Adam Beck
This author account hasn't been claimed yet. To claim this account, please contact the outlet owner to request access.
Writing For
Hardcore Gamer Latest Reviews
Seven years of content only partially wrapped up in one snug package.
One of Mario's most trusted companions is back, but does the newest Yoshi differentiate itself enough from the pack?
Drive through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo or the snowy mountains of north Japan.
When it comes to racing games, the Mario Kart franchise is one of the few that immediately come to mind. It’s an iconic mash-up of all Nintendo characters, not to mention recognizable guests that do battle while in their little automobiles. It’s something Nintendo has been able to do over the years: take their massive catalog of games and create unique and entertaining games with them, be it award-winning fighting games or sports games.
With the release of any new video game console, there generally comes a means of testing out the hardware. The PlayStation 5, for example, came with Astro’s Playroom, while the Nintendo Wii had Wii Sports, which in itself turned into a huge phenomenon. You could even go all the way back to the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Game Boy, with games such as Mario Bros., Duck Hunt and Tetris.
It's been over two years since Questline’s Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon went into Early Access and so much of it has improved over that time. This is a traditional RPG with not only a means of creating a character that best suits your playstyle, but also a story that revolves around every decision and action that's taken. While the game came out at a less than opportune time given the remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was shadow dropped a month prior to its release, Tainted Grail offers a new type of experience that's reminiscent of old Bethesda.
Throughout the years, there have been only a handful of transformative games that have truly helped redefine gaming. Whether it’s the more recent Baldur’s Gate 3 or classics such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, these games helped revitalize gaming in different sectors of the industry. Another just so happens to be Elden Ring. While FromSoftware has been known for their challenging but highly rewarding Souls games, it wasn’t until Elden Ring three years ago that they really hit the perfect stride. A vast open world to explore, a familiar vague narrative that keeps the player intrigued and challenging boss battles that you will gladly beat your head against for hours on end. It’s no surprise that FromSoftware is capitalizing on its success by experimenting with different forms of content, and the most recent is in the form of a cooperative roguelike.
To think that it has been over thirty years since Working Designs, one of the most iconic old school JRPG publishers, released the first Lunar to the masses. This was a game that took the world by storm, with its innovative combat mechanics and creative storytelling. Unfortunately, while we did see a sequel a couple of years later and various updated versions of the existing two games, the Lunar series has mostly gone into obscurity and become a cult classic. Thankfully, developer Game Arts and their parent company, GungHo Online Entertainment, want us to remember the good o’ days of JRPGs back in the ‘90s as we now have a remastered compilation of Lunar: Silver Story Complete and Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete.
If there’s one subgenre that has taken off over the last decade more than any other, it’s Souslike. These are games in the action-RPG bracket that have a strong focus on difficulty, variety in their combat and environmental storytelling. FromSoftware has been the king of the genre, producing some of the most memorable and well-crafted RPGs on the market, but there have been quite a few other properties that have taken inspiration and made a name for themselves. Nioh, Lies of P, Remnant and Black Myth: Wukong are just some examples that took the formula and created their own unique experience with it.
Avowed took us by surprise. While Obsidian Entertainment has an exceptional track record, they were somehow able to exceed expectations. This is a traditional RPG through and through, with highly-consequential decision-making that can literally level cities and a massively-diverse combat system that encourages experimentation. With that said, it’s not perfect, as while the story does have compelling components, the pacing is a bit off, with a stronger focus on essentially forcing the player to do side quests and explore the world before continuing. The combat also suffers from issues when it comes to dodging and enemy gap closing, causing frustration in heated battles. Regardless, Avowed ends up on top, being a highly engaging 50+ hour RPG that's well worth your time.