Greetings! The past couple months were pretty slow concerning new video games, but I have enough content to review today. 2022 seems to be a year of retro collections, remakes, and nostalgia. It’s not a conventional release schedule, but I’m not complaining either. I think it’s a really good idea to introduce classic games and characters to modern audiences. Let’s take a look at my review list for September. Gamers can finally play as a cat in a post-apocalyptic adventure game, called Stray. It seems like we’ve been waiting forever. Stray is very unique in terms of concept and gameplay. The level design is mostly linear, although you can participate in side quests. It’s not a complex platformer, giving specific button prompts in front of ledges, boxes, tables, and other items. The protagonist seems like a real cat in terms of agility, playfulness, and overall feline behavior. Sometimes the story is a bit depressing, but it’s also thoughtful, heartwarming, and interesting. The runtime is around five hours, which is perfect for this type of game. Stray has a decent mixture of exploration, puzzles, combat, platforming, and storytelling. I also enjoy the ending, but you’ll have to play the game to learn more. Stray definitely belongs on my favorites of 2022, despite having some technical issues. Periodically, the controls are unresponsive and I experienced a few hard crashes. I had to restart a chapter more than once because a glitch prevented me from progressing to the next section. Combat is probably this game’s biggest weakness, which is typical of Annapurna. Universally, their combat is really clunky and unrefined. This game is pretty easy most of the time, but a few chase sequences and combat sections are frustrating. However, none of these issues ruin the game. This game costs $29.99 through digital retailers. A physical edition is also releasing for $39.99 on September 20th. Stray is entirely worth the cost and you can even play it on PlayStation Plus Extra. If you feel skeptical, try it on PlayStation Plus before purchasing the full game. If you enjoy retro Doom shooters, Dusk follows a similar gameplay style. This game is entertaining with a variety of weapons, including pump action shotguns, automatic rifles, a crossbow, and a rocket launcher. Dusk is a modern game, but the graphics and combat mirror first person shooters from the 1990s. The variety of enemies is vast with cultists, monsters, and various boss fights. This game adds a few modern conventions, such as two shotguns at the same time. The environments are creepy, despite their pixelated appearances, ranging from cornfields, government facilities, alternate dimensions, etc. Dusk also has several difficulty settings to accommodate various types of players. Eventually, I stopped playing this game because the combat became overwhelming halfway through the story. It’s fun, but the gameplay is frantic with endless hoards of enemies. I also burned a lot of time searching for keys and correct doorways. Milling around lost is a great way to kill my enthusiasm for a game. In general, I would say Dusk is really long for this type of game, running for several hours with super repetitive combat. Dusk is an interesting experiment that should please fans of the original FPS genre. However, I doubt it will bring younger audiences and casual players to this style of gameplay. A lot of gamers will probably get tired or bored after a while. If you’re a collector, physical preorders are available at Best Buy for the Nintendo Switch. The remake of PAC-MAN World is available on every platform. I’ve never played the original PAC-MAN World spinoff series, but Re-PAC was definitely a memorable experience. Unfortunately, I don’t mean that in a good way. I found this game quite weak with a lack of entertainment value. The animation is pretty good, but the gameplay is bland and the platforming is imprecise. That means the gameplay is very easy and annoying at the same time. None of the level design is complex, but awkward controls are the most frustrating part. Traversal requires minimal thought, strategy, and concentration, although it’s easy to die continually in specific areas. I can’t identify PAC-MAN World’s target audience. It will be really boring for the majority of adults and irritating for kids. I’m not recommending this game, even though it only costs $29.99. Several games are much better choices for younger players, such as Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. This game was released during the week of Gamescom and Bandai Namco didn’t bother to promote it. Now I see why they kept a low profile for PAC-MAN World Re-PAC. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is one of the most impressive retro compilations to date. This collection includes thirteen games from the original TMNT series. The overall franchise holds up incredibly well with challenging combat, quick pacing, influences from the original cartoon series, and grueling boss fights. Timing and patterns are everything, which is a standard in the brawler genre. The Cowabunga Collection has great replay value with a variety of cheats, including accelerated speed, invincibility, extra lives, and higher difficulty settings. Unlike many older games, the TMNT series is surprisingly accessible to modern audiences due to smooth controls and various accessibility options. Most gamers should enjoy this collection, but I realize some people don’t play brawlers. Just like every game in the genre, this compilation is repetitive and really challenging. In my opinion, the original NES game is downright impossible. Good luck. So, avoid this collection if you dislike 2D side scrollers and brawlers. Overall, I would say The Cowabunga Collection is a resounding success. It’s a fun way to experience an earlier generation of gaming. I can tell the people who created this collection have a great love and respect for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series and comic books. It’s also cheaper than most games at $39.99. How many of you remember the original BloodRayne games? A remaster of BloodRayne, subtitled Revamped on consoles and Terminal Cut on PC, is currently available. I wish this game held up better in the modern era, but it’s simply outdated. The combat is slow and imprecise. It’s very easy to miss targets and the platforming is mind numbingly inaccurate. The basic premise is really interesting and the story is trite, although entertaining. BloodRayne is about a half-blood vampire who’s killing Nazis and monsters. If that idea sound preposterous, you’re probably right, but it’s still fun. The voice acting is predictably bad for the PlayStation 2 era and the camera angles are pretty weird. For example, you can’t look side to side, which makes combat a lot more difficult. On the plus side, the monsters and environments are cool on a visual level for their time period. In the end, the remaster of BloodRayne won’t make people fall in love this IP. It doesn’t play very well and there’s very little reason to feel nostalgic. Perhaps, we’ll see a brand new BloodRayne game in the future. I think a fresh start is what this franchise needs. For those you who grew up playing the original BloodRayne games, a physical version is coming out on the Nintendo Switch at Best Buy. You can also play the Revamped version or Terminal Cut of BloodRayne 2. This one is much better on a functional level than the first BloodRayne game. The gameplay has better fluidity, accuracy, and a more impressive list of combos. BloodRayne 2 fixes the camera issues and works pretty well for modern players. For example, you can actually spin around in circles, which is always a perk in modern gaming. No more tank controls! The story is more engaging and gamers will still encounter an unusual cast of monsters. Ultimately, the combat is more entertaining and a vast improvement from the first BloodRayne title.
However, this sequel will still struggle to impress modern players. Some of the mechanics are difficult to master. For example, the acrobatic sections are a nightmare and they appear frequently. Both of the BloodRayne remasters allow cheat codes, but they don’t provide a significant improvement to the experience. The gameplay is repetitive and the environments look dark and generic. I must say, vampire games don’t have a great track record in the industry. Should you play either of the BloodRayne titles? I suppose it’s fine if they were part of your gaming repertoire in the past. Beyond that, I doubt modern gamers will care about these remasters. If you’re interested in collecting a physical copy, BloodRayne 2: Revamped is available for preorder at Best Buy. That’s all for now! Some older games and styles hold up better than others. I appreciate certain games and genres, but everyone is different and they connect with a variety of options. What games make you feel nostalgic? Are you still waiting for the revival of your favorite game series? Tell me in the comment section. It might seem like these old games are a waste of time, but they’re filling out the 2022 roster. A lot more games are coming in the Fall of and Winter seasons. In fact, October and November are going to be utterly packed. It’ll be hard to review everything on my wish list. Granted, that’s not a bad problem to endure. Take care of yourselves and game on!
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