Nicholas Plouffe
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COGConnected Latest Reviews
In 1999, video games were cruising into the third dimension with hits like Donkey Kong 64 and Silent Hill. Outcast was impressive when it released initially, offering a huge open world in a 3D environment with quests, NPCs, and combat. It garnered a bit of fame, became a somewhat small cult classic, and faded into obscurity. Now, eighteen years later, Appeal has remastered their creation for old fans and new players alike. I can easily say that this remaster brings Outcast to life and goes far beyond the original, but at the end of the day, it struggles quite a bit to compete with other remasters with similar price tags.
When MachineGames went back to Wolfenstein with The New Order back in 2014, they did the first-person shooter genre a great service. The follow-up DLC, The Old Blood, was a feather in their cap to celebrate their no-nonsense approach to shooting Nazis. Once more, this studio has struck Nazi gold with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Suspense, violence, and some damn fine shooting await anyone ready to take up the torch and fight for good ol’ freedom and equality.
Arriving on Xbox One and PS4 is the complete edition, which comes with the White March expansions and some minor changes to the UI and controls. I was originally worried about playing Pillars with a controller, but I was quickly put at ease. For the most part, both moving around the maps and interacting with objects is a breeze. However, it’s not perfect. There will be times where you’ll want to interact with something and if you want to save yourself frustration, you’ll have to switch to cursor mode and slowly move the cursor around with a thumbstick. It’s a good solution, but I often found myself trying to save time by moving my party around in hopes that the correct object would just get highlighted for me instead.
When you mix Fallout 4’s sanctuary builder and third-person zombie wave defense, you get Epic Games’ delight creation, Fortnite. Not only does this 4-player cooperative experience handle smoothly with tight controls and a fun atmosphere, it also offers an endless loot train to pilfer from as you race to save the world.
Chroma Squad is what you get when you combine Power Rangers and tactical RPGs, but lack the actual Power Rangers IP. Frankly I went in not expecting much, but have come away not only impressed but wanting more episodes and seasons to dazzle my fans with.
Drifting Lands is a hybrid of sidescrolling shoot-em-up action, roguelite mechanics, and ARPG looting. It’s basically everything I’ve ever wanted in a game around this very affordable price range, and I’m happy to say that Alkemi hasn’t let me down in the slightest.
Deck 13 gave us Lords of the Fallen in 2014, and while it had some cool ideas it was also bug-ridden and awkward. These developers have taken what they learned and molded it into something new with The Surge, ditching the gothic look for something a bit more futuristic in the process.
If you want a fun racing game with some classic car combat, look no further! Gas Guzzlers Extreme is a new game from Iceberg Interactive that’s sure to scratch your itch. Cars and upgrades to unlock, several different game modes, and a whole lot of destruction await.
It’s been a long journey, but after nearly a decade Owlboy is finally here! Usually such a long development cycle results in tragedy, but D-Pad Studio seems to know how to play the long con. Amazing art, fun gameplay, and a memorable cast await you in this 2D platforming adventure game.
Shu is a delightful 2D platformer that is sure to impress with its tight controls and fun design. Whether you enjoy a beautiful scene or some light puzzle platforming, you’re in for a treat that won’t break your wallet.