Mike Epstein
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IGNLatest Reviews
Despite building itself on well-tread ground, Code Vein definitely moves to the beat of its own drummer, but that beat can lose its rhythm when you need it to be steady. Some changes like being able to easily switch around and experiment with classes on the fly are great, while others like its inconsistent AI partner could be more trouble than they were worth at times. But in both the good and the bad, I appreciated its enthusiasm for mixing things up and getting a little weird. If you’re looking for a unique take on a familiar type of challenge, and are open to loving and hating a game for its many mechanical quirks in the same breath, Code Vein is worth sinking your teeth into.
Outer Wilds’ tricky exploration and puzzle solving is definitely an acquired taste. Its very specific brand of active storytelling differs wildly from highly guided open-worlds that many of us think of when we talk about non-linear gameplay. Though it can be confounding at times when events don’t unfold in precisely the right way, the feeling of discovering something new about the story, or following a couple of facts to something totally unexpected on a faraway planet far outweighs those hiccups.
I wanted to love Generation Zero because there are so many good ideas in it that could’ve made for a stand-out co-op shooter, most notably the rural Swedish setting and robot enemies. Upon actually playing, however, I found most of those ideas were implemented extremely poorly, turning it into a frustrating and aimless slog through horribly unbalanced combat encounters. On top of that, it’s full of confounding bugs at launch, which make progress more difficult than it should be and even something as simple as teaming up with friends becomes a hassle.
Dead or Alive 6 makes a strong case for the franchise’s fundamental combat by making it easier to understand what sets it apart from other fighters, other than its infamous “jiggle physics.” The story campaign is disjointed but it and the other training modes serve as effective instruction for getting new players up to speed for online combat quickly, and the new Break Hold and Break Blow moves give you a way out even when you seem locked into an endless juggle of doom. It really needs to work on its online multiplayer options, though, since they’re currently skimpier than La Mariposa’s outfit.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a great-looking arcade flight combat game, and zipping over high-quality terrain trying to establish missile locks and evade pursuers can be a lot of fun. But the experience often gets weighed down by its weird and convoluted but persistent story and poor communication of objectives. It’s enough to prove that there’s room for the series to make a comeback, though this game will be not the one to jumpstart it.
By blending real-time stealth with tried-and-true tactics gameplay, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden breaks exciting new ground for the turn-based strategy game. Even with some mechanics that don’t mesh perfectly with the gameplay, it teases your brain in interesting, insightful ways.
Dead by Daylight’s inventive concept for a competitive horror game strikes an incredible balance between two very different styles of play, and makes both compelling. Channeling the slasher movie spirit, each match feels like a mini horror movie on both sides. Whether you’re the efficient and unpredictable killer, or one of the strategically elusive survivors, the thrill of the chase and the ever-present threat that even the best-laid plans can go awry keep Dead by Daylight feeling timely, even after five years of thrill kills.