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Stellar Blade is an extremely impressive debut from Shift Up, serving up a combination of dynamic combat with visuals and animations that pay extreme attention to detail. Eve's adventure is dressed up with the wrappings of a masterful soundtrack that resonates long after the game is finished, and there's enough content to warrant a more thorough playthrough the second time around. Stellar Blade's story is sadly predictable, and characters like Eve prove hard to form an emotional connection with due to their relatively flat personalities, but the world and lore are intriguing enough to create more properties should the developers choose to do so. It doesn't offer much in terms of groundbreaking innovation, but Stellar Blade is a competent and confident effort that will offer a good time worthy of your attention.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau, as a narrative-driven adventure, is a must-play due to its unique lore, world, and memorable characters that keep you engaged until the end. However, as a Metroidvania, it doesn't offer too many innovations but rather more of the already established foundations of the genre, such as moderately challenging platforming, basic combat, and little else in the way of new skills and exploration. It is a short and sweet indie game that respects your time, and, with a friendly price point, it's definitely a great meditative weekend adventure to get into that gives you some exhilarating 2D action while exploring some aspects of grief and identity that only Tales of Kenzera: Zau can offer in its unique presentation.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes pays homage to the beloved Suikoden series, which left an indelible mark as one of the most memorable JRPGs during the PlayStation 1 era. The game’s expansive design and nostalgic elements evoke fond memories for fans. However, nostalgia can be selective, often glossing over past flaws. The revival of dated mechanics, including random encounters, fixed savepoints, and lengthy world map treks, hampers the overall pacing. Additionally, new features like gimmicks, war games, and forgettable characters miss the mark. The resulting package falls short of the (unreasonable) highs set by its inspirational source material.
Overall, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a superb entry from Capcom that players have to contend with on two fronts. On one hand, the combat and gameplay experience is top-notch. Exploration is encouraged, the world is intriguing, and the sense of discovery is just phenomenal. There aren’t a lot of games that can successfully do this, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 does it effortlessly, and in spades. On the other hand, and equally as important, is if you, as a player, can contend and deal with its frustrating and unapologetically “old-school” mechanics. With games in this day and age focusing more and more on hand-holding and with some respecting your time more, there are some features in Capcom’s latest that will really grind your gears. How much are you willing to sacrifice to deal with them?
The good times continue to roll in 2024, with Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo's Rise of the Ronin adding to the amazing selection of action role-playing games available on the PlayStation 5. Whether you are engaging in its fantastic combat or diving into the rabbit hole of Japanese history, every hour spent in this world is always meaningful and fun. Just avoid looking too closely and getting stuck in tight spaces, and you will definitely have a great time as a ronin determining the course of history.
As good as it gets for an SRPG, Unicorn Overlord fills a gap in the gaming season with its admirable package of gameplay, visual and audio design, and, to a lesser extent, storytelling. Hours and hours will be poured into finding the perfect squads and classes, valuable relationships will be built, and a continent once plunged into strife will find its feet again. Vanillaware continues to show its prowess at building experiences in genres it isn’t exactly well-known for, and kudos to the studio for paying attention to the right stuff, and creating a game that will likely become a classic and a standard bearer.
The Thaumaturge emerges as a breath of fresh air in the realm of narrative RPGs. Its implementation of fantastical elements sets it apart, making it a standout title to play, whether on PC or its eventual console release. Within this vibrant and unfamiliar world, characters like the formidable protagonist, Wiktor Szulski, shine bright. Despite imperfections, The Thaumaturge is a gem worth experiencing, warts and all.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth rises to the challenge set by its predecessor, by bringing to life every facet of the imagined open world we’ve cherished for decades and executing the vision to near perfection by marrying it with today's technology. Square Enix’s meticulous attention to detail, no matter how minute, resonates with awe-inspiring clarity, no longer feeling the need to imagine because the world is finally alive and it is here. While not flawless, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth navigates its journey with grace and offers a fascinating experience that makes it easy to overlook the minor issues. I found myself deeply impressed by the expansive overworld, the iconic set pieces, and the thoughtful expansions that honor the beloved title’s essence, making it a strong contender for Game of the Year nods and a definite reason to finally get a PS5 if you haven't yet.
An utterly enjoyable shooter that shines the brightest with its co-op mechanics, Helldivers 2 has crushed all initial apprehensions about its live service and procedurally generated nature and delivered a dose of lovable democracy. The progression systems look to be on track to keep players invested for the foreseeable future, and the fun just doesn’t seem to want to stop anytime soon. Even with the friendly fire and accidents that arise from having others around you, the very nature of Helldivers 2 makes it more of a positive than a negative, and that is no mean feat. Super Earth requires the effort of every person to liberate the galaxy, and it is a no-brainer to enlist as soon as you can.
Suicide Squad starts super fun, as its visual presentation and plot set-up work as its strongest points to draw us into Rocksteady’s interpretation of Justice League. However, once the novelty ends, we’re left with a chaotic mess that gets tedious the more you play. Due to its repetitive gameplay loop and messy combat system, playing the game can get tiring pretty quickly once you complete its brief campaign. Fans will be divided, and given its rushed resolution, lack of nuance, and gratuitous display of how it handled DC’s beloved characters, the game can easily be misunderstood.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a fine collection of games that surely merits a purchase for any gamer who wants to be challenged in terms of their analytical skills and enjoy some exciting courtroom drama, which the Ace Attorney series offers in spades. For that, we have no objections! Newcomers don’t need to worry too much about starting their attorney journey with Apollo Justice, as the collection is strong enough to be an ideal entry point for a new protagonist in the series. You won’t need to know Phoenix Wright’s long history as an attorney, as the games present just enough information to let you know who he is, and it could serve as a reason to revisit the past titles, which are also available in compilations.
A poignant story that will matter more to longtime fans but is otherwise still accessible to newcomers, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth delivers a robust adventure that takes advantage of its turn-based system to make combat even more enjoyable, aided by an expanded job system that continues to impress. With more cohesive writing and storytelling, the cast of familiar and new faces come together for an engaging tale that strikes a great balance between the absurd and the serious, constantly driving players along for its main storyline and providing a plethora of distractions along the way to entertain. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is undoubtedly the best work RGG Studios have put out in recent times, and the team will have a hard task ahead of them if they hope to surpass the greatness that is now available for everyone to enjoy.
If there's one thing that can sum up our adoration for Granblue Fantasy: Relink, it's that Cygames has made the long wait absolutely worth it. The game feels like a product that was delivered with love and care for the franchise, highly evident in its stunningly gorgeous visuals and equally mesmerizing audio. Combat is a highlight, offering fast-paced and slick battles that get the blood pumping, accented by visual effects that may be a bit too much at times. Still, there's a lot of fun to be had, and the gameplay loop feels addictive and rewarding.
Persona 3 Reload is a triumph, considering the degree of difficulty that Atlus was challenged with when they decided to remake such a classic. Through a combination of thoughtful upgrades and leaving behind dated mechanics, this title is ready to satisfy the evolving taste of franchise fans while catering to newcomers and introducing them to the world of Persona. Persona 3 Reload proves that you can have both a challenging and accessible JRPG without losing Persona 3’s core identity, as it refines the dated designs and systems of the original by bringing it in line with Persona 5, offering a modern take that stands tall among its peers.
Tekken 8 makes the wait worth it by successfully introducing new systems that make sense and improve both the player's and spectator's points of view with explosive action. Newcomers will appreciate the thoughtful onboarding process while giving veteran and pro players a deep combat system to sink hundreds of hours into. It feels like Tekken 8 has successfully taken the step to the next level, releasing an installment that's not just a simple iteration but with significant updates and changes that make it feel fresh and fun. Time will tell if the team can successfully support it the way they have with Tekken 7, but this is an extremely solid launch experience that's certainly ready for the big stage.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered was a must-play then, and it remains a must-play even today. The way the story and gameplay hold up is a testament to how high the bar was set during its original release. Intense, raw, and emotionally charged, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a reminder of Naughty Dog’s sheer brilliance. The addition of a No Return mode makes this package even sweeter, adding a roguelite-inspired affair that works well given the context and systems of the game. Offering hours of repeatable gameplay, this mode alone is worth the $10 upgrade fee if you already own the PS4 version, making this the definitive way to play the game. Despite the hard-to-spot visual upgrades, the game still looks as visually impressive as ever.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a supremely stylish and stellar start to 2024, and coming from a company that usually just spews out open-world titles, this is such a welcome entry in their portfolio. Developing this as a "smaller" title worked wonders for the game, as Prince of Persia fits perfectly in a Metroidvania setting that puts gameplay at the forefront of it all.
While it does scratch a certain niche, I wouldn't dismiss Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising as just another anime-inspired fighting game. It's a fun offering to get started with, and as you get better skill-wise, you're left with a moderately sufficient technical fighter with a large roster of characters to choose from. There's something for everybody in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, and don't let its "fighting game genre" think that there are only versus modes available. The story mode allows you to enjoy a single-player experience where you can progress a character through the lore while learning the fundamentals of the game. Even if you don't embark on a fighting game career, there's enough content here to keep you interested and engaged, which is a very good deal for its price!
While the FarCry formula is certainly evident in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the game does just enough to make it stand out from similar titles that simply tick off boxes in the open-world formula. The world is beautiful and interesting enough to explore, and Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment have done well to translate this IP into a worthwhile title for some players, especially fans of the franchise.
Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is another serviceable entry in the series, and while it doesn't break or tread new ground, players can expect a fun but shallow outing with some of their favorite ninjas in the Naruto series. Even with over 130 characters, the game is bogged down by a lack of modes, lackluster English voices, and a new story that felt predictable. While it did have some high points and some emotional moments, it doesn't stand out too much, which might be a disappointment.