Kraven

Wow — this looks incredible. I’m definitely going to keep this on my radar.

I’m sorry, but no thanks. And is that supposed to be Aloy in that image? It kind of looks like her even though I know it’s not her.

Ender Lillies is a great game, but nothing else of interest for me. That’s okay, though — I have too many games in my backlog as it is.

I’ve never heard of this game but this review has piqued my interest. And I love the art style, with the fast and kinetic gameplay. I’ll definitely check this out!

It’s great to see a lot of media outlets changing their tune on this game in a positive way. This sounds like an excellent Star Wars game, despite it having your Ubisoft trappings. I’m quite excited to give this game a try.

While I’m not fond of the character models, everything else looks sublime. This trailer has me hyped up for its release date.

I have several games I’m tackling, but the main one I’m eager to discuss is Nobody Wants To Die. After six hours, I got the platinum.

The game is a very linear, narrative driven experience. It’s set in a futuristic cyberpunk New York City, with flying vehicles and other advanced technology, but has a 1940s aesthetic. The atmosphere really draws you in immediately. It’s akin to Blade Runner, Sin City, with BioShock-esque environmental story telling, with antique film reels and posters, and propaganda strewn about run down walls and buildings. It’s such a unique premise.

You star as James Karra, a detective that is a self-aware cliche, taking a break from the job due to a police force accident, lost his wife, and resorts to drinking to cure his blues. Suddenly, he’s partnered up with Sara, who is trying to make a good impression for a promotion. The two of you are tasked to investigate an alleged suicide of a famous politician.

Gameplay wise, it’s a walking simulator, but since you’re a detective the game is very interactive. When investigating crime scenes you can use UV lights to examine blood, photograph dead bodies, find clues throughout the environment, and even use time manipulation to form pieces of the puzzle as to how crimes took place. Subsequently, you’ll put them altogether to unearth a new mystery to inspect.

However, the real highlight of the game are the characters. They are incredibly well written and voice acted. As mentioned earlier, James is your typical disgruntled detective, and knows it. And when it comes to discovering the truth of a crime, he’s keen on toeing the line of right and wrong, but produces truthful results.

As for Sara, she is very by the books. She wants things done properly, orderly, and by the rules. But she strives for the truth as well. When she is partnered with James, she often realizes truth is more important than procedure, and comes at a cost. They will bicker with one another, and even themselves. This results in two different people pursuing answers in separate formalities, and being fundamentally different thematically, but ultimately sharing the same goal. It’s a brilliant dynamic.

What makes these characters even better is that you hardly meet them. All of the acting is through voice alone, conveying so much emotion. It’s almost as if you, the player, can visualize a real person in front of you. It’s rare when a video game can do that. It’s all the more amplified by dialogue options that flow seamlessly into the next sentence and narrative piece without missing a beat, regardless of which option you choose. Nothing feels forced, despite various outcomes depending on how you respond.

By the end, you feel emotionally attached to these characters and their motivations. There aren’t many games than can capture powerful performances that evoke such raw emotion, but this game does it. Not only does it make the game better, it made me appreciate how beautiful this art form is.

I really need to get back to Like A Dragon. It felt way too convoluted for me when it first released, and even though I was enjoying it, I wasn’t in the right head space. Maybe I’ll tackle that game after I finish the few games I am playing. I hear nothing but amazing things about Infinite Wealth, and it’s always on my radar. As for the Yakuza games, 0 is one of my all time favorite games — and it’s what introduced me to this franchise rather than just hearing about it.

This is great. I use my portal every day, and it gives me a reason to try out other games I normally wouldn’t devote my time to on the bigger screen. It’s been an absolutely fantastic device for me, and the more updates the better!

As an adult who is married, has a kid, and works full time, my summer gaming habits actually stay the same all year around. Due to me and my wife’s work schedule, I get to play a significant amount of time daily. And somehow, we all manage to spend quite a bit of quality time together despite our conflicting schedules. It’s a great balance!

I’ll be damned if I let this game go by me. I’ll be picking it up day one on PS5. We need more games like these, and by these I mean campy, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is just a fun time. We got one recently with Evil West.

It’s been a great game. I’m slowly chipping away at it. I just reached the point where you can build ladders. I’m looking forward to seeing how the game evolves even more over time, if it does at all.

I’m not much of a puzzle guy, but this looks rather cute and unique. I may give it a go.

8/10 for me. Not too shabby!

@ErrantRob Yep! And a nice shiny platinum trophy as well!

I’m still playing The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak. This just might fundamentally be the longest game in this entire franchise. I’ve put in 60 hours, finally reaching the conclusion of the second out of six of chapters. This isn’t a complaint, however, because the game is simply phenomenal.

Speaking of this franchise, I decided to immerse myself completely in this universe, turning on my PlayStation Vita on and purchasing The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. I’m slowly chipping away at this title while on my lunch break at work.

I also bought Jeanne D’Arc. I’m a big fan of Level-5, but I never owned a PSP, so I hadn’t the chance to play this stone cold classic until now. I’m approximately five hours in and the game hasn’t disappointed.

One thing that stands out to me is the pacing regarding gameplay. The game continues to keeps you engaged by drip feeding new ways to expand combat. There are many depths to its systems, and the level of customization for each character is impressive. Each character can equip various skills and magic abilities, while there are a lot of beneficial buffs littered throughout the maps, if you strategize your movements and work together as a team. I also love the unique challenges the game poses during different bouts — from clearing the stage without losing an ally, to reaching the other side of the map in a certain amount of attempts.

Another thing that I’m thoroughly enjoying are the wide array of characters and their personalities that shine outside of combat. a couple of characters that come to mind is Georges and his lisp, and the pompous Colette, with his French accent and sense of humor. And to mix historical figures sprinkled with fictional stories is a really unique concept that isn’t often explored.

Overall, it’s the perfect “pick up and put down” type of experience. I know if I’m running short on time, I can still complete several stages, level up my characters, and progress the story, all within thirty minutes. There’s a true sense of accomplishment and progression that’s handled exceptionally. And man, it’s just a Jeanne D’amn addicting game.

I haven’t played it yet, but I plan on playing it in the near future. It seems like a game that is right up my alley, and something different from the games I’ve been playing as of late.

This sounds really neat. I might have to check it out. I do have a $25.00 store credit due to PlayStation Stars rewards so I might use it toward this.

I am one of the few that thoroughly enjoyed Inquisition, just as much as prior DA games. I’m not entirely sold on how the game looks aesthetically, but I will give the game a chance. I really hope the story comes together cohesively and brings BioWare back on the map. I’m not entirely optimistic this will be the case, but I’m not going to judge the game before I actually play it myself.

Sea of Stars is a great game, but I think the ending dragged on quite a bit, so much so that I was rushing through dialogue in order to get the game over with. If the game had been trimmed by five hours I think I would have considered it a modern masterpiece. Regardless, I’m very much looking forward to the DLC — it might even give me a reason to go back and get the platinum trophy.

There is nothing wrong with just a good video game. Sometimes, those are my favorites. I’m looking forward to playing this. And according to PowerPyx, the platinum isn’t too bad to obtain.

I can’t argue with this list. With that said, from a personal standpoint, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is my number 1. I will sing its praises for as long as humanly possible.

It’s a shame that Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown didn’t crack the top ten, but that’s okay.

All in all, it’s been a great year for gaming. It may not be as strong as last year, but I haven’t had a moment where I can’t find something to play.

I don’t really try or care for demos, but I might download it for this game. I’m vertically intrigued by the premise, and the art aesthetic is gorgeous.

I better be able to do swan kicks.

I’m very happy. There are several great titles, not only on the PS5 front, but the PSP as well. I really can’t wait to play Jeanne D’Arc.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak. I’m 25 hours deep and it’s excellent. Van is the best protagonist this series has ever had. I’m looking forward to diving deeper into it once I get more free time.

Jeanne D’Arc is a dream come true! I’ll definitely be playing that ASAP. Now on the PSP front, we just need Trails in the Sky.

This sounds solid, but I’ll have to see gameplay first. What made Double Dragon so memorable to me as a kid was its gorgeous art design and soundtrack. It really amplified the whole experience for me. I’m looking forward to this!

This is a very good month. I’ve been holding off buying Crisis Core and I’m glad my patience paid off. Also, Remnant 2 is a really exceptional game. Even if the other remaining games we don’t know about yet aren’t as good, this is one hell of a month that nobody should complain about.

This is awesome! I’ve been wanting to play this game for a hot minute.

I hope it’s not BioShock because those games are timeless classics and still hold up remarkably well. I would love for it to be Spec Ops: The Line. That game is sensational, and powerful. If it is remade, I hope they don’t change the story. In fact, the would simply take a graphical overhaul and leave everything else the same, other than maybe smoother mechanics.

I’ve been on vacation with my wife and daughter for the last seven days so I haven’t been gaming much. I think I needed a genuine break from working and gaming altogether. With that said, I did bring my Nintendo Switch to play on the off chance of downtime.

I finally beat Beyond Good and Evil. I did all of the optional content — collect all pearls, photograph all wildlife, and did the Volcanic Treasure and Map to the Past side quests. I can see why this game is hailed as a “masterpiece”, especially for 2003.

There is a minuscule part of me that hopes the sequel doesn’t come to fruition. I don’t think Ubisoft necessarily knows how to make minimalistic games any longer; granted, BG&E is large for its time, especially due to hardware limitations; but that’s what makes it special. I’m afraid they would over indulge and lose sight of what makes the first game so endearing.

I also decided to pick up The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero. I unfortunately never played Trails in the Sky. I do own a Vita and could buy the PSP versions, but I don’t feel compelled to do so. That said, I have played Trails of Cold Steel 1-4 and love those particular entries.

I’m glad I bought the game on Switch rather than PlayStation because I forgot how much banter there is. There is no way I would have been able to make significant progress on PS due to commuting to work, pausing the game during heavy dialogue moments and hoping my wife and daughter don’t turn off the light switch and ultimately the PS5. I also purchased The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak on the PlayStation.

Much to the dismay of some, I personally love the slow pacing of these game(s). There is an incredible sense of world building and character development that really keeps me invested. The long amounts of dialogue can become monotonous, but if you are patient it will pay off in the end. I’m also impressed by the fantastic voice acting and localization. And the soundtrack is top tier.

I’m not too far into the game to really give in-depth thoughts, but if it keeps up this pace then I have a feeling it’ll turn out to be a very special game. Hopefully, Trails in the Sky can get ported to modern consoles because this is a series every JRPG fan needs to experience.

@SuperSilverback I did the same thing! I bought Trails of Cold Steel on my Vita and was hooked ever since.

This is great news. I picked the game up today. Once I get back from vacation I’ll be starting it, and I can’t wait.

@TJ81 I would say the game is more gameplay oriented rather than full of dialogue. The world building is pretty good I think, especially if you stop and listen to NPCs. You’ll stumble across side quests that way, and find really cool areas to explore. I wouldn’t go in expecting a Witcher 3 experience — it’s a vastly different RPG. But the combat is above anything else I’ve played in the RPG space including The Witcher 3.

Dragon’s Dogma 2. Nothing comes close for me. The sense of adventure, discovery, and random unscripted moments that create everlasting memories is astonishing. As crazy as it may sound, it may be my Game of the Generation. It’s an all timer for me, no question.

Despite some of the technical issues, DD2 is still my game of the year. It is an experience unlike any other game I’ve played.

This looks really good and harkens back to a time when games were pure fun. I remember playing this religiously on the Xbox 360 though I never actually beat it. Time to right that wrong, Frank West!

I’m glad to see this is another fantastic entry in the Trails series. I just picked up Trails from Zero and looking forward to starting that this week. I’ll definitely be buying this as well.

This weekend I’m playing Beyond Good and Evil The 20th Anniversary Edition. I bought it for my PS5, but realized I’m going on vacation for a week so I decided to double-dip and pick it up on my Switch. I owned the game on the PS2 when it released in 2003, and even on my GameCube, but I never played it because I was too obsessed with other games. I’m earnestly giving this game a shot, and so far, I’m impressed.

This game reminds me of a time when Ubisoft still had creative chops and ideas. You can clearly see the early foundations of what is to come - but it’s less contaminated due to hardware limitations at the time and that’s strangely a positive. Back then, it was a revelation.

What’s really impressive is the constant engagement the game demands from the player, and everything ties back into its story and main protagonist, Jade. She isn’t a famed heroine or superhero - she’s running an orphanage and working as a photojournalist, caught between protecting her village and exposing the truth during the war against an invading alien species. It’s a unique perspective to explore.

This action adventure title has a level of meaningful depth that wasn’t entirely common back in 2003, unless you were playing an immersive sim or a deep RPG. It creates a sense of immersion that draws you into the world of Hyllis. You can speak to nearly every character, with dialogue options. The planet feels alive with an array of species to discover. There are hovercrafts flying about towns. And while the game is set in the far future, it’s grounded in realism. Inhabitants have problems that regular people in current times have — money issues, paying bills to keep electricity going, vehicle repairs, politics and government. It just feels believable.

As I touched upon earlier, BG&E knows how to keep you engaged with its activities. There is always something to do, to accomplish. Outside of its story driven “dungeons” and puzzles to solve, there are “hearts” to acquire to boost your maximum health, and items to enhance your character’s abilities. And then there are outfits to find for your characters, hovercraft races, animals and solar systems to photograph. All of this ties into the narrative, all the while creating a true sense of progression because each activity has benefits.

As for the combat, the game does show its age — it’s a product of its time. It plays similar to the Arkham games, with its free flowing mechanics. It’s not the most refined system, but it’s still serviceable and still holds up. But more than that, most of the gameplay elements are an extension of the story, and who Jade is as an individual. That is arguably the most significant detail to me, and ultimately makes her and the supporting cast very endearing and memorable.

At the end of the day, I love playing older games that I haven’t played before, particularly on modern hardware because I like to see how my view on games have changed all those years since. Looking back at BG&E, there are a lot of qualities that were ahead of the curve. It was very ambitious title, and I think it succeeded in a lot of ways. There is no wonder it’s considered a masterpiece by many. I don’t know if I’ll go that far, but it certainly is exceptional, and makes me reminisce on when Ubisoft was original and making groundbreaking games.

Wonderful patch. I’ll jump back into NG+ sometime soon. This is hands down my GOTY and one of my all time favorite games.

This looks alright. I love the unique setting, particularly for an RPG, but the turned based combat looks a little rough and janky. Other than that, it looks cool. I’ll keep an eye on this one.

This looks absolutely amazing. We will see how the game really looks when released, but I’m liking what I’m seeing. My only concern right now is enemy variety — there only seemed to be two enemy types. Regardless, I like the use of environments.

I’m reminded that I should go back and play this. I loved the game and got near the end, but put it down to life distractions and never went back to it.

@Specky Prince of Persia The Lost Crown is a great game, and is universally praised.

I just picked it up. I’m looking forward to starting it later today. I never got around to playing it when it first released even though I owned it.

I’m not playing much this weekend. For starters, I have to conduct inventory Saturday and Sunday at my job. On top of that, I’m a manager so it’s going to be a long and stressful couple of days/nights. Furthermore, there aren’t any games really holding my attention. Earlier this week, however, I got the platinum trophy for Tomb Raider Legend. It was a pretty solid game, with clever puzzles to acquire the gold rewards. I’m glad I finally got to play it.

As for what I’m trying to earnestly play right now, it’s Metroid Zero Mission — the remake of the first game in the series. The latest Nintendo Direct had me quite excited for the console, with Metroid Prime 4, despite being seven-years-old, so I decided to turn on my Switch for the first time in over six months.

I actually never finished this game as a kid on the GBA, so it’s basically a new experience for me. It’s quite sublime. I’ve beaten Kraid, acquired the Ice Beam, an ability to hang from ledges, and an “unknown” item because it isn’t compatible with my current suit.

I love this about Metroid games — the sense of discovery. You are never truly lost. Ever. There may be instances where you feel utterly lost, but if you pay close enough attention to your surroundings the answer will open up. There is a certain level of interactivity that requires you to use every tool at your disposal, along with using the entire map as your playground. You don’t see this often with modern games. And it’s so satisfying to hear the music that follows after getting a new item, similar to the jingle that plays when opening up a chest in The Legend of Zelda. Sometimes, Nintendo just does it best.

Okay. So, we have an awful trailer that didn’t set the right tone for what the game actually showcased. Then we got the gameplay which was cool, but obviously in the early parts of the game. Now we got a robust skill tree. We now need to see more on the dialogue choices and RPG elements. I know it was in the gameplay demo, but it didn’t seem necessary, with your responses to character questions basically being a “yes” or “no” answer.

This game is looking to be pretty solid at the very least. Hopefully, this can make BioWare return with some positive outlooks, particularly for the new Mass Effect.

@Odium I agree wholeheartedly. It’s crazy to think about. I have the Platinum trophy for Bloodborne and Elden Ring, but I really dislike how inaccessible their DLC is.

As much as I wouldn’t mind playing this DLC, I just don’t have it in me anymore due to being inactive for a long time. I beat the game when it first released, got a quarter of the way through NG+, but I have lost all of my reflexes and knowledge of where I’m at. And having to find/defeat Mohg again in order to start the DLC would just be way too time consuming for me. I’ve accepted that I’ll more than likely never play this, and I’m okay with that.