Hello, my fellow gamers! It's almost time for The Game Awards and we're going through the Thanksgiving weekend as well. I hope you had plenty of turkey, stuffing, and cranberries to pack on a couple more pounds. Later, we can make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In the meantime, some of you might have extra time to play games because of holiday weekends, school breaks, family gatherings, vacations, etc. I'm also hoping some of you will be fortunate enough to get a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Nintendo Switch OLED for Christmas. The shopping scene is a warzone, so good luck! Here's a list of games I played recently with both positive and negative results. Maybe some of these games will land on your holiday wish list. Check it out and have fun! Let's begin with Necromunda: Hired Gun, a futuristic spinoff from the Warhammer series. It's a first person shooter with steampunk elements in a post-apocalyptic world. Necromunda should be the perfect game for me, but it has a slew of problems. It's a very glitchy title with hard crashes, bad enemy AI, mysterious teleporting, frame rate issues, and save points that don't work. I suspect this game needed more time before a worldwide release. The gameplay is straight forward, the RPG elements are bare bones, the level design is linear, and the graphics aren't very refined. I wouldn't mind these elements if the gameplay and storytelling was better. Essentially, Necromunda is a mediocre game that lacks substance and polish. It's certainly not the worst game of 2021, but I'm still disappointed. This game probably isn't worth your time and money. You might feel attracted to this release because the cover art is really cool, but don't fall for it. Several games in the Warhammer universe are significantly better. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 combines the fighting genre with character creation. I have conflicted thoughts about this game. On the positive side, it's a unique spin on the Dragon Ball game series with a blend of genres. It's also faithful to the Dragon Ball Z anime without being a redundant retelling of the show. Players customize an original character who influences major events in the anime. You can build his/her move sets, strengths, and weaknesses. This game also has a big emphasis on multiplayer elements to level up your character. However, the gameplay feels really awkward and it relies too heavily on multiplayer battles to progress through the main story. Xenoverse 2 has a single player structure and story, but multiplayer encounters are necessary to level up. Most of the time, I felt very underpowered compared to most enemies, including the weaker varieties. It's just a weird experience. I think the game combines too many elements. It's an RPG, fighting game, multiplayer excursion, and I'm not sure what else. Perhaps, a simple fighting game with original characters would have been the superior option. Should you spend real money on this game? I would say no for most people, but it could be worth a shot for anime fans and anyone who loves Dragon Ball. I'm sure Xenoverse 2 has a niche fan base. For those of you who enjoy arthouse games, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition is a narrative journey and indie title. It’s a really peculiar game. Kentucky Route Zero has an interesting art style, but the plot is vague, the characters are unmemorable, and the game moves at a snail’s pace. I literally fell asleep an hour in the story. This game has many abstract elements and the overall experience is pretty dull. I’m not saying it’s a bad game, but this indie title is inaccessible to mainstream audiences. I suppose the story is about debt, financially and otherwise. Sure, that sounds like a great idea for a video game. Personally, I don’t think Kentucky Route Zero works as a concept. What do I know? Most reviewers believe this game is brilliant. Despite getting positive reviews, I’m not recommending this game. It’s only available for purchase. You can’t play it on Xbox Game Pass or other subscription services. It might be okay for people who are searching for an unconventional narrative, but I’m pretty sure most gamers will grow bored very quickly and the plot is confusing. It also has a nihilistic tone, so don’t expect resolution in the end. Despite the turmoil at Activision Blizzard, I played all the way through the Diablo III: Eternal Collection. It's a top down RPG and dark fantasy. Diablo set the standard for top down RPGs and Medieval apocalypses. Let's judge the game first. I understand why this franchise is so popular. Diablo III and its DLC is amazing in terms of gameplay, RPG elements, and world building. The plot and voice acting might not be cinematic, but it's okay for a video game. It has a number of difficulty settings, missions, and character types. Each character class has their own attributes, weapons, and customizable skills. As a video game, Diablo III is top notch. It's worth noting, Activision Blizzard had recent trouble with accusations and a toxic work environment. So, I can understand if you don't feel comfortable playing their games. Quite a few people are gone from the company and I hope everyone else can move forward in a more positive, inclusive, and healthy way that encourages creativity. After all, Activision/Blizzard made a number exceptional games in the past. I'm sure we'll see great projects in the future as well. If you're just looking for awesome games without judgement, Diablo III is an excellent choice. I'm not judging you either way. If you're looking for a comedic game, Destroy All Humans! fits the bill. This game is silly, cartoonish, and violent in a nonsensical way. Your character is an alien who's planning to take over the world. Sometimes, it's nice to be the monster in a video game. Destroy All Humans! might sound entertaining, but the gameplay is borderline awful. The controls are difficult to handle and the game is full of glitches. I also found the missions repetitive and it's easy to grow bored after a while. Quite a bit of the humor missed the mark for me as well. It's a comedy, but I didn't laugh very often. This game has a great concept and originality. However, the overall execution is messy and lackluster. Don't bother to spend money on this game. Alternatively, you might want to check it out on Xbox Game Pass. A sequel is also coming some time next year. Perhaps, THQ Nordic will give the next release better quality. I hope that's true because we need funnier video games. The Forgotten City is a narrative adventure, mystery, and one of this year's strongest releases. I can't say enough good things about this game. It's fascinating, the pacing is pleasant, the mystery elements are intriguing, the story is excellent, and some light action elements add a little pizzazz. The Forgotten City runs on a time loop, which means death and failure is inevitable. You'll start at the beginning again with knowledge and items that will help the story progress. I never felt like this game lasted too long or became confusing. However, it's not a simple game and you must think critically. This game requires a lot of thought, but it's still fun. Seriously, The Forgotten City is worth your time and money. It's a cheap game anyway, but you can also play this title on Xbox Game Pass. Either way, check it out before the end of 2021. You won't regret it. Look, more aliens! Destroy All Humans! didn't work for me, but I really enjoyed Aliens: Fireteam Elite. It's a co-op shooter and a distant sequel to the Alien film series. I'll be totally blunt. This game is rough around the edges and it seems quite cheap. Don't expect super high quality or complexity. With that said, it's still good in many ways. It genuinely feels like you're in the middle of an Alien movie. Fireteam Elite is an authentic experience with the right environments, weapons, enemies, ambiance, character classes, etc. The gameplay is smooth and frantic at the same time with hoards of enemies. Fortunately, your team is a trio of colonial marines who can blow them away. I'm sure multiplayer mode is the best way to play this game, but I still had a lot of fun on single player mode. Your AI companions are surprisingly efficient at combat and healing teammates.
Fireteam Elite has some drawbacks and I don't think everyone will love it. The plot is virtually nonexistent. You're just killing Xenomorphs and androids to stop them from invading other worlds. It's really weird when the characters talk because their mouths don't move. The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive and the missions are pretty long. Unfortunately, the missions don't have checkpoints. Dying means you'll go back to the beginning and it will happen a lot. Grinding is a necessary evil to level up. You'll have to go back and play earlier missions to gain XP. Overall, it's not the most sophisticated co-op experience. Should you bother to play this game? I want to say yes, but it depends on how you feel about this review. Aliens: Fireteam Elite is already facing big discounts, so you might want to check it out. It's entirely accessible to both the multiplayer and single player crowds. There you go! I hope this post will help you narrow down some games. Many retailers will have Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for several days. Check out a number of retailers for the best deals. Are you planning to play any of these games? How was your Thanksgiving? Were you brave enough to engage in Black Friday shopping? Tell me all about it in the comment section. Enjoy the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend and be safe. Good night!
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May 2019
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