2020
Where to start? Bugsnax is a story driven first person adventure game that is carried by its narrative and character development.
In Bugsnax you play as a news reporter that's been summoned to Snaktooth Island by a famous explorer known as Elizabert Megafig to investigate the mystery of what Bugsnax are.
The player upon arriving on Snaktooth Island will try to track down Elizabert Megafig for an interview. In the process the player will discover that the Lizabert
and her various companions that ioined her on her journey abandoned their settlement on the island. The players are tasked with figuring out why and where they all went.
Bugsnax is a simple game. You can't "die" or even "fail." Throughout their journey the player will visit different biomes where they will discover different Bugsnax. As well, the plaver will discover in each biome a member of Lizaberts team that is hungry for a Bugsnax that lives there.
Upon catching a Bugsnax the player is able to feed one to Lizaberts companion. This is where the game goes to another level. Once you feed a Bugsnax to a companion, the player is given the option to transform a body part of that companion into a weird version of what they were fed. Feed a companion a bag of chips, the player will be able to turn a body part into chips. It's... out there. It can be unsettling to see and disturbing. Bugsnax relies heavily on immersing the player in the world via its characters and unique concept. If
you're able to engage with the content you'll enjoy what Bugsnax has to offer. Bugsnax is clever and it had me engaged and having a good time from start to finish.
Pros:
Characters
Variety of biomes and art design
Overall narrative
Cons:
Controls felt awkward at times when trying to catch
Bugsnax
Played on: Xbox Series X via Xbox Gamepass
In Bugsnax you play as a news reporter that's been summoned to Snaktooth Island by a famous explorer known as Elizabert Megafig to investigate the mystery of what Bugsnax are.
The player upon arriving on Snaktooth Island will try to track down Elizabert Megafig for an interview. In the process the player will discover that the Lizabert
and her various companions that ioined her on her journey abandoned their settlement on the island. The players are tasked with figuring out why and where they all went.
Bugsnax is a simple game. You can't "die" or even "fail." Throughout their journey the player will visit different biomes where they will discover different Bugsnax. As well, the plaver will discover in each biome a member of Lizaberts team that is hungry for a Bugsnax that lives there.
Upon catching a Bugsnax the player is able to feed one to Lizaberts companion. This is where the game goes to another level. Once you feed a Bugsnax to a companion, the player is given the option to transform a body part of that companion into a weird version of what they were fed. Feed a companion a bag of chips, the player will be able to turn a body part into chips. It's... out there. It can be unsettling to see and disturbing. Bugsnax relies heavily on immersing the player in the world via its characters and unique concept. If
you're able to engage with the content you'll enjoy what Bugsnax has to offer. Bugsnax is clever and it had me engaged and having a good time from start to finish.
Pros:
Characters
Variety of biomes and art design
Overall narrative
Cons:
Controls felt awkward at times when trying to catch
Bugsnax
Played on: Xbox Series X via Xbox Gamepass
2010
Mass Effect 2 is a critically acclaimed action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in 2010 and is the second installment in the Mass Effect trilogy. The game is set in a futuristic universe where humans and aliens coexist, and players take on the role of Commander Shepard, a human soldier tasked with saving the galaxy from a mysterious alien threat.
The gameplay in Mass Effect 2 is a significant improvement from its predecessor. The combat system is refined and feels more fluid, allowing for a wider range of tactics and strategies. The game also introduces new weapons and abilities, allowing players to customize their character to suit their playstyle. Additionally, the game features a more streamlined inventory system, which makes managing items and equipment much more manageable.
One of the most significant improvements in Mass Effect 2 is the character development. The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with their unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. As players progress through the game, they have the opportunity to interact with these characters, learn about their stories, and build relationships with them. These relationships have a direct impact on the game's story and ending, adding a layer of depth and replayability to the game.
The graphics and sound design in Mass Effect 2 are also top-notch. The game features stunning visuals, with detailed character models, immersive environments, and impressive special effects. The sound design is equally impressive, with a gripping soundtrack, realistic sound effects, and well-voiced characters.
Overall, Mass Effect 2 is an outstanding game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. The gameplay, character development, graphics, and sound design are all exceptional, making for an unforgettable gaming experience. The game's story is gripping and engaging, and the relationships players build with the characters add a layer of emotional depth to the game. If you're a fan of action role-playing games or science fiction, Mass Effect 2 is a must-play game that you won't want to miss.
The gameplay in Mass Effect 2 is a significant improvement from its predecessor. The combat system is refined and feels more fluid, allowing for a wider range of tactics and strategies. The game also introduces new weapons and abilities, allowing players to customize their character to suit their playstyle. Additionally, the game features a more streamlined inventory system, which makes managing items and equipment much more manageable.
One of the most significant improvements in Mass Effect 2 is the character development. The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with their unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. As players progress through the game, they have the opportunity to interact with these characters, learn about their stories, and build relationships with them. These relationships have a direct impact on the game's story and ending, adding a layer of depth and replayability to the game.
The graphics and sound design in Mass Effect 2 are also top-notch. The game features stunning visuals, with detailed character models, immersive environments, and impressive special effects. The sound design is equally impressive, with a gripping soundtrack, realistic sound effects, and well-voiced characters.
Overall, Mass Effect 2 is an outstanding game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. The gameplay, character development, graphics, and sound design are all exceptional, making for an unforgettable gaming experience. The game's story is gripping and engaging, and the relationships players build with the characters add a layer of emotional depth to the game. If you're a fan of action role-playing games or science fiction, Mass Effect 2 is a must-play game that you won't want to miss.
2022
Tunic is an action adventure game where the player
controls a tiny fox in a big open world. The world is
filled with various types of enemies to beat, bosses
to over come, and items to collect in a variety of
different "biomes." The "cartoonish" nature of the
game may make a person think that Tunic is
"simple" or that it isn't challenging and that's the
furthest thing from the truth. Tunic is challenging!
Between solving puzzles and various different boss
fights Tunic pushed me to my limits at times. While I
tried to figure out how to overcome a boss, solve a
puzzle, or reach an area that seemed unreachable
to obtain a collectible, Tunic always felt rewarding
and fulfilling and fun to play. It never lost its "fun
factor." Players have the option via the accessibility
settings to turn on "No Fail" mode if the challenge
of overcoming a boss loses its appeal. If you're a
player that enjoys exploring worlds and solving
puzzles but doesn't enjoy combat in video games
then "No Fail" mode is something I would highly
recommend that you turn on. Tunic is a game that is
definitely worth playing! I was skeptical of Tunic at
first but when I saw it on Gamepass I knew I had to
give it a shot and I'm glad that I did. Please check
out Tunic!
controls a tiny fox in a big open world. The world is
filled with various types of enemies to beat, bosses
to over come, and items to collect in a variety of
different "biomes." The "cartoonish" nature of the
game may make a person think that Tunic is
"simple" or that it isn't challenging and that's the
furthest thing from the truth. Tunic is challenging!
Between solving puzzles and various different boss
fights Tunic pushed me to my limits at times. While I
tried to figure out how to overcome a boss, solve a
puzzle, or reach an area that seemed unreachable
to obtain a collectible, Tunic always felt rewarding
and fulfilling and fun to play. It never lost its "fun
factor." Players have the option via the accessibility
settings to turn on "No Fail" mode if the challenge
of overcoming a boss loses its appeal. If you're a
player that enjoys exploring worlds and solving
puzzles but doesn't enjoy combat in video games
then "No Fail" mode is something I would highly
recommend that you turn on. Tunic is a game that is
definitely worth playing! I was skeptical of Tunic at
first but when I saw it on Gamepass I knew I had to
give it a shot and I'm glad that I did. Please check
out Tunic!
2021
Lake is a chill, beautiful narrative adventure game. I really enjoyed the art style, and the music. The game isn't full of twists or mysteries or complex gameplay. You play the role of Meredith Weiss. A woman who takes a break from her career in the big city and delivers mail for two weeks in her hometown. The gameplay loop consists of the player driving around delivering mail, interacting with the various people in the town that she either lost touch with when she left or moved there after she had left. The dialogue isn't complex and the voice acting isn't earth shattering but it's good enough to draw you in and make you relate and connect to the various types of relationships that the game presents to you. The controls were a bit janky but being able to fast travel definitely made them more tolerable. If you don't have a problem with "walking simulator" types of games and enjoy pleasant, chill, adventure games l'd definitely recommend this game to you. If you have Xbox Gamepass, it's definitely worth checking out if you love chill atmospheric games.
I played Lake on Series X via Xbox GamePass.
I played Lake on Series X via Xbox GamePass.
The Wrath of the Druids DLC for Assassin's Creed Valhalla was just more of the "same old, same old" from Ubisoft. Ireland didn't feel unique, the story outside the main villain wasn't interesting and the quests just felt like they were designed to keep the player "busy."
Not worth playing unless you're a hardcore Assassin's Creed fan.
Not worth playing unless you're a hardcore Assassin's Creed fan.
South Park: The Stick of Truth is a GREAT role-playing game! As someone that isn't a huge South Park fan I was pulled into the universe that Trey Parker and Matt Stone created immediately. The combat isn't incredibly deep but it's serviceable enough that it doesn't take away from the experience. Stick of Truth SHINES via its story. It's HILARIOUS. It doesn't hold any punches and doesn't care if you're offended. South Park: The Stick of Truth according to people I trust stays true to the TV show and that itself is praise worthy because licensed games tend to miss the mark. I highly recommend this game to South Park fans!
2021
What an enjoyable game! The Gunk starts off with the player's character "Ran" landing on a planet that appears to be a wasteland. The backstory of your character is quickly explained. You, the player Rani, and her partner are scavengers who travel from one planet to another searching for resources to harvest and sell.
Early on in the game the player will come across "The Gunk." A parasitic creature that destroys life wherever it goes. The player as Rani has the ability to absorb "The Gunk" via a power glove. Early on the player will discover that once "The Gunk" is destroyed wildlife immediately returns to the area it was inhabiting. The Gunk IS the reason the planet appears to be a wasteland.
The core of the game is the player embarking on a journey to uncover what happened to the planet and its inhabitants by clearing the planet of "The Gunk" and discovering its origins. The gameplay isn't complex. The player has the ability to scan their immediate environment and unlock entries in their encyclopedia or local wildlife, minerals and more which will allow them to upgrade their character.
The game is an 3rd person action adventure game with a focus on puzzle solving and platforming. The game shines in the art design. The game is beautiful. I was consistently blown away by the game and the detail in each environment. It was a relaxing experience and exactly what I expected the game to be.
I played the game on Xbox Series X via Xbox Game Pass. If you're a fan of chill games and found what I wrote above interesting I'd definitely check the game out. It's worth a look!
Early on in the game the player will come across "The Gunk." A parasitic creature that destroys life wherever it goes. The player as Rani has the ability to absorb "The Gunk" via a power glove. Early on the player will discover that once "The Gunk" is destroyed wildlife immediately returns to the area it was inhabiting. The Gunk IS the reason the planet appears to be a wasteland.
The core of the game is the player embarking on a journey to uncover what happened to the planet and its inhabitants by clearing the planet of "The Gunk" and discovering its origins. The gameplay isn't complex. The player has the ability to scan their immediate environment and unlock entries in their encyclopedia or local wildlife, minerals and more which will allow them to upgrade their character.
The game is an 3rd person action adventure game with a focus on puzzle solving and platforming. The game shines in the art design. The game is beautiful. I was consistently blown away by the game and the detail in each environment. It was a relaxing experience and exactly what I expected the game to be.
I played the game on Xbox Series X via Xbox Game Pass. If you're a fan of chill games and found what I wrote above interesting I'd definitely check the game out. It's worth a look!
Dragon Age: Inquisition is a "western style" role playing game. An enjoyable game. In Dragon Age: Inquisition you lead a term of characters into battles against various enemies. Dragons, humans, demons, and more. It's a game filled with meaningful content and a game that truly shines in its character development via character interactions and dialogue.
This game does a great job immersing you in the world. The story had me engaged from start to finish but the collectible were a bit much and some of the side quests were a bit dull. I'm fascinated to see how Bioware continues the Dragon Age franchise after this game.
I played Dragon Age: Inquisition via Xbox Gamepass on my Xbox Series X.
This game does a great job immersing you in the world. The story had me engaged from start to finish but the collectible were a bit much and some of the side quests were a bit dull. I'm fascinated to see how Bioware continues the Dragon Age franchise after this game.
I played Dragon Age: Inquisition via Xbox Gamepass on my Xbox Series X.
2020
Man, my thoughts when it comes to Cyberpunk 2077 are all over the place. First off, what is Cyberpunk 2077? Cyberpunk 2077 is an action role playing game that takes place in a fictional city American city known as "Night City."
The game is open world and set in the Cyberpunk universe. The player controls a customizable character known as V and is played in the first person perspective. The player can choose to play this game in numerous ways. They can play up close and personal using melee combat or fight from a distance using various ranged weapons, or the player can choose to use various hacking skills and machinery to their advantage to avoid direct combat.
The main story of Cyberpunk 2077 felt short to me, but personally I found it really engaging. The side quests and the open world design is where the game suffered for me. While some of the side quests were incredible or disturbing (Joshua!) a lot of them were very basic in nature. Go to a location, kill or save someone, rinse and repeat. I enjoyed exploring Night City. I hardly used a vehicle to get around because I enjoyed travelling through different districts finding shards, or listening in on conversations NPCs were having. As a completionist the data term achievement and finding all of the NCPD Scanner hustles towards the end felt incredibly tedious and frustrating.
From a performance and graphics perspective the game was... just okay. I wasn't blown away by the graphics. I played Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox Series X. I encountered numerous bugs and glitches throughout my playthrough. Textures in the world would simply vanish, enemies would appear clipped through environments, the frame rate or game would stutter and more. Shutting the game down completely and restarting it would fix the bugs. Reloading my save or exiting to main menu wasn't enough. The main story kept me engaged enough to push through the bugs but towards the end they were definitely frustrating, and I started experiencing bugs more frequently after the 1.52 patch was released.
In summary:
While Cyberpunk 2077 was a buggy experience for me and while the main story felt short, I enjoyed my time exploring Night City. I found all of the story endings to be great in their own ways. I'm wonder which one would be canon if they made another Cyberpunk game in the future. If I could talk to CPR directly I would tell them simply quality over quantity when it comes to the side quests and collectibles going forward and to work on the performance of the game. I'm definitely interested in the expansion and will play it as soon as possible. I WANT MORE Cyberpunk 2077. As long as the performance isn't a mess.
The game is open world and set in the Cyberpunk universe. The player controls a customizable character known as V and is played in the first person perspective. The player can choose to play this game in numerous ways. They can play up close and personal using melee combat or fight from a distance using various ranged weapons, or the player can choose to use various hacking skills and machinery to their advantage to avoid direct combat.
The main story of Cyberpunk 2077 felt short to me, but personally I found it really engaging. The side quests and the open world design is where the game suffered for me. While some of the side quests were incredible or disturbing (Joshua!) a lot of them were very basic in nature. Go to a location, kill or save someone, rinse and repeat. I enjoyed exploring Night City. I hardly used a vehicle to get around because I enjoyed travelling through different districts finding shards, or listening in on conversations NPCs were having. As a completionist the data term achievement and finding all of the NCPD Scanner hustles towards the end felt incredibly tedious and frustrating.
From a performance and graphics perspective the game was... just okay. I wasn't blown away by the graphics. I played Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox Series X. I encountered numerous bugs and glitches throughout my playthrough. Textures in the world would simply vanish, enemies would appear clipped through environments, the frame rate or game would stutter and more. Shutting the game down completely and restarting it would fix the bugs. Reloading my save or exiting to main menu wasn't enough. The main story kept me engaged enough to push through the bugs but towards the end they were definitely frustrating, and I started experiencing bugs more frequently after the 1.52 patch was released.
In summary:
While Cyberpunk 2077 was a buggy experience for me and while the main story felt short, I enjoyed my time exploring Night City. I found all of the story endings to be great in their own ways. I'm wonder which one would be canon if they made another Cyberpunk game in the future. If I could talk to CPR directly I would tell them simply quality over quantity when it comes to the side quests and collectibles going forward and to work on the performance of the game. I'm definitely interested in the expansion and will play it as soon as possible. I WANT MORE Cyberpunk 2077. As long as the performance isn't a mess.
1997
Final Fantasy 7 is probably the best RPG ever made. If it's not the best it's definitely in the top 3. It's the pinnacle of story telling. From the incredible soundtrack to the battle system the care and love that went into creating Final Fantasy 7 is apparent.
Originally released on the Playstation 1 in 1997 and re-released remastered a few years back Final Fantasy 7 was a joy to play. The additions of "speed boost" and "no encounters" features made normally tedious aspects of playing an RPGs like Final Fantasy feel FUN.
Final Fantasy 7 is a game that everyone should experience at least once and I regret not replaying this classic sooner!
Pros:
The story telling and soundtrack
The dungeon design and enemy variety
3x speed boost
The battle system and materia
Cons:
The controls during mini games
Chocobo breeding (I'll leave it at that.)
Played on: Xbox Series X
Originally released on the Playstation 1 in 1997 and re-released remastered a few years back Final Fantasy 7 was a joy to play. The additions of "speed boost" and "no encounters" features made normally tedious aspects of playing an RPGs like Final Fantasy feel FUN.
Final Fantasy 7 is a game that everyone should experience at least once and I regret not replaying this classic sooner!
Pros:
The story telling and soundtrack
The dungeon design and enemy variety
3x speed boost
The battle system and materia
Cons:
The controls during mini games
Chocobo breeding (I'll leave it at that.)
Played on: Xbox Series X
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is the sequel to the beloved Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. While Trigger Happy Havoc takes place in Hope Peak's academy, a government sanctioned co-ed private high school, Goodbye Despair is set on a mysterious tropical island.
If you're unaware of what Danganronpa is, it's a visual novel style game about high school students who are locked in a location together and told they must kill one another. If one student kills another one and gets away with it, he or she "graduates" and is allowed to leave, and all of the other students are killed. If the other students can gather enough evidence and correctly identify the murderer, the murderer is executed and the other students live to see another day.
In between the various murders that occur the player is able to interact with his classmates and form bonds and learn more about their past and their dreams for the future.
Monokuma is back in Goodbye Despair, setting the rules for the killing game while also overseeing the class trials once again. Monokuma is hilarious. Without Monokuma Danganronpa doesn't work. Talking about Goodbye Despair in depth would be a disservice to new players of the series. It's best to go in as blind as possible. If you've played Trigger Happy Havoc then you already know what you're getting into.
Goodbye Despair is a game that everyone should experience as blind as possible if they aren't weary or turned off by anime tropes and camp. While I enjoyed my time with Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair I came away from it appreciating and liking Trigger Happy Havoc more.
Pros:
The narrative
Soundtrack
Cast of characters
Cons:
Mini games during the class trials
Localization. There were typos in text multiple times
throughout the game.
Played on: Xbox Series X via Xbox Gamepass
If you're unaware of what Danganronpa is, it's a visual novel style game about high school students who are locked in a location together and told they must kill one another. If one student kills another one and gets away with it, he or she "graduates" and is allowed to leave, and all of the other students are killed. If the other students can gather enough evidence and correctly identify the murderer, the murderer is executed and the other students live to see another day.
In between the various murders that occur the player is able to interact with his classmates and form bonds and learn more about their past and their dreams for the future.
Monokuma is back in Goodbye Despair, setting the rules for the killing game while also overseeing the class trials once again. Monokuma is hilarious. Without Monokuma Danganronpa doesn't work. Talking about Goodbye Despair in depth would be a disservice to new players of the series. It's best to go in as blind as possible. If you've played Trigger Happy Havoc then you already know what you're getting into.
Goodbye Despair is a game that everyone should experience as blind as possible if they aren't weary or turned off by anime tropes and camp. While I enjoyed my time with Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair I came away from it appreciating and liking Trigger Happy Havoc more.
Pros:
The narrative
Soundtrack
Cast of characters
Cons:
Mini games during the class trials
Localization. There were typos in text multiple times
throughout the game.
Played on: Xbox Series X via Xbox Gamepass
2019
Telling Lies is a "detective game at heart." Telling Lies is a game where the story isn't told in a linear fashion. The story is told via the player watching pre recorded video clips of conversations between various characters. The player has to uncover the video clips by typing keywords into a search engine on a simulated computer. It's up to the player to piece the story together and the game definitely doesn't hold the players hand in that process.
Personally I felt like the game was carried by the casts strong acting performances. The acting wasn't over the top, and I was captivated by the mystery of uncovering exactly what happened to each character and their ultimate fate.
I played Telling Lies via Xbox Gamepass on my Series X and I think my only gripe with the game was that l probably would have enjoyed it more if I used a keyboard instead of my controller to type in the keywords I was searching. If you enjoy games that require you to think and put your detective skills to use this is probably a game I would recommend to you. It's on Gamepass so you really don't have anything to lose. I enjoyed my time with it. If you're familiar with the game "Her Story" this game is its successor.
Personally I felt like the game was carried by the casts strong acting performances. The acting wasn't over the top, and I was captivated by the mystery of uncovering exactly what happened to each character and their ultimate fate.
I played Telling Lies via Xbox Gamepass on my Series X and I think my only gripe with the game was that l probably would have enjoyed it more if I used a keyboard instead of my controller to type in the keywords I was searching. If you enjoy games that require you to think and put your detective skills to use this is probably a game I would recommend to you. It's on Gamepass so you really don't have anything to lose. I enjoyed my time with it. If you're familiar with the game "Her Story" this game is its successor.
Kentucky Route Zero is a point and click adventure
game about a secret highway running through the
caves beneath Kentucky and the mysterious people
who travel it. The player controls Conway, a delivery
man tasked with making an important delivery for
an antique shop, alongside their dog. The player will
encounter a wide variety of interesting characters
that are unique, quirky and play off Conway and
each other incredibly well. Kentuckv Route Zero is a
game that doesn't stick to the typical tropes of
point and click adventure games. The visual style,
art design and thought provoking nature of the
writing kept me thoroughly engaged. While the story
was weird, and sometimes confusing I was
completely engaged and often times was left
questioning what I was witnessing on my screen. I
thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Kentucky Route
Zero.
Pros:
The atmosphere and art design
The narrative
The characters, dialogue
The soundtrack
Cons:
Pace of the narrative
Open world map and traveling
Played on: Xbox Series X via GamePass
game about a secret highway running through the
caves beneath Kentucky and the mysterious people
who travel it. The player controls Conway, a delivery
man tasked with making an important delivery for
an antique shop, alongside their dog. The player will
encounter a wide variety of interesting characters
that are unique, quirky and play off Conway and
each other incredibly well. Kentuckv Route Zero is a
game that doesn't stick to the typical tropes of
point and click adventure games. The visual style,
art design and thought provoking nature of the
writing kept me thoroughly engaged. While the story
was weird, and sometimes confusing I was
completely engaged and often times was left
questioning what I was witnessing on my screen. I
thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Kentucky Route
Zero.
Pros:
The atmosphere and art design
The narrative
The characters, dialogue
The soundtrack
Cons:
Pace of the narrative
Open world map and traveling
Played on: Xbox Series X via GamePass
2012
Far Cry 3 was my introduction to the Far Cry franchise and I fell in love with it. In Far Cry 3 the player controls Jason Brody, a man stranded on a mysterious tropical island with his friends, desperate to survive and escape. Far Cry 3 is carried by its villain Vaas portrayed by the great Michael Mando. For its time Far Cry 3 was revolutionary. It was THE standard for the open world action adventure genre. With deep character customization and a massive map to explore Far Cry 3 excels in player immersion and encourages the player to take their time and explore. A game I feel is definitely worth playing at least once. I'm not sure how well this game will appeal to gamers in 2022 but it's one my favourite games of all time.
2001
Halo Combat Evolved is a must play game. A cultural phenomenon when it first released. In Halo you play as Master Chief, a super soldier. In Halo Combat Evolved the player will find themselves on the mysterious "planet" Halo where they will embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of Halo while fighting the Covenant, a military alliance of alien races. A brilliant first person shooter in which each gun feels unique and the gameplay truly shines. Halo CE is a joy to play. Everyone should play Halo CE at least once.
I replayed Halo via the Master Chief Collection on Series X last year.
I replayed Halo via the Master Chief Collection on Series X last year.