Zach McKay
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Hardcore Gamer Latest Reviews
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch. This spin-off game of the main series offered up amazing locations and combat that provided players with a whole new way to experience the series. The new, updated version of the game comes with new upgrades to the original, like updated graphics and the inclusion of all the past downloadable content. When booting up the definitive edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X, you can also expect a plethora of new quality-of-life changes that make the game even more accessible and enjoyable to play.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a fun experience and has all the staples that make the series so enjoyable. Unfortunately, some choices make it hard to enjoy yourself for a significant amount of time while making your way to the portion of the game that you’re trying to experience. The main story aims to provide players with a more immersive experience, but ends up getting in the way of the fighting monsters at a reliable pace, forcing you from point A to B frequently before allowing you to engage with these newly-added monsters. The focus mode for aiming your strikes feels odd at first, but after some time, is something that you get used to. The Seikret mounts seem like a good idea in general, but they end up delivering an odd experience even after learning the quirks of how they work and can be frustrating to use. Despite these issues, Monster Hunter Wilds is still a fun and challenging experience for fans of the series and newcomers looking to dive into it once they get past the learning curve.
Many fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of Monster Hunter Wilds. Seasoned veterans and new players seeking to sink their teeth into the series have been eyeing this new entry to see what the game is all about. Since the release of Monster Hunter World and Rise, we’ve been eager for more of the series to make its way onto console and PC for more over-the-top and intense fights. But how does Monster Hunter Wilds compare to the past two entries that completely shook up how the series is played?
Virtua Fighter 5 was first released in 2007 on consoles and has received various updated versions as time went on in the form of Virtua Fighter 5 R and Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown. But now it has finally come to PC players with its newest version, titled Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. for a whole new generation of PC players to experience the game. For the 30th anniversary of the series, SEGA has released this new version to give fans another version of this classic game while they wait for the newest entry to make its debut.
When all is said and done, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a solid experience. It's flashy, pretty and entertaining, standing out through the combat and environments. It no longer feels like this sprawling world that we explore and save from the brink of destruction, but rather a small pocket that needs constant supervision. This is a more on-the-rails experience when compared to any of the past Dragon Age games. Considering the struggles that Bioware has undergone since Dragon Age: Inquisition, however, it's still awesome that we received a game of this quality. It doesn’t share much in terms of style and gameplay, but we do see characters we love again in a beautiful world and fun combat. It isn’t the most mind-blowing entry to the series and does play it safe, but it's still a good game. The combat and soundtrack are solid, the environments are gorgeous and the game is still filled with a ton of world-building.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a game that many fans have wanted for fifteen years, and while it was delivered to us, it does feel like it is lacking in some areas. There are issues with the camera and combat at times, but the game is still fun, flashy and over the top like fans deserve. Fans may also find newer stories missing somewhat frustrating, with some story arcs missing at launch or otherwise unavailable until a further date. Out of the box, this is still a solid game with a huge cast of characters and a ton of optional content available to the player. This was made for the fans of Dragon Ball and might not end up being for everyone.
Ravenswatch is a solid tried and true roguelike with many different ways to play through the options of heroes available to players. It's difficult and rewarding for solo or co-op parties and does its best to be an interesting experience. With the diverse cast of heroes and challenging side quests, it's hard not to queue up several runs a day. Every character we have was given the care of a compelling story on why and how their tale took a darker turn. We see the developer taking something old and making it new for us once again. It's truly awesome to see old stories given new life to become something else altogether.
While it's a solid and enjoyable game in its own right, Reynatis suffers from being unable to visually stand out. Animations in combat and cutscenes are sometimes stiff and robotic or even overtuned to the point where they look outright silly for what they're trying to accomplish. What the game does well at times is the combat itself; switching between stances on multiple characters to deal damage and regenerate Mana to go back to dealing damage is unique in action games. It's the execution and lack of change in how that combat evolves during your journey in the game that holds it back. What was a great and innovative idea becomes a slog and somewhat boring after you've put more time into the game, with enemy encounters all melding into the same exact experience.