(Updated 4/13/22) Netflix’s recent reveal that they’ve greenlit an animated series based on the Tomb Raider franchise has given many gamers a chance to reflect on the legendary video game series.

Do so, and you’ll probably find that Tomb Raider of the most uneven and fascinating franchises in video game history. Among the entries that make Tomb Raider so successful and famous are games that you wouldn’t play on a bet. 

With that in mind, here’s our look at the best and worst Tomb Raider games so far.

The Best Tomb Raider Games

5. Tomb Raider (1996)

The first Tomb Raider hasn’t exactly aged gracefully, but there’s no denying the craft that went into this early 3D action/adventure game.

Graphics and control problems aside, Tomb Raider‘s balance of action and puzzles set a standard for variety that subsequent titles struggled to replicate. This really was the template for what a great Tomb Raider game should be.

4. Tomb Raider: Legend

This often-overlooked Tomb Raider game benefits from the era of action/adventure titles that it was released in.

Softly modeled after the more modern Prince of Persia games, Tomb Raider: Legend retains the adventurous spirit of the original games but greatly improves the visual and control problems that plagued those early releases. It’s a real gem.

3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider

While this game sometimes tries a little too hard to be more “cinematic” than it is, it’s hard to deny how enjoyable the overall ride is.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a fundamentally enjoyable game that features some of this franchise’s best set pieces and gameplay ideas. Even if the story doesn’t quite get there, it gets close enough to be worth your time.

2. Tomb Raider 2

The gold standard of retro Tomb Raider games remains the best overall entry in the franchise in the minds of many fans.

Through a combination of smart improvements and some of the best actual “tomb raiding” in this franchise’s history, Tomb Raider 2 showed what this franchise could be when it was firing on all cylinders.

1. Tomb Raider (2013)

Yes, this game borrows heavily from Uncharted, but this reboots intimate scale and personal stories help it find its identity.

Everything in this reboot feels much more grounded than what we see in the Uncharted series. Even when the title goes too dark, it effectively sets up the new adventures of Lara Croft.

The Worst Tomb Raider Games

5. Tomb Raider 3

While this title was initially well-received, the years have highlighted this sequel’s flaws in ways that are hard to ignore.

Simply put, Tomb Raider 3’s difficulty too often makes it a fundamentally unenjoyable experience. This game’s infamous instant death sequences are made all the more annoying by an unforgivable collection of glitches.

4. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy

It feels wrong to pick on a handheld Tomb Raider game, but The Prophecy deserves some flak for not even trying to replicate the main entries into the series.

This top-down game relies too much on simplistic action sequences and painfully simple puzzles. If it weren’t for the fact this carries the name of one of gaming’s most famous franchises, there would be no reason to talk about it.

3. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

To be honest, The Last Revelation‘s biggest problem was that it was the game that showed old-school Tomb Raider titles were finally losing their luster.

This game doesn’t really do anything better than its predecessors but features all the visual, camera, and control problems that hurt those early titles to this day. What should have been a chance to showcase the power of the Dreamcast felt like a phoned-in sequel.

2. Tomb Raider Chronicles

While I absolutely love the idea of a Tomb Raider anthology game, Chronicles fails at everything besides its premise.

Once again, Chronicles features everything that had already aged poorly about the Tomb Raider series. This time, though, those problems are complimented by awful stealth sequences, poor level design, the worst camera yet, and the general feeling that you’re playing every idea that wasn’t good enough to make it into the previous games.

1. Tomb Raider: Angel Of Darkness

The often undisputed candidate for the worst Tomb Raider game ever is a failure on every conceivable level.

Ultimately, Angel of Darkness is an unfinished game that’s rushed development cycle resulted in countless glitches, half-finished ideas, and the absolute worst gameplay in Tomb Raider history. This one basically killed the franchise for years.

(Original Publish Date 1/31/21)

I remember when I played my first Resident Evil. It was a gift and couldn’t wait to get it running in my old PS1. That old Capcom “this game contains scenes of explicit violence and gore” plastered on the screen, the menu yelling the title “Resident Evil” as you started; I loved it and played whenever time would allow. The action, the scares, the (at the time) impressive voice acting; all of it just clicked. It has been a long time since that first entry and played more horror games than I can count since then. The genre has gone through many phases and changes from different controls to how much action should be allowed, to borderline walking simulators that deliver some scares on occasion. We’ve even lost some great franchises in the process (I miss you Visceral Games and Team Silent.) Yet, with all the evolutions and new perspectives, I yearned for that simple time when I would slap in a plastic disc and explore spooky mansions and endure overbearing atmospheres. Well, somebody must have called Dual Effect, because they happened to do just that. Well almost.

It Started with a Photo

In Tormented Souls, we follow Caroline Walker as she receives a mysterious parcel carrying a photograph of a pair of twin girls. Somehow drawn to them, Caroline leads her to a creepy mansion later turned into a medical facility. Caroline then receives a nasty bump on the head and wakes in a bathtub with tubes connected to her and her left eye plucked out. She presses on, almost compelled to continue in her search of the twin girls in the photo, and what discover secrets are hidden between the walls of the makeshift hospital.

Return to the World of Survival Horror

Tormented Souls is a throwback to the genre of survival horror, and you’ll find all the hallmarks of the games of old here. Everything from clunky tank controls, blood-soaked creatures of the night lying in wait, and puzzles that open more of the mansion as you join Caroline in her journey. It was like greeting an old friend I haven’t seen in a while. After all, it’s been more than 20 years since gamers got to explore the Spencer Mansion for the first time. Your inventory space is unlimited, and you won’t be trying to figure out what puzzle gets priority or what weapon you’ll bring, or what you’ll leave behind. Caroline can be moved with an alternate set of controls that feel modern and less like I’m trying to park a car blindfolded.

No survival horror game would be complete with its signature puzzles. Tormented Souls brainteasers will humble even survival horror veterans. Every clue, hint, and step are telegraphed to you somewhere and in some way all the while avoiding dreaded “moon logic”. You just need the patience and the spatial awareness to see that the answer may have been right in front of you the whole time. Some made me sit back in awe as I pondered the solution only to have it hit me in the face when I examined a critical clue. More than once my jaw dropped when I got to see the payoff of puzzles I thought I’d never solve. Those taking in every note and piece of the environment will be happily rewarded.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention what lies in the darkness at the hospital. Countless creatures and monstrous former patients await you and only a limited supply of offensive and defensive weapons are available to deal with them. Some can be avoided if you are agile enough but most enemies outside of one will tend to stick around until they are dealt with. Do you kill it now and hope nothing comes at you later? Or, do you save it for a boss fight that may come soon? More ammo might be right around the corner, or it could be another monster hidden just out of view. The game usually provides just enough to get by, but trigger-happy players might see themselves stuck at certain points when their supply dries up. So, make every shot count.

Every Frame a Bloody Painting

Survival horror lives and breathes on its presentation and Tormented Souls mostly succeeds in this category. The Spencer Mansion itself is just dripping in atmosphere and style. The influences are blatantly clear with the Alone in the Dark and classic Resident Evil-style mansion taking center stage and later even Silent Hill-inspired “other worlds” come into play. The soundtrack offers a mix of haunting tracks to keep even the most seasoned players on their toes to relaxing melodies to signal that you are safe for the time being. While not the most graphically intense game on the market, its use of lighting, music, and art style all feel well done and deserving of merit. Mostly.

Tormented Shortcomings

I mentioned how Dual Effect almost had it right and I still stand by that statement as much as it pains me to do so. While there is definite polish in most places, the aspects lacking really start to become apparent. First is the voice acting; while not a lot of it, most of it is outright awful. I knew this wanted to be a throwback to early horror games, but they didn’t have to imitate the voice acting of the time as well. Caroline is supposed to be somewhere in the late teens/ early 20’s range but sounds like she’s in her 40’s and her delivery is questionable in some parts and laughable in others. The voice work almost comes out of nowhere while you investigate certain items and places of interest; it’s completely inconsistent. 

While Tormented Souls got points in the music department, it also can be tone-deaf as certain areas of the game have music that is not as well looped and can grate on the ears while you are just trying to walk around. The amount of backtracking also borders on unacceptable at times. That is normally a given in these kinds of games but combine that with Caroline’s slower than molasses jogging speed and it slows the game’s pace to a crawl even with shortcuts that can mitigate it. 

The combat, while engaging at first, completely falls apart once you are given a flashlight. Normally you would light candles with your lighter, lure enemies to the nearest light source, and pummel it with your weapon of choice. Once you receive the flashlight, any tension immediately falls flat as now you have a brighter light source that doesn’t require you to switch it out, you can take care of it immediately. 

Finally, I would always find myself saying something to the tune of “Wow just like in Resident Evil” or “Hey that’s just like Silent Hill.” There were so many callbacks and revisited mechanics of other titles that I first enjoyed seeing as I loved to see the inspiration, but at some point, I asked myself “Why wouldn’t I just play those games instead?” “If I missed those games so much, why was I playing this at all?” No game should make me want to play something else while I’m playing it.

Tormented Walk With Me

Tormented Souls is a heartfelt love letter to the classic survival horror genre. All the usual suspects are here; a spooky eccentric mansion full of terror, puzzles that will test your logical thinking and spatial awareness, and a limited amount of ammo to work with to combat the monsters within. Tormented Souls wears its inspirations on its blood-soaked sleeves and has no shame in it. Unfortunately, that’s where most of the problems start to creep in. For every clever idea and set piece there was something that would make me sigh in disappointment. I usually dislike giving a numerical number for a rating, but this is a 5/10 game if I ever saw one. It hooked me in, only to lose me on questionable game and presentation choices. At some point, I just wanted the game to end so I could move on to another. I really wanted to love Tormented Souls and there are parts where I do. But some parts of me just wished it tormented the characters inside the game rather than my patience.

At the beginning of one mission, you are marked for dead by the organization you work for. Your handler has no idea what happened but informs you that they are coming for you. You must blast your way out of your extremely depressing apartment and try to find a way to escape the hit squad coming after you. Former colleagues turned enemies, giant mechs, and leeches are the only thing between you and freedom. With no time to lose and no remorse to give, you kill the hit squad, take out your landlord who is having a party, and make for the exit. The game then takes you back to the level-select screen after paying you. Your handler informs you that it was an HR mistake since you had a similar social security number to one of your co-workers. He apologizes, tells you to move on, and hands you your next mission as if nothing happened.

I took my hands off my mouse and keyboard for just a moment as I couldn’t control my laughter. My mind retreated to years working in retail and having to deal with the HR department and exact same kind of response from them. “Just get back to work and move on” they said, or, “there’s nothing we can do.” I would just feel frustrated, like neither the problem nor I mattered to them. But what was I to do? I had to make money, so I would just shrug and go back to work. I would return to my workstation and just stand there in my own frustration just waiting to punch out for the day, daydreaming of finding something better. It’s in those memories of frustration, that I finally come to understand Cruelty Squad.

Look upon my gameplay ye mighty, and despair

Cruelty Squad in its purest form is an immersive sim. You play as a recently fired mercenary, sitting in your apartment until a friend of yours gives you a call and says they have a job for you. From there the game begins. You start your mission with a briefing from your handler (who looks like Jabba the Hut in a trucker hat) about your target. You choose from a set of “upgrades” and weapons to take with you to complete your mission and off you go. Right away, you’ll notice something off about the controls; assuming you play a bit of PC shooters. Your reload button requires you to pull back the mouse and your usual reload button is now the use key. There is no sprint button but with upgrades to your character you can quickly change this. It takes some time to get used to, but you learn to adapt quickly. From there, how you complete your objective is completely up to you. Any option is viable if you get out alive. While not as complex as its contemporaries like Deus EX, Thief, or even Dishonored, you still have an alarming amount of freedom in player expression. You can go in guns blazing like a cyborg John Wick if that’s your style. For those with more patience, perhaps a stealthy approach is more your speed. You can even go in with no guns and just kick your target out of the nearest window if you choose to (though I highly advise against it).

It may not look pretty but it gets the job done.

Let’s get a few things out of the way first. This game is not winning any award in the looks department. Everything just looks six kinds of wrong. All the environments, animations, and models scream PS1-era graphics. Normally that would be fine if it were not for the strange choices made with the texture work. Bright neon colors and weird faces plastered across the surfaces almost offends the senses by how off-putting it looks. Models don’t even register as human most of the time; they look like what you get if you asked an alien to draw what a human looks like from only having one described to it. The upgrades you can add to your body sometimes produce what I can only hope is bile. One upgrade is especially heinous as its set of intestines grafted to your arm to use as a grappling hook.  However, after a while, you stop noticing it. It all ends up blending into a surreal horrorscape as you maneuver from one area to the next, working to eliminate your target. Just like everyone in Cruelty Squad, it’s something that you accept and move on. The only thing that may not work in your favor thanks to the bizarre textures that once the gunplay gets heavy, it may be hard to tell your enemies from the civilians, especially in close quarters. Since there is no real penalty for taking out innocents, I suppose it’s a small nitpick.

But what does it mean?!?!

Cruelty Squad…is a very angry game. It is a punk-rock style critique on the plight of those on the bottom and what they must do to make it at the apex of capitalism.  While not overtly in your face about it, exploration rewards players with some insight into how this cyberpunk-inspired nightmarish hellscape works. You’ll find a world where Death is a slap on the wrist and business expense, capitalism has gone out of control to the point where armed mercenaries gunning each other in the streets for their corporate overlords is the norm, and a plethora of office workers have dreams of getting out of the office and hope their startup pays off.

Most missions give you the ability to face your target directly and not even bat an eyelash that you are brandishing a gun in front of them. Interacting with them only provides us tidbits of information; sometimes they think we are part of the security detail and some just don’t even care that we are here to kill them. Even your missions give off meager pay with your own side hustles supplementing your own income. Body parts can be collected from your slain foes to sell on the black market, stocks move in real-time ready to be purchased, and if you are feeling lucky, there is a fishing mini-game that can bring stacks of in-game currency to spend on a house one day.

It’s a clear jab at the toxicity of “side-hustle” culture that has infected Gen-Z and Millennials who can’t make it without turning their hobbies into profit. This game is a megaphone; its creators shouting obscenities at corporate elite and their friends. That same megaphone just so happens to be covered in blood and bile.

All my friends are just Flesh Automatons.

So, with all that being said; is it any good? Yes.

Would I recommend it? I have no idea.

Some people will be turned off by the art style but that’s to be expected. Some people may grow frustrated by the difficulty. Others will look at a trailer and think “it’s one of those artsy-fartsy” kind of games and not even give it a go. However, for those brave enough to try it, they will find a unique experience with some extremely satisfying gunplay at its base level and some clever satire underneath.

Cruelty Squad has quite a bit to say; it’s not always coherent and you have to do some of your own digging, but it’s a list of grievances about how our society works and a team’s vision about where it could lead. This game won’t be for everyone, but if you choose to dive into the surreal nightmare that is Cruelty Squad maybe you’ll find yourself frustrated at some things too.

Over its open beta weekend, I had the pleasure and sometimes displeasure of playing it within a limited time frame. With some hesitation and two cups of coffee, it was time to see what Amazon Games had to offer.

First Impressions

It is said that first impressions are everything, but it looks like no one told the development team. I was greeted with a lofty waiver and a survey they would like me to complete after I had my fun.  After a lengthy opening cutscene does a bit of world-building, you’re asked to make your avatar…. from somewhat limited options of choices. Call me spoiled if you wish but, but most MMOs offer a bit more than just a couple of faces and some truly awful hair choices. I picked my favorite pompadour and mustache and proceeded to… watch another lengthy cutscene.

After the cutscene, you are washed up on the beach of Aeturnam and your journey begins! Well, not quite. You are guided step by step for each of the controls for the combat, grinding of materials to make items, and how to hunt for food in the wilderness. I was reminded of tutorials of various mobile games that trying to rush players to the good stuff. I was expecting New World to ask for my credit card at some point, but I still had hopes that it would improve. The next couple of hours did not pan out as well as I hoped as I fought from generic locale to generic locale and completing generic quest to another generic quest until the game gave me directions to the nearest town. At this point as I was ready to write the game off, but I was curious to see what lay ahead.

Second-ish Impressions

I arrived at the first town with a virtual chip on my shoulder and nothing to lose. The town gates greeted my character with a warm atmosphere and a color palette that wasn’t brown and bloom. Players of all levels running to the nearest crafting stations to make gear, accept missions, or maybe sell an item or two. It was a complete 180 from what the game had offered me to that point. After some mean character introductions, New World opens up a little after being given brief direction on how to use your crafting skills. It gave me nostalgic flashbacks to RuneScape’s Tutorial Island. All the familiar hallmarks were there; mining ore to make bars that would later become armor, chopping down wood to make charcoal; cooking, and even leather work were on the menu. It was just Tutorial Island by another name. You can even find multiple campfires set ablaze just outside of towns (when you know, you know). That’s when everything clicked. While doing story quests kept the familiar loop of fetch quests and kill quests, your ability to ignore all that and just explore the game world was a real treat. I took my musket and sword outside the city walls and just went off to the wilderness.

Third-ish Impressions

It’s about time I talked about mechanics, and not the ones that scammed me out of my last 20 dollars. Rather than the usual level up and class system of its contemporaries, New World instead opts for a skill-based one ala Skyrim or again, RuneScape. The more you use a skill, the better it becomes, and the more skills and options you will have at your disposal such as mining stronger ores or gaining new combat abilities. On top of this is your actual level which goes up with standard XP from quests and the like. Each level up grants you two skill points to add to whichever stat you are looking to increase (STR, INT, etc..). The combat itself is a bit of a mixed bag. New world ditches the tag targeting that you would usually see in games like these in favor of more active combat. So, you’ll be defending and swinging your sword in real-time. Your combat mileage will vary depending on the management of your stamina. Defending and dodging are ruled by this meter and more astute players will have to learn to keep an eye on it lest they fall victim to having their guard broken. Luckily getting in your enemy’s face isn’t the only way to take them down. If magic or firearms are more your style, you’ll be satisfied with what New World has to offer. Should you meet an unfortunate end (as I often did), death is merely a slap on the wrist and a small dent in your armor or weapon. You can revive in either a registered town or a campfire where can rest Dark Souls style. Most likely a deliberate choice to keep everything nice and smooth with the number of things happening on screen.

PVP-ish Impressions

One of the biggest draws of New World that piqued my interest was the focus on territory that can be fought for by players. After a certain number of quests are completed, you have the option to join one of three factions. Each faction fights for territory and must do its best to maintain control of it from other competing factions. Once chosen you’ll receive missions from your factions NPC to raise your standing and get faction-specific items and gear as a reward. You will also be a part of your factions’ chat group, which will never stop with messages of which stronghold is under attack and vice versa. Once you’ve made the trek to where it is, you’ll be part of the war effort to claim glory and territory for your respective team. The frenetic chaos of seeing players clashing swords, slinging spells (hopefully healing spells), and firing muskets was quite a sight to behold. Those holding the stronghold must push back the opposing factions’ attack and prevent them from taking it. When things die down, brave players will keep a watchful eye over their precious fort and alert others via faction chat to the impending invasion. This brought a sense of tension as during my first battles, I stood guard with my musket at my side, occasionally using my sights to check if the dot in the distance was just an animal passing by or another player keeping an eye on me. Despite the player count the battle raging on, it’s easy to keep track of yourself while in the fray and is one of the most interesting modes of play in New World.

Devil is in the Lack of Details.

As much as I mostly enjoyed New World once it really got going, after a while, small cracks in the game world start to creep in. Normally with something in beta, I’m usually a bit more forgiving However as of the time of this writing, the launch is only weeks away which causes me a bit of worry if things will be buffed and waxed before it hits the digital storefront. As mentioned earlier, the tutorial is a bit of a slog and leaves a bad first impression. The first couple of hours or so boils down to: go here; find or kill the thing; come back; rinse and repeat. This goes double for once you reach your first city. It eventually just gets to the point that you do it for the experience points rather than learn about the world you are playing in. Bits of lore are sprinkled around the game world like notes and journal entries, but it’s very “by the numbers” writing.

The same goes for the NPCs. They are nothing more than glorified job boards to get the quests you need to move forward. With limited combat options in the beginning, I hope you like seeing the same 3 hit combo with your preferred weapon repeatedly. While that doesn’t change much later, you’ll at least have some active skills that can break up the monotony and keep fighting interesting. This combined with a general lack of polish in certain areas does bring some concern as New World is getting closer to entering the MMO space. With WOW’s “blizzard polish” and FF14’s high production values, Amazon’s efforts look bland by comparison despite some decent art direction. I’m reminded that this is a beta, so I’m remaining hopeful. At least for now.

So Now What?

Monday came the message that the beta was done and had to be deleted. I did my survey since they asked me nicely and moved on, looking at the steam page for the current release date. New World is a bit of a rough gem, and I can see what the developers may have been going for but for every three steps forward, there was one step back or one to the side. Amazon Games may be on to something here and it feels like a very competent game. Overall, I had a good time with it. It would almost feel wrong to just dismiss it as “just another MMO.” Perhaps it has to do with my current frustration with the genre due to SEGA’s bizarre choices with my current MMO of choice (I’ll get to you New Genesis. Just you wait).  There is some genuine effort here and because of that, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and see for myself where New World is headed when it launches. For those already on the ship and ready to go, maybe I’ll see you there too.

As we continue into 2020, a year absolutely swimming in high profile game releases, Doom Eternal had everything to lose. Following up on what some had identified among the best games of the entire decade, the expectations were soaring. This was a situation where Doom could coast on well-established good graces or build upon the solid foundation of quality gameplay to make something truly great. Now that we’ve finally gotten our hands on Doom Eternal, let’s find out what makes it so great…

Recently, I finished Rage 2.  I set out in the game with the hope that it would deliver something reminiscent of the magnificence of Doom while drawing some of the enjoyable open-world aspects of an Avalanche developed game.  I thought, at the very least, it would be a logical progression from the original Rage since that game was a product of the early days of open-world first-person shooters.  However, what I experienced was active regression and a design that felt like complete mismanagement of the genre.

Open-world games have become common since the hardware was able to accommodate them.  While the concept has been a staple of games for many decades now, the use in the realm of 3D games has been a more recent achievement.  These games can deliver a lot of variety in environmental design and gameplay, offering the player the freedom to go and do as they please, but they can also lead to a sense of aimlessness.  Many modern open world games have achieved the lofty goal being able to convey that perspective of freedom while still keeping the game cohesive enough for players to feel involved and invested.  Rage 2 managed to fail both at giving the player focus and somehow also limited the genre-defining sense of freedom.

Rage 2 did have great combat.  It kicks you off successfully with solid gunplay and useful skills and starting, and it puts you on a path that seems pretty fun.  Blasting away at enemies gives just enough of that Doom feel that it has you clamoring for the next base for more.  In fact, if Rage sent you down the road and into the next bout of gunfights with the same brevity outside of combat as id Software’s previous title, the game would probably work out well.  However, you’re immediately slowed down by the need to search each base for hidden crates to properly power up your character.  Then when you finally finish that boring endeavor, you’re back to the map to try and determine where to go next – and this is where Rage 2 hits it’s open-world problem.

Where do you go next?  It seems like a simple question to answer in most open-world games, but here we have a problem.  In order to unlock more abilities and sometimes weapons, you have to track down Arks that your character unlocks.  The first ones are marked on your map, easy to find, and on your way to the main objective.  For some reason, the developers decided it would be best to hide the rest throughout the map.  It’s possible to track them visually with temporary markers across the sky, but the game doesn’t really inspire you to do this.  Open-world games succeed by putting important things like weapons and abilities on the path that the player would naturally follow.  It’s hard to imagine an action-based first-person shooter where you can easily finish the game having half of the weapons and abilities – but that’s what happened to me with Rage 2.

The issue with Rage 2’s open-world game design isn’t that you can do the main quests in whatever order you want.  The problem is that I went through the main quests and even spent quite a bit of time doing side quests, but only found part of the stuff that the game shows off in trailers.  Of course, I could have ventured off and found all of these items, but the limited challenge and monotony of clearing enemy bases made the proposition of more (by that point) tiresome combat very unappealing.

Rather than giving the player a natural sense of progression in building up strength, taking on tougher enemies, and unlocking new weapons and abilities to make that possible, I just plowed through the handful of enemy types using two main weapons.  The end result was an open-world game that used the game design technique to do nothing but put space between the missions.  Rage 2 was left feeling like it was supposed to be a typical linear first-person shooter that was changed to an open-world game at the eleventh hour.

I don’t believe Rage 2 is an indication that the game industry is headed for open-world failures, but it is a sign that even top tier developers in the AAA industry can screw up.  Genres that use open-world designs can continue to succeed if they don’t abandon the tenets that make games like GTA V, Witcher 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2 work.  Giving the player freedom doesn’t mean they should have the freedom to miss key content.   Going off the beaten path should be easy, but finding your way back should be as well.  Giving side quests value and tying them back to the main content can do wonders for maintaining a cohesive narrative.  All of this is essential, and it’s all missing in Rage 2.  Hopefully, id Software and especially Avalanche can move on to future projects that redeem them from this disappointing title.

In many ways, PlayStation Now is shaping up to be Sony’s biggest missed opportunity of the PS4 era.

PlayStation Now sounded like a pretty exciting service when it was first revealed in 2014. At the very least, it offered an easy way to play PS3 games at a time when Sony’s backward compatibility options were basically non-existent. At most, it offered a glimpse into an exciting world where PlayStation moves to the cloud. Fans imagined one day using the service to play a host of PS1 and PS2 titles atop the latest and greatest PS4 games.

The problems with PlayStation Now began with the nature of the service’s technology. Simply put, it turns out that streaming games can be a tricky business. If you don’t have an ideal internet connection, it can be impossible to use PlayStation Now at all. Even a good internet connection can struggle to consistently stream games at their highest quality.

You can argue over how much control Sony really has over that problem, but there are other, lingering problems they do have control over. The most notable of those offenders is the service’s thin library. PlayStation Now boasts the ability to play over 750 PS2, PS3, and PS4 titles, but the reality of the service is a bit different. Only 13 of those games are PS2 titles, and only a few are ones that we’d recommend. The PS4 selection boasts more titles, but don’t expect to get many of the latest and greatest games via this service. Essentially, PS Now still feels like a glorified PS3 emulator.

The bigger issue with PS Now, though, is how it stacks up to the competition. Google is promising to offer next-gen caliber gaming via the cloud with its Stadia service as well as the ability to play games across a variety of devices.  Microsoft’s Game Pass doesn’t let you stream games, but it does feature new titles, a wide library of classics, and a lower price point than PS Now. In fact, Apple basically copied the Game Pass model with its recently revealed Apple Arcade service.

This all leaves PlayStation Now in an incredibly awkward spot. In fact, it leaves PlayStation Now in a spot where it has to either change or die.

To be fair, PlayStation Now has changed. Sony added the ability to download certain titles from the service just as they’ve added the ability to play some PS2 and PS4 games. Yet, the biggest holes that plague the service in the current marketplace have yet to be filled. There are still no day one digital releases of new games. The service’s price ($19.99 a month without discounts) still feels too high for what you’re getting. The streaming technology that powers PlayStation Now is already feeling outdated.

Now, Sony’s biggest advantage is that PlayStation Now exists. It’s an ongoing cloud service with a library that can be grown, an existing user base, and technology that can be improved. If Sony wants it to compete with Stadia and other services, they can theoretically make the necessary upgrades to do so.

If Sony wants to turn PlayStation Now into more of a Game Pass-like service, they can do that too. It will require more work and require them to admit some mistakes, but the option is out there. We think PlayStation Now could work very well as a subscription/download service.

The one thing PlayStation Now can do is linger on in its current form for a few more years. While it can survive in that form, PlayStation fans everywhere will always be left looking elsewhere at the better options they don’t have available to them.

February 2019 was supposed to be one of the biggest months for games in recent memory. Headlined by titles like Metro Exodus, Crackdown 3, and Anthem, many gamers were left wondering just how they were going to play all these titles.

As it turns out, it’s not that much of a problem as Anthem and Crackdown 3 are both disappointing (and borderline terrible) games.

Which is worse, though? Which of these games fell furthest from where they were expected to land? To help answer that question, let’s first take a look at what makes both games so shockingly bad.

Crackdown 3

Originally supposed to be released in 2016 as a follow-up to 2010’s Crackdown 2, Crackdown 3 finally debuted this year. What did we get from all those years the game was in development? Much more of the same.

In fact, Crackdown 3 might just be the ugliest current generation game of its pedigree and budget. Some people have noticed that Crackdown 3 looks a lot like an upscaled Xbox 360 game, and that’s certainly not much of an exaggeration. In fact, we can’t help but wonder whether this game has been in development for longer than we thought.

Crackdown 3‘s awful visuals could be easily forgiven if it weren’t for the fact that the game plays almost identically to the 2007 original title. While that is a return to form in some ways, Crackdown has evolved surprisingly little in 12 years. You’re still collecting orbs, shooting up strongholds, and doing a lot of things that the industry has moved past or improved upon many years ago.

Crackdown‘s 2007 gameplay and 2010 graphics are complemented by the title’s bare story, surprisingly minimum use of poster boy Terry Crews, and almost complete lack of a physics system.

The fact that Crackdown 3 is a full-price game in 2019 is difficult to accept. How is this game so hopelessly outdated?

Anthem

The moment Anthem was teased, outlets and fans started calling it BioWare’s Destiny. BioWare tried to deny it was that simple, but it turns out that’s exactly what Anthem is. Actually, it’s worse than that.

Anthem is an online loot shooter that forces you to complete a simple gameplay loop in order to unlock increasingly better weapons and items. It’s a formula that has proven to be successful in the past even if it’s not exactly deep.

However, Anthem‘s real problem is that it’s almost exactly like Destiny when Destiny was first released in 2014. That means the game features too much collecting, almost no end game content, incredible simple objectives, and character builds that don’t really matter. It also adds unbearably long load screens to the list of Destiny problems.

At the very least, Anthem could have been “Destiny…but better.” While the gameplay is satisfying at times, the game’s lack of simple features like a stat screen or a competitive mode makes you wonder just how rushed this title really was.

What really hurts, though, is the fact that this is a BioWare game. Given that BioWare was once the storytelling studio in gaming, you’d expect Anthem to at least have a better story than Destiny. Instead, it delivers an awful blend of lazy dialog, forgettable characters, a universe filled with cliches, and dialog choices that basically do nothing.

Maybe Anthem will one day be more, but as it stands, the game is borderline unacceptable.

Which Is More Disappointing?

This is tough. On the one hand, Anthem is going to get better over time as it is constantly updated. Crackdown 3, meanwhile, is probably close to a full experience. Crackdown 3 also offers fewer hours of the dumb and amusing gameplay both titles feature.

Yet, Anthem remains the most disappointing game. The difference between the 2 is that anyone looking for a basic Crackdown experience will get that with Crackdown 3. However, anyone looking for a good BioWare game or the latest and greatest loot shooter won’t get that with Anthem straight out of the box.

Crackdown 3 was also burdened with quite a few development problems that kept it from being all that it could be. Anthem had a huge budget, a legendary development team, and a ton of support, and it still falls short of the simplest of goals.

Anthem may one day be good, but there’s no excuse for it to be this bad.

“Winner:” Anthem

We don’t know anything concrete about Resident Evil 8. At least nothing beyond a few plot points hinted at by the ending and DLC for Resident Evil 7. However, we feel pretty confident in saying that Capcom will make a Resident Evil 8 at some point.

The question is: “Which successful recent Resident Evil game should Resident Evil 8 emulate?”

Until recently, nobody was asking that question. Resident Evil 7 was a generally well-received sequel that successfully transitioned the series to first-person. More importantly, it restored the pure horror of the franchise. It had been years since fans had played a Resident Evil game that seemingly prioritized pure horror above all else. There were some who bemoaned the changes, but the general consensus was that Resident Evil had found its new formula.

That is until the recent Resident Evil 2 remake came along. Widely considered to be perhaps the best game in the Resident Evil series, fans had hoped for years that Capcom would remake Resident Evil 2. Well, we got that remake, and it’s more than most people could have hoped for. It’s a beautiful game that manages to combine some classic series ideas with the best of modern technology and a more active third-person action style.

This has created a fascinating conundrum as it concerns future Resident Evil games. While sales may ultimately dictate which Resident Evil game sets the tone for future titles, you have to wonder whether Capcom would really abandon a gameplay style they just established.

To that, we say “Why not?” Narratively, Resident Evil was different enough from the games that came before that you could write it off as an experiment if Capcom chose to do so. While there are still some questions regarding where it fits into the overall mythology of the series, it’s not like they’re contractually obligated to make another game like it.

On top of that, the gameplay style of Resident Evil 2 just works. It feels much more accessible, seems better equipped to bring out the best the franchise has to offer and is already generating a great deal of buzz. It even capitalizes on the best-selling Resident Evil 4‘s best attributes.

The only thing you have to wonder is what Capcom would lose by abandoning the first-person pure horror style so quickly. While it had its flaws, Resident Evil 7 showed glimpses of being something quite special. Would we be losing out on too much if Capcom decided to abandon that style of game design in favor of something that maybe feels more immediate and gratifying?

Maybe, but as we said earlier, the beauty of this argument is that it might actually be up to us. Whichever game sells more might just be the one that Capcom emulates moving forward. In fact, it might have been their plan all along to see which would be more popular.

In a truly perfect world, though, Capcom finds an excuse to revisit both styles in order to deliver a variety of experiences that will help continue this sudden – but welcome – second golden age of Resident Evil titles we seem to find ourselves in.

It’s funny, but it’s hard to remember a time when every major console on the market was quite as desirable as modern consoles are now. Not since the peak of the PS2, Xbox, GameCube era have we seen every console fire on all cylinders quite like we’re seeing now.

At the end of the day, though, there is usually one console that stands tall above them all. As we near the end of 2018, let’s look at all three consoles to see which won the year.

The Argument For: The PlayStation 4

The PlayStation 4 has thrived thus far on the strength of its lineup, functionality, price, and the momentum of its own popularity. This year, the PlayStation 4 reminded everyone why it’s a winning formula.

The argument for the PlayStation 4 begins and ends with the strength of its exclusives. God of War, Detroit: Become Human, Spider-Man, and the Shadow of the Colossus remake all comfortably rank among the year’s best titles. It’s becoming clear at this point that you need to own a PS4 if you want to play every great game.

That’s not to say the PS4 didn’t succeed elsewhere. The PSVR remains the best overall VR system on the planet (and boasts some excellent games), PlayStation Now is slowly expanding into a full-fledged subscription service, and the PS4 finally supports cross-play with most popular titles.

While the PS4 Pro remains somewhat underwhelming, and Sony’s PS4 updates are still mostly for maintenance, Sony is doing a great job of keeping the PS4 in the winner’s lane by ensuring that it continues to be the source of truly special games.  Considering that the medium is still all about good games, we’d call that a pretty big victory.

The Argument For: The Nintendo Switch

Fans wondered how Nintendo could possibly top the Switch’s incredible debut year. While there’s some debate as to whether they did, the Switch most certainly didn’t suffer through a sophomore slump.

Nintendo’s lineup of first-party games ranged from great (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), to good (Super Mario Party), to disappointing (Mario Tennis Aces), but for once, those games didn’t matter most. The Switch games that really mattered were the third party titles that filled the gaps between Nintendo releases.

It has been decades since Nintendo has attracted this kind of third-party support. However, the Switch remains this special kind of console that inspires people to wait on a game that isn’t yet on Switch just in case it happens to come out for Switch. It remains quite a phenomenon.

True, we’ve got some questions about Nintendo’s online service, but it’s clear that Nintendo is finally determined to learn from their biggest previous mistakes by expanding their service support and by encouraging developers everywhere to bring their best games to the Switch. There’s certainly no console that’s more exciting to own.

The Argument For: The Xbox One

We’re not going to lie: Xbox One doesn’t have the games that the PS4 does. It also lacks the novelty and versatility of the Nintendo Switch. Yet, there is a very, very strong case to be made for the Xbox One as the console of the year.

That’s because the Xbox One’s 2018 was a look into the best possible future for console gaming. Microsoft delivered on their promise to turn Game Pass into a must-have subscription service by delivering some of their biggest games of the year through the enticing program. It remains the best service of its kind.

What’s more impressive is that Microsoft remains committed to taking gaming to the cloud despite the many hurdles ahead of them. Even then, they can still boast the most powerful piece of console hardware on the market as well as a range of impressive gaming accessories that set new standards in creativity.

Recent deals essentially ensure that the games will come, but in 2018, Microsoft managed to turn the Xbox One into a very appealing console without much help from a console’s traditional biggest selling point.

The Winner: PlayStation 4

Look, at the end of the day, you need to play God of War, Spider-Man, all the great PS4 exclusives that have come before and all the great exclusives still to come. The Switch is an absolute joy, and we’re more excited for the future of Xbox than everyone else, but if you’re telling someone they can only own one console in 2018, the vote has to go to the PS4.

Best OG: Hearthstone

Wizards of the Coast may have begun the trading card revolution, but Blizzard was the first to successfully digitalize it in a free-to-play format with Hearthstone. Blizzard boasts of over 100 million players as of November 2018, raking in over $40 million a year (earnings from 2017).

Hearthstone uses constructed decks consisting of 30 cards, as players tap into their powers, summoning creatures to destroy their opponents. The digital FTP format offers regular and ranked matches, expansion packs, arena battles, and single-play adventures.

Worst: Artifact

Artifact, developed by Valve Corporation, launched the first of December 2018 and was pounded with over 1500 negative reviews on Steam by the following day. Designed by MTG creator Richard Garfield, expectations were high upon Artifact’s launch.

Unlike other popular digital trading card games, Artifact is pay-to-win, creating a hostile flood of negative reviews. Using elements found in Valve’s battle arena game Dota 2, gamers and critics aren’t thrilled about the mechanics or the complexity of the game.

Best: MTG Arena

Taking a page from Blizzard’s handbook and customizing it towards their target audience, Wizards of the Coast is currently running a free-to-play digital trading card format for newbies and veterans in beta called MTG Arena. It’s simple to play, provides an abundance of rewards and opportunities for FTP players, beautifully designed, and hasn’t even officially launched yet (currently PC only).

Set to release in 2019, the beta version is open to all and is nothing like its predecessor Magic Online. Developers are consistently listening to fans and tweaking while Wizards enlists top streamers to develop their own arena style tournament play for short-term events.

Classic Trading Card Game With Issues: Pokémon TCG Online

Not many digital trading card games can boast of financial and pop-cultural success like Pokémon can. Launched in 2011 and arriving on Android devices in 2016 Pokémon TCG Online remains a classic amongst a sea of other digital and real-life trading card games.

Players can choose from a variety of modes, fighting either AI or other gamers with pre-constructed decks or originally designed ones. Pokémon TCG online is beloved mostly because of its name and loyal fans but has issues too, which aren’t getting resolved. From old cards becoming worthless to newbies having no idea how to play, Pokémon lives on in name only.

Best: Gwent

Officially released in fall of 2018, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is a free-to-play digital card game developed and published by CD Projekt and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Instead of using mana abilities like other digital card games, players must throw a card down each turn from a minimum deck of 25 cards.

Why is EA And Battlefront II Tanking?

Gwent uses Factions with “leaders” who have their own special abilities, separating themselves from the pack of mana-based strategies.

Best: The Elder Scrolls: Legends

Available on PC and Android, The Elder Scrolls: Legends is a free-to-play digital card game worth checking out. Playing with decks (50-100 cards) each player uses a variety of cards and runes to defeat their opponents.

Five play modes exist of which four are always available, allowing players to compete in casual modes, AI, or against friends. There is a campaign mode as well as Gauntlet events which run during limited times.

But why is there still so much hate? And why is Battlefront II in the process of dying a slow death?

The Slow Fall Of Battlefront II

Initially, there were bugs upon launch. There always is. But for some reason, EA took forever to patch up their mistakes, creating a very negative vibe in the Star Wars Battlefront II community.

The bugs were minor things like Star Cards not working and a sound glitch which forced the player to restart the game in order to get the sound back. Simple, yet extremely frustrating when ignored.

There’s also the issue of multiplayer modes which require a minimum number of players. Normally if a game is healthy, there are always players to be found. But this hasn’t been the case with Battlefront II. Take Ewok Hunt for example. It’s a fun and brilliantly designed mini-game which never has enough players for gameplay. Log in and a player is likely to see “waiting on X number of players” for 15-30 minutes (if not longer).

5 Super Easy Tips For Sucess In MTG Arena

Lastly, new players joining the game late quickly realized how outmatched they were in multiplayer modes, also creating a negative environment. The grind towards leveling up is brutal, especially when a player’s characters are too weak to earn battle points.

Battlefront II is full of positive things like the beautifully created large-scale maps with an intense attention to detail in modes like Starfighter Assault (taking multiplayer spaceship battles to a whole new level). Recently, General Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi became two available heroes and according to EA’s rollout plan for Battlefront II, there’s more on the way — including a bunch of Clone Wars content to coincide with the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+ in 2019.

Sadly, however, these positive notes often get drowned out in the negativity surrounding Battlefront II.

Between the Star Wars boycotter groups on social media and gamers who refused to wait for EA to get their “bleep” together, the pool of worldwide players has become drastically small.

Can Battlefront II Be Saved?

Anything is possible, but considering EA’s standard approach to resolving issues is to ignore gamers and do as they please, the likely answer is no. And yet, there are a few of us left who are holding on to an unseen last hope — those of us who enjoy playing modes other than Galactic Assault.

The patches and upgrades EA’s applying to Battlefront II are nice (skins and new heroes), but they aren’t necessarily what the game needs. Maybe if EA adjusted the player count for the smaller modes and figured out a way to reduce camping in Starfighter Assault, gamers might return. An adjustment of the Star Cards would be nice too, giving new players a decent chance of being able to compete, instead of always being taken out with one-shot while delivering 10-headshots (only slightly exaggerated) to take out their opponent.

If EA was serious about saving Star Wars Battlefront II, the rollout plan would have the real issues singled out, along with promises of satisfactory resolution. Instead, there’s just lots of talk about skins, new characters, and a Geonosis map.

Smh — and EA wonders why other studios are surpassing them in sales and content.

25 years later, MTG still dominates trading card sales while other companies attempt to replicate its success.

Why Magic The Gathering Is Still Relevant 

Riding off the lessons learned from Magic: The Gathering Online (2017), MTG Arena (open beta launch September 2018) is taking the online trading card experience to a whole new level. Available only on PC for the moment, MTG Arena is an FTP (free-to-play) game without the usual cash grabs and poorly designed mechanics gamers are used to dealing with.

Those who have never played Magic, or are returning after a couple decade hiatus, will find the systems easy to understand and the visuals stunning. Even the gameplay mechanics are smooth and adaptable, helping newbies play complicated symbiotic decks without having to memorize steps.

MTG Arena also makes sure new players have an abundance of pre-made mono and dual color decks to play with, allowing them to compete with others immediately. Five recent sets make up these pre-made decks (and booster pack purchases) which include Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, M19 Core Set, and the most recently released Guilds of Ravnica.

Patch Update To MTG Arena Open Beta  

Wizards released an updated patch for MTG Arena on November 15, allowing for players to challenge their friends to an online match for the first time. While far from perfect (needing to coordinate with friend IRL first), developers are hoping to smooth out the kinks prior to its official 2019 release.

Other additions to MTG Arena beta online include links to an event calendar, video tutorials, along with articles on deck building and basic gameplay.  Events include draft competitions and pre-constructed deck competitions, rewarding players with plenty of gold/gems, booster packs, and a variety of single cards (common, uncommon, and rare). Players can even unlock cards they don’t own through special wildcards awarded through booster packs, allowing for precise customization of decks.

MTG For A New Generation 

MTG Arena is the flagship trading card game that’ll take Wizards of the Coast into the digital age, allowing for a whole new generation of gamers to experience what many have been for over two decades. It’s also for old guys like me, allowing for intense gameplay (without tapping into my retirement fund) after displacing my cards many moons ago. Grant it, there are a few minor bugs which need to be tweaked, but overall the entire experience is — dare I say, equal to playing IRL — making it relevant to everyone, no matter age, financial status, or skill.

The open beta of MTG Arena is currently available for PC. It’s free to download and free-to-play, with the option of spending money (but not necessary).

Just when we thought the battle royale genre was growing stale and that the competition had no chance of encroaching upon the genre’s biggest names, along comes Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Blackout mode.

Blackout is a lot like every other battle royale game. It sees you and 87 or 99 other players (depending on the mode) occupy a single map. That map is filled with weapons, supplies, and vehicles that you will need as you compete to become the last man (or squad) standing.

Blackout will be especially familiar to those who played the genre innovator, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. That is to say that it favors a more militaristic approach, emphasizes weapon modifications, utilizes vehicles, and is more about tactical combat. However, because this is Call of Duty, the mode also features quite a few ridiculous weapons, roaming zombies, and a much greater emphasis on fast combat.

The result is something quite special. Blackout is one of the smoothest, deepest, and most engaging battle royale experiences out there. It’s easy to learn, tough to master, and consistently provides exciting matchups. It may not have the widespread appeal of Fortnite, but it figures to become a phenomenon in and of itself.

Well…at least until next year.

For quite some time, Call of Duty games have been “replaced” by next year’s game. They may not all share the same name, game modes, settings, or developers, but the name “Call of Duty” has typically been enough to inspire fans to pick up the latest game on the market.

It’s an approach that has made publisher Activision quite a bit of money over the years, but it’s an approach that creates a fascinating predicament. See, Blackout shouldn’t go anywhere but up. It certainly shouldn’t be replaced or ignored when the next Call of Duty game comes out.

However, that doesn’t mean it won’t be replaced or ignored. The popular fear is that Activision will simply put a new Blackout mode in the next Call of Duty game and ask everyone to just buy that one to keep playing.

That makes a little sense – and many people may do just that – but titles like Fortnite have become the money machines they are because they are constantly updated experiences that require little (or even no) money from the players. Instead, they encourage people to spend money by virtue of being great games with hundreds of hours of gameplay.

In theory, Activision could just ask developer Treyarch to keep updating the current Blackout mode. However, we don’t know if they will. At present, there’s not much incentive to spend additional money on Blackout. Even if there was, we wonder if enough people who already purchased a $60 game are going to feel like spending more and more money on the mode. Besides, Activision is going to want them to work on Black Ops V at some point.

Worst of all, Activision might simply ignore Blackout by the time the next Call of Duty game roles around. That’s not a very likely option, but it wouldn’t be entirely unheard of either.

No matter how you look at it, Activision has to make a tough decision when it comes to Blackout. If they make the wrong one, they risk ruining one of the best things to come out of the Call of Duty franchise in years. The problem is that nobody can seem to agree what the right decision is.

Pictured above: Masters of Anima

I’m back with another batch of new releases on Steam that you might have missed. This is not a recommendations list, just a highlight of some titles that stood out among Steam’s weekly releases. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find more information on each game.  

Super Daryl Deluxe

PC, PS4, Switch

Dan & Gary Games

$19.99

Super Daryl Deluxe is a quirky 2D “RPGvania” brawler that was Kickstarted back in 2014 for a modest $7,861 by 73 backers. You play as Daryl, a friendless loser that has just transferred to Water Falls High School. What started as just an quest to meet new friends quickly turns into a dimension-sprawling adventure through the physics-defying high school and it’s monster-infested hallways. Explore the school to meet new people and find hidden areas with rare items. Customize your play style with a skill tree that includes over 40 abilities that you can learn over the course of the game. The developers estimate that Super Daryl Deluxe will keep you busy for around 15 hours.  

Masters of Anima

PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Passtech Games

$19.99

Masters of Anima is a new Pikmin-like strategy RPG by the developers of the Space Run series. You are an apprentice wizard able to control the powers of Anima, giving you the ability to summon and lead armies of up to 100 Guardians. There are several classes of Guardians that fulfill different roles in and out of combat, including puzzles and using your minions to navigate harsh environments. Hone your strategy skills on your quest to defeat Zahr and his army of magical Golem constructs.  

Deployment

PC

Whale Rock Games

$12.99

Deployment is a competitive, class-based top-down shooter by the developers of an obscure little tactical RPG called We Are The Dwarves. Civilization was nearly annihilated by a new world war. Advanced computer networks have kept everything running, but there is a constant cyber war waging between megacorporations and rival governments over control of the virtual world. Face off against your enemies as an Infosoldier, an AI program capable of capturing key systems and setting up turrets to fend off attacks. There’s five classes in all, each with a different selection of weapons and perks that you can unlock while playing. Deployment is mostly focused on multiplayer, but there are AI skirmishes you can play if you can’t find an opponent.

Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle

PC, iOS, Android

Blue Wizard Digital

Free-to-play

Blue Wizard Digital is an indie company comprised of ex-PopCap developers that created a unique puzzle game called Slayaway Camp back in 2016. Inspired by classic slasher flicks like Friday the 13th, Slayaway Camp placed you in control of a homicidal maniac trying to navigate sliding puzzle-like levels to kill groups of annoying, oversexed teenagers. For their follow-up, Blue Wizard managed to actually acquire the Friday the 13th license that the original game was inspired by. Killer Puzzle includes over 100 levels and follows the same gameplay conventions as Slayaway Camp. The levels are divided into 12 episodes, the first eight of which are completely free. Additional chapters will cost you $2.99 each, and you can help support the developers further by purchasing character skins for $.99 a pop.

Vandals

PC, iOS, Android

Cosmografik, Novelab, Ex Nihilo

$4.99

Vandals is another puzzle game that recently hit Steam and mobile devices. The game features mechanics similar to Lara Croft and Hitman GO, where you stealthily move past guards on a series of predefined lines. However, instead of trying to take out enemies like in those games, your objective is to leave graffiti on specific walls and surfaces while avoiding detection by police. Vandals features 60 puzzles across five cities, and comes with a level editor to make new challenges.     

Heckpoint

PC

Nodacoy Games, Jadan Bliss

$9.99

Heckpoint is a chaotic side-scrolling roguelite shooter with fully destructible levels. Shoot, slash, and explode your way through eight procedurally generated worlds as one of 12 customizable characters. Collect genetic material from your enemies to permanently upgrade your character with over 70 perks, weapons, and abilities. Use melee weapons to deflect lasers, rockets, and grenades back at your enemies. Heckpoint has three difficulty settings to challenge players of all skill levels, plus an endless mode.                   

Germination

PC

Sullivan Boyd, Caden Petersen

$3.99

Finally, we come to Germination, another simple-yet-challenging indie platformer. You play as an astronaut stranded on an alien world that must survive against waves of carnivorous plants by jumping on their heads. Chain together combos to stay airborne as long as possible as more seeds rain down from the sky. Germination has both a campaign mode and an endless mode designed to pad out your high scores.  

Which of these games caught your attention?   

Pictured above: Dead In Vinland

Last week was too light on releases to warrant an article, but now I’m back with another batch of new indie and AA releases that you may have missed. I’m not here to personally recommend any of these games, just to highlight some titles that stood out among the many releases that hit Steam on a weekly basis. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find more information on each game.  

PWND

PC

Skydance Interactive

Free-To-Play

PWND is a class-based arena shooter focused on fast, vertical combat that recently exited Early Access. Created by former developers from Treyarch, PWND‘s key mechanic is also where it gets its namesake from: humiliating your fresh kills. To score the maximum amount of points, you’ll need to successfully perform a victory dance on your disabled foes as they slowly bleed out. You are completely defenseless while performing your victory dance, so a big part of PWND‘s teamplay comes from defending players that are performing PWNs, or trying to interrupt an enemy’s PWN to save your teammate from humiliation. PWND‘s business model is based around acquiring new outfits and other cosmetic items to customize your character’s appearance.     

Minit

PC, PS4, Xbox One

JW, Kitty, Jukio, Dom

$9.99

Minit is a new adventure game developed as a collaboration effort between four famous indie devs, and published by Devolver Digital. This minimalist adventure game is loosely inspired by the older Zelda titles, especially the time aspects of Majora’s Mask. You explore the game world in 60 second chunks, finding new areas, foes, and secrets during each interval. The goal is eventually break the unfortunate curse that causes each day to last only one minute at a time.      

Loyalty and Blood: Viktor Origins

PC

Shorebound Studios

$9.99

Loyalty and Blood is the prequel to Viktor, a side-scrolling shooter that originally released back in 2014. The prequel is set several years before the original, and follows the origin story of Viktor as he climbs through the ranks of The Legion. The phase shift mechanic returns, allowing you to quickly dodge through enemies and projectiles alike. Unlock an arsenal of 40 upgradable weapons across 90 missions, bounty hunter challenge levels, and a New Game+ mode.

The Adventure Pals

PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Massive Monster

$14.99

The Adventure Pals is a colorful and quirky 2D platformer with light RPG elements. Your birthday bash is ruined when the maniacal Mr. B dad-naps your father as part of his devious plan to turn old people into an army of hotdogs. Join your pal Sparkles the Giraffe on an adventure through five themed worlds full of traps, enemies, and treasure. Level up by defeating enemies to improve your abilities and learn new skills. The Adventure Pals can be played alone or with a friend via local co-op.

Dead In Vinland

PC

CCCP

$19.99

Dead In Vinland is a survival management game with RPG-style character progression and turn-based battles. Eirik and his family are the only known survivors of a Viking expedition to an unknown land, and have found themselves stranded on a mysterious island. Manage the physical and mental health of your family, build up your camp, explore the island, and interact with other people stranded on the island. Eventually you’ll find yourself controlling a full community of survivors, each with their own character quirks and personalities that can cause tensions within the group. Dead In Vinland promises a massive story with over 150,000 words of dialog and branching paths, as well as three difficulty settings designed to cater to gamers of all skill types.    

Tower of Time

PC

Event Horizon

$24.99

Finally we come to Tower of Time, a party-based tactical dungeon crawler RPG that just released from Early Access. Create a party from seven flexible character classes and embark on a journey to explore the Tower of Time, a mysterious structure that blends magic and ancient technology to create a world where the normal laws of physics no longer apply. Use the game’s “Arrow Time” mechanic to slow time to a crawl so you can react to new threats and queue up orders to your party, and manipulate the bizarre gravity of the Tower to perform superhuman feats of strength and agility. In another interesting twist for the genre, many of the game’s spells and abilities can be “drawn” through a gesture-based system to place effects exactly how you want them. Tower of Time touts over 50 hours of content, with five difficulty settings, branching paths, and an alignment system for additional replayability.        

Which of these games caught your attention?        

Pictured above: Golem Gates

Last week was too light on releases to warrant an article, but now I'm back with another batch of new indie and AA releases that you may have missed. I'm not here to personally recommend any of these games, just to highlight some titles that stood out among the many releases that hit Steam on a weekly basis. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find out more information on each game.  

AirMech Strike

PC, Xbox One, PS4

Carbon Games

Free-to-Play

AirMech has been around since early 2012 on various platforms, with Strike being a complete overhaul and rebranding of the PC version that recently exited Early Access. For those of you that have somehow avoided the game up to this point, AirMech is a MOBA/RTS hybrid heavily inspired by the classic Genesis game Herzog Zwei, which many people cite as being one of the first real RTS games. Players directly control transformable mechs as they construct and escort waves of units to the enemy base. Strike is purely a competitive game at this point, with the old PVE modes being expanded into a companion game called Wasteland. The business model is based around buying experience and cash boosters, as well as skins and other cosmetic items. You can find AirMech under the name AirMech Arena on the PS4 and Xbox One.

Ash of Gods: Redemption

PC

AurumDust

$24.99

Ash of Gods: Redemption is a turn-based tactics RPG that has drawn many comparisons to The Banner Saga due to its art direction and combat mechanics. The story revolves around three key protagonists that have been swept up in a war following the return of an ancient enemy threatening the peace and prosperity of Terminum. One of the game's main hooks is that the death of main characters doesn't result in the end of the story. Even the three protagonists can die and the game will continue on, taking their deaths and your choices into account. The turn-based battles also have an element of CCGs and deckbuilding in the form of a limited supply of enhancement cards that you'll gain throughout your journey. Ash of Gods is currently only on the PC, but it will supposedly be making its way to consoles at some point in the future.             

Scalpers: Turtle & the Moonshine Gang

PC

A Sweet Studio

$9.99

Scalpers is a boss rush twin-stick shooter set in a lawless Wild West world of anthropomorphic animals. Up to four friends can form a posse in local or online multiplayer to take down wanted outlaws and their gang of miscreants. Spend your hard-earned bounty on new weapons, gear, and abilities between missions to take on even greater challenges. Scalpers also has a competitive mode that supports up to eight players.  

Empires Apart

PC

DESTINYbit

$29.99

Empires Apart is a civilization-building RTS set in the Middle Ages with a vibrant, low-poly art style. Take control of the Aztecs, Chinese, French, Mongols, Arabs, or Byzantines on procedurally generated maps that support up to eight players in AI skirmish or online multiplayer. Additionally, you can hone your skills in a set of six challenges for each civilization, or last as long as you can against an AI horde in the Survival Mode. Be aware that opinions are pretty mixed regarding Empires Apart, with the most common complaint being a lack of depth and content compared to the classic RTS games it's trying to emulate.            

Golem Gates

PC

Laser Guided Games

$29.99

Gamers still sad about the closure of the RTS/CCG hybrid Battleforge might want to check out Golem Gates. Golem Gates features over 100 cards representing creatures, spells, upgrades, and structures. These decks of cards are used to summon units and activate abilities in the game's fast and competitive RTS battles. The primary game mode is a variant of King of the Hill, where you'll need to use your army to capture and hold strategic locations to gather points. Unfortunately, Golem Gates' lack of coverage has resulted in the game's online multiplayer being dead on arrival, though the game also features a campaign, AI skirmishes, challenges, and a survival mode.    

Through the Ages

PC, Android, iOS

CGE Digital

$15.99

Vlaada Chváti's popular civilization-building board game, Through the Ages, has just received a digital adaptation on PC and mobile. Build your small tribe into a thriving superpower by gathering resources, researching groundbreaking technological advancements, and amassing a powerful army. While this digital version is focused on multiplayer with your friends, Through the Ages still includes a variety of single player challenges and AI options.

Flash Point: Fire Rescue

PC, Android, iOS

RetroEpic Software

$19.99

Finally we come to Flash Point, another board game that received a digital adaptation this week. In this turn-based strategy game, you'll coordinate a team of first responders trying to find and rescue civilians trapped inside a burning building. Use your team of specialists to fight back the flames, treat survivors, break through walls and locked doors, and escape before the fire becomes out of control. You can control your team by yourself or enlist the aid of your friends and family in local co-op.

Which of these games caught your attention?

I recently played Dinocide, a dinosaur-themed NES inspired platformer on Steam that’s still in beta and it really got me thinking; is it really acceptable to charge somebody for an incomplete game even if they know it? I knew going into it that the game wasn’t done, but it must have been close, right? Why else would a developer put their game up on Steam

Read the full review here

I’m one of a handful of players experiencing massive performance issues with the game. Based on what I’ve read in the forums, most are playing the game without issue, but there are several topics discussing framerate drops, freezing, crashes, or even the inability to start the game in the first place. This seems to be affecting people regardless of hardware, with reports from gamers using aging laptops all the way up to high-end systems with brand new GPUs. I’m a member of that first group by the way, being a poor college graduate drowning in student loans. The devs even have a pinned post discussing these issues and potential fixes until they can release a patch, but none of these workarounds have worked for me.

The game started out running just fine. I was getting a smooth, consistent framerate and enjoying every second of the game’s over-the-top brand of violence and crass, nonsensical humor. Then I’d occasionally get times where the framerate dropped to the level of a Powerpoint presentation, rendering the game completely unplayable until I quit and booted it up again. Now, at just over halfway through the game, I’m getting stutters and micro-freezes literally every time I slide or shoot when enemies are on the screen. No amount of fiddling with suggested workarounds and reinstalls have fixed my issue.

So here I am, unable to continue playing a game I otherwise really enjoy. As you can imagine, this makes the game hard to fully review as well. Lots of people are enjoying the game right now without issue, I’m just one of the unlucky ones encountering bizarre performance issues that, as of right now, are unresolved. I’ll keep an eye on Not A Hero‘s Steam updates and possibly revisit it when the promised patches go live. Until then, I’m in a strange position where I can’t fully recommend the game due to my experience with it, yet can’t deny that plenty of people aren’t encountering any issues at all.

This title reaches back to my childhood, a childhood in the early days of Nintendo and Atari. So I am used to games like this platformer that make no excuses for being difficult and not holding your hand. This game does the same-and pushes players to really play the game so much that they develop muscle memory for the commands and know where the enemies are located. This also means that Völgarr makes players play through each long world without saved checkpoints, as the classics used to do. They do allow players to continue only after reaching a new world.

With this in mind, players today who are used to these features on new consoles and PC will have a real problem in my opinion. With busier schedules and less time to sit around than they used to have-the game’s target audience may not find it as enjoyable to re-play levels over and over. I know I do not have as much time to do this as in the good old days.

For gamers who want to challenge themselves and feel that they wish to try a retro title with the nerve to not hold back on the punishment to players who fail to master the levels-I recommend this title to them. Just plan on laying out ample time to at least get through the boss fight to move on to the next world.

The game starts nicely and throws players into the mix like older games and the graphics fit with the feel of that time. Gameplay is done well, level design and music are good, and the difficulty and challenge exist. The only other problem, other than lack of saved progress in worlds, is the jumping in Völgarr. I know they wanted to capture older titles and the rough feel of platformers, but some of the jumping collision was off due to the lack of the ability for players to just jump and push over when standing next to a ledge that would get them to a better jumping start point-to the point I died many times on the first couple sections of spikes. Without this flaw I find the game to my liking and hope readers will give it a try.

Benjamin Pope is a Game Design and Art/Animation student at the University of Advancing Technology working toward giving something back to the gaming industry through great, deep and addictive game titles. Here is my blog.