BF6 is a solid attempt at recapturing the "magic" that series vets have been pining for since "the good old days," which seems to refer to sometime between 1942 and BF4. If you squint hard enough, it even looks like it was made in the early 2010s (especially with all the FSR and TAA fuzzy filters.) Nostalgia trips are one thing, and novel experiences are quite another beast entirely. Battlefield 6 offers absolutely nothing new in terms of gameplay or mechanics, and even seems to be a significant regression in some areas (particularly level design and gunplay.) There is an inordinate amount of "CoD" mediocrity stuffed into a creaky old framework of awkward menus and bare bones game modes, which gives the impression that the latest (and definitely not the greatest) Battlefield was originally spawned as an F2P title.
(Ignore this rating. Apparently, one cannot remove an unintentional score from this site, and the "Delete Review" option merely wipes the text. The problematic presentation on mobile devices has resulted in more than one accidental rating.)
Elden Ring carries the "Souls" legacy into a visually-appealing open world that practically begs to be explored. The inclusion of the same tedious combat mechanics and clunky interface from earlier games is disappointing, but if you've never played one of FROM's artificially difficult hack-and-slash action titles, then ER is probably the most inviting entry point. Ignore the incoherent "story" and lack of helpful information in-game, crack open a wiki, and prepare to die many deaths before you find a playstyle that works for you. There is fun to be found in Elden Ring, but digging it up can take some serious effort, a varied approach, and all too many hours of repetitive game loops.
Generic F2P MMO-lite third-person looter-shooter that rolls all of the worst parts of Warframe, Outriders, and Destiny into a giant ball of mindless tedium and predatory microtransactions. The dull combat and poor movement are further complicated by clunky controls that never feel quite right--regardless of configuration or device. Invisible walls and cut & paste level design fail to make up for the lifeless stock anime aesthetic and cheesy "story." While this dumbed-down grindfest could improve over time, I can't recommend this to anyone with even a hint of self-respect. It's free to try for yourself, but I wouldn't bother.
* PSA: The low frame rate, choppy animations, and extremely fuzzy dynamic resolution/TAA combo (even in "Performance" mode) render this game barely playable. Don't bother downloading this if you're still rocking a last-Gen console. "A generic F2P MMO-lite third-person looter-shooter that rolls all of the worst parts of Warframe, Outriders, and Destiny into a giant ball of mindless tedium and predatory microtransactions. The dull combat and poor movement are further complicated by clunky controls that never feel quite right--regardless of configuration or device. Invisible walls and cut & paste level design fail to make up for the lifeless stock anime aesthetic and cheesy "story." While this dumbed-down grindfest could improve over time, I can't recommend this to anyone with even a hint of self-respect. It's free to try for yourself, but I wouldn't bother." (Copied from my PC review)
Generic F2P MMO-lite third-person looter-shooter that rolls all of the worst parts of Warframe, Outriders, and Destiny into a giant ball of mindless tedium and predatory microtransactions. The dull combat and poor movement are further complicated by clunky controls that never feel quite right--regardless of configuration or device. Invisible walls and cut & paste level design fail to make up for the lifeless stock anime aesthetic and cheesy "story." While this dumbed-down grindfest could improve over time, I can't recommend this to anyone with even a hint of self-respect. It's free to try for yourself, but I wouldn't bother.
Helldivers 2 is a superior sequel to a solid co-op shooter. The change in perspective and expanded arsenal mechanics are accompanied by even more of a focus on the satire and comedic presentation established by the original. It's just too bad that the improvements are only skin-deep. The lack of depth in game mechanics and mission design is apparent after only a few missions in this goofy fascist genocide simulator. The fun of blasting bugs, bots, and buddies across the dull landscape of whatever planet you happen to invade fades quickly as you realize that you've already seen most of what little Helldivers has to offer in your first run. There are multiple linear progression systems for expanding one's tactical arsenal and wardrobe, but there are very few reasons to continue playing beyond the occasional mindless pew-pew session with friends. The hilariously campy propaganda and dialog ultimately fail to hide the shallow nature of this unfinished and arguably overpriced shooter, so your personal mileage may vary.
Mediocre, scrub. Mediocre. Welcome to the laziest possible incarnation of an Akira Toriyama-inspired Mad Max game. I do hear praise for the manga and anime, but the overall experience of Sand Land in game form is as dull as it is fun to look at. If repeatedly driving and running through sparsely-populated deserts, playing the occasional game of whack-a-mole in poorly-implemented melee combat, and scouring boring environments for scrap sounds like your kind of jam, then you could do MUCH worse than Sand Land. It's just a little sad that there are still so many licensed games that more or less completely fail to capture the essence of their associated franchise--or even provide a consistently engaging experience. The voice-acting and mountains of useless dialog range from chuckle-worthy to purely painful. Do yourself a favor and learn to skip the tedious character interactions, or even mute the voicework altogether. The meat of the game lies in the vehicles and shooter elements--which are kind of fun for a while--but everything else feels like it was ripped from a cheap clone of one hundred other action games. Regardless of how one feels about this franchise, please do not encourage lazy cash-grabs like this digital vanilla milkshake. Everyone pays the price--except the suits whose accounts we pad with every purchase.
Insomniac's latest Spider-Man game is probably the best entry point for newcomers, but everything behind the spectacle is exhaustingly average open-world filler. Wait for a sale.
IOA is as close to a modern take on Hexen/Heretic as I've seen. The spell-based combat feels weighty, if imprecise--so feel free to let your finely-honed FPS instincts take over. (Just don't forget about your shield and blink spells for defense and **** Lash for when you want to go full Kratos on the sponges--err, enemies.) There are dozens lore notes and loot chests scattered about for your OCD pleasure, and scouring the linear levels for new paths to them is actually fun the first few trips. Exploration is secondary here--but I'll take what I can get. The standard upgrade trees and superfluous crafting systems are also best seen as a distraction from the tedious repetition of...well, everything else. The story...exists to give the great voicework and chaotic combat something to lean on, but otherwise the extensive cutscenes try overly hard to make you care about Cal...I mean Jak & friends on their journey through Hogwarts and beyond. (Alright, it isn't THAT bad, but you'll swear you've heard it all before.) There are weird issues with the gamma and dynamic contrast, so good luck getting the mixed-quality stock UE5 visuals to stop flipping between overly dark or bright. (This could be related to a recent "HDR" patch, but I didn't play before the addition.) The world can be almost pretty at times, but the framerate varies wildly between 30 to around 50 with heavy dips and drops into Claymation range when the action heats **** more than one high-detail character is in the scene. Wizard Radio: The soundtrack is standard anachronistic epic action movie fare, but it works with the chunky sound effects that accompany all of the rampant spell-slinging and fireworks that obscure most of the action. The solid control setup needed some tweaking straight out of the box, but there's little to complain about other than the lack of accessibility considerations. TLDR: At its best, IoA is fun, flashy, and plays like Hexen 2023: Teen Thaumaturge Edition. Don't overthink it.
I'm sorry, but Halo has not aged well. During a recent test drive of MCC on Game Pass, I realized that all of those epic drunken memories of Halo with friends were being tarnished by revisiting these extremely basic pew-pews. Don't get me wrong... I had a blast back in the day, but *damn* are these games rough--even when compared to the most aggressively mediocre of modern shooters. Nostalgia may not be able to save Master Chief and company from the ravages of time, but I'm still glad that this collection exists--at least for historical purposes.
A shallow bare-bones action rpg in the vein of Diablo but with a Minecraft skin. Decent for some simple co-op fun, but lacking in depth or engaging mechanics.
This spirited cel-shaded offshoot of the Prince of Persia reboots tries something different and succeeds more often than it fails in its approach to the bare-bones acrobatic action-platforming of its predecessors. (The Sands of Time/Warrior Within/The Two Thrones, etc.) This was the last PoP game that I played and enjoyed--due in no small part to the less restrictive design, character dynamics, and stylish aesthetics. History isn't always so kind, however. The interesting traversal and combat mechanics are hampered by too much unnecessary repetition, yet this approach is seemingly celebrated today in "Souls-likes" and many other genres. (Strange, isn't it?) The far more accessible and open structure of Prince of Persia was also one precursor to the much-maligned shallow theme-park worlds of many major Ubisoft titles to follow. "Fun, but safe" is the mantra of modern "AAA" game design, and unfortunately this 2008 adventure played its part in building the foundation for that. There are few action games from the middle ages (of modern gaming) that are still worth playing today, especially with so many better options available across the digital ether. Prince of Persia (2008) just happens to be one of those.
This spirited cel-shaded offshoot of the Prince of Persia reboots tries something different and succeeds more often than it fails in its approach to the bare-bones acrobatic action-platforming of its predecessors. (The Sands of Time/Warrior Within/The Two Thrones, etc.) This was the last PoP game that I played and enjoyed--due in no small part to the less restrictive design, character dynamics, and stylish aesthetics. History isn't always so kind, however. The interesting traversal and combat mechanics are hampered by too much unnecessary repetition, yet this approach is seemingly celebrated today in "Souls-likes" and many other genres. (Strange, isn't it?) The far more accessible and open structure of Prince of Persia was also one precursor to the much-maligned shallow theme-park worlds of many major Ubisoft titles to follow. "Fun, but safe" is the mantra of modern "AAA" game design, and unfortunately this 2008 adventure played its part in building the foundation for that. There are few action games from the middle ages (of modern gaming) that are still worth playing today, especially with so many better options available across the digital ether. Prince of Persia (2008) just happens to be one of those.
The vibrant world and lively soundscape of SoS present a fairly simple and linear throwback to 16-bit JRPGs with modern design tweaks and stuffed with genre tropes. The writing is less than stellar, but the overall experience evokes fond memories of Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. Not a classic, but well worth playing--especially if you're feeling nostalgic for "the good old days."
This is the odd mutant offspring of Hades and Don't Starve with awkward controls, restrictive design, and very little in the way of originality. Mediocre.
It's Tetris with strange tweaks, new modes, heavily unbalanced gameplay and difficulty spikes. The great music, varied visuals, and classic mechanics dynamically interact in interesting ways that mean this latest version is worth checking out for the spectacle alone--especially if you have access to a PSVR headset.
Yet another Souls-like with a steampunk theme. Not bad, but nothing new. Solid fun if you're a Bloodborne fan or haven't burnt out on From's formulaic take on hack-and-slash.
I haven't played a Disgaea since the early titles, but the latest iteration seems like mostly the same mishmash of borrowed + silly mechanics and fan service--which isn't a bad thing. I'm just more of a Tactics Ogre/FFT fan. Solid SRPG for eccentric tastes. PS: I don't like full-on auto-battler junk, but less restrictions on automation would have been a better design choice. Let people play how they wish.
The third entry into open-world arcade-racing series "The Crew" is a definite step up in terms of driving model and overall design, but dysfunctional connectivity, dozens of bugs, and a distinct lack of polish in some areas cause the game to feel like it was rushed to release. In other words, it's a paid beta. Fun, but nothing new for returning fans (outside of the far more physical in-car feel.) The most apparent change here is the new driving model, which follows the obvious emulation of Forza Horizon's design and premise. Each car feels and drives like it has physical weight and presence in the world, so the brain-dead full-throttle tactics of The Crew 1&2 won't always work in Motorfest. (Some still do.) Individual machines feel far more unique with their quirks and perks, so it's fun (and educational) to revisit your imported collection from TC2. (Optional) Seriously: the actual driving is WAY more engaging than the prequels--especially with the options set to minimal assistance. The "playlist" structure means that you have a lot of things to do, but also that most of the events are restricted and inaccessible until players have invested many hours of driving, grinding, and backtracking...which is only fun for the honeymoon period. Ironically for a game called "The Crew," multiplayer has been shaky (if not completely broken) across multiple platforms since the closed beta. Numerous technical issues prevent crew members from enjoying freeride together, and often cause events to hang on startup. That said, the "Grand Races" are pure 28-player multi-class chaos, but fun all the same. There's even a Battle Royale mode with demolition derby cars. The Summit structure and related events haven't changed much, but did receive some much-needed polish and QoL updates that were unfortunately smothered by an even clunkier UI. Not a deal-breaker, but come on, people. The sights and sounds while racing across Oahu are often vibrant and visceral, but inconsistent in execution. Low-res/recycled/misplaced assets clash violently with the slick car models and impressive vistas. The sound mix and design are all over the place, but show a clear bump in general quality over the previous titles--especially in terms of engine effects. Performance mode on the PS5 seems to maintain a moderately stable 60fps with noticeable frame drops, but the "resolution/quality" mode is best left for photo shoots. There are many more positive changes along some bizarre annoyances, but overall, Motorfest could eventually grow to challenge its most obvious rival and source of inspiration. Solid **** a while.
Fires of Rubicon is a bare-bones linear take on the AC formula wrapped up in a shallow, yet mildly fun action game. Few chances were taken in the by-the-numbers design, but its damned good to see Armored Core back in business. Too bad that the first new AC out of FROM in many years has to be so overwhelmingly mediocre. Dull visuals, weak sound design/mix, lifeless world, and too many tired tropes to list. The best bits (AC customization and tuning) are watered down and rendered mostly superfluous (beyond a few basic archetypes) due to the strange and unnecessary injection of "Baby's First Souls Game" mechanics, brain-dead AI, and zero exploration. It's less of an update and more of a step back in time for the series. Ugh. What a shame.
Fires of Rubicon is a bare-bones linear take on the AC formula wrapped up in a shallow, yet mildly fun action game. Few chances were taken in the by-the-numbers design, but its damned good to see Armored Core back in business. Too bad that the first new AC out of FROM in many years has to be so overwhelmingly mediocre. Dull visuals, weak sound design/mix, lifeless world, and too many tired tropes to list. The best bits (AC customization and tuning) are watered down and rendered mostly superfluous (beyond a few basic archetypes) due to the strange and unnecessary injection of "Baby's First Souls Game" mechanics, brain-dead AI, and zero exploration. It's less of an update and more of a step back in time for the series. Ugh. What a shame.
This amphetamine-fueled action platformer was definitely designed for those with short attention spans, but the goofy R&C-style action and relentless low-brow sense of humor combine to make this a solid choice for a few hours of entertainment. Unfortunately, Sunset Overdrive takes too long to provide the abilities needed to make traversal fun AND functional. At that point, I was ready to shelve it. The game rarely backs down from its constantly intense pace, which has the effect of causing the high points to feel even more mindlessly repetitive. It's exhausting. The world is a bright and saturated playground built to bounce, grind, and blast your way through endless hordes of enemies and stunt challenges. A self-aware story drives the chaotic gameplay, but the non-stop jokes and cliches wear thin long before your character unlocks the basic abilities necessary to make combat and traversal less of a chore. The soundtrack and voice-acting are actually pretty good, but can't save the game from tripping all over itself in terms of mechanics and flow. Some bits feel overly designed, while others seem like afterthoughts that were tacked-on to a collection of common tropes to artificially extend what should be a much shorter experience. SO can be really fun--with enough stimulants and in short doses--but it was clearly targeting the forerunners of the TikTok generation as its audience. The PC port is also lacking basic polish and refinement, yet I encountered no major issues in my time with it. All these years, I thought that I had missed out on an Insomniac gem, but it turns out that it was mostly hype. Not bad, just mediocre.
On one hand: It's Diablo II. On the other hand: ....It's Diablo II. Severe technical issues and a distinct lack of design or quality-of-life improvements leave this dusty nostalgia trip choking on the dust and cobwebs from 23 years ago.
On one hand: It's Diablo II. On the other hand: ....It's Diablo II. Severe technical issues and a distinct lack of design or quality-of-life improvements leave this dusty nostalgia trip choking on the dust and cobwebs from 23 years ago.
There's a lot to like in HBS's Mecha manager, but the uneven presentation, poor explanation, heavy use of RNG in combat, and underwhelming basic structure shove Battletech a bit too far into "hardcore franchise/genre fans only" territory.
The fourth mainline entry in Blizzard's series of demon-thwacking lootfests is finally here. Unfortunately, it plays and looks like an expanded version of Diablo Immortal--which is a dull F2P Mobile MMO with heavy microtransactions and no soul. Cool cinematics, atmospheric environments, a moody soundtrack, and that classic addictive game loop fail to rise above the heavy focus on dull meta builds, uneven design quality, and technical issues. Diablo IV does nothing new, but it CAN be kinda fun with **** copious amounts of alcohol.
The fourth mainline entry in Blizzard's series of demon-thwacking lootfests is finally here. Unfortunately, it plays and looks like an expanded version of Diablo Immortal--which is a dull F2P Mobile MMO with heavy microtransactions and no soul. Cool cinematics, atmospheric environments, a moody soundtrack, and that classic addictive game loop fail to rise above the meta-focused and uneven design and technical issues. Diablo IV does nothing new, but it CAN be kinda fun--with **** copious amounts of alcohol.
Road Redemption is an aggressively mediocre roguelite brawler on wheels that is only fun in small bites. The attempt to recreate the feel of flawed cult classics (Road Rash) without a major overhaul is this games worst mistake. That said, I would like to see a fresh and balanced take on those old combat racers in the future.
GT7 is half of a solid sim racer with plenty of extra info for car collectors and a (mostly) great driving model. The other half was replaced with bizarre progression systems/gated content, bare-bones AKA "classic" race options, an unnecessary money grind, zombie AI, rigged loot boxes, and yes--ridiculous microtransactions for in-game cash. The visual and audio presentation is a mixed bag--as per usual in Gran Turismo--but the guttural roars, growls, and banshee wails of those sweet exhaust notes still give me goosebumps. Behind the wheel, this game has few peers. Everything else feels like it was lifted straight from a 2000s-era title designed in a back-alley **** parlor by a jaded marketing executive.
*sigh* GT7 is half of a solid sim racer with plenty of gearhead extras/info and a (mostly) great driving model. The other half was replaced with bizarre progression systems/gated content, bare-bones AKA 'classic" race options, an unnecessary money grind, zombie AI, rigged loot boxes, and yes--ridiculous microtransactions for in-game cash. On the track, this game has few peers. Everything else seems lifted straight from an early 2000s-era back alley **** parlor.
Yet another Souls-like with plenty of goofy anime/JRPG cheese... A few cool mechanics do little to separate a mediocre, yet mostly solid slasher from the rest of the formulaic pack. Loose controls and repetitive action are melded to inconsistent performance and dull level design. The game is far less of an artificially-difficult chore than From's clunkathons, and at least the cringe-tastic story and characters are as comprehensible as they are annoying. Wait for a sale or save your cash for something more inspired and deserving of your time.
When busted review aggregator sites fail to keep up... NMS in 2023 is NOT the same bare-bones game that released in 2016. In spite of how far this multi-award-winning space exploration/survival/creative project has evolved, it may not be for everyone--but you should definitely give it a shot. Hello Games has continuously released major updates, additions, and refinements to what is obviously a true labor of love. Beautiful.
If mediocrity is your thing, then look no further. This reboot follows a standard open-world action game template while eschewing most of the wild sense of humor and chaos that made its predecessors (in)famous. Not a "bad" game after several patches, but it remains difficult to recommend at full price.
50 bucks for another port of the awkwardly-named TO:Let Us Cling Together? Hard pass. Good game. Bad price point. Don't fall for yet another Squenix cash grab. Wait for a sale or use an emulator.
The title character and a cool soundtrack are the only real improvements to be found in this standalone DLC for Insomniac's original Spidey adventure. Limp off-beat combat, even MORE repetitive side missions, and a simplified progression system do little to make Miles' story worth exploring. It's mostly filler. Still: Swinging through NYC feels great, so if you can't get enough of the web-head, then go for it. Just don't expect anything new or compelling.
Imagine a stripped-down version of Diablo III infused with the worst sort of micro-transactions, mindless MMO tropes, multiple layers of unnecessary systems, and you'll have a fairly decent idea of what Immortal is all about. F2P shovelware merchant Netease did manage to throw in decent visual and audio work, but the rest is a mishmash of typical mobile fare. It can be fun for a few runs with friends, but there is nothing particularly engaging about the core loop or world design. This is Diablo without a soul.
Odyssey is currently a paid beta being sold as a finished product. It shows promise, but is utterly lacking in optimization and polish. Bugs and major technical issues mean that machines meeting the recommended specs can expect a choppy 30fps on low-mid settings. The mechanics and global changes are a mixed bag, including the wonky UI layout. A high-end rig may be able to brute force its way past some of the technical flaws, but questionable design choices and rough FPS systems aren't going away anytime soon. This could be a huge boon for Elite when its finished, but it just isn't there yet. *// FDev pulled a Cyberpunk 2077 with Odyssey. Either wait for incoming updates, or stick with Horizons until after the fall console release. // *Frontier has cancelled all further console development--yes, that includes the new 4K boxes--to focus upon the PC version. Probably smart from a business perspective, but from what I've seen of the admittedly improved state of Odyssey, you wouldn't be missing out on anything worth your time unless you're a hardcore Elite fan with an extremely powerful rig.
Love it or hate it--the action-rpg formula has replaced the stealth-focused action adventure model of earlier Assassin's Creed titles. Bearing that in mind, try to focus on what the game is trying to do rather than what it doesn't. If anyone can manage to make the adventures of a Spartan-born mercenary through an ancient Greek world filled with war, political intrigue, and creatures both mundane and mythic feel tedious or contrived, it's Ubisoft. Developed primarily by Ubi Quebec (AC: Syndicate,) this follow-up prequel (?!) to Origins improves on a few aspects, yet fails to capture the depth of character and lore that was present in Aya and Bayek's journey through Ubi Montreal's version of ancient Egypt. Confused yet? Don't worry. As I said: It isn't that deep. The expanded systems presented here come at the cost of being mostly shallow and overwhelmingly omnipresent. Player choice and consequence is touted as a feature, but rarely strays beyond an aesthetic or small effect on the path to your goals beyond the core plotlines. (Speaking of binary choices, do yourself a favor and go with Kassandra over Alexios in your choice of sibling to play. While voiced well, I found that the thought of listening to a typical dudebro character for hundreds of hours threatened what remains of my tenuous grip on sanity, so I immediately restarted and went with the strong, yet soothing tones of Kass.) I hope that you like combat, because your character is more gladiator than assassin. The repetitive and nearly constant nature of the fights in ACO mean that you'll want to specialize early, then expand and experiment later. (Hint: focus on "warrior" first.) Note: shields have been removed from the player's arsenal, so practice your parrying and dodging. No turtle tactics here. Love loot management? Good--because outside of button-mashing battles, the inventory and blacksmith menus will be your primary residence for the rest of your journey. Seriously. The meta-game and stat-management makes most MMOs seem straightforward. The visuals are nice, but seem a bit over-saturated and uniform in comparison to Origins--in spite of that world's large percentage of desert areas. The seas and landscapes can make for fantastic vistas, but to a somewhat lesser degree than its predecessor. The overall resolution and level of detail outside of cutscenes have also taken a hit (based on PS4 Pro,) but it may be a different story on other platforms. As for the audio work: It does the job, but nothing truly stands out. There are multiple layers to the aural landscape, though they are noticeably compressed and sound flat as a result. Story... Honestly, I've spent so many hours on random tasks, hunting mythological beasts, and sidequests that I can barely keep track of what exactly I was trying to accomplish in the first place. Something about family, an evil cult, and a spear. Oh yeah--the Spear! ...and your **** know what? It doesn't matter. You have a quest log that's ten miles long and an inch deep. Enjoy the tales and drama as one would with any popcorn flick or TV series. Just don't take it too seriously. My advice? Play like a mercenary: Take frequent breaks, stop to enjoy the scenery, get into trouble, and you'll likely avoid burnout and probably have as much shallow fun as I have managed to squeeze out of the game. (Valhalla is 1.5 years old as I write this, so if Vikings and Norse mythology are more your speed--skip Odyssey and go berserk on that one. The whole Assassins vs. Templars thread has totally unraveled and been delegated to background material at this point, so choose your favorite flavor.)
What a **** mess. This game should have gone totally F2P years ago. Heavy microtransactions and a steep "premium" subscription on top of the initial charge for everything past the Morrowind "chapter" of what is otherwise a solid--if inconsistent and confusing--action MMO. Still--it's a fun romp with friends. It's like a TES-themed westernized modern version of TERA with an interesting, but shallow setting and writing. Keep one's expectations low, and you'll have fun.
*As of 11/15/22: Mostly dead. Only a handful of active servers left. Zombie players. Avoid. Mediocre, Scrub. Mediocre. I've tried (and mostly failed) to get into this dumbed-down pew-pew as I did with BC2, BF3, and BF4. Battlefield 1 was a joke. V is a tragedy built upon expansive microtransactions, spongy casual gunplay, dysfunctional design, and a lack of incentive to engage objectives as a team. DICE has fallen to Call o' Dookie standards of design. The only positives are expanded mechanics and some old-school feels.
Starbound (in its final form) is a fun 2D sci-fi take on the whole "survivalcraft" sandbox craze from years ago, with an emphasis on exploration and adventure. Building and crafting options are extensive, but are mostly optional in comparison to something like Terraria (which is still incredibly fun to this day.) In spite of Starbound's checkered development history led by Chucklefish founder and exploitative punk Finn Brice, the game is still well worth playing and exploring--even in 2021.
If Deus Ex and Goat Simulator had a baby... This is a very rough port of an unfinished game that obviously needs another year or two of development. The PC version highlights the focus upon flashy visuals spread over a fairly average action RPG framework. The framerate sticks around 20-30 fps on the Pro, but the fugly visuals and major pop-in can cause serious eyestrain even as the game fails to keep up with player action--including the menus. I love a lot of the characters and side stories, as well as the interesting things hidden off the beaten path. I only wish that there was more of it. The world is largely empty and shallow in spite of the freedom of movement. This is the least interactive RPG that I have played in years, and many elements are merely fluff and flash. I had 41 crashes the first week, and haven't bothered counting them since... The bugs--oh, man--the bugs... Recent patches have made small improvements, but the fundamental flaws have yet to be touched. Hopefully, we'll see a completed version of CDPR's premature baby at some point, but for now, I'd avoid it like an Anthrax wetnap. This is fairly easy on Playstation if you're late to the party, because Sony removed the digital version until further notice. Still: If you're something of a masochist--or possess a tremendous amount of patience, then there is quite a bit of fun to be had in Night City and The Badlands. Just keep your expectations low. 2021 edit: The game is now mostly stable on a PS4 Pro, but still suffers from low visual fidelity, major hiccups, and technical problems. The most common bugs have been addressed, pointless DLC has been released (free jackets,) and the mediocrity has never been more obvious. If you do decide to play, then I suggest waiting until the PS5 version is released. Otherwise, wait for a deep sale. ($30 or less)
Solo: Straightforward and chill base-building game that seems as if it would be better with friends. Simple and relaxing. Controls on a gamepad are a little awkward at first, but you'll adjust. Co-op: I don't know anyone else who plays Astroneer. *sad face*
Outriders doesn't care if you like it or not. You shoot/blast the same variations of enemies through a half-developed story campaign, then repeat dull mini-strikes ad infinitum for the "endgame." No, it convinced enough of us to play it and secure its **** what, we're not quite sure. In all fairness, there are some interesting bits of lore and events buried underneath the unintentionally hilarious dialog and live-service tropes (without the "service.") Some of the environments beg to be explored, but we are confined to small arenas and hallways. We shoot. We loot. We rinse and repeat. None of the weapons or gear are interesting enough to entice anyone beyond the hardcore theorycraft and min-max crowd, and the spongy enemies are little more than fuel for your anomaly powers and health bar. The visual design is an odd mix of PS3/360-era filler with modern bells and whistles tacked on to present a fairly dull and ugly vision of a mysterious alien world. The limitations of the PS4 Pro are obvious, and a 1080p option is sorely needed to avoid the huge slowdowns and stop-motion animation of everything outside of the smallest battles. Audio channels cut in and out, most sound effects seem to be ripped from an old B-Movie, and the overall mix is awful. Bring your own tunes, and blast them to drown out the noise. Nothing that any of the characters have to say is important, so don't worry about missing out. Customization is irrelevant. Crafting is only useful when modding high-end gear. No offline mode. Connection demands seem to be higher than most--lag is definitely a thing. Etc. Etc. I really wanted to like it, but the current state of things rails against any charm that the game was able to muster. Mediocre, scrub. Mediocre.
FF7R is NOT a traditional JRPG. It's an extremely linear action adventure with a terribly implemented battle system and limited opportunities to get a feel for the mechanics--especially if you push through the main plot. Your "adventuring" is reduced to mostly claustrophobic "hallways" and being forced along the narrative path. Every action in combat requires a portion of an ATB gauge--including using items. Enemies will spam cheesy attack after cheesy attack. Your allies' AI is unreliable at best, and managing a full party in the heat of battle is beyond tedious. It feels like the devs couldn't decide between real-time action and turn-based tactics, so they mashed them together in the worst way. Ugh. The visuals range from beautiful vistas and character details to fugly low-res textures--often within the same scene. The voice-acting is decent, but the cringe-worthy writing could cause even the most hardcore anime fan to wince. Music and sound effects are functional, but almost entirely forgettable. The nostalgia factor wears off after the first few hours, leaving the mediocrity plain to see for anyone not wearing rose-tinted glasses and neck-deep in denial. Seriously--I loved playing through the original FF7 no less than three times, but trudging through this slog is a test of willpower. FF7R has its moments, but all too often descends into long stretches of exposition dotted with a few chaotic battles and large quantities of fanboy filler. I only played it because it was free through PS Plus. Wait for a sale.
