ZTGD's Reviews
The one thing I was most excited about with Sons of Valhalla was the city-building aspect but sadly this ends up being a really shallow experience. As a fan of StarCraft, WarCraft and any number of games like that, I had hoped this would be similar but on a 2D plane. There is no real depth or strategy that takes place when building the city or training units. If you have a lot of big units, chances are you will prevail. I didn’t hate my time with Sons of Valhalla, I had just expected more from it.
I enjoyed my time with Sand Land, the adventures of Beelzebub and team was often times funny but really had a great story to tell. I loved the banter between them, and even helping to build up Spino City, which opens up new venders. I wish the team had put in more interesting side quests and enemy types but even though it felt kind of repetitive, as I said I had fun in Sand Land and that’s what it really is all about anyway.
As a first-time console and genre effort from a developer best known for making the self-proclaimed, “one handed shooting game”, Stellar Blade is an extraordinary effort that impressed from beginning to end with an expert mix of story, combat and exploration. Despite the few shortcomings that prevent it from allowing it to stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants of the genre, it’s one that has painted Shift Up in a completely new light, and I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on what they have in store next.
All in all I expected more from this horror game. My nephew has raved about how good the first two were and even though this has been in EA on PC for years I was eagerly awaiting the console release. Sadly, The Outlast Trials just didn’t live up to the hype for me. With monsters that didn’t really feel scary, and maps and objectives that just start to feel repetitive really quickly, I can really only recommend this one for the real Outlast fans.
Outcast: A New Beginning is a weird game. On one hand it looks and feels great at times, while other times it feels a little janky. Still there is a lot to love here, even with all the talking. Seriously can we wrap it up? If you have nostalgia for the original, this is a no-brainer, for new fans I think it is worth checking out. It feels like a game we don’t often get anymore, and it is just fun to play when it is clicking. Recommend keeping your eye on this one, just maybe not at full price.
Overall, Pepper Grinder is a very good game. Some stages have unique gimmicks that blend well with the base move set, others just challenge players with the basics. I like Pepper, she has a lot of character for a silent protagonist and the soundtrack is quite good too. There’s a lot to like with Pepper Grinder, I just really wish the boss battles were better or absent because they weigh down the rest of the experience.
All that being said though Star Wars Battlefront Collection isn’t a terrible game by any stretch, its just very much a game of its time and sadly I just don’t see myself playing it with the same vigor that I did when these games originally released. I think Ryan said it best, when he said in the year 2024 with so many great games out currently and on the cusp, I don’t think I would play this like it deserves. And he’s not wrong, Helldivers 2 has been that new hotness but we have a little game called Dragon’s Dogma 2 on the horizon as well as Rise of the Ronin and others that could be huge games. Listen, I know it sounds as if I don’t recommend this game but that is quite the contrary. For as long as the servers can attract players this will be a blast to play with friends. But if nothing else I hope this does the sales numbers to show that THIS is the type of Battlefront game that fans want, not what EA released in the reboots. The whole time playing this I yearned to be able to play the cancelled and leaked Battlefront 3 game. A man can certainly dream.
I wanted to love this game, especially when I heard that Matt and Trey wanted this as an avenue to have a sort of metaverse with the show. So, events can happen in the show on one night and the next it picking up in the game. The premise is very cool, but sadly this game ain’t it. Its going to take a lot of patches and things to get this up to snuff, which is sad because it does some neat things. The different cards in game that work as powers for one, players can choose one ‘bullshit’ card to use which is some uber power like making someone vampires, or giving super strength. All of it with the vibe that these are still kids playing outside. Sadly, it’s all just wasted in its current state, I really hope the developers can turn this around because I want to go on down to South Park and meet some friends of mine.
Dark Forces is a game that more people should get the opportunity to play. It is a product of its time, but it is also packed with quality. Star Wars Doom was the best descriptor, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t find that appealing. This remaster brings all of that back and cleans it up very nicely. This is a game that everyone should check out as it has been limited since its release, now you can play it anywhere on anything, and that is what makes gaming today so awesome.
Rise of the the Rōnin doesn’t feel like a game that is worth $70 in my opinion, it is a hodgepodge mix of some of gaming’s biggest trends lately but never amounts to the sum of those parts. I really miss when Tomonobu Itagaki was at Team Ninja; and NOT for the oversexualized women in DoA or crazy volleyball games but for the awesome ninja action games.
I have played a lot of the current survival games including Grounded and I got to say that Smalland: Survive the Wilds ranks really high on the list about it. The amount of polish was surprising to see from such a small team and the number of systems and size of the map are just proof that they have wizards over at developer Merge Games. Smalland even simulates the 4 seasons and the storms that come with them and these are some visually impressive parts of the game. I loved every rainstorm, just the peacefulness of it…at least while I was in my base. If you enjoyed Grounded or are just a fan of a good survival game, I highly recommend Smalland: Survive the Wilds
Alone in the Dark was a fun adventure that scratched an itch I always have. It is a solid survival horror game that sometimes suffers under the weight of its own technical shortcomings. This is a game anyone who grew up with the likes of the original Alone in the Dark or Resident Evil games will enjoy, just not sure it is worth the asking price. I might wait for a sale on this one, but don’t sleep on it entirely. It definitely has its moments, and I enjoyed the story as a whole.
I said this on the podcast, Slave Zero X is a weird game. On the surface it appears to have little to do with the original, but the story does reveal some threads The bad thing is the combat and levels just feel so frustrating and difficult that most players will never even get to see any of it. This game didn’t make me feel like a “killing machine” with its clunky combat and constant difficulty spikes. I don’t know who this one is for, I just know it isn’t me.
WWE 2K24 is, as I mentioned above, the best-playing game in the series. The progress of the bell-to-bell of the series from undesirable to undeniable should make cover boy Cody Rhodes proud. Unfortunately, I had less fun with the game this year than last year, mostly I think because of fatigue with the flaws of the series. They have had years to correct the frustrating and often mind-boggling problems with AI wrestler behavior, clipping and collision detection, and reversal-heavy gameplay, and these issues continue to persist. The Showcase mode, a real highlight in last year’s game, has also taken a huge step back, which is a major disappointment. After taking this many years to finally get things right when it comes to the player-controlled action, it may be strange to hear me say that they need to think about some major overhauls of the franchise’s DNA, but I believe that may be what the series needs to feel fresh again. Just like a wrestling match the biggest sin a wrestling game can commit is to be boring, and for me that’s just what the WWE 2K series has become.
As a remake of one of my favorite games of all time, Persona 3 Reload had a lot more to live up to than it was reasonably expected to accomplish. Despite the lackluster PC port and not including all the desired content in the original package, P3R marks a significant improvement from the original across the board, providing the best way to experience this timeless tragedy for the first or fifth time.
The Gold Master Series remains the gold standard for telling these stories. Living in the era when almost any game can be playable on modern consoles is truly great. I always get excited when Digital Eclipse announces a new one of these. I cannot wait to see what they cover next and hopefully this series never ends. Big game publishers would be wise to get in on this trend, no one does it better than Digital Eclipse.
Berserk Boy is a mix of a lot of my favorite retro games mixed with its own flavor of fun. I really enjoyed the nostalgia it delivers while also being able to stand on its own. Definitely recommend checking this one out if you enjoy anything Mega Man or the more recent Gunvolt Chronicles games. This is one that will entertain from start to finish. It isn’t overly frustrating, yet remaining challenging. The stages beg to be revisited and I had fun the entire time. With so many retro games dropping on a weekly basis, it takes a lot to stand out. Now if they would only put this on more platforms, I would be truly happy.
Ufouria 2’s only drawback is that it is possibly too simple. The game rarely presented a challenge and death was rarely an issue. The mechanics are also barren with only a few things to see and do, and the loop becomes repetitive relatively quickly. Still the music, visuals, and simple charm of the game carry it to completion. This is a game that I adore because of nostalgia, but I think even people unfamiliar with the developer will find plenty to love. The game just oozes that ‘video game’ charm we fell in love with back in the NES days, something that is sorely lacking in a lot of modern titles.
Arzette is a love-letter to those old CD-i games and I am all here for it. I adored revisiting this style of game and it is clear that the developers have a genuine love for those older titles, and not just a need to tick some boxes. For people that have memories of the Zelda CD-i games, this is a must. Heck, even if you have only seen them in YouTube videos from retro personalities, I still recommend this game. It is a charming platformer that wears its inspirations on its sleeve while also carving out its own path.
As I said I don’t know what cricket is, and to be honest this game helped me expand my knowledge of the sport. Knowing things like the fact the Queen got involved at one point and demanded a rule change about it being boring to try and hit the goal post. And they even took cricket to outer space and would play in zero gravity. It was fascinating to see how much the game of cricket has intertwined with human history. While Cricket thru the Ages isn’t a long game, it is quite a fun one, made even more so if players can find a player 2. And with its simple one button controls literally anyone can play.