and is definitely one that will be amazing or terrible depending on how players receive the ending. Still, if the ending is the point in which the story fell flat for you, then you still enjoyed the whole game more or less, and the story here should keep you guessing until the final reveal. I'd like to also point out that's more than a touch better than what we were given with the first Dishonored title. That's being nice, because from a story telling perspective Dishonored was a shambled mess that barely deserves more description than "save the princess", and can barely even tell that story well. Don't get me wrong, I love Arkane, but you can tell they made huge strides in the plot department when it came to Prey. The graphics aren't amazing, but they aren't bad. What DOES stand out yet again is the amazing art-style. Art deco is the phrase, and this perhaps is the most likened piece of the game to Bioshock. I know, people will argue its the gameplay, but really Prey adds elements of gameplay that Bioshock never really seemed to nail. Horror, stealth and level design are all several cuts above those from expired dev Irrational Games, and Arkane usurps them as the crowned kind of adventure FPS titles on consoles (in my opinion). Really there is very little to hate in Prey. The pacing is solid, and the mimic is a great gameplay tool. It makes even tame moments when there is no immediate threat tense with the possibility that at ANY time, that coffee cup might spring to life and face f*ck me to the floor. Its a clever device that really works its way well into the entire game, where as most early enemies in games phase themselves out long before. All-in-all Prey sees a well-crafted narrative paired with the Dishonored vibe of "do it your way" gameplay and a beautiful atmosphere (Arkane sets a new benchmark for level design) bring a lengthy and long awaited reboot to life in the best of ways. 9/10 (I'm taking a point for Jeremy Soule) ;)

For Honor plays very similar to Bushido Blade or like an episode of Deadliest Warrior, the characters have no personality to speak of but are representations of a warrior class ripped straight from the history books. In that sense, they struck gold. Combat is weighty and controls are tight, you FEEL like a warrior scouring the battlefield in search of challenge. The core mechanics are simple in nature, but hard to master, and there is quite a bit of customization (both aesthetic and stat-boosting) so you can round your warrior out with a style that fits you. I sunk a lot of time into Alpha and Beta, and I can say they have polished this game quite nicely. The largest issue by far was the pier to pier servers, which were buggy at best during peak times throughout the Beta. They have been reworked and now run MUCH smoother. Not nearly as many issues with frame-rate dropping either, another problem that had formally plagued the title. So what keeps it from greatness? Well, unfortunately while the game is a FAR cry from being a "pay-to-win" there is a considerable emphasis on micro-transactions and earning "steel" (the game currency for upgrading) is a horrifically slow trudge. The game will coax you to make it easier by offering "champion status" for a pre-determined amount of time, however that too costs a hefty amount of steel, so it ends up being somewhat of a double edged sword (no pun intended). The game manages to do a few things amazingly well, and it doesn't do much terrible (music is passable, but sound effects are great), but so much falls into the "average" end of the spectrum that in order to truly appreciate the game for what it is you will need to be okay with decent (not spectacular) sound and graphics. One last little gripe, the menu system is hot garbage. I applaud Ubisoft for adding so much depth this time around, its the kind of thing I was expecting to see in The Division but somehow found its way into For Honor instead. It is a mess, with three sub-menus all looking/feeling like a main menu, and so many offshoots and options that you will easily spend 30 minutes to an hour just sifting through it all. Overall For Honor manages to feel fairly fresh in an otherwise slowly staling multiplayer market, and with not much else to sink your teeth into this year (Friday the 13th looks fun), For Honor is a good bet to satisfy your craving for PvP perfection. 8/10

Did you like/love X-Com Enemy Unknown? Buy X-Com 2. That's the basic gist of things, but I still have like 50 characters to go for a minimum ****...aliens.

No Man's Sky borrows a little from Wing Commander and a little from Minecraft and makes an awesome hybrid that will fare differently for most people, and therefore is bound to see mixed reviews. The core of the game is its ability to deliver an almost entirely procedural generated universe. That's not an easy trick to pull of between the 10 or so people who worked on this game, but its where the game shines brightest. The problem (for me) with Minecraft style games is that they pull you back to a central location. There's this big huge world to discover, but you have this invisible tether to the place you begin (or home base). No Man's Sky alleviates this problem by nearly forcing you to explore the vast, endless space expanse before you. Here's where it gets tricky. All mindless and repetitive tasks aside the gameplay holds up to genre standards as far as a survival/sim goes, no more no less. You need several things to survive: fuel, resources, and environmental protection to name a few. There are ways to upgrade your mining tool/gun, your ship and your suit, and there are a good amount of them. However, the heavy emphasis on procedural generation means there's always a chance you come across boring, mundane planets and run of the mill gear for hours on end. This broke the experience for a few of my friends, as discovering new and exciting things IS the main draw to this title, and they just weren't having that experience. If you stick with it though, No Man's Sky is incredibly rewarding. You'll get to say things like "HEY I just found a half cow/half gecko hybrid that swims in circles and poops out Carbon!". Yes, that exists. This kept me coming back for more in the first few days, and now I've sunk a good 20 hours into the experience. Technically speaking. there is a LOT of pop in the game. Textures take some time to generate and the player moves quickly in flight, so it creates a lot of jarring imagery. Overall a small price to pay for no loading screens and seamless planet-planet jumps. It has its quirks, but seems to be receiving a very harsh response in the community. In my opinion, if you like space/aliens/adventure then its a tough title to ignore. It definitely scratches all those itches and more, worth checking out. 8/10.

I have to say, Abzu might be might pick for GOTY, at the very least in the indie development category. There are many who argue that true art, in any form, is only art because it remains unexplained by the artist. Abzu is true art in that sense. Sure, there is a story told here, but I sincerely hope the developer does not elaborate on their inspiration, because it is the kind of story that will mean different things to different people. It definitely draws inspiration through Journey (same art studio, same orchestra) but even takes a little from more retro titles like Treasures of the Deep and Echo the Dolphin. Movement is VERY fluent, although the camera struggles to keep up sometimes. Mostly what will have you gasping and coming back are the music and art. Combined they make for some of the most amazing set-pieces I have ever seen in gaming, and I'd be lying if I didn't say a couple of them nearly moved me to tears. If you care at all about the artistic value of video games, do NOT pass up Abzu. An incredible award/praise worthy effort from Giant Squid, with very few complaints (mostly centering on some incongruities with fish anatomy/migration) that most people won't even notice. Simply perfect, 10/10.

I struggled a little with this score. If there was a 7.9 option I would take it, because that's where it falls for me, just short **** game. Very much a lateral move from Amnesia, better graphics and lighting but story is convoluted and lacking. It seems to add meaningless depth to bit characters but surprisingly little clarity on the overall purpose of the protagonist. Much less tense and foreboding, the atmosphere reminded me of a slightly less spooky Dead Space. Drab interiors come alive under excellent use of lighting, but at a closer look are still drab. For all that the game does a lot right, good movement mechanics and strong supporting characters/enemies. More focus on background and story even though you will be guessing until about hour 7 "just what the hell is going on?". Some people like that, but if Outlast or RE are any testament to the survival horror genre, its much easier to be scared of an enemy you are familiar with. At roughly 13-15 hours the campaign is a decent size, perhaps too long for the story they told. I found myself bored of the same routine of flip this, search this, fetch this that I expect more out of RPG and less from a survival horror game. 7/10, worth the look if you are a fan of the genre, but falls short of its predecessor.

Ever wonder how the Batman Arkham series would look if it were dumbed down a ton and made into a 2D side-scroll beat 'em up? Enter Kung Fury. It's not that I hate the source material, I mean who doesn't love killing ****, but **** alone do not make a game good. I am baffled by the "8" score this gets, even as a niche appeal its pretty weak. The 30 minute short on Netflix inspired by the game isn't terrible, but at least its free with subscription. This was an obvious marketing ploy, but f*** it. 4/10, because f*** ****, that's why.

You've got to be kidding with these low user reviews. Are the trolls just out in force for this game? You know, I am such a fan-boy of this series that my opinion cant be trusted, so I let my friends wife play and give me her opinion. She has NEVER played a Fallout title, what did she have to say? The most amazing, immersive and overwhelming experience she ever had. See the problem is all these people, like me, who have played every entry in the series and hold unrealistic expectations of the new entry. You want it to be everything it was, plus completely new and fresh. It's unrealistic. People keep this rabble up because it didn't take enough from Fallout: New Vegas...which wasn't a Bethesda game. I mean, are we just never satisfied? Here is a game with over 400 hours of content, and we are complaining about what it DOESN'T have. Okay, enough ranting, based on purely technical stuff this game smashes it out of Fenway park. Graphics are gorgeous although a little plain in some places (but its a nuclear apocalypse so...yeah), the gun play has been vastly improved and the size is immense. The voice acting is some of the best I have ever heard, and main character and NPC animations are on par with Witcher 3 if not better. The cons? Some issues with companions getting stuck, and inventory management. With the additional build feature it becomes very difficult to manage your materials. There is a perk/stat that helps this, though depending on your build may not be available for a while. Outside of these small issues, the usual NPC hiccup or clipping, nothing outrageous. Come on people, try and lower your standards just a smidge. What came out of Bethesda is yet another rich in lore, moral dilemma **** ripe with things to find and people to save/slaughter. It is WELL deserving of the Fallout name, and is a welcomed change from less involved open world RPG titles like Dragon Age. Don't let the trolls confuse you, 9/10. Welcome home Bethesda.

I am now a firm believer that pretty much anything Devolver Digital puts their hands on will be some amount of fun. This 2D hybrid of Dark Souls and Shadow of the Colossus is probably one of my favorite games from them to date (aside from Hotline Miami), and serves as a solid boss crawl even if it is a little simple on the surface. The premise is you are a wanderer equipped with a single arrow and bow, and can only be hit once before dying. Sounds hardcore, and in later stages in certainly can be, but there is more of a strategy/puzzle aspect to the boss battles in this game, so its a different kind of difficulty. Most bosses can similarly be killed in a single hit, so timing is key. The load screen between deaths is VERY short and there is not a lot of backtracking if you clear each area the first time through, making the difficulty even more tolerable. The core concept here is strong, but I feel like it could have been developed a little further still. The feel and pacing of the game doesn't really change from start to end, but its such a good pace that it didn't bother me too much. All in all, if you are a fan of boss crawls, dont miss this one. 8/10, maybe wait a month or two, Devolver games tend to be cheap or free from time to time, one of the reasons I like them so much!

Axiom Verge is a worthy spirit child of retro Metroid, but beyond a semi-clever level design and LOTS of guns, it doesn't really offer much **** guy made this? ONE GUY! ONE FREAKING GUY MADE THIS WHOLE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scratch everything, 10/10, shortest review ever. Your dreams can come true kids, this guy is proof. Completely worth the money, I had a blast with this game. Guns, guns, guns. PLAY IT!