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Showing posts from January, 2022

Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Review - Charted, Again

Naughty Dog is one of the most recognizable names on PlayStation hardware, and the roaring success of its Uncharted franchise across two generations of the console plays a large part in that legacy. It makes sense then that the studio's first full release for the PlayStation 5 celebrates that storied history, bringing two of the series' best entries to new hardware with a suite of improvements that make experiencing the treasure-hunting adventures a pleasure again. Although some of the underlying design choices are showing some age, the Legacy of Thieves Collection is the best way to play Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. Across both games, the most significant changes are clear to see in the game's three modes of play. Fidelity mode targets a native 4K presentation, with the frame rate aiming for a locked 30fps(and sticking there for pretty much every scene). The new performance mode, which is likely the best way to play, reduces the resolution to...

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Review – What? Pokemon Is Evolving!

In 1996, Pokemon was daring. The oddball RPG was both mechanically simpler and more ambitious than its contemporaries, consisting of an approachable battle system and a huge roster of 150 adorable mascot characters. Since then, the core Pokemon games have mostly stuck to the pattern established by those first games, developing a sense of familiarity with steady, light iteration. Pokemon Legends: Arceus breaks that iterative pattern, attempting to establish a new foundation while borrowing bits and pieces from the main Pokemon games to create something new. The result is sometimes messy and doesn't always work, but its distinct qualities set it apart from the core series and ultimately elevate it. Though it's a spin-off, Pokemon Legends: Arceus isn't lending the Pokemon trappings to an entirely different set of mechanics like the Mystery Dungeon or Stadium series. Instead, this game reimagines Pokemon's core mechanics--finding and catching Pokemon and battling with them...

Pupperazzi Review - More Rough Than Ruff

Dogs are one of the few remaining precious things in life. Dogs are good --providing the world with ceaselessly comforting and fiercely loyal companions. Truth be told, we've reached a point where not liking dogs just feels a bit, well, wrong --like admitting you hate sweets or can't stand the feeling of a freshly made bed. Or, more relevantly, that you just weren't a fan of the cute n' cozy indie game you had hoped you would love. Sundae Month's Pupperazzi is, conceptually, adorable. Set in a world almost entirely inhabited by playful pooches, the first-person photography game perfectly aligns with a growing desire for more peaceful experiences, making it ideal for those looking for cozy games. However, all these warm fuzzy feelings and vibrant world aren't enough to make up for Pupperazzi's frustrating lack of variety when it comes to things to do, which ultimately leads to a repetitive gameplay loop. In Pupperazzi, you play a living camera, equipped wit...

Windjammers 2 Review - Spin To Win

The competitive disc-flinging of Windjammers is uniquely appealing. I've long heard of its majesty from the anime/alt-fighting game community (and particular game media figures). and a few heated sessions of high-speed dashing, tossing, and lobbing was all it took to be won over. Over the decades, this once-obscure arcade game has gained a reputation and a devoted competitive scene. And now, almost 30 years after the original game's debut, Windjammers 2 has emerged to show why old and new players alike should explode with excitement over the prospect of throwing a virtual frisbee. The core concepts of Windjammers 2 are the same as its much-loved predecessor: Take the basics of Pong (throw the disc into an opponent’s goal space to win as they attempt to block and launch it back), add an international cast of characters with unique abilities, throw in a bunch of offensive and defensive options, then toss them all in one of several varied arenas to fight in the most intense, high...

Rainbow Six Extraction Review - Breach And Clear

I couldn't help but pump my arm and mutter a "hell yes" as my squad finished up our first successful incursion in Rainbow Six Extraction . Even on the easier difficulties, missions had proven to be brutal. And yet, we'd cleared an incursion without a single operator going down, playing a mission that just an hour before had been too challenging for us to even get a third of the way through. But we persevered after our initial failure. We discussed the pros and cons of our operators' unique gadgets, made plans to take subsequent incursions at a more careful pace, and promised to stick together until the mission was finished. Teamwork won the day for us--and that satisfying sense of camaraderie is Extraction's greatest hook. A spin-off of Rainbow Six Siege , Ubisoft Montreal's team-based first-person shooter Extraction doesn't initially present as your typical Rainbow Six game. In Extraction, select members of international counter-terrorism unit Rainbo...

Rainbow Six Extraction Review - Get In, Get Out

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I couldn't help but pump my arm and mutter a "hell yes" as my squad finished up our first successful incursion in Rainbow Six Extraction . Even on the easier difficulties, missions had proven to be brutal. And yet, we'd cleared an incursion without a single operator going down, playing a mission that just an hour before had been too challenging for us to even get a third of the way through. But we persevered after our initial failure. We discussed the pros and cons of our operators' unique gadgets, made plans to take subsequent incursions at a more careful pace, and promised to stick together until the mission was finished. Teamwork won the day for us--and that satisfying sense of camaraderie is Extraction's greatest hook. A spin-off of Rainbow Six Siege , Ubisoft Montreal's team-based first-person shooter Extraction doesn't initially present as your typical Rainbow Six game. In Extraction, select members of international counter-terrorism unit Rainbo...

Nobody Saves The World Review - Creature Comforts

About midway through Nobody Saves the World, I was getting wrecked. I had bashed my head against a dungeon using my best and strongest forms--switching my shapeshifting hero between forms like the burly Knight and the nimble Ranger--but none of them had Light-based abilities necessary for countering the dungeon's monsters. The Light abilities I could import from other forms were close-range and I was getting overwhelmed in the scrum. On a lark, I decided to switch to the Snail form, which had a signature Light ability. The humble, unassuming Snail was a form I hadn't really tried, figuring it was more or less a joke. Friend, let me tell you: That snail ripped through the dungeon like it was wet paper. I was a tiny gastropod avenger, cackling as I choreographed a ballet of monster carnage the likes of which had never been seen. And as I collected my reward, the experience made me appreciate how meticulously developer Drinkbox designed every form, every combat encounter, every mo...

Monster Hunter Rise Review - Standing Tall

The locations you explore in Monster Hunter Rise have already felt the delicate touch of humanity's hand. Traditional Japanese torii can be found weaving through mountainside paths, leading to sacred shrines, while decaying temples have been reclaimed by nature as local plant life envelops the aging architecture. Signs of human life can even be found at the base of a raging volcano and in the midst of a flooded forest, where a Mesoamerican-style pyramid dominates the landscape. If 2018's Monster Hunter World was all about unearthing a new continent as an intrepid frontiersman, then Rise is a triumphant return to the Old World with valuable lessons learned. An enhanced port of the 3DS title Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate may have already graced the Nintendo Switch, but Rise is the first game in the series built from the ground up for Nintendo's latest console. As such, Rise closely follows in the footsteps of World while reneging on some of its changes and introducing...

Rocket League Sideswipe Review — Pocket Rocket

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Rocket League is a perfect combination of calculated action and unexpected chaos. The idea of playing soccer with cars is itself a good one, but it's the way that Rocket League feels that makes it so much fun to play. Ludicrous speed, perfectly controlled cars, and goofy, floaty physics interactions turn every play into a melding of intelligent execution and unpredictable luck. Any version of Rocket League on a mobile device would have to capture that same feeling, and it's remarkable how much Rocket League Sideswipe --a scaled-down, super-quick mobile take on the Rocket League concept--captures exactly what makes its full-sized counterpart so enjoyable. Sideswipe succeeds in creating a conception of Rocket League that caters to mobile play. This is a platform where time is spent in short bursts and where the best games are those that find a sweet spot between solid control and decreased complexity. For developer Psyonix, that sweet spot is found by taking the fundamentals o...