fuschia

when i first bought my nintendo switch 2, i got hades II to go with mario kart. almost a year later and this is the game i’m still playing. hades II is an amazing action roguelike. the combat is fast, dynamic and challenging, upgrades are varied and interesting. there’s elements of luck of course, but with plenty of options at every turn i feel this game effortlessly curbs the “feast or famine” problem lots of roguelikes seem to have. the progression is really solid, options open up to you at a steady pace. permanent unlocks might ask you to visit certain areas or defeat certain bosses to find certain materials, motivating you to explore without being too much ****. and while i won’t spoil anything, the end is just the beginning, like any good roguelike. the gameplay meshes with the lore, too. every upgrade, npc room, and even boss encounter comes with memorable interactions. as you get stronger and push further, the story advances naturally. it’s not the deepest narrative, but the characters really make it shine. in a tweet: it’s a beautifully made action roguelike with a mix of fast, varied combat, satisfying progression, unforgettable characters, and a huge amount of replayability. if you’re interested enough to be reading this, hades II is unmissable.

it’s hard for me to call raiders perfect, but damn. i couldn’t have asked for a better singleplayer spinoff of splatoon. the looter-shooter gameplay feels perfect for the series, the difficulty is just right (finally, nintendo knows what a hard mode is! i recommend jumping right into survivalist, even if you’re not exactly a pro), the progression is satisfying with a mix of collecting, crafting, and upgrading. lots of build variety too. the art and music is top-notch as always for the series, mixing that with a grungy tropical feel. the reasons i can’t give it a 10 are pretty minor things. if you don’t like the PvE fight waves of enemies gameplay or you stick with the same gear the whole time, you’re gonna get bored of it pretty quick. there’s some puzzle-platforming levels to mix things up, but they’re optional and easy to miss. the arcade machine minigames are fun, but you’re given no real incentive to play them. i also feel like the balancing with crafting is off, it’s a little too easy in general. i don’t think i ever had to be intentional with the raids i was going to for the materials i needed, MAYBE once or twice. even with the rare spirhalite gems you need for high level upgrades, it feels like those are handed out like candy in the postgame. in a tweet: amazing looter-shooter spinoff that provides a good challenge with lots of customization. there’s some small hiccups you might only notice after 10-40 hours of gameplay, but it’s the best switch 2 original so far. don’t miss this one!

is it groundbreaking? no. but it takes meaningful steps forward in a lot of ways. great, return to form zombies, awesome movement, engaging campaign, and dazzling graphics, with an art style unafraid of vibrant color. if you’re a casual fan that’s been waiting for a good call of duty, you may as well pick this one up! it’s the best we can ask for right now, and it sets the stage to a brighter future for this series. activision remains as greedy as ever, but for once it feels like a distraction, and not a crutch.

if you like platformers AT ALL, you gotta play penny’s. the presentation is fantastic, and as soon as i started controlling penny and getting to know the yo-yo, i knew this game would be something special. the core of the game comes in mastering the yo-yo, you can chain together tricks to build momentum and clear levels really fast—all while getting a high score. this is easily the best part! it can be really tricky, but also very engaging and fun. i liked the extra objectives in each level, but they usually didn’t do too much for me. the game can also be weirdly buggy sometimes, far from making the game feel unplayable or unfinished, just…weird, considering how polished the game is in other ways. all-in-all, the game is wonderful. the tricky movement makes it a hard sell for absolute beginners, but platformer fans will undoubtedly love it. just like private division’s last hit, it’s delightfully fresh and a little nostalgic all at the same time.

it’s easy to dismiss this game as too popular for it’s own good, believe me, i did for YEARS. but as i’ve finally sunk my teeth into this game on ps5 i can safely say i get the hype. gunplay is tight, building mechanics make it unique, and exciting (though not always consistent) events are happening all the time. while many will hate the microtransactions just in principle, it never feels manipulative or aggressive. (at least not directly) it’s a game that screams “hey, this is the RIGHT way to do live service. this is the RIGHT way to make a battle royale.” and i can’t even call it a guilty pleasure anymore. just play with some friends and have a good time.

what a timeless game…the combat is impeccable, the characters are memorable, and the setpeices are unmatched. the gunplay is just plain fun, which elevates the multiplayer. every halo game since has tried and failed to even get close to this ones glory. my advice to new players: skip infinite, grab the master chief collection (which is getting more and more affordable every day) and try this one for yourself.

similar to odyssey, this game is full of surprises and delights through it's campaign that make it very hard to put down. even after you beat it, you'll wanna keep coming back to it because of just how fun it is to run, jump, and collect. it nails the fundamentals and dazzles with everything else.

this is a game that has thoroughly surprised me. it’s weird but fascinating, supernatural story hooked me in. but i really stayed for the immersion factor. the ps5 has some games that look and feel incredible, yet death stranding is the first one i’d describe as truly cinematic. it’s something about the understated colors in an incredibly detailed world, heady music, and smart use of controller features (like hearing rocks beneath your feet up close, or feeling the strain in sam’s hand as you carry an object for a while). i’ll admit it’s not the most interesting pitch for a game; spending 80% of your time doing nothing but walking across a ruined country, but this title thrives with ideas you wouldn’t expect to work. i really encourage you to give it a try.

while the game has a lot of systems to manage and some repetitive gameplay, you’ll have no problem getting into it if you already like tycoon-style games or survival games with lots of resource management. and if you CAN get into it, it’ll be very hard for you to put it down. the sheer volume of content is astounding, with the number of unique planets in the shared universe being in the tens of quintillions. not to mention the wide catalogue of starships, upgrades, missions, items, base parts, tech, and so much more that, combined, make this game a virtually endless experience you can explore in your own way.