HIGH First character maker in a Sonic game? Sweet!

LOW The level design, story, and gameplay are shockingly underwhelming.

WTF Avatars can wear a hat that says “Gamer”.

Sonic Forces has many interesting gameplay ideas and a dynamic character creation feature in this visually stylish package, but is constantly held back by a lack of creative level design, a lack of polish in its controls, and a story that fails to engage.

Shockingly, Dr. Eggman has defeated and imprisoned Sonic with his new mysteriously masked jackal comrade, Infinite, who bends reality using the Phantom Ruby. Now, with Eggman’s tyranny throwing the world into an apocalyptic state, a resistance team of Sonic’s friends must rescue our hero and save the world, with help from a Classic Sonic from another dimension and a rookie soldier — the Custom Avatar.

While this seems like a more mature premise than Sonic usually offers, the storytelling jarringly flip-flops between upbeat and serious, with tone-killing one-liners making things even worse. This incoherence shows that the story doesn’t know how to make players feel about the characters and story.

Additionally, many potentially interesting and dramatic plot points feel underdeveloped, and Infinite, the new enemy, lacks character development and any interesting use of his powers – are they real or just an illusion? It seems like even the writers don’t know the answer. In terms of play, Sonic Forces combines mechanics from previous entries – Modern Sonic’s fast-paced 3D “boost formula” and Classic Sonic’s 2D side-scrolling with the addition of Sonic Mania’s Drop Dash.

All of these elements are easy to pick up, and it can be entertaining to speed through stages while destroying hordes of enemies. Unfortunately, it all feels too simplistic too soon, making the gameplay loop feel repetitive.

Offering some variety, the Custom Avatar character wields “wispons” — weapons containing the superpowered aliens from Sonic Colors, which have various special attacks and powers. Occasionally, the Custom Avatar even teams up with Sonic in tag team stages.

Creating a character is a cute novelty with hundreds of pieces of clothing to be unlocked and seven species options, each with their own benefits (the bird species has a double jump, and so forth). Each Wispon has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well. A favorite was gaining insane speed from the Drill Wispon after mashing the trigger button.

Unfortunately, no matter what character the player chooses, the controls feel noticeably stiff, the running buildup too quick, and the jump too floaty – it all feels rushed and lacks the momentum and fluidity that made the classic 2D games rewarding to master. The stages, while linear, have some interesting obstacles – things like platforms that zoom forward when landing on them. A few even have alternate pathways, encouraging replayability with different Wispons that can aid in saving time or rewarding players with
hidden Red Star Rings.

But yet, it’s another mixed bag!

Most levels are much too short and don’t space out obstacles well. Excessive automated sequences remove player control and agency, and the potential of 3D gameplay is undercut in favor of basic, blocky 2D sections. Despite having 30 main stages, the the experience feel short-lived and repetitive. A smaller number of longer, more developed stages with fully fleshed-out mechanics would be a vast improvement. Visually, Sonic Forces again lurches one way, and then the other. The graphics and art style blend both cartoony and realistic, and the slick animations are a feast for the eyes while embodying Sonic’s cool, fast, and stylish qualities.

On the other hand, the animation during cutscenes gives characters wooden expressions and static movement, which is off-putting and immediately disengaged me from any potential drama. There’s also been a decent effort made to convey the world’s apocalyptic state through its original levels, with giant Death Egg Robots tearing up the city in Sunset Heights and flames burning around Luminous Forest. I wish the whole adventure was as original as these bits though, instead of otherwise mostly reusing past levels to pander for nostalgia — if Green Hill Zone is absolutely required as a level, it could have at least been altered to fit with the rest of the world in turmoil.

Overall, Sonic Forces’ potential for interesting storytelling, gameplay and level design are undercut by a lack of length, depth, and polish. Younger or casual players may enjoy Forces’ simplicity, but die-hard Sonic fans are better off playing Sonic Generations or Mania instead.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10

— Thomas Greeney

Disclosures: This game is developed by Sonic Team and Hardlight Studios and published
by Sega. It is currently available on PS4, XBO, Switch and PC. This copy was purchased as a
paid download and reviewed on PC. Approximately 4 hours of play were
devoted to the single-player mode and the game was completed. An extra 3 hours were spent
on the side content, from a total of 7 hours of gameplay to review the title. There are no
multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10+ and contains Fantasy Violence.
According to the site: Sonic Forces is an adventure platformer in which players help Sonic
and his friend defeat Dr. Eggman and his evil plans. As players speed through different
landscapes, they collect items (e.g., gold rings), avoid hazards, and use spin attacks to defeat
robotic foes and bosses. Players can also use a created character to fire grappling hooks and
other cartoony weapons (e.g., fire blasters, electric whip) to defeat enemies. During some boss encounters, players can perform close-up finishing blows that knock opponents out in dramatic fashion.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: Sonic Forces offers subtitles for cutscenes and
gameplay, and there are hints players can read. Text cannot be resized or altered. Other visual
elements will guide players through levels like button prompts and markers to indicate
enemies. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, Sonic Forces offers fully remappable controls.

The post Sonic Forces Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The atmosphere is top tier.

LOW Repetition and recycled content.

WTF …Happened to my save file?

Like every games writer approaching the end of the year, I’ve started to compile a list of my top 10 games of 2025 in an effort to appease the algorithmic gods that give this writing hobby of mine some semblance of meaning. As someone who is less constrained by the new release schedule than many, I like to focus on my top 10 experiences regardless of release date, so I don’t have to overlook any titles that impressed me. With that being said, here’s a sneak preview:

Pacific Drive is likely going to take the gold.

Loading into the original title, I expected a narrative heavy driving adventure. What I experienced was an extraction-based survival challenge with a large splash of SCP and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

The player’s time is divided between maintaining their car’s condition by avoiding dangers in an anomaly-filled forest and looting every resource they can find in order to upgrade the car for even deeper ventures into a mysterious place called The Zone. I’m not a car guy, but I loved every second of my time exploring and learning about how the world worked, and by the time I was set to leave my garage for the final time, I had an appreciation for a game that tried something different and nailed the atmosphere it was going for.

With the recent release of the “Whispers in the Woods” expansion, I took the opportunity to grab my car keys and hit the road for another journey… and I have thoughts.

As an overview, the DLC adds an 8–12 hour side story campaign to the main title alongside new anomalies, new mechanics and a fully voice-acted narrative. The original mix of cozy and unnerving from Pacific Drive‘s initial release has been replaced with a spookier, more sinister tone as we learn more and more about a fanatical cult operating within The Zone. 

For players who read “Pacific Drive but spookier” and are already sold, then feel free to stop reading here. For everyone else, I can happily report the atmosphere in Whispers in the Woods has been amped up and the visuals continue to look phenomenal. However, there were a few bumps in the road… I was initially taken with the DLC, but as I started to settle into the new, poorly-explained gameplay loop, cracks started to appear.

There are two new main systems to contend with. Instead of collecting energy to form an exit gateway as in the original Pacific Drive, the player now needs to collect a certain number of “artifacts” that will be sacrificed at an altar to open an escape route. These artifacts each have their own quirk that will apply to the player and their car, with the effects ranging from good to ‘get rid of this thing as fast as possible’. I do like the fact that the player can no longer tell where the level exit will appear. Previously the escape could be trivialized by plotting a clear route, now the player needs to adapt on the fly, leading to far tenser rides.

Secondly, holding on to too many artifacts will gradually increase The Whispering Tide. If it maxes out “they” will begin hunting the player across the map, I will not be elaborating further because that’s part of the experience, but thankfully, this aspect can be offset this by equipping the remnant with attuned parts which will help hide the player’s presence from “them”.

In theory these are both fine systems, leading to more varied escapes and encouraging veteran players to update their car. Sadly, these new attuned parts are just glowing versions of existing parts, so I was forced to unlock everything again, minus the joy of discovery and added frustration because they are harder to repair. While different artifacts do have slightly different impact levels, the player almost always has the ability to choose either a positive one or an ignorable negative effect. This leads to the gameplay loop feeling very similar to the original Pacific Drive — simply collect enough circular energy sources to escape through a portal.

This repetition is not helped by the story missions being essentially the same task repeated seven times. Go to a new area and find an audio file, listen to it to unlock a trial with a special gameplay condition, complete the trial to unlock a new area, and repeat. The areas each have their own quirks and the trials often come with substantial restrictions, but I was left wanting when it came to the diversity I had hoped for from an expansion. The new anomalies are interesting but I had encountered the majority within a few hours of play and none caused me to change my approach to the maps, which are still heavily filled with well-known anomalies.

When it comes to the actual narrative, I prefer the story of the main game. However, I do want to acknowledge that the DLC offers strong voice performances to accompany the player throughout their journey. I was a disappointed to see there was less environmental storytelling than the first go-round and that it was almost all contained to audio logs, but the characters are at least interesting. For newer players, the story is completely separate from that of the original Pacific Drive, so players can drop in and out without concerns of spoilers.

I wanted to be able to write this review and profess my love for Whispers In The Woods as a reason to revisit one of my favorite titles of the past few years, but it left me wanting. On paper it’s more Pacific Drive with a Halloween skin, but I wanted more from an expansion. If it had been marketed as a smaller ‘trials’ pack my expectations might have been more in line with the actual experience.

There is clear care put into this expansion and it’s easy to see the vision Ironwood Studios had, it just didn’t land with me. However, I do hope they continue trying to experiment because I would love this studio to create a new experience as much as I love the original Pacific Drive.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

— Adam Sharman

Buy Pacific Drive: Whispers In the Woods — PC — PS — XB

Disclosures: This game is developed by Ironwood Studios and published by Kepler Interactive. It is currently available on PC, PS5 and XBX/S. This copy of the game was obtained via paid download and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 9 hours of play were devoted to the expansion, on top of 32 hours in the main game, and the game was completed. There is currently no multiplayer option.

Parents: The game has an ESRB rating of T due to Fantasy Violence and Language. Pacific Drive can be very unnerving when the player is unaware of the world around them and the expansion has a horror theme including ghastly enemies that can ‘charge’ the player as a mild jump scare, although their threat level is minimal. The visuals and soundtrack of the expansion further play into this horror element but no violence is shown to the player character.

Colorblind Modes: There are colorblind modes alongside a host of accessibility features.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has subtitles for all dialogue, which is the sole way the story is conveyed. No audio is essential for gameplay and the subtitles cannot be tweaked beyond on/off. While some anomalies have audio cues, these are all accompanied by some level of visual cue. It can be helpful to hear certain anomalies without looking, but this has minimal gameplay effect. The car can develop quirks which include the horn being honked as an effect, which may be more difficult to identify for players with hearing difficulty, but this is a rare occurrence and there are ways to identify the quirk without hearing the sound.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls on both keyboard and controller.

The post Pacific Drive: Whispers In The Woods Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Adorable slimes and fantastical environments.

LOW The frustrating progression system.

WTF The ethics of my “ranch”.

All the way back in 2016 I picked up a Humble Bundle containing the original Slime Rancher and tried it on a whim. Stardew Valley had only just been released and the indie farming mania had yet to fully take effect. So, while it had some problems, Slime Rancher felt fresh and I was quite taken by it thanks to the whimsical charm of the Far Far Range, filled with all its gelatinous inhabitants. Many hours were spent enjoying the feeling of discovery as I explored new areas, built up my ranch and let it devolve into Dickensian work standards as overcrowded cells of slimes generated income for my capitalist vices.

Over eight years later, Slime Rancher 2 finally got its full release and I was eager to get back and start rounding up some colorful creatures. After finally making my way through the main content, let’s just say I have some thoughts…

To set the scene, the player reprises the role of Beatrix LeBeau, an intrepid slime rancher who has made her way to a new land with a conservatory most could only dream of, ripe for turning into a brand new Slime Ranch. Alongside is her trusty ‘Vacpack’ — a gun capable of sucking in and firing out nearby food, slimes and the occasional decorative pot.

The system is quite simple — catch a slime, feed it food and out plops a ‘plort’ which can be sold for sweet, sweet cash. Different slimes have different food preferences and conditions needed to keep them, so if the player wants to “catch ‘em all” they’ll need to expand their ranch with a number of different environments. Amateur geneticists can also crossbreed slimes by feeding them each other’s plorts (I would advise not dwelling too deep on this) creating a larger and feistier, but also more profitable Largo Slime.

For the first act of the campaign I was enjoying myself as the trappings feel immediately similar to the original Slime Rancher. I was a little disappointed to find the majority of slimes were reused from the first game, but SR2 manages to maintain the same whimsy and comical interactions as slimes bounce around looking for food and bumping into each other. The initial areas are relatively colorful and diverse, and the player will have some immediate goals to fill out the ranch and get a few key upgrades.

On that note, Slime Science is back from the original and has a much larger role to play. Alongside stockpiling plorts, the player will need special science materials that randomly spawn around the map. Initially this added an element of excitement as I stumbled across rare resources and hurriedly carried them back to base. (Slime Rancher 2 assumes the player loves running, by the way — it forces them to do it a lot!)

One of the main areas Slime Rancher 2 has evolved is in the use of this Science to unlock both utilities and decorations. Warp devices move people and resources, utilities to help recover health or stamina, and aesthetic pieces liven up the ranch and bring it to life.

Overall, there’s a lot to like here. Slime Rancher 2 is split into two distinct acts, and the first is certainly a continuation of the original formula. Act 2, or “The Grey Labyrinth”, is where the story truly starts — and frankly, I consider this section to be actively harmful to the overall experience. Judging by player reviews I might be in the minority, so allow me to defend myself.

As I made my way further out from my main base, the sheen started to wear off as trekking through the same landscapes time after time became frustrating. There are a couple of portals and shortcuts that help skip some of the journey, but the ability to create teleporters is locked until almost the very end of the game. An issue, since Slime Rancher 2‘s primary focus becomes less about ranching and more about exploring as the adventure progresses.

Worse, there are not one, not two, but three RNG resource grinds in order to get to endgame, which just means running around in circles to find the needed items — and maybe I’m just going crazy, but I’d swear the RNG odds decrease for areas that have already been explored until time passes to reset them. This often resulted in me having to go back to base and do a long runback to grind more resources because I hadn’t found all the rare spawns I needed.

With limited stamina that takes slightly too long to recover, these grindy late game utility unlocks, and lack of focus on the actual ranching, Slime Rancher 2‘s second half was not a great time. Achieving these goals were often met with relief that I didn’t have to grind further or deal with frustrating mechanics any longer, rather than being excited about finally getting a cool, new toy. It’s just not enjoyable, and feels like such a weird design choice in an otherwise cozy title.

It’s not all bad in the back half, though. The later stages do feature the most impressive environments the series has to offer, and numerous times I stopped in awe to admire the scene before me. The dynamic soundtrack is also consistently good throughout. Some of the new slimes have interesting designs and quirks that immediately made me want to add them to the collection. The story… well, the story doesn’t actively detract from things and does justify some interesting world events and settings.

Ultimately, Slime Rancher 2 is a strange beast. On paper it has everything the original does, and more. More slimes, more unlocks and more imaginative environments. Sadly, the frustrations overshadowed many of those positives for me, as many of the new additions actively work against the tone of the experience. Quicker access to fast travel or unlimited stamina would go a long way to easing these complaints, and make me feel less like my time was being wasted.

I’ve been rather negative on its latter sections, but for those who enjoyed the original Slime Rancher, it manages to hit many of the same pleasant notes — but maybe have a guide handy to minimize the travel and grinding. 

— Adam Sharman

Rating: 6 out of 10

Buy Slime Rancher 2 – PC – PS – XB

Disclosures: This game is developed by Monomi Park and is self published. It is currently available on PC, PS and XB. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There is currently no multiplayer option.

Parents: The game has an ESRB rating of E10+ due to Fantasy Violence. Evil slimes known as Tarr that will consume friendly slimes are able to be toggled off on game start, however the player can still be damaged and bitten. All “fighting” is done by launching enemies away or shooting them with water. 

Colorblind Modes: There is no colorblind mode.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles, but there is no audible dialogue — all story is conveyed via text. (See example above.) Slimes do make noises but they do not affect gameplay with the exception of the lucky slime which does have a jingle to indicate its presence. Without a matching visual cue, it is not fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls on both keyboard and controller.

The post Slime Rancher 2 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Speed. High body count.

LOW No real story. It’s a one trick pony… but it’s a good trick.

WTF My adrenaline and focus levels.

One of the first games I ever sat down to write a full review on was Severed Steel. It’s a first-person shooter from solo developer Greylock Studios, where the player controls the titular Steele — a one-armed woman with a penchant for parkour and over-elaborate gunplay. Sure, there was a SUPERHOT-esque story presentation, but frankly I was too busy having a blast slow-mo diving through window frames and throwing empty guns at foes to be concerned with it. Three years later we see the release of Greylock Studios’ next project, Echo Point Nova, which asks one simple but tantalizing question:

“That great stuff again, but what if we added a hoverboard?”

Ok, that’s not the only change, but Echo Point Nova is very much doubling down on the DNA of its predecessor. While the more cramped cyberpunk superstructure of Severed Steel has been changed to a vast open-world, the overall goal remains the same — go fast and kill everything.

Upon starting, I wake up in some sort of crash pod and am swiftly informed that my mission is to “investigate the planet” and “kill bad guys. Thousands of bad guys”. Any narrative foundation is almost instantly forgotten as I step forward and grab my revolver. Echo Point Nova is not something to be played for the story, as what little story and lore is present mainly serves as a vehicle for the developer to bring the player up to speed and point them in the right direction. From there the map is revealed to be a sprawling setting of floating islands that almost all contain some sort of battle and reward.

Now when the player is presented with a big map, minimal story and a whole lot of combat, the combat and movement need to be great to compensate for the lack of other traditional features, and I’m happy to report Echo Point Nova succeeds on both fronts. The hoverboard’s overly slick movement can take a bit of getting used to, but as the player unlocks more jumps and grapples they will find that riding along the ground begins to feel more like an optional extra rather than a given as they maintain momentum by slingshotting around loose bits of rock and riding along walls. 

Movement doesn’t just serve as a way to carry the player between fights and hunt down collectibles, though — it’s also their main means of defense. Anytime I found myself stuck in a corner without a plan, a flurry of bullets would quickly deplete my health bar. It’s an effective system to keep the player moving and maintain adrenaline levels, as slowing down is frequently punished. 

Onto the combat. Does firing an RPG, grappling the rocket into the sky, flipping upside down in slow motion, pulling out a sniper rifle and popping goons sound like a good time? If not then we clearly have very different ideas of entertainment. The combat is the meat of the experience, feeling heavily inspired by the frantic speed-based style of shooting inspired by works like Quake or Tribes: Ascend, and I adore it. 

As someone who usually enjoys a slow-paced tactical shooter, I was concerned I might have trouble adjusting to the constant movement required for success, but found myself adapting quickly. For anyone in the same camp, Echo Point Nova comes with a boatload of accessibility options, so the difficulty can be adjusted to suit the player. The masochists can crank it up to maximum with minimal health, while players who want to feel like a god can drop the difficulty down and play with unlimited slow motion.

Game environments are fully destructible, so when in doubt the player can make their own entrance or exit through terrain to find cover. However, I found this element to be a bit underutilized compared to Severed Steel, as any wall that takes more than one swing to break through would bring my momentum to a screeching halt.

The enemy and weapon variety are also both strong, with bosses being a particular standout. One of my favorite moments in Echo Point Nova was fighting one of the initial bosses,  gliding over sand dunes to launch a high speed assault against a mechanical worm, swinging through its interior to target weak points before shooting out the other side. I didn’t know that I wanted a crossover between Dune and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, but I’m not complaining in the slightest. Every fight ending with a gun or perk unlock to continually mix things up is just the cherry on top. 

Combat arenas opt for a minimalist look, with different islands on the map being sparsely populated by ruins or trees. This seems an intentional design choice, though, as it can already be a challenge to keep track of enemies on relatively open levels. The dynamic soundtrack has a fantastic mixture of chill, almost ethereal electronic tunes to accompany the player as they grapple through the clouds before shifting to slightly more animated and heavier tones for combat and boss encounters. It’s certainly more subtle than one might expect, but it always feels appropriate and punctuates the player’s actions nicely.

Echo Point Nova is a representation of what I love to see from an indie game. Take one key mechanic, polish it to a mirror sheen, and leave the player with a fantastic gameplay experience. It’s a worthy follow-up to an already adrenaline-filled experience, and it’s been getting continuous post-launch support including a whole new map with developer commentary.

If the idea of gunning down bad guys while kickflipping through the sky doesn’t appeal, then there’s nothing in Echo Point Nova that’s going to convert someone. For me, though, Echo Point Nova does exactly what it says on the tin and excels at it — and honestly, that’s enough to keep me coming back with each update to maintain my 100% completion.

Rating: 9 out of 10 

— Adam Sharman

Disclosures: This game is developed by Greylock Studio and is self-published. It is currently available only on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via paid download and reviewed on the PC.  Approximately 19 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was finished with 100% completion including post-launch content. 0 hours of play were spent in multiplayer mode. Up to 4 player co-op is available as a scaled version of the single player mode.

Parents: The game is not currently not rated by the ESRB. According to the developer it contains “stylized first person gun and melee combat, with blood splashes and blood wound decals on enemy character bodies.” There is a reduced blood option for those who are concerned but given the speed of the combat the blood is certainly not a focal point Echo Point Nova is still very focused around gun violence so parents should be advised.

Colorblind Modes: There is no dedicated colorblind mode although some colors can be manually changed.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles but there is no audible dialogue beyond enemy noises which do not impact combat. Minor story and lore dialogue are communicated via text. While these boxes can’t be traditionally scaled, they are static in the world so the player can get closer to them for a larger view.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls on both keyboard and controller. There is no diagram. Controls follow familiar first-person shooter norms. WASD controls movement with the mouse being used to aim and shoot. The number keys and mouse wheel can both be used to swap between weapons while familiar ancillary keys like F, Q and G are used for melee, grapples and ‘grenades’ respectively

The post Echo Point Nova Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Addicting, fast-paced gameplay.

LOW Egoistic teammates.

WTF Bicycle kicks for days!!!

From French developers Sloclap, Rematch delivers an arcadey, action packed spin on the beautiful game. Differing from the beat em up genre of Sifu, Rematch doesn’t include any fighting, unless fighting with the controls count. The multiplayer soccer (or football) simulator focuses on teamwork and skill to create stunning goals fit only for the largest stage. Rematch executes this idea very well, but a few glaring issues sometimes lets the game trip over its own feet.

Rematch offers 3v3, 4v4, and 5v5 casual modes, and ranked 5v5. The player cycles between positions with multiple outfield ones and a goalkeeper, controlling a character in a third person point of view. Rematch doesn’t focus on realism, but instead gamifies soccer to make it less about actual tactics and more about the action – running, jumping, and diving. The arcade feel comes from everything being sped up. The pitch is similar to the one in Rocket League, with borders that the ball can ricochet off of. The actual playable area is small, and paired with rapid sprinting, aggressive slide tackles, and acrobatic kicks, the ball seems to never stop bouncing. Dribbling and fancy skills let the player live out their professional player dreams with adrenaline pumping plays that further make Rematch more of an action game than a soccer one.

Rematch uses the classic W,A,S,D controls to move, with a few special keys implemented. E for tackling, Q for jumping, and the mouse buttons for passing. Sprinting and slide tackling use the shift key and keys like F can change the type of pass. The mechanics of Rematch are easy enough to understand, but incredibly difficult to master. As the player advances divisions, people only get smarter. Learning how to properly use each key takes time, but the satisfaction of moving past opponents and scoring majestic goals makes the time commitment more than worth it. Even if the player isn’t into soccer in real life, the competitive gameplay still makes the game addicting.

In terms of graphics, Rematch uses bright colors and stylized art to further add to the arcade feel. Each game takes place in a unique stadium like a jungle, a desert, or even outer space. The settings are inspired by an environmentally friendly utopia, and the stadiums combined with nature highlight that. The colors are beautifully integrated, and sometimes I found myself stopping just to look at the background. Player customization is also diverse, with a large variety of attributes and colors to choose from.

While Rematch has a lot going for it, it does have some big negatives that need to be addressed. The most frustrating issue is passing, particularly on PC. Passing is done with the left mouse, but the sensitivity is turned up a lot. Just a tiny change in the mouse direction will cause the pass to go to a wildly different place. I frequently found my passes to go accidentally behind me, which really hindered goal scoring opportunities. Most other functions work well, but since passing is a huge part of Rematch, the unoptimized controls make it hard to deal with.

In my games, I also encountered bugs. These weren’t frequent, but when they happened it literally made the game unplayable. In one of my matches, I couldn’t touch the ball. It would go straight through me, which turned a fair match into a 5v4. When these bugs get patched, I expect the game to run much smoother.

My last complaint isn’t specific to Rematch, in fact it extends to all multiplayer games, but I still feel like it should be brought up. No one is Messi, and trying to dribble the enemy team while playing goalkeeper is not a viable strategy. Some teammates in Rematch let their egos take over, making selfish decisions and costing the team crucial goals. This happens way too often, and especially in ranked, feels enraging. Hopefully Sloclap will introduce a report button to help with this.

Rematch is a great example of when developers take a popular topic and put their own spin on it. Some might describe it as a “Rocket League without cars”, but it is so much more than that. The creativity Rematch encourages creates an engaging team-based game that incorporates every player. With easy to learn controls and flashy skills, fans and non-watchers alike are bound to enjoy this chaotic adaptation of soccer.

Rating: 8 out of 10

— Eddie Guo

Disclosures: This game is developed by Sloclap and published by Kepler Interactive. It is currently available on XBX/S/PS5/PC.This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 38 hours of play was devoted to the multiplayer mode. There is no set completion mark. There are no single-player modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. There is nothing explicit and Rematch is safe for all ages.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has player dialogue that does not affect gameplay. Voice chat exists but visual cues allow communication without talking (in fact, I turned voice chat off to stop toxicity). Informational text is communicated through text boxes that cannot be altered/resized.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.

The post Rematch Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Appealing art.

LOW The lifestyle elements feel half-baked.

WTF One weapon is an… electric guitar?

A world was on the brink of destruction, with climate change, pollution, and war the prime suspects for this horrid situation. A small group of robots saved the planet and led it into a utopia, but after the leader of the group becomes a tyrant, he goes to war with his former disciples.

Lynked: Banner of the Spark takes place only a few years after this conflict starts.

After a relatively grim dark opening, Lynked moves into a tonally lighthearted setting. Robots have taken over the world, sure, but the player’s human character meets a friendly bot known as Buddy who helps them escape their prison cell and abscond to a haven for themselves and their future robot friends.

Narratively, it doesn’t have much to say past this opening. The story is about the player character and their buddy robot as they take down the former members of the now-evil Banner of the Spark.

As for the mechanics, Lynked: Banner of the Spark has two gameplay sections — the campaign is split between a life sim and roguelite action.

The life sim gameplay is akin to many other ‘cozy’ titles like Animal Crossing or Terraria. The player is given a large, open sandbox to craft things, set up shops, and mine resources. As the player progresses, they’ll unlock more shopkeepers, villagers, building materials and tools. The overworld is fittingly barren at first, giving players several locales around the map to use for their construction projects. Unfortunately, these lifestyle aspects of Lynked seem slightly half-baked.

While Lynked has elements in common with other ‘cozy’ titles, many of them offer mechanics that ultimately deliver a more rewarding gameplay loop. For example, in Lynked, everything is almost instant. There are no time-based objectives, and no moment where I had to make a choice between two activities such as doing combat or selling my turnips for the best price that week. Instead, Lynked lets the player do everything at their own pace, in their own way without any stress or problem. While this might work for some, it struck me as not being brave enough to offer any friction or to make me be patient. In my view, I say let lifestyle aspects reflect real life.

The action gameplay is divided into missions that take the form of level-based dungeons that require the player to teleport in and fight bad-bots in small rooms. These realtime, third-person battles are usually quick, first offering minor enemies that lead into more combat encounters that culminate in a boss encounter or rescuing a new robot friend.

The missions are, like the lifestyle gameplay, a bit underdone.

The gameplay in Lynked is attempting to evoke high-octane action, swift movement, and large amounts of weapons to use on each run. Unfortunately, while there are many different weapons to choose from, most of them — such as the great hammer or the electric guitar –aren’t interesting or practical for single players. Instead, they come across as being designed for combo-ing them with friends that can join in on missions via online co-op.

Co-op functions were not available for testing during the review period, however the game supports three-player co-op during the campaign. It is very similar to the co-op functionality of games like Monster Hunter.

All of these issues are on top of middling production values — a soundtrack that doesn’t have any infectious tunes, nor graphics that are anything above average. There are also performance issues even on low settings, with animation stuttering and freezing at or in-between load times.

Lynked: Banner of the Spark feels like a game that wants to combine several elements into one dynamic package, but the attempts at high-speed action trip themselves up before they can even get started, and the lifestyle sim sections are sleep inducing.

Rating: 6 out of 10

— Jahwon Corbett

Buy Lynked: Banner of the Spark –PC – XB – PS

Disclosures: This game is developed by Fuzzy Bot and published by Dreamhaven. It is currently available on XBX/S,PS5, and PC This copy of the game was obtained via Publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 20 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. 0 hours of play were spent in multiplayer modes

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Users Interact and Language. This is an action game in which players assume the role of a human survivor battling evil robots. From a ¾-overhead perspective, players construct buildings, harvest materials, interact with characters, and battle robot in melee-style combat. Players use swords, blasters, spears, and robot allies to attack enemies. Combat is highlighted by impact sounds, colorful light effects, and small explosions. The word “bastards” appears in the game.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game has no voice acting, only subtitles. There are no significant audio cues needed for play. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls. Lynked Banner of the Spark features customizable controller mapping. Similar to other action games of its type, the left stick is used to move around the world, while the right stick is mostly used for small camera movements. Each button has an assigned action, such as the face buttons being used for attacking, dodge rolling, or using the in-game grappling hook. Shoulder buttons are used to swap between menu items, meanwhile the start and select buttons allow for engaging for an in-game menu and out-of-game menu.

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Fighting games were never my specialty. My childhood best friend would always beat me at Soulcalibur II, no matter which character I picked – Astaroth’s axe could only take me so far, and Raphael could never save me from defeat. However, despite my struggles, I still came back to it… and many others like it.

While the competitive side of me wanted to improve at Soulcalibur, another part of me genuinely enjoyed the storytelling.

Fighters might not seem like they have substance beyond the mechanical aspects needed for mastery, but many of these titles offer so much more than just that. In addition to wild combos and flashy finishers, devs frequently give us character arcs and varying perspectives, which I find fascinating.

Soulcalibur was the first fighting game that won me over at a young age. From the first installment in 1998 to Soulcalibur VI in 2018, the plot has been compelling for over two decades.

The first Soulcalibur revolves around Soul Edge, a cursed sword that taints its owner and offers unlimited power. The weapon has corrupted a knight named Siegfried, who has turned into a bloodlusting monster named Nightmare due to its influence. While he’s already succumbed, Siegfried is determined to redeem himself and break free from its control.

The supporting cast have their own agendas. Heroes in Soul Edge want to destroy Nightmare and the sword, whereas others want to steal the sword’s power and claim glory for themselves.

Ultimately, the only way to stop Soul Edge is to wield Soulcalibur, an opposing holy sword. Along the way and through various sequels, we meet characters like Ivy Valentine and Xianghua, who fight to destroy the evil weapon and protect others from it.

The younger me enjoyed this plot, but focused more on the fighting aspect. However, the older and wiser version of me appreciates each game’s lore and how it all interconnects. With a wide cast typical of most fighting titles, players get different perspectives and viewpoints, enriching the experience.

In a way, I also felt like I grew up with the franchise. For example, Soulcalibur II was the first one I played when I was a kid, and it introduced me to Greek warrior Sophitia Alexandra. By the fifth game, we got to see her children, Patroklos and Pyrrha. While Soulcalibur V wasn’t a huge success, it provided nostalgia and plot continuity that kept me coming back.

While Soulcalibur was my first exposure, other titles made me appreciate the genre for more than just the battles. Tekken is one that has a special place in my heart.

I remember playing it on my dad’s PlayStation when I was too young to really know what I was doing, and I certainly didn’t grasp the more serious plot points. However, as I went through grade school, I connected the dots and realized how excellent its storytelling has been.

In this franchise we get plenty of drama worthy of a Shakespearean play with the Mishima and Kazama families. I remember my first time playing Tekken 2 and feeling shocked at seeing what Kazuya did to Heihachi — after defeating his father in the tournament, Kazuya threw Heihachi off a cliff, cementing a brutal cycle of betrayal and revenge within the Mishima family as one of the most important and frequently recurring plot points of the Tekken series.

Further, each sequel expands on core concepts like the Mishima Zaibatsu’s global influence and how they use it to host the King of the Iron Fist Tournament. This competition (and the premise of every Tekken installment) is that the event brings in fighters from around the world to win fame and money, but it’s also a vessel for the family’s power struggles and world domination plans. That’s a plotline I’d expect from an HBO show like “Succession.”

There are smaller stories in Tekken, though, to be sure. Take Anna Williams, who didn’t have much of a backstory in the first game. However, she quickly became an important figure when she thwarted her sister, Nina, from assassinating Heihachi in the Iron Fist Tournament.

Through the franchise, we’ve seen expansion on her grudge against Nina, her life as a bounty hunter and a rekindling of the siblings’ intense rivalry in Tekken 5. Fast forward to Tekken 8, and her DLC return as the game’s 37th character features an Anna that has evolved drastically from the one we were introduced to years earlier.

Anna and Nina have had a compelling rivalry for 30 years, and it hasn’t gotten old. I love seeing the clash of love-hate relationships in games, and while it might be relatable because of my own siblings… well, that’s beside the point.

While the two sisters captured my attention, there are plenty of stories for everyone to get caught up in through other franchises as well, not least of all, Mortal Kombat. For years, I associated it with spending a couple of quarters after eating Chuck E. Cheese pizza or throwing bowling balls in the gutter, but it doesn’t take long to see that the story is a central asset of the franchise now.

While the early titles were groundbreaking at the time thanks to digitized graphics and the controversial level of graphic violence, Mortal Kombat 9 is notable thanks to its improvements in the franchise’s storytelling abilities.

The title takes you back to the period of the first three MK games, and the writers seized the opportunity to reboot the narrative. From plot holes to retold stories, the production gave gamers the kind of storytelling richness the MK characters deserved in the original ‘90s titles.

For example, Mortal Kombat 9 provided more insight into martial arts fighter Liu Kang, who faced immense pressure to win the Mortal Kombat tournament and save Earth from invading forces from other dimensions. This would be crucial to the future of the series, as Liu Kang has quickly become the central focus of the new timeline.

We also got to see more details about individual character relationships, such as the rivalry between royal daughters Kitana and Mileena, or more insights into Scorpion, who’s hell-bent on revenge. Altogether, the reboot makes the concepts and content from the original games more cohesive and engaging through excellent storytelling.

Mortal Kombat 9 set the bar high, and the franchise has only improved since the 2011 release. Mortal Kombat 11 introduced Kronika, whose objective was to erase the existing timeline and bring more balance to the world. This gave us time travel and alternate versions of characters. Mortal Kombat 1 rebooted the series again, now in a new timeline entirely, with Liu Kang becoming the new godlike protector of Earth.

Thanks to the time and effort put into the script, playing Mortal Kombat today is much different than when I mashed buttons back in the arcade. Now I’m paying more attention to the plots and feeling more invested in the characters than ever. As a child, I never thought I’d be secretly rooting for Scorpion to get his revenge or that I’d feel so satisfied when Raiden finally accepts his role as a protector.

Despite “only” being fighting games, it’s easy to see the effort put into the Tekken, Mortal Kombat and Soulcalibur franchises. While some may only play these titles for their competitive or technical aspects, the plots have much to offer thanks to well-written and complex universes.

From power struggles to sibling rivalries, the creativity of the writing in fighting games keeps me coming back for more, despite being nowhere near the top when it comes to competing.

Now, with that said… let me call my friend to see if he’s up for a Soulcalibur II rematch. He doesn’t know I’ve been practicing for over 20 years!

— Jack Shaw

The post Why I Play Fighters (Despite Being Bad At Them!) appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

Video game soundtracks take on lives of their own — The opening beats of Morrowind’s main theme, the shifting chords of C418’s Minecraft, and the panic-inducing pizza delivery theme from Spider-Man 2 have stayed with gamers since they came out and will continue to for years to come.

Video game composing has become as respectable and mainstream a profession for musicians as any other genre: The band Sea Power made the soundtrack to the hit 2019 game Disco Elysium, the music collaborative Machine Girl composed the original soundtrack for the 2022 game Neon White, and even Paul McCartney helped work on Destiny soundtrack in 2014. Becoming a composer for a popular or hit video game can easily become a highway to stardom for musicians like Lena Raine, Koji Kondo, and Austin Wintory.

However, there is an entire subgenre of video game soundtracks deserving particular acclaim — Videogame mod soundtracks.

As videogame mods have become larger and more mainstream and accessible, so too have their makers become more ambitious, often incorporating fully-fledged soundtracks into their creations. These soundtracks are written by indie albeit highly skilled musicians, adding new life to mods, as well as occasionally opening up new opportunities for their composers. Mod soundtracks easily have the power to reshape the video game music world as it’s known, as seen in mods for Deus Ex, The Elder Scrolls and the Portal series.

Deus Ex Revision

One of the most impressive examples is Deus Ex Revision, a community-made overhaul mod of the groundbreaking 2000 immersive sim, Deus Ex. Available for free on the Steam store, it provides a total revamp of the base game, adding new areas, achievements, characters–and a totally revamped soundtrack. The composing duo EdenShard, consisting of John French and Logan Felber, did the soundtrack to Revision.

Composing a soundtrack is a difficult enough task, but even more so when working with a game that has a preexisting soundtrack. For Felber, who was writing a remixed soundtrack for Deus Ex Revision, this led to an interesting challenge, saying, “For the most part I refrained from ripping the original [Deus Ex soundtrack] samples as an exercise in the sound design…It’s a little tedious but plotting notes by hand gives me cleaner results as well as a more thorough handle on the composition.” This led to a soundtrack which, Felber says, had a “moodier, more ambient tilt at the cost of the characteristic ‘tracker sound’ edge…” Felber admits that “…While we took that as a matter of artistic license at the time, I think in retrospect it was more the limits of what we knew how to do musically. In some places it worked, but if I had to do it over again it would sound a lot different.” Felber’s soundtrack has been hailed since Revision was released, with many citing it as instrumental in retaining the atmosphere of the original game.

The Elder Scrolls

Immersive sims are not the only genres to have mod soundtracks. Two of the largest mods for the renowned RPG series The Elder Scrolls, namely Beyond Skyrim and Tamriel Rebuilt, have similar initiatives. Beyond Skyrim is a sprawling fourteen-year-old project by modders to add the rest of the continent of Tamriel to Skyrim, and has had numerous composers work on its myriad subprojects, such as Daniel Ran, who wrote the soundtrack to the mod’s Bruma release; Michiel de Groot, who wrote the soundtrack for the mod’s upcoming Elsweyr release; and Eric Gordon Berg, who wrote the soundtrack for the mod’s upcoming The New North release. Tamriel Rebuilt is Beyond Skyrim’s older (and even more ambitious) counterpart for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and it too has had various soundtrack releases, some by Erik Rettig, known by his pseudonym ASKII.

For Beyond Skyrim, each composer had a differing thought process. Daniel Ran admits it was daunting work, saying, “When I’m working on something else, it will for the most part stand on its own, but the Bruma OST was implicitly put up against some of the best work by one of the most successful video game composers to date. That was a mental challenge I often struggled with.” Like Felber, however, he tried to stay true to the original music of Oblivion, where Bruma first appeared, while also developing something novel: “It’s not so much about the specific choices Jeremy Soule made, like chord progressions or instrumentation, but rather how each was used to create the desired effect as a whole. People have specific expectations for a TES score; memorable, song-like tracks with harmony and structure that are easy to follow. So I applied my own style to those principles.”

Ran worked on a section of the world of The Elder Scrolls seen in a previous title; whereas Michiel de Groot had no such restrictions working on an Elsweyr project. He found writing the soundtrack to be a challenge, but a fun one. Speaking of the differences between snowy Skyrim and balmy Elsweyr, he says, “We needed something more distant, something vastly different, in order to really make it fit this beautifully unique place…In the case of the music for Beyond Skyrim Elsweyr, it ended up as a wonderfully diverse collection of instruments from all over the world, due to the visual input and history of the region.” De Groot cited extensive research he did on both the fictional world of Elsweyr’s lore as well as the cultures that inspired it as being key in helping create his soundtrack. Having that to guide him prevented him from falling into what he called the “Infinite freedom” trap and doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. “Yes, having no time / budget restraints can be dangerous for efficiency when you’re not careful–but it also paves the way for more creative freedom than a professional environment might provide,” he finished.

Eric Gordon Berg agreed that the process is a daunting one. Like Ran, Berg has worked on a soundtrack for a part of Tamriel previously seen in another game, this time Morrowind. “I have spent countless hours listening, studying, researching and trying to emulate the sound of these games. Not just Skyrim, but the entire franchise. There is something so special and unique about these soundtracks. They aren’t just fantasy soundtracks. They have an identity of their own.” He is hopeful of the finished product: “ I want people to listen to The New North fifteen years from now and feel that same level of nostalgia they have for the original Morrowind.” He hopes that when people hear his music for Beyond Skyrim, they don’t think of him, but rather of The Elder Scrolls.

ASKII worked on the soundtrack for Tamriel Rebuilt.

ASKII says he does not that the task of writing for Tamriel Rebuilt lightly. “It’s not just about complementing an existing soundtrack, but also about honoring the nostalgia and emotional connection people have with the original music.” He similarly does research as de Groot does: “Before I begin writing, I spend time listening to the original soundtrack again to get into the right mindset. I also ask for screenshots and lore background from the new regions to understand the story and emotional tone I need to convey.” Still, ASKII lets his own style shine through, especially as he has access to new technology: “The original soundtrack from 2002 used sampled instruments that don’t quite compare to modern libraries. That’s the biggest shift in sound. Some purists aren’t too fond of that–which I totally understand.”

As for whether or not working on mod soundtracks provided future opportunities, the results are mixed. De Groot found his work with Beyond Skyrim to be quite enriching. Aside from working with instruments and sounds and cultures he was unfamiliar with, most of his active clients were once developers on Beyond Skyrim. De Groot has had the opportunity to work on many other soundtracks on a smaller scale, on top of meeting several talented artists who’ve since made album covers for him. Berg has similarly had success, calling the gravity his project credit has “Overwhelming.” Berg has been interviewed by the BBC on his work, met musicians like Chrissy Taylor and Vela Farguharson, and started a small YouTube channel. “While I can’t say that the project has specifically been attributed to one opportunity or another,” he says, it has certainly launched my music career.” ASKII’s music was introduced to a broader audience through his work on Tamriel Rebuilt. “It’s become a meaningful part of my portfolio, and I feel honored to contribute to something with such legacy,” he said.

Portal

Portal mods are taking a similar path. Popular mods such as Portal Stories: Mel and Portal Reloaded both have their own unique soundtracks. Jared Poolaw collaborated with Ella Ayar for the soundtrack to the mod Portal Revolution, which released in 2024 on Steam to overwhelmingly positive reviews and adds an entirely new storyline independent of the base game of Portal 2.

Composing for Portal mods is a similarly challenging task, according to Jared Poolaw. Poolaw says the initial process of composing for Portal Revolution was “Surreal.” The project was intimidating at times and he admits, “There were many times where I felt like I bit off more than I could chew,” yet he adds, “I’m sure I wasn’t the only one thinking that.” Like other composers, Poolaw “tried to make sure every test chamber’s music sounded meditative and reminiscent of the first Portal’s soundtrack while also trying to mix in bits from Portal 2 and Half-Life.” Poolaw says his work on Portal Revolution has yet to open up any other opportunities so far, but says he’s glad to have it in his portfolio.

The Future

Most of the composers are in consensus — even more mods will have soundtracks in the future. Ran said his soundtrack is not the first and won’t be the last: “The barrier to entry is low enough now that getting paid for the work isn’t necessary any more, and streaming platforms like Spotify have made it easier to earn money than ever before, despite its drawbacks.” De Groot and Poolaw both agree that mod soundtracks will become more prevalent going forward and that working on one is one of the best ways for aspiring composers to get experience and build up a portfolio. “I think these kinds of modding projects are quite special and I’m glad to see them highlighted, specifically from an audio and music perspective,” said de Groot.

— J. Barnes

The post Beyond Skyrim: Mod Soundtracks appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Cozy vibe and pixel art style.

LOW Gameplay can get repetitive.

WTF How many eldritch monsters can fit in one lake?

From a background extra to the star of the show, Nice Day for Fishing introduces humble fisherman Baelin who embarks on an adventurous journey to save his town from evil. In developer Jake Mackenzie’s words, this “quadruple A title”, developed by the popular Youtube channel Viva La Dirt League blends fishing, fighting, and fighting while fishing into an entertaining and cozy RPG.

Viva La Dirt League are known for their short comedy skits, which imitate NPCs in games. A while back they released a short film centered around Baelin, who is known for his looped lines like “Morning!”, “Nice day for fishing, ain’t it!”, and the occasional “Uh-huh”. Baelin’s monotonous life is disrupted when a girl named Willow journeys with him across the fictional kingdom of Azerim. Along the way, Baelin becomes self aware and grows like a player.

Nice Day for Fishing is loosely based on Baelin’s adventures, and the player controls him as he goes around completing quests for recurring characters from skits like Greg the Garlic Farmer and Bodger and Blacksmith. These quests are focused on fishing, finding materials, and fighting bosses. The controls are entirely on keyboard, with interactions using the letter and arrow keys. (No mouse).

The highlight of Nice Day for Fishing is the combat/fishing system. When the player hooks a fish, they have a limited amount of time to attack using the letter “E”. After a while, the fish attacks and the player must press the letter “Q” with correct timing to avoid losing health. If the player’s health drops to 0, their line snaps and the fish escapes.

This simple idea is made more engaging thanks to special abilities and unique fish. The bosses in Nice Day for Fishing are amusing to battle, with just enough challenge to stay enjoyable while still making the player work for it. For example, there is a Kraken that can stun and throw projectiles. The player has to use consumables and abilities at the right time to negate these attacks and dish out damage of their own.

There’s also a progression system between fishing trips that keeps the game engaging. As Baelin completes quests, NPCs will reward him with gold which can be used to purchase new items like rods, bait, and cosmetics. In addition to stat upgrades, these unlock new types of fish to catch and new abilities.

Another focal point of Nice Day for Fishing is the story. Without giving too much away, Baelin’s journey captures the adventurous feeling a good RPG should have. From sun-drenched shores to shadowy forests, the map is full of entertaining moments and the player meets many new characters along the way, with most NPCs having backgrounds and questlines that extend the lore even more.

Nice Day for Fishing is designed using simple 2D pixel art, giving it a platformer feel. The graphics are not focused on realism, but are instead used to create charm. The colors are detailed perfectly, and the lighting and background changes depending on the scene. These small details give Nice Day for Fishing a great atmosphere and an appealing visual style. The environmental design is also something that impressed me because the ecosystems and creatures are visually distinct, making it feel like I was entering new landscapes, even when I didn’t move much on the map.

Audio isn’t a major focus, but it’s solid enough. Hearing the Viva La Dirt League members voice their own characters is a pleasant addition for fans of the channel.

Nice Day for Fishing has clear strengths, it’s funny, unique, and charming. However, it can suffer from repetition since the fishing can get tedious. As the player progresses, fish only get harder to reel in, causing button mashing that sometimes lasts minutes. Also, although the environments are great, the map feels a bit limited due to the fact that I ended up visiting the same places over and over again. Lastly, story progression is a bit slow. Some of the quests felt like filler material and didn’t do much to advance the overall plot.

Nice Day for Fishing is a great mixture of humor, adventure, and chill vibes. If the player is a fan of Viva La Dirt League, there’s also many easter eggs and references to enjoy. However, even if they’re not, Nice Day for Fishing is still a lighthearted RPG adventure – just don’t expect anything too deep.

Rating: 7 out of 10

— Eddie Guo

Buy Nice Day For Fishing – PC – PS5 – Switch

Disclosures: This game is developed by FusionPlay and published by Team17. It is currently available on PC, Switch and PS5. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 8 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T and contains fantasy violence, language, mild blood, and suggestive themes. The player kills wildlife, fights monsters, and there is mild blood depicted in some fights.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers:  This game offers subtitles that cannot be altered or resized. Audio is mainly supplementary and does not directly affect gameplay, important dialogue is displayed on screen. I’d call this one fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. This game does not offer a controller map diagram, but the W,A,S,D, and space keys are used to move and the arrow and letter keys interact.

The post Nice Day For Fishing Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Incredible attention to detail with great graphics and unique building types.

LOW A janky camera and constant bugs.

WTF Why is it so easy to bribe officials?!

Pax Augusta isn’t quite a spectacular Roman triumph, but it is certainly a valiant effort from a solo developer that could earn the admiration of city-building fans. In this title, the player takes on the life of a minor Roman official climbing their way to riches by managing colonies. While the detail and ambition is impressive, Pax Augusta suffers from bugs and technical frustrations that hold it back. However, with some polishing, Pax Augusta could rise like Rome itself.

The underlying premise of Pax Augusta is to build a Roman city from the ground up using structures such as houses, gardens, and temples. The core gameplay is about citizen and resource management. Expanding too quickly leads to resource shortages, so Pax Augusta prioritizes slow and steady growth, as opposed to rapid construction. The idea is extremely promising, and paired with a well-known historical period, the immersion aspect is exceptional. Pax Augusta, at its heart, feels like an old-school city-builder
utilizing the iconic Roman setting.

Diving into the positives, the building mechanics are well-implemented and the graphics are riveting. The main goal is to increase population to obtain more wealth and reputation, allowing the player to rise in the ranks of Roman nobility. Players can do things like build, manage food and production, and trade.
The town ‘layer’ is where the main gameplay happens, but there’s also an outer map that allows the player to buy resources from other villages and move around the Roman empire. The progression from a village to a town is satisfying, and milestones are marked with new building unlocks and higher class citizens. The needs and design system also balances challenge and enjoyability. Citizen satisfaction is based on how happy people feel in their home, which is influenced by variables like access to food, water, and distance from the town center.

A unique mechanic cities offer is a forum, which is essentially a town hall. As the player gains more population, the forum needs to expand, and elements like calendars and shrines can be added. Additionally, the forum is built square by square, and with a variety of choices, the player has a lot of room to let their creativity run wild and build authentic architecture.

The graphics and art style in Pax Augusta are great. The design leans heavily towards realism, with a good veneer of authenticity. White-marbled temples and wooden market stalls amplify the feel of a Roman town, and buildings stand out and are easily identified, even when close to each other. The world map depicts a grassy landscape with paved roads and markers that make navigating clear and organized.
Unfortunately, Pax Augusta is held back by potentially game-breaking bugs.

First of all, the camera is janky. It constantly glitches or freezes when the screen moves, and it gave me a bit of a headache moving around. Also, when loading the map, it took a long time to render the buildings, causing stuttering and glitching before eventually crashing. The story mode has a bug where if the player leaves their town to go to the world map, the questline is broken – this happened to me multiple times, and I was never able to get past the third quest in the story.

The user interface is clean, and the tutorial does a decent job of explaining how each button works, but there are some mechanics that are overly complex. For instance, to put on a show, the player has to construct a theater, construct a shrine and pay augurs to reveal the omens, and then hire a theater company from the world map before finally being able to choose a compatible month to display a performance. Mechanics like these largely discourage the player from building specific buildings because the effects they have are negligible compared to the hassle it takes to pull them off.

The senate (spoiler: it’s me) has deliberated on Pax Augusta and sees a lot of potential. The building effects are well developed and its fundamental mechanics prove to be entertaining. The graphics are also a positive talking point, creating a realistic feel that can transport the player a few thousand years back. However, Pax Augusta – at the time of review – remains incredibly unpolished and riddled with bugs, some of them which simply can’t be ignored. It’s clear that the developer put time and passion into this
project, and if the bugs can be ironed out, it will be a solid title for history and city-builder fans to enjoy.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10

— Eddie Guo

Buy Pax Augusta – PC

Disclosures: This game is developed by Roger Gassmann and published by Senatis. It is currently available on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 7 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: This has not been rated by ESRB. There are mentions of slavery, but as expected for a city-builder, there is very little violence, gore, or cursing. The main focus is on strategic development which makes this game suitable for most ages.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has no dialogue and everything is communicated with big text boxes that cannot be altered/resized. There are no necessary audio cues. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.

The post Pax Augusta Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.