In the grand scheme of things, Capcom has delivered a sequel to make Dragon’s Dogma fans happy and wishing for more, but this isn’t a massive upgrade. Rather, it’s a modernization of the overall concept as the highs and lows of the first game mirror the sequel. If you can weather the storm that is Dragon’s Dogma 2, you might come out as one of the players who consider this one of the best RPG experiences they’ve ever played, or simply the worst.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was a joy to play from start to finish and is a title every FFVII fan should play as they’ve done an exceptional job at bringing to life the world outside Midgar. There are a lot of changes to the original, but they’re changes I find myself welcoming, as this has now been one of my favorite JRPG experiences in recent years.
Arrowhead Games Studios has delivered an impressive sequel that elevates the concept they introduced back in 2015, and has established a commendable foundation for a live service title. I can already see Helldivers 2 being at the top of people’s minds when they are faced with the question – do you have any co-op shooters to recommend?
I took my time with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s latest entry in the long-running Yakuza franchise. The turned-based combat has greatly improved, the myriad of activities feel endless and entertaining, and the overall story left me teary-eyed and wanting more. I’m now more invested in the series than I ever was thanks to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth with Kasuga leading the charge.
Tekken 8 launches with a complete package for both the casual and competitive. It felt like nothing was neglected here as everything you’d wish or expect from a high-quality fighting game is added, with new additions that don’t feel like a step down, but a leap forward. I can’t see how Bandai Namco Studios and Arika could have done this any better, as Tekken 8 hit the ground running as the definitive fighting game experience.
If you’re a fan of the Metroidvania genre, or action platforming games in general, I couldn’t recommend Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown more. The Lost Crown nimbly juggles combat, character progression, platforming, exploration, environmental puzzle-solving, boss encounters, and storytelling, all without neglecting one element to the detriment of another.
As this will likely be the first of many entries in my review-in-progress, I can confidently say that Infinite Wealth stands out as a Yakuza game where the initial hours shine across multiple aspects. The story is captivating, the combat is enjoyable and evolves as it deepens, and the game is filled with distractions, each proving to be a blast.
There’s just not enough meat to justify the use of the term “remastered” in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. Visually, the improvements here are minimal, and even without it, the original The Last of Us Part 2 can still go toe-to-toe with the biggest games released today. The real highlight is No Return and the option to play at true 4K resolution as everything else feels like padding.
The Inzone H5 wireless headset is a great mid-range product, perfect for long gaming sessions due to its lightweight frame and comfortable, unobtrusive design. The spatial audio is a clear winner, and its suitableness for long, painless sessions are two big selling factors that make the H5 distinct from the competition.
Despite the limited Bluetooth connectivity and the average built-in microphone, the Inzone Buds remain a compelling choice for those seeking wireless Buds specifically for gaming on PC, mobile, and PS5.
I loved every minute spent in the cozy, quirky world of Super Mario RPG, bopping to the remastered music, smiling at its humor and hijinks, timing battle actions, and enjoying my time spent with its memorable characters. I may have been left wanting a little more, but kudos to Nintendo for bringing back this updated classic, warming the hearts of fans worldwide, and bringing generations together to experience the charm and wonder of Super Mario RPG.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora features a familiar open-world formula that is a perfect match for this adventure, as this is a planet with so much care and thought put in that despite its flaws, I found myself itching to explore what’s beyond all those floating rocks. But if you’re not on board with how Ubisoft does open-world games, then you’ll be struggling with half of the game’s core pillars right off the bat.
It’s tough to recommend Final Fantasy XVI’s first DLC called Echoes of the Fallen as it doesn’t deliver much to the core experience, or even something completely different. At the current price point, I was expecting a bit more to stand out, maybe focus on one aspect of the game we haven’t seen before, but sadly this isn’t the case. You’re not missing much here as it would be best to wait for the second DLC called Rising Tide coming next year.
If I’m comparing Persona 5 Tactica against the original game and the other spin-off, it’s my least favorite of the bunch, but the effort didn’t feel like an afterthought, as the story, character designs, and level designs make it an entertaining strategy game for those already well-versed in the Persona 5 world.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name isn’t Ryu Ga Gotoku's best work, as combat feels bland and we’ve seen these side activities before, but this is a nice distraction for hardcore fans and a more touching and satisfying sendoff to Kazuma Kiryu as the leading man.
This is how you bring back a classic to the spotlight with a remake treatment that respects the original team’s vision, improves the game where it’s needed, and understands the key points as to why The Second Story is still embedded in people’s minds as one of the greatest JRPGS they’ve played years ago.
I yearn for a meatier, more challenging Super Mario Bros. Wonder with difficult boss battles, but I can recognize that kids like my young nieces will fall head-over-heels in love with Wonder, because it truly is full of entrancing visual wonder and its simplicity is unlikely to cause household tensions between ambitious older siblings and confused younger ones.
Sonic Superstars drop-dashed straight out of the gate and busted open the Act-ending Roboticizer coating my cold, bitter heart to free my bright-eyed, bushy-tailed inner child and put a big smile on his face.
Horizon Chase 2 is a bit of a mixed bag. The great multiplayer, improved visuals, and incredible soundtrack make up for the relative lack of tracks and simplified challenges, but one can’t shake the feeling that this sequel, which originated on iOS, was made to appeal to casual players rather than the hardcore arcade racer crowd that embraced the original game.
You can’t go wrong with Spider-Man 2 if you were sold on the original game - it’s a fantastic use of the source material, and I think the studio has found its new specialty as they’ve delivered a superhero video game that might not only make one a fan of Spider-Man but a fan of Insomniac Games as a studio.
If you’re a masochist or enjoy glitch-fests, you might find something salvageable in the Switch version of Mortal Kombat 1, but I strongly implore you to reconsider, and to warn your friends. Buy a new console if you must, but do not spend your hard-earned money on this travesty.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is proof that the original, stealthy approach to the series’ formula still works just fine in 2023; Ubisoft’s commitment and focus on a single concept is a testament to its core strengths. Mirage lacks ambition, but it’s a welcome correction from recent bloated series entries.
Starfield isn’t as groundbreaking as one would expect it to be, but the developers held true in delivering the game fans have come to expect from Bethesda Game Studios, and in that regard, they succeeded, as this game has the potential to be relevant to players years after it was released, similar to what The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim is to this day.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a hell of a mic drop. While it’s no reinvention of the wheel, it’s definitely a more compelling and accessible take on the formula that has a lot to recommend it, both for fans of those titles and younger gamers in search of something new.
FromSoftware did not disappoint at revitalizing the Armored Core series with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, a title that superbly balances the parts and loadout of a fantastic Armored Core game while injecting the studio’s now-well-known specialty.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is still a visually stunning action adventure, even for someone running the PC version on an RTX 2060. It’s just hard to recommend as you won't get the most out of the experience, especially with it launching at full price.
The Xbox Wireless Controller is not a revolutionary product by any means but If you already love the Xbox One model, you’ll feel right at home once you get your hands on his controller. It does the job of ticking all the right boxes in being a great controller for either PC, console, or mobile gaming in 2023.
Tears of the Kingdom accomplishes its lofty goals, improving upon the masterful Breath of the Wild in nearly every key aspect; Tears may not be my favorite Zelda, but for millions of fans, it might be one of the greatest gaming experiences of their lives.
I was worried about the series shedding more of its JRPG roots when this title was first introduced, as recent entries have been straying away from more traditional forms for years. But my fears faded in the first five chapters of FFXIV; the essence of what makes Final Fantasy so great shines brightly here, and as such, this is one of my favorite high fantasy adventures this generation.
Stellar Blade’s potential was clear, but as its ambitions expanded into something greater, it lost focus. As soon as Stellar Blade tries to bring everything together, it merges into a single figure that looks deformed and uneven. The quality is unquestionable but it wasn’t the final product I was slowly building in my head as I went through the game’s first half.