Like Codi’s review of the game, I found myself surprised by just how much this strange game about delivering goods from one end of the country to the other could be simultaneously thrilling, frustrating, peaceful, and somehow hopeful. It reminds us that we are all connected, but that real monsters also exist. It reminds us that friends and family are the most important things of all. It reminds us that Kojima and his team are the strangest cats on the block, but that they may be some of the best storytellers around.

One thing is for certain, Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a pinnacle for VR and should be praised. Not all games are worth the cost of admission, especially in virtual reality, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 transcends those stereotypes and blazes a fresh trail for the medium.

So the saying goes, you can’t step into the same river twice, but Mass Effect Legendary Edition is certainly going to make one hell of an attempt at it.

After spending some time in the Rust Belt, I can say with certainty that ARC Raiders is a great step for the extraction shooter genre. Beyond the incredible atmosphere of the maps lies in-depth systems to explore. Although simple to pick up, some may find it frustrating along the way. But, if you put in the effort, the mechanics ARC Raiders has available can make for a stellar time topside. That said there's still a whole lot left to explore in the Rust Belt – I've only played a smidgeon of the content for this live-service extraction shooter. If I had to score it today, based on initial impressions, I'd be at an 80/100. I'd also recommend ARC Raiders to all fans of the genre and gamers interested in starting their extraction shooter journey.

Sure, it’s better on PC, but that’s cold comfort when it’s hardly functional on other platforms. What’s clear is that this game is no more ready for release than it is for review. Major patches are already slated for January and February, and we’ll revisit it at that time to score it. Right now, buyer beware. There’s a fun game underneath all this, but only if you are playing on PC or Stadia.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 manages to do something very few licensed IPs can – it’s not just a great Warhammer game, it’s just a great game, period. It’s easily one of the best games of 2024, and we can’t recommend it enough.

The infuriating do-over nature of 10 Second Ninja X greatly sours the experience and takes away from what otherwise could’ve been a decent game.

Thankfully the main plot of Trails Beyond the Horizon is pretty interesting. While what I've played so far hasn't really affected any of the major characters in a significant way, trying to piece together these seemingly disparate events of the Space Program and what Ouroboros is up to has kept me engaged. I hope the game's story can grow beyond just being engaging, so check back here in the near future for my full thoughts once I've finished the game.

Marathon so far has been a brutal but rewarding extraction shooter that boasts an incredible visual style and is steeped in excellent Bungie gunplay. The learning curve can be steep at first, and losing everything to a bad run can sting, but the game truly opens up after a few hours to be something very addictive. [Review in Progress]

Marathon so far has been a brutal but rewarding extraction shooter that boasts an incredible visual style and is steeped in excellent Bungie gunplay. The learning curve can be steep at first, and losing everything to a bad run can sting, but the game truly opens up after a few hours to be something very addictive. Once the final map, Cryo Archive, releases in the coming days we'll have a final score for the full review. In meantime, we'll be dropping back in Tau Ceti IV chasing that next piece of loot.

There’s a lot to see and experience in Lost Ark, and the asking price to try it is just your time. It’s very clear that this game is a juggernaut, and even friends of mine who aren’t into the genre have had their interest piqued enough to give it a go. Here’s to hoping Smilegate, Amazon, and Tripod Studios can capitalize on an incredibly strong start and fulfill the promise buried under all these screens.

While Black Ops 4 eschewed a single player story in favor of Battle Royale, Modern Warfare puts extra emphasis on its campaign.

There are a variety of weapons, abilities, items, and more at your disposal, as you would expect from a medieval dark fantasy. There are plenty of options to choose from so you can play your way, whether you want to go in stealthily or go in swinging. Playstyles can also be changed on the go, especially as you find new gear along the way. This is just a snippet of the overall picture of Tainted Grail. So far, the package we have been presented with feels familiar but also fresh and exciting, and I can’t wait to give you all a more in-depth breakdown.

There’s a lot to be excited about with Star Wars: Squadrons. It not only meets all of my expectations, it wildly exceeds them. VR support for the entire game instead of just a single mission taste makes this the game we’ve always dreamed of so many years ago. It truly is the sequel to all of those great early PC games so many years ago, but with all of the modern bells and whistles. Put simply, if you are a Star Wars fan, it doesn’t get better than this.

From a gameplay perspective, Amnesia Memories and Amnesia Later x Crowd have translated well to the new platform, with this being the first time Later x Crowd is available to fans outside Japan. Unfortunately, as a newcomer to the series, an incredible story about a girl’s journey to recovering her memories and discovering the truth is grossly overshadowed by the love interest side of the story where she is often subjected to very poor and sometimes disturbing treatment.

Just running around blasting things and hunting for keys isn't fun anymore. When you also remove the feeling of having a LAN party from the multiplay, you're not exactly left with a must-play game.

NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it’s simply not fun to play.

It’s safe to say that I’m absolutely blown away by what Warhorse has put together. I’m 26 hours into the game, and the skills hit “Mastery” at level 15, so by my guess I’m roughly half way through. Stay tuned for the full review, but take this as my full recommendation in advance.

There are countless fun, modern JRPG experiences to be had on the Vita, making this an entirely expendable game.

I was a fan of the first Swords & Soldiers’ fiery and rambunctious Viking hordes and their quest for grandeur and grilled meats, and I had high hopes for the sequel, but Swords & Soldier II wound up just being a dusty old lamp with no magic to speak of.

There just isn’t a reason to play Carrion. There is little narrative, repetitive combat, limited puzzles, and almost zero horror elements. The atmosphere is okay and it reminds me of Alien but that’s about as far as it goes with horror. Just leave this monster stuck in the vent.

I want to love El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, but the HD Remaster on Switch is not the place to do so. It runs so poorly you can’t even navigate menus properly. Even besides those problems, the action and platforming are incredibly bland and the story is nigh incomprehensible, even as someone who loves artsy titles.The visuals are drop dead gorgeous and the voice acting is good, but that’s not enough to carry a game.

Bugs, glitches, game freezes, and other technical issues mar what would have otherwise been a passable, if unsurprising and uninspired Batman game.

While CounterSpy on consoles is a delight, the iOS version is a near unplayable mess that should be avoided at all costs.

On Your Tail has a lot of heart, but that’s sadly not enough to support a mystery that is constantly falling flat on its face. Its puzzles are infuriating rather than fun, with no real clues to follow and determine the culprit ahead of time. The characters are incredibly charming, Borgo Marina is gorgeous, and the life sim elements are fun, but the core of this taste of Italy is incredibly bitter.

Afterparty unfortunately doesn’t come close to the standard its predecessor set. While it has great ideas and actors, the rest of the game collapses under the weight of its own ambitions.

Suffice it to say I’m excited for this game, and so much of me wants to recommend every bit of it. Right now, the performance issues make that very, very hard. I’m not sure why Colossal and Paradox didn’t delay all of it until 2024 instead of just consoles, but here we are. Much like other games that launched in a rough state, I’m certain that Cities: Skylines II will eventually be something to behold. For now, however, there’s a bit of buyer beware. Check those system requirements folks…

The audio design is impressive, with ambient sounds and a haunting score that perfectly capture the eerie essence of the Zone. Gunfire sounds appropriately weighty, and the growls of mutants are genuinely unsettling. Voice acting is also very well done, with brilliant performances from all the main characters...Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an undoubtedly remarkable achievement in atmospheric game design. This post-apocalyptic experience offers an unmatched dynamic open world that is bound to satisfy long-time fans of the series. However, the extremely poor technical hiccups and hardcore yet niche nature of the game prevents it from getting a full recommendation. This is not a game for casuals. [Review in Progress]