Samuel Woods
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DualShockersLatest Reviews
Animal Well is a game that’s clearly been built with passion. It's a masterclass in puzzle design, with tight platforming, set in a beautiful, oftentimes perilous world. It's actually at its weakest when it's just a Metroidvania, and instead, its world and the genre serve as a way to deliver some of the most intricate, interconnected puzzles of any game I've ever played. Steeped in mystery, Animal Well is a title I can't help but recommend, and one you should go into as spoiler-free as possible. It has the potential to be this year's Inscryption.
That being said, those who enjoyed Alan Wake back in the 360 era will no doubt find some joy with the Remaster and those who are visiting Bright Falls for the first will definitely enjoy it. It's just a little dated.
Deathloop is a game that will be talked about for a long time and one that will undoubtedly be in the running for Game of the Year 2021. Its well-crafted systems, gripping narrative threads and quasi-choose your own adventure style gameplay make it the best Next-Gen title so far.
Sadly, however, it doesn’t feel particularly unique, mythological setting aside. Immortals takes inspiration from many of its Ubisoft predecessors, as well as some other big titles, but it doesn’t really do a good enough job of differentiating itself. There’s no denying that there’s a great time to be had on the Golden Isle, just don’t go into it expecting anything genre-defining.
The game tells a fascinating story that goes from incredibly dire to incredibly heart-warming with everything in between. It has more depth than I would have ever expected from a title like this and has more than enough content to keep you playing for a very long time. While there are a few small tweaks that could be made, I’m just very happy that I got to revisit this version of Hyrule, something that doesn’t happen too often in the world of The Legend of Zelda.
In a year when brawlers like this and Streets of Rage 4 are making a comeback, Battletoads tries a lot of different things. While it does many of them well, some fall short of the mark or just feel shoehorned in, to the point where it confused me. That shouldn’t put you off though as the game is still charming, stylish and a bundle of fun to play. It’s a great example of what an Xbox Game Pass game should be and a very strong first major outing from Dlala.