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The most surprising part of Donkey Kong Bananza is the emotional bond between Donkey Kong and Pauline. It's not the most complex relationship, but it doesn't need to be. It's very sweet and emotional to witness something that we don't typically see in Mario games. With Donkey Kong Bananza, it should be highly regarded with other platformers like Super Mario Odyssey and Astro Bot. Donkey Kong Bananza is a prime example of why gamers need a Switch 2.
The whole experience is equal parts relaxing and thrilling. Going on deliveries and taking in the beautiful environments along with your music player is captivating. The times when players have to fight are excellent because of the incredible controls. It seemed like a challenging task, but the work that Kojima Productions put into their sequel is something special. While topping the original is tough, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach makes it seem like an easy task.
The Knockout Tour mode is something that racers will continue to return to, and even get their friends who don’t play games involved in the mix. Even the Free Roam is a fun escape from madness, but you shouldn’t expect a Forza-like experience. Judging by what Nintendo did with Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart World has already proved itself by being the new face of Mario Kart in the future.
It’s important to note that if anyone wasn’t a fan of Elden Ring, Nightreign still won’t convince them. On the surface, it’s more of the same but offers a lot of complexity to the mix that’ll make each run a lot of fun. Everything feels shorter and tighter, which makes for a compelling gameplay experience. While some gamers might roll their eyes at seeing another Elden Ring title being considered Game of the Year, Nightreign deserves to be in the discussion.
Since the combat is less kinetic compared to the past two games, it moves a bit slow, but in the best way possible. The movement feels slower than the previous two games and more in line with the original DOOM. The style and music are classic DOOM, which provides a major boost of energy to the mix. Some longtime fans might have issues with the changes to the formula, but the respect towards this franchise is still there. Even if gamers haven’t played a DOOM game, The Dark Ages is the perfec...
The combat offers a lot of variety and lets the player control how they want their party to play out. The number of aspects that players have to consider makes even the most basic encounter a thrilling event. To think that this is Sandfall Interactive’s first game is mind-blowing, as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 should be up there with the best RPGs of all time.
It’s not just the gameplay, but the presentation that looks stunning. Players will know it’s good when, for a split second, it looks like the real thing. Sometimes, the facial animations take a serious nose dive, but it’s only for a brief moment. With baseball having such a long season, it’s nice to know that players will have a superb game with MLB The Show 25 to come back to.
Doing small tasks can still bring a sense of peace and fulfillment, especially when doing it in a stunning world that is more like watching a sunset. That’s where Wanderstop stands out from other cozy games by truly making the player feel relaxed. Like what Boro is doing with Alta, Wanderstop helps players look within themselves. This makes Wanderstop a one-of-a-kind experience that fans of the cozy game genre need to play.
Civilization VII is a letdown for longtime fans who want to see this franchise evolve to the current generation. Its stunning visuals mixed with a fantastic score are the strong positives. Yet, the UI is frustrating and difficult to look at. The bugs throughout make playing long sessions undesirable. Until there’s a massive update in its future, newcomers should stay away for now. Longtime fans will find some value in Civilization VII, even at its basic level.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is a fun entry in Nathan Drake's journey that goes bigger than before. Nathan Drake’s story is fascinating as it focuses on his willingness to go after treasure even if it hurts his loved ones. The setpieces provide a shot of adrenaline and manage to top Uncharted 2: Among Thieves by being even more bombastic and cinematic. Things get weighed down by some of the gameplay aspects, like additional puzzles and wonky stealth mechanics. Even with that, Uncharted ...