ZTGD

I really want to like Borderlands 3. I know I will eventually, at least I hope so. As it stands right now, the game is a hard pill to swallow. It has the makings of a great loot driven game, but it’s missing a few key ingredients to make it a great first play through to level up. If they can fix the loot drops, have the performance not fall over dead in areas, and maybe clean up a few bugs, it will be a great entry in an already well done franchise. Until then, for anyone that hasn’t picked it up yet, I say wait until we get a couple of patches.

Blasphemous is an absolutely stunning game everyone should see in motion. I loved it for the first 10 or so hours, but then it just continues to stay the course throughout. With a little more variety this could have been a true classic. Still this developer has some talent and I would love a follow-up with a little more flavor and a lot less bulk. On a purely visual scale this game has few equals and for that I can recommend it easily, just be aware that not much changes as far as game play goes throughout the entire journey.

Not that fans of the NHL have any other choice if they want an up to date representation of their sport of choice, but NHL 20 is a great pickup. Even if you aren’t a huge hockey fan there is a lot to love here, and the ability to simplify the controls ensures that everyone can have fun even if they aren’t all that knowledgeable with respect to the sport. The new multiplayer modes are fun and the customization options added to CHEL make for a pretty good reward for playing. If you’ve ever enjoyed playing a hockey game, it’s worth checking this one out.

Daemon X Machina might not be Nintendo’s most high-profile title of 2019, but I really enjoyed what it brought to the table. Mixing in nostalgia from the early Armored Core days and mixing it with over-the-top anime style action is a truly great combination. I wish the performance and aesthetic was a little better, but every other facet of its presentation really makes up for it. If you are like me and have fond memories of losing hours in classic Armored Core games this is the next best thing.

There is not a whole lot to talk about with Torchlight II. It is a phenomenal game that has taken far too long to bring to consoles. It came and went with little fanfare, which is a shame. Outside of Diablo III this is probably the best action-RPG currently available anywhere. Do not miss out on this exemplary title. It is a shame that the new Torchlight is not a continuation of the formula, but considering the quality of the first two games I will give anything bearing the namesake a shot.

It’s not necessarily what I want from a River City game, but it is definitely the direction I want to see beat ‘em ups go in. I would recommend this to anyone who has a friend to play with, but if not I would say boot up the 3DS and give the other River City games a shot (there’s three relatively new games on there). I hope WayForward gets to follow this game up so they can tweak their gameplay a bit and explore their take on the world of River City a bit more.

As the follow up to the best selling game that Capcom has ever made and my personal pick for game of the year, it’s an understatement to say that there was a lot to live up to. Luckily, the masters at Capcom were more than up for the challenge and delivered on an expansion that highlights the unforgettable moments of triumph the series is synonymous for while moving forward with clever new mechanics that enhance the Monster Hunter experience to its finest iteration.

Ultimately, AI: The Somnium Files is a game that has moments of brilliance that are obscured by a disjointed narrative and investigative process. Aside from the Somnium sequences – which are, admittedly, very cool – the game failed to motivate me to truly engage with its overarching story. I just didn’t find it appealing. That said, it may be worth a look for fans of the genre (or detective stories in general), who are likely to feel at home here if not altogether blown away.

This game is simply not very good. I have played worse for sure, but the mistakes made here are purely by design. Players should get the benefit of the doubt on making jumps, or maybe don’t have most jumps lead to instant death. Enemies should be fun to fight, not unwanted encounters that can kill you or at least break all your armor. Inventory this limited in an RPG is absurd. Don’t let the somewhat interesting, Breath of the Wild art style fool either, because the game isn’t all that pretty in gameplay; it comes off lifeless and bland. This game is the bare minimum of what I considered a playable game. We’re in the “busy season” of game releases. Spend your money elsewhere.

Creature in the Well is a unique game the likes of which I have never experienced before. Sure, it steals ideas from here and there, but glues them together in a new way. And while the game is fun for a while and has an interesting world, it cannot escape its repetitive nature and its decision to make every death a chore to walk back from. It is worth playing to at least step in to the world for a little while, but how much mileage you get will be dependent on how long you can tolerate the games frustrations.