Jason Faulkner
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Star Wars isn’t the hottest property anymore, and it’s easy to forget how fun an adventure in a galaxy far, far away can be. Fortunately, Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, which is (somehow) the franchise’s first open-world game, brings to mind the better parts of the former EU and avoids the pitfalls we’ve seen in recent Disney productions.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the most anticipated games of 2024, which says a lot since it’s “just” an expansion. FromSoftware’s Elden Ring captured the hearts of the gaming world when it was released in 2022 and left us eager for more. Somehow, in only two years, the studio has created what is essentially another full game that broadens the lore and further expands the brutal and engaging gameplay we loved in the original.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth picks up during our heros’ flight from Midgar and takes us across the world in pursuit of the villainous Sephiroth. After a fantastic introduction to the trilogy with FF7 Remake, we’re thrust into a game with a much broader scope and an open world. In the run-up to launch, we had to wonder if Square Enix could get things right out from under the steel pizza or if this part-reimaging, part-sequel was doomed to fail.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth brings back Ichiban and crew for another outing, this time to Hawaii. Yakuza 7’s transition to a turn-based RPG had the potential to backfire. However, it ended up being immensely popular, and I was excited to see if the series could keep up this momentum. Even though we’ve seen three Ryu Ga Gotoku titles in the last year, it’s the one franchise that leaves me wanting more. Infinite Wealth was no different, which is an even more meaningful statement when you consider its generous runtime.
Armored Core 6 is the first entry in the series in a decade and marks its entry into the mainstream. While the franchise wasn’t exactly niche before, it didn’t approach the notoriety that FromSoftware’s Souls games have achieved. However, it finally got a chance to shine by piggybacking on the overwhelming hype from Elden Ring. Suddenly, gamers who wouldn’t have looked twice at a customization-focused mecha combat game were ready to jump into the cockpit of an AC.
Starfield was one of my most anticipated games of 2023. I love sci-fi, and the idea of captaining my own ship and exploring the cosmos has enthralled me for the three decades I’ve been alive. Unfortunately, gaming has a hard time capturing a topic on such a large scale. However, I hoped that Bethesda would get closer than any others had so far. Unfortunately, after playing the game, it seems the final frontier is still beyond our grasp.
Reviewing a new Final Fantasy game is tough. Final Fantasy 16 bears the weight of expectation, a burden that comes with the territory of its iconic name. Each loosely associated entry redefines what it means to be a Final Fantasy, and every fan has a checklist of what aspects of the series need to come together to make the perfect experience. So, can it live up to the titans that came before it while carving out a distinct identity of its own?
Reviewing a new Final Fantasy game is tough. Final Fantasy 16 bears the weight of expectation, a burden that comes with the territory of its iconic name. Each loosely associated entry redefines what it means to be a Final Fantasy, and every fan has a checklist of what aspects of the series need to come together to make the perfect experience. So, can it live up to the titans that came before it while carving out a distinct identity of its own?
Reviewing a new Final Fantasy game is tough. Final Fantasy 16 bears the weight of expectation, a burden that comes with the territory of its iconic name. Each loosely associated entry redefines what it means to be a Final Fantasy, and every fan has a checklist of what aspects of the series need to come together to make the perfect experience. So, can it live up to the titans that came before it while carving out a distinct identity of its own?
After a lackluster reboot of the Star Wars Battlefront and a widely-panned sequel (which ended up being a great game after a few years of updates), fans were fed up with EA’s handling of the Star Wars game license. However, Respawn’s Metroidvania, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a huge success and showed that a big-budget single-player title set in the franchise could still sell millions. So, it was no surprise when Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a sequel set five years after the original, was announced.