Denny Connolly
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Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin seems to prove that the Final Fantasy franchise can thrive in the action game scene with this first franchise venture from Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo. The title isn't a true home run, but it is an exciting adventure that expands the franchise lore in a unique direction. The Final Fantasy Job system is as interesting and exciting as ever and adds a unique twist on the action game format as players grind through each challenging dungeon and fill in all the Job talent trees one by one.
The combination of the original game's narrative charm and solid platforming mechanics with a much longer story and more intricate skill trees and bonuses come together to make a must-play game for Xbox One or PC owners. The game seems poised to be another massive hit and proves itself as one Microsoft's most exciting console exclusives (even though The Blind Forest is now available on Switch). The fact that the game is available on Game Pass at day one and also features cross save functionality with the PC version makes it even more accessible and, although the rest of March is still full of other exciting game releases, this is definitely an early addition to the must-play list.
When the game's story, setting, puzzles, exploration, and combat all come together; they add up to something truly special. This is a must-play Star Wars experience that is likely to become a game of the year contender not just for fans of the franchise, but for anyone who loves a unique and challenging action-adventure title.
After many fans were left disappointed by the 2018 sequel, this remaster is sure to remind the community why the original 2010 release was so beloved. The remaster is a great reminder of the potential that the series had and hopefully any future iterations of Ni no Kuni return to this winning formula and bring back the story, cinematics, and combat system that all come together to help make Wrath of the White Witch a modern classic.
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a bold experiment that really leans into putting players in situations where they have to be creative and resourceful without any hand-holding. Gamers who kick a kick out of the survival genre (like these 10 great survival titles) and love the pressure of finding that next source of food or safe place to sleep will likely get a lot of enjoyment out of Ancestors once they adjust to the controls, but it will likely feel a bit too challenging and aimless for the average gamer.
With the emphasis on human to human interaction, Fallout 76 removed many living NPCs in favor of journals, AI, and radio broadcasts to fill the void. Although this makes sense for a game that is meant to concentrate on multiplayer, it certainly seems to have made the wasteland feel a bit more empty and lonely. That said, we've seen many online games bounce back from a rocky launch with a series of patches that address user feedback and problems. If Bethesda stays dedicated to patching in fixes and making tweaks to Fallout 76, this could be a very different game a year down the road. Unfortunately, that might be what it would take to get us to log back in at this point.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey gets off to a bit of a slow start with a lengthy tutorial island that introduces the many mechanics and features to players. Gamers who manage to make it through that grind will discover a massive open-world map full of naval combat, treasures, and RPG gameplay loops. The best part of Odyssey is just how much it allows players to invest in their interests. Love to sneak? Stick to the Assassin talent tree and stay out of sight. Want to sail around recruiting soldiers and sinking enemy boats? There's a big ocean out there for you to explore, as well.
Shadow of War offers dozens of hours of entertainment for gamers who enjoy action adventure titles with a strong splash of RPG elements. The moving parts may be a touch too complicated for the most casual gamers, but players who are patient enough to master all of the game's systems will be rewarded with an exciting story, control of a powerful army, and an unstoppable protagonist.
Despite these flaws, Agents of Mayhem truly does offer a unique and fresh spin on the Saints Row world. By distancing itself from the main franchise's core characters and conflicts, the game is able to embrace its own aesthetic and create a new world that is just as weird and addicting as the original.
Some puzzle areas are a bit more open and allow Senua to explore off the trail. Although the punishing combat received a lot of attention during the early gameplay reveals, the bulk of gameplay in Hellblade is actually focused around solving a variety of puzzles that open doors to gated sections of the map.