Maria Meluso
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The full game of Pikmin 4 is structured as a rescue mission, chiefly to save Captain Olimar but also to rescue the scattered members of the crew and castaways who find themselves marooned on the strange, Earth-like planet. There is an argument to be made that this is a very similar narrative to Pikmin 3, with the focus on multiple crash-landings and saving both Captain Olimar and other NPCs. Still, filtering the story of Pikmin 4 through the lens of a rescue mission gives it the typical science-fiction sense of weight and urgency, a ticking clock for players to keep in mind, and a tangible goal to work toward. However, the actual gameplay feels fairly relaxing - almost cozy - and more forgiving than might be expected of a game with such an urgent premise. Because of this, Pikmin 4 maintains a manageable scope that allows gameplay to be both impactful and fun.
The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle may not be a total home run, but it is another solid installment to the MMORPG despite its weak story. High Isle itself is a gorgeously realized location that feels more alive than other settings have thanks to the incredible attention to detail by the art team, and the gameplay is a lot of fun where it matters most. The inclusion of Tales of Tribute works wonderfully, and the game itself was clearly well-designed and executed. However, it could have been even stronger as a base game feature that all players could enjoy. This might have added to the social aspects of Elder Scrolls Online by giving players more to do while in-game besides group combat encounters. Players have likely not seen the last of the Ascendant Order and its leader in Elder Scrolls Online expansions, and time will tell whether dragging out the reveal of the Ascendant Lord's identity was a worthwhile move. In the meantime, fans are likely to find many things to like about The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle that add some welcome variety and lore in Tamriel, and it is well worth checking out.
This feeling of connection extends to the whole of Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It feels far more enjoyable and cohesive to play through the entire series from start to end, as the trilogy feels more like a singular narrative now than ever before. In the past, many fans reported playing Mass Effect 1 only once, or altogether skipping it, because it contained so many bugs and so much friction. With the elimination of PC bugs like the notorious black blob bug that changed character models into Minecraft silhouettes, and the more simplified, unified importer to allow players to bring their unique Shepard into the next game, the trilogy now has cohesiveness to it. The integration of Mass Effect: Genesis, the interactive comic that allows players to input their major choices without importing a save file also affords more flexibility to players while maintaining a sense of connectedness across all three games.