XBOX One Archives - GeeksHaveGame

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021

THE GHGAMER AWARDS [Best Video Games of 2021]: Power Your Dreams.

1. Returnal (PS5) – This is both critically and personally my GOTY 2021. Its sound design, smooth gunplay, diverse environments, eerie music, and ambiguous narrative all made this game feel new generation. Of all the games with dual sense and 3d audio integration, Returnal by far makes the best use of it. Most importantly, it’s innovative — mashing together rogue-like, metroidvania, bullet hell, and third person shooter elements together in a way that feels intuitive, satisfying, and challenging. It’s story and lore will keep players analyzing and theorizing for years to come. – 4.75-5/5

2. It Takes Two (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – Hazelight Studios are quickly becoming the holy grail of co-op games. If a free friend pass and coach co-op didn’t sell you, It Takes Two offers a whimsical experience where working together is applied to both gameplay and narrative. There’s so many mechanics and at play making every second of this game feel refreshing and hella fun. – 4.75-5/5

3. Resident Evil VIIIage (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – Capcom could release a Resident Evil game annually and always fall in my top 10 GOTY. The RE Engine excels at making environments creepy, yet beautiful. Resi 8 mashed up gameplay from Resi 7 and Resi 4, but only the first half of the game shined. It’s also a narrative mess, but I still enjoyed exploring. Especially Lady D’s boo….I mean, castle. – 4.25/5

4. Psychonauts 2 (Xbox Family) – This is Creativity: The Game. A narrative about bonds and mental health that’s perfectly woven into gameplay, where a person’s brain becomes the canvas for top notch level design. Every collectible and color scheme is intentional. No two brain levels feel the same, making this gameplay absolutely refreshing. I also really dig the 90s colorful cartoon art style. The combat does still remain somewhat clunky, but this is more a game about puzzle solving and exploration. It’s nice to see a game foster discussion for mental health, in a way that isn’t so heavy. – 4.25/5

5. Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS4&5, PC) – An animation team comes together and makes their debut game a banger. Ember Labs created a beautiful and serene game that has cute little creatures following you at all times. The story and characters don’t stand out, but the puzzles and gameplay are really fun. Who knew a game with a Pixar skin could be this sweaty on normal mode. Playing it again on Master Difficulty only gave me a deeper appreciation for Kena‘s unforgiving combat. The difficulty scaling is a bit imbalanced and there’s no NG+, but at least there’s an easy mode if you just want to chill. I can’t wait to see Ember Labs next game and how this studio grows. – 3.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Marvels Guardians of the Galaxy, Metroid Dread, Death’s Door, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

-Dee Assassina

1. Halo Infinite (Xbox Family) – Choosing between Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 was incredibly difficult. But while Horizon has the upper hand with the graphics (over pretty much any game this year), Halo has the added advantage of having a campaign, a strong, emotional component, and possibly the only other multi-player that can beat FH5. – 5/5

2. Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Family) – I’m lowkey hating naming this #2 and kinda wanna just make a tie for first, but.. moving along! The highest reviewed game of the year did not disappoint. As usual, the series just keeps surpassing itself in every way possible. As stated above, the only reason Halo edged it out was the incredible campaign… It also helps that we see FH a hell of a lot more often than Halo. – 5/5

3. The Artful Escape (Xbox Family, iOS) – This was an unexpected, gorgeous surprise. Visually unlike anything you’ve seen before. I wrote a review, go check it out (God knows nobody did the first time around). – 4.5/5

4. Scarlet Nexus (PS4/5, Xbox Family, PC) – The downside? Not nearly enough of the fantastic, fun combat. The upside? Pretty much everything else. Go check out Dee’s review. – 4.25/5

5. Fights in Tight Spaces (Xbox Family) – Rogue deck builders are pretty much a dime a dozen. I adore them, but there are a lot out there. If you were to put RDB’s in a river and throw a stone, there’d be a 99% you’d hit one with a fantasy setting and monsters– which is probably why this one hooked me so much. The story is paper-thin: you’re an agent tasked with taking down criminal organizations with your fists. And kicks. And blocks, counters, defenses, knives, and grapples. All is in a minimalist 3D style and environments that’ll remind you of Superhot. Definitely check it out if you like the genre. – 4/5

Honorable Mentions: Forgone, Tales of Arise, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, The Ascent, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut.

-Felipe Crespo

1. Returnal (PS5) – “There are lessons to be learned in death.” Nothing encapsulates this quote more than what my GOTY, Returnal taught me through my 4+ playthroughs. As soon as Selene stepped foot on the planet Atropos, I knew that I was playing something special with the term “Feel the rain” finally coming to life. Procedurally generated room layouts and random loot pool made every run of this rogue-like different, fun, and challenging. Thus, learning enemy attack patterns, jumping and dashing over and through waves, and explosions of colorful particle effects during combat felt incredibly satisfying. Housemarque really pulled a rabbit out of the hat with this one and I cannot wait to see where they take it next. – 4.75/5

2. It Takes Two (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – This is as close to co-op perfection as it gets. The game mixes in so many genres and ideas with every puzzle and encounter cleverly designed in such a way that “It Takes Two” to solve. If you have anyone close in your life, be it a significant other, offspring, or friend you owe it to both to take them along for this thrilling, funny, and at times very disturbing ride. And with a genius feature like “Friend’s-pass” you really have no excuse. – 4.75/5

3. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5) – How does Insomniac do it? There’s no denying their very strong output of AAA games over the last couple of years and it only seems like it’s ramping up. Rift Apart is a great showcase for what the PS5 hardware is capable of and the game delivers with visuals looking truly impressive. Combat has also been enhanced by adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and 3D audio all adding layers of immersion that make you feel and hear your surroundings. Ratchet feels like playing a cartoon movie featuring well-written characters, with the Rivet and Kit backstory being especially good. – 4.75/5

4. Resident Evil VIIIage (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – The Resident Evil formula was shaken up once again following the excellent Resident Evil 7: Biohazard with the protagonist role being “handed” over to Ethan Winters. Featuring a new setting, enemy types and a fresh cast of characters, gamers all over the world didn’t know whether to be scared or “excited” when Lady Dimetrescu made her large appearance on-screen. And the scariest gaming moment of 2021 has to go to House Beneviento, fuck that place! – 4.5/5

5. Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS4&5, PC) – Have you ever played a game that you just wanted to live inside? This is how I felt about the wonderful world of Kena: Bridge of Spirits with its hobbit-like village houses and cute little Rot creatures that trail behind you and offer assistance in solving puzzles or playfully pose around on nearby objects. Animation, art, and character designs are expertly done and it’s easy to see Ember Lab’s background in cinema animation. But don’t let all the cuteness fool you into thinking this is an easy game, the combat and boss fights can be torturous at times yet very satisfying when you nail down your moves and combos. – 4.25/5

Honorable Mentions: Little Nightmares 2, Subnautica: Below Zero, Inscyption.

-Neil Nessa Smith

1. Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Family) – I essentially purchased a Halo Special Edition Xbox Series X and Halo Special Edition Elite Wireless 2 Controller to play.. Forza Horizon 5 on Game Pass. No lie, kids. As much spin as I’ve gotten with my #3 GOTY (16+ hours, 48% completion), I’ve had nearly a day of race-time with FH5, the best reviewed and arguably best looking video game of 2021. 500+ pretty cars and wondrous, often breathtaking Mexican landscapes aside, I view this “racer” as so much more than.. views. No, Forza is a lifestyle. Horizon is a place to chill, be with A.I. Drivatars or other folks online — the ultimate pick-up-and-play game when you’ve got a few minutes to drive and not hours to trench; but if you have the time, I promise you’ll never feel the loss of any with Forza Horizon 5. (P.S. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m currently binge-watching the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico.) – 5/5

2. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5) – The year’s most underrated game has an 88% Metacritic score and a 96% approval rate on Google. Yeah, Insomniac’s long-awaited follow-up to Ratchet & Clank is phenomenal. Rift Apart is a now-gen console game-changer that fully utilizes the PS5’s arguable best component, the DualSense controller. Haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, 3D audio– it’s all wonderful. And the game’s dimensional shifts seamlessly showcase the PlayStation 5’s powerful SSD. With zanily colorful weapons and even more colorful characters and story beats — essentially delivering a Pixaresque movie to video game form — this is a game that should wind up on more Top 5 lists. – 4.75/5

3. Halo Infinite (Xbox Family) – Can easily be my #1 or #2. Hell, it’s Halo’s righteous return to glory! Essentially what Destiny has always wanted to be, with gunplay that feels nearly as great as that Bungie (O.G. Halo devs) franchise; but a far more interesting, concentrated story arc: 20 years of The Master Chief, John 117. Infinite’s open world environment allows for supreme freedom, especially with that new Grapple Hook– it’s just the greatest. So are HI‘s splendid 4K visuals, terrific voice acting (especially Jen Taylor as The Weapon/Cortana), challenging-but-not-impossible boss battles, super militaristic stronghold battles with the Banished, and vehicular traversing that surprisingly won’t make you throw your controller. Oh, the MP is great too, thanks to the option of playing with just bots! – 4.75/5

4. Guilty Gear -Strive- (PS4&5, PC) – GVO 2021’s main evento! As many of you who’ve followed the Geekdom Gamescast/video games department over here at GHG know, the GVO fighting game tournament is very, very important to me. Hell, I hosted the tournament on my birthday during a pandemic. As the first fighting game made for next-gen consoles, -Strive- was a big part of that, and damn does it look ultra eye-pleasing on the PS5. This specific Guilty Gear’s appeal extends to both button-mashing casuals and longtime vets of the franchise. My biggest issue with the game? Unlike GG’s cousin BlazBlue, you can’t fight during the 4.5-hour story campaign. Yeah, that dumb. Still, GGS‘s high metal soundtrack, 4K animations, wildly lively stage backgrounds, and damned near fucking flawless ArcSystem fight mechanics are enough to earn this Top 5 spot. – 4.5/5

5. Deathloop (PS5) – I paid $25 for this. I love Black Friday. Don’t you, too? Much like Guardians of the Galaxy, if it weren’t for the 1-2 Xbox exclusive punch of Forza and Halo, I’d be all over this. Super love the Dishonored-meets-Grindhouse aesthetic, and Jason E. Kelley’s performance as Colt Vahn might be my fav video game voice acting of 2021. If you dig Arkane Studios, don’t sleep on this. – 4.25-4.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Persona 5 Strikers, Wrestling Empire, Tales of Arise.

Special Shout-Out: Mass Effect: The Legendary Collection.

-Travis Moody

1. Metroid Dread (Nintendo Switch) – A masterpiece from top to bottom, Metroid Dread is like a souped up mix of Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion with slick graphics and a buttery smooth 60fps. The controls are rock solid, and that’s a good thing, because this is one of the hardest action platformers I have played in a long time. No boss fight ever felt unfair, and the feeling of accomplishment after you finally kick their ass is amazing. With some of the best graphics to be found on the Switch and a kicking rad soundtrack, this was my favorite gaming experience this year. – 5/5

2. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (PS5, Xbox Family, PC) – A hilarious and quite frankly, jacked up RPG where the only monsters you battle are the ones in your own mind. You play as a junkie detective who went on a bender so intense that he experienced ego loss. No need to fret though, you can create his new personality from scratch and bend it to your will! Full of witty writing, talking ties, and really uncomfortable folding chairs. Oh and disco. Lots of disco. – 5/5

3. It Takes Two (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – Marriage counseling as a two player co-op game! Brought to you by the developers of 2018’s A Way Out, this is a split-screen game that lets two people play together online or in person with couch co-op. Two bickering parents get turned into dolls by a mysterious spell and they have to brave the dangers of their house to get back to their daughter to break the curse. The level design is inspired and even if one player isn’t a seasoned gamer everything is intuitive enough where they can still have a great time! – 4.5/5

4. Everhood (Switch) – One of those artsy fartsy indie games and I loved every second of it! The most obvious comparison is gonna be Undertale (because of the aesthetic) but it’s definitely its own thing. It’s an adventure/rhythm game where you battle strange creatures by dance fighting! The music is fantastic; I would definitely buy this OST. The story is very philosophical, as the entire game is a meditation on death and the afterlife (though not really religious in a specific sense). It’s mostly lighthearted but with a dark nougat center. Super trippy game. – 4/5

5. Astro’s Playroom (PS5) – Officially from 2020, but those lucky enough to score a PS5 this year are very likely familiar with this game– it’s free and automatically downloads to your system the minute you set it up. For a free game the quality is outstanding and it is one of the best ways to get used to all the functions on Sony’s Dualsense controller. It’s also a fun trip through Sony’s history and the music and graphics are top notch! – 4/5

-Michelle Kisner

1. Returnal (PS5) – Housemarque knocked it out of the park in their first game for the PlayStation 5, and the first big showcase title for the console. You’ll die a lot and be so frustrated with this bullet hell rougelike, but with each death there’s things you’ll learn for your next trial and progression to your weapons to help push you a little bit further and let you playing. It’s definitely not a game for everyone, but anyone that likes rougelikes needs to give Returnal a shot. – 4.75/5

2. Deathloop (PS4&5, PC) – A welcome surprise after previews and conferences that underwhelmed. But this ended up being one of the most satisfying and fun games to come out this year. Players will gather abilities to help best navigate areas, collect new weapons, find and piece together clues about targets, and figure out what loadout works best. It all gels together wonderfully ..making you want to get as creative as possible in your execution (literally). – 4.5/5

3. Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Family) – I don’t care for racing games. At all. But after giving the game a try (Thank you Game Pass!), it is such an easily accessible game! A stunning one to look at too. An open world racing game where you have a multitude of races or challenges to take part of and a million different cars, avatar clothes, etc. to collect. And it’s all at your own pace. It’s taken the place of Animal Crossing as my “pick up and play whenever” game. – 4.5/5

4. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – Yet another welcome surprise. What could have easily been Square/Disney making a quick buck off of the name, GotG captures the same magic of the movies. All the personalities are there with a memorable story, and your choices throughout the game impact how portions of the story unravel. Gameplay has you filling in Starlord’s shoes as you’ll shoot and use abilities to take down does, as well as directing your 4 other members in combat, which can be a juggling act at times. It’s a fairly linear game, but this is a clear example that sometimes the best games/stories are played that way. – 4.5/5

5. Resident Evil VIIIage (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – The latest entry in the RE franchise is up there with the best in the series. I was a huge fan of RE7 going back to it’s more horror oriented roots. Despite being skeptical, Village manages to maintain the atmospheric horror of the previous game and inject a healthy dose of the refined action from RE4/RE5 into it’s veins. The tension never lets up and neither did the action. It’s a consistent adrenaline rush all the way to the credits, and even beyond those. Any fan of the horror genre shouldn’t miss this. – 4.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Metroid Dread, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

-Matt Robb

1. Lost Judgment (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – Every idea that RGG studio has had over the last 15-years seems to have been perfected this time out, with the best beat ’em up combat to date. With an ungodly amount of content to tackle, the heart of Lost Judgement is still within its story. And RGG shows a lot of courage, dealing with a very hot button issue in Japan and the world over right now – Bullying. Does it hit its mark all the time with the story? No, but more often than not the story left me speechless and admiring the direction they took with it. Don’t sleep on maybe the best game-playing experience I had all year.. maybe in the last few years, as well. – 5/5

2. Metroid Dread (Switch) – Samus is Back! And that is awesome! This was the game we all hoped it would be when Nintendo announced it earlier this year. From start to finish it is an amazing experience and easily showcases that no one does “Metroidvania” quiet like the people who put the Metroid in the well ya know… Man, just everything here is perfect to me and (yet only 2!?) the combat is just so much fun; Dread feels like stepping back into shoes you thought you outgrew but find they still fit perfectly. The setting, the lore, the story, the team behind this went above and beyond to craft just a magical experience. Don’t listen to the naysayers who say it is too hard; it can be overcome! – 5/5

3. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (Switch, PS4, PC) – Here I come with my Dark Horse pick. Ys is one of the best action RPG franchises out there, and even at its worst it is pretty damn good. What we got in Monstrum Nox is just the most fluid and responsive action RPG combat ever, with a really deep and rewarding story that kept me playing just out of what the hell would happen next?! And seriously, easily the best soundtrack of 2021 to me. (Go give a listen to Cloaca Maxima on YouTube or something…) Really would love to hear more people give this game a check out on my recommendation. You will not be disappointed. – 4.75/5

4. Shin Megami Tensei V (Switch) – About as perfect to an RPG as I have ever played recently, Atlus has done nothing but improve their series over the last decade and this feels like the ultimate creation of those improvements. All the quality of life upgrades they have put into their games, all the streamlines, it is all here. But it all feels new again. Combat is as fun and challenging as ever and the story as deep and dark as always. Not only is SMTV the best of the franchise, it is also one of the best RPGs ever crafted. – 4.75/5

5. Resident Evil VIIIage (PS4&5, Xbox Family, PC) – A great follow-up to Resident Evil 7, Village feels in a lot of ways like a natural continuation to the series, as if RE7 was the return to survival horror the fan’s wanted while VII feels like another visit to RE4. Almost everything about the presentation screamed love letter to 4 and that isn’t a bad thing. From some great set pieces and some truly horrifying things, Resident Evil Village is a great experience that never overstays its welcome. – 4.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Hitman 3, Inscryption, Rogue Lords, Dyson Sphere Program, Valheim, Death’s Door, Loop Hero.

-Keiko Fukoyama

***GHG’S OVERALL 2021 GAMES OF THE YEAR***

1. Returnal

2. Forza Horizon 5

3. Metroid Dread

4. Halo Infinite

5. It Takes Two

Honorable Mentions: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Resident Evil VIIIage, Deathloop, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

Featured image courtesy of Polygon.

December 9, 2021December 17, 2021

HALO INFINITE [Review]: Return of the King.

First off, thank you all for your patience in waiting as long as you all have for this review. Typically I’m up day and night, grinding for completion into the wee hours of the night to get something out as quickly as possible. Alas, I took my time. I savored the experience. I played multiplayer. I wanted to really dive into the game and get what I wanted to get out of it, and I was absolutely glad I did…

By saying “it’s like X, but Y” isn’t always the best way to review something; but in this case, it really applies given the context of not just the subject matter itself, but the game industry in general. Given recent releases in both the Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises, the oft touted “Halo Killers” in the FPS genre, I can’t help but also take a look at those titles and reflect on those experiences compared to what we have in Halo Infinite. Call of Duty: Vanguard is a decent, solid C+ experience, that doesn’t really think outside the box, and is more or less forgettable outside of a handful of halfway decent moments in the campaign. I haven’t heard too much about the Warzone: Pacific mode, but that comes as no surprise either– as I’m sure it’s really just more of the same. Battlefield 2042 tried something “different” and it’s a disappointment on a scale I can’t even quantify. It’s fun in some regards, but it’s not Battlefield. It’s a buggy, clunky, unbalanced mess.

So what was 343 and Microsoft going to offer? Halo Infinite’s development cycle and early release demos left a lot to be desired, and left many scratching their heads or rolling their eyes thinking they might be let down yet again by another crappy Halo game. I’m here to say, unequivocally.. that this is not the case. From the opening moments to the end credits, I was hooked. They got it right. No more convoluted story, no more completely out of character moments, no more shoe-horned in characters no one asked for. Just Chief, his AI, lots of enemies to kill, and plenty of intrigue that we have come to love from the original trilogy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUD1IxXhfHQ

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that 343 set out to recapture the nostalgia from those of us who fell in love with the original trilogy of games (I do consider ODST and Reach to be a part of that trilogy– so I guess, quintet?). One can’t help but feel a familiarity to the best moments and beats from the O.G. Halo experiences that most of us grew up playing. Is it recycled? No, Halo Infinite is definitely fresh, only with the right sprinkling of nostalgia where appropriate.

I’m a Halo Lore fiend. From the books, to the comics and the movies, I have been extremely interested in the story that Bungie created and 343 Industries inherited. Where Halo 4 and 5 were arguably missteps, Halo Infinite’s story falls right in line with what you might expect from a franchise that hopefully has grown up with its audience. It’s very dark at times, and really (I mean really) showcases the human side of the hero we all know as Master Chief. We get to know “John” a little bit more. That’s not to say he’s different in any way shape or form, it’s just that there are certain pauses in his dialogue, little nuances in the direction of the cinematic that really make you remember that he’s fully a person inside that suit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7-iz_uLV-E

All the guilt, all the times that John has perceived himself as a failure, and all the subtleties that you might not have experienced before come to the forefront in Infinite. It makes this Spartan commando’s path all the more intriguing. John’s narrative is definitely not melodramatic or corny either. 343 nails what it might be like for someone who has experienced tremendous loss and torment, only to keep rising, keep moving forward, and keep fighting— a lesson that we can all take something from in this current day and age. As someone who has been on this ride with Chief since I was 17, I really feel those moments, and applaud the writers for taking the time to craft a heart wrenching and a story full of emotion.

What about the open world though? If I have a criticism of the game, it’s that there is a pretty noticeable shift in the feel and the stakes when it comes to the open world aspect. When you’re in a story mission, you know it. Each mission is very well crafted, paced exquisitely, and delivers on nearly every level. The open world falls into the same trappings of every open world game to date: go here, liberate point A, reveal stuff on the map, kill targets, take down base, rinse and repeat. That’s it. I’m not going to knock it, because it actually works. It’s not overwhelming, I appreciate the “approach the objective in whatever way you see fit” feel of it, but it’s just a little lifeless and rote, compared to the actual story missions.

I absolutely enjoyed the idea of loading up my warthog or razorback with a bunch of salty Marines, driving to my objective and seeing how many I could keep alive during my mission, hoping to return back to base with all souls accounted for. If I felt it necessary, I’d spawn my own Scorpion tank (I love these) and lay waste to countless enemies as if I was literal hell on wheels. If I had a High Value Target to take down, why not take my trusty sniper rifle, get a good vantage point and dust them before they even knew they were dead? I loved the freedom, I loved the idea that I could play Halo “my” way. That’s why the open world was so fun and engaging despite not having the same sense of urgency as the main story. For you explorers out there, you won’t be disappointed as there are tons of nooks and crannies to explore on Installation 07, just waiting to be found.

Without touching into heavy spoiler territory, Halo Infinite does everything it can to address the events of Halo 5 but also completely shift course away from that game. There’s a little hand-waving at play here, but it’s explained as you progress further into the story, and it makes more and more sense as you uncover more secrets and information about how the narrative ended up here. It’s slightly confusing at first, and without any other familiar characters to anchor the player to the previous entries, it’s very much a mystery. If you haven’t played Halo Wars 2, you might be asking who the hell are The Banished? What’s an Atriox? Why are these Brutes and Elites working with each other? All these questions are more or less answered in game and through collectible audio logs, but if you want more information on these topics, there are legions of YouTube channels dedicated to Halo lore (my personal pick is the channel “Installation 00”).

Halo Infinite succeeds where the other pretenders to the crown of King of the FPS Genre fail miserably. While not perfect, this game not only offers a polished, well-executed experience that is absolutely aligned with my high expectations of the franchise, but attempts something new and delivered. I wish I could go into more detail about the story, but it’s worth it to experience for yourself. It’s absolutely heartbreaking at times, but it’s hopeful, and sets the stage for far more to come and I am absolutely here for it. Master Chief has absolutely returned in a big way here, and he finished the fight. 4.75-5/5 Delta Whiskeys.

-Dan Witt

February 1, 2021

THE MEDIUM [Review]: Bloobers and Blunders.

Bloober Team offers gamers yet another horror game following their previous releases of Blair Witch and Layers of Fear 1 & 2. This time, the concept proposed an upside-down world similar to Stranger Things, where you’ll be playing in between two parallel worlds. My curiosity peaked of how this concept would be implemented into gameplay, and thus The Medium became part of my top 10 most anticipated games. After spending a weekend playing this game, it fell way below my expectations…

The Medium offers a decent narrative experience, so grab some popcorn and have a friend watch along. You’ll be spending eight or so hours trying to figure out what’s going on in this mysterious world. This is primarily a narrative experience with puzzles and no real combat. It’s most closely related to games like Until Dawn, but with way less action.

You’ll be playing as Marianne who is the medium, meaning she has access to the world of the living and the world of the dead. She receives a call from a mysterious man who insists she meet him at this run down, abandoned, Soviet Union resort called The Niwa Resort. This man seems to know a lot about Marianne, but we don’t know how or why. You spend the bulk of the game using your parallel world abilities to navigate through the resort and figure out what’s going on.

I spent the entire game trying to get answers. Every time I got an answer, I had more questions. This game is a mystery and most of the information will be revealed in notes and data points called Echoes. I found this method of story-telling to take away from what seemed to be a good story. Echoes created a somewhat sloppy and disjointed narrative experience. I don’t mind when notes and voice data are used to supplement information and create world-building, but when it’s one of the main methods of story-telling, I get a bit turned off. I was only engaged in the story because it kept me guessing what was next and why.

The story kept it hooks in me but the gameplay is a bit of a roller-coaster. You play in a fixed camera perspective, which made some of the puzzle solving, run-away segments, and stealth sections less immersive. I think video games as a medium (haha) have moved away from the fixed camera perspective because if its visual limitations, slow paced movement, and clunky traversal. Several times I got frustrated because the fixed camera perspective made it impossible to see what needed to be done– thus limiting The Medium‘s potential instead of accentuating it. It made a game that has advanced graphics and a unique gameplay concept feel held back by an archaic system. I would love to see this concept revamped with a free flow camera perspective.

I thought I’d be able to transfer between the worlds at will, but it can only be done in scripted segments. In these segments, the screen will be split in half and each world will have its own items and paths. For this reason, you’ll need to pay attention to both sides of the screen and switch accordingly to proceed. This concept is used as a narrative piece and a way to solve puzzles, and you’ll be able to transfer your soul to the spirit world for a limited time. For example, you’ll often need to power up some generator and to do so you’ll need to gather energy from the spirit world to activate power for an elevator or light switch. Initially, you have to keep switching back and forth between both worlds or else your soul gets consumed forever AKA you die.

However, in later parts of the game your ability allows you to stay in the spirit world for longer. As unique as this concept is, sometimes the split-screen function gave me a headache or simply became frustrating to manage, but I think the main contributing factor to that is the fixed camera angle. This gameplay loop felt interesting initially, but quickly became stale. At a certain point, I just wanted to rush through to experience the next narrative beat.

Even the atmosphere felt a bit uninspired. An abandoned resort sounds like a dope environment for a horror game but it lacked detail. Often each world had a grey, blue, green, red or orange filter over it and there weren’t many environmental details to make it feel much like a resort. I just felt like I was exploring a generic building until I reached the parts filled with dead bodies everywhere. I didn’t enjoy exploring the resort as much as I hoped. What saved the atmosphere is the music score and sound design, which definitely felt unsettling. It’s no surprise that the sound design is a strong point for Bloober Team and it’s definitely the strongest element in The Medium. Although this game doesn’t have the most impressive graphics, it’s still a major leap for Bloober Team to make a game look this good.

The Medium feels like a disappointment for the first Xbox Series X exclusive title and for a game that has a unique concept. It’s hard to believe that this is the first exclusive game to the new console. Although this feels like a step back for this new generation of gaming, The Medium is undoubtably a leap ahead for Bloober Team. The potential for this title could’ve gone so much further if it did away with the fixed camera angles and offered more environmental details. The developers cling on to elements in games that feel archaic in 2021 (e.g. slow movement across ledges, drawn out beam balancing, fixed camera), which sincerely holds the game back from being great. The nice graphics, unique concept, mysterious narrative, and sound design made playing The Medium not feel like a complete waste of time. Had this game not been available on Games Pass at no extra cost, I would’ve definitely been upset. Therefore, I do not recommend even trying The Medium unless you have that service. 2.5/5 Bibles.

-Dee Assassina

January 14, 2021January 14, 2021

GEEKDOM GAMESCAST [Episode 31]: Gods of More — Our Most Anticipated Games.

After a brief holiday hiatus, your gaming go-to dudes — host Myke Ladiona and Travis Moody — return to talk about what they’ve been playing, their Best Games of 2020, and their Most Anticipated Titles for 2021 and 2022 (because delays are inevitable).

Welcome back to the Gamescast and Happy New Gaming Year!

December 29, 2020

THE GAMESCAST AWARDS [Best Video Games of 2020]: Yeah, About That..

Ten members of the Geekdom Gamescast family select-start-A-B their Top 3 GOTY with honorable mentions. So let’s get to, and don’t forget to scroll down for our overall consensus GHG 2020 Game of the Year!

1. The Last of Us Part II (PlayStation 4) – I had so much to say about this game we recorded two different Gamescast episodes about it, and when I look back, I still wish I could play it again for the first time. I was pretty hesitant about a sequel to the 2013 PS3 masterpiece, but by the end this sequel both justified its existence while opening up the world even more with a thematic punch that can only really be executed in the form of a video game, forcing you to keep playing through horrific situations and literally put yourself in the shoes of your enemy. On top of that Naughty Dog continues to bring the tense combat scenarios and harrowing set pieces, including the most notable boss battle of the year. – 5/5

2. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – While almost 75% of the movie blockbusters that were supposed to come out this year were pushed back, Square Enix made up for it by releasing maybe the most exciting sci-fan blockbuster in any medium to come out in a very long time — as noted by yours truly in quite a few Gamescast episodes. The lovable characters, memorable moments, and mostly polished game design all adds up to be the most fun you can have had in an ARPG this year. – 4.75/5

More or less everyone’s quarantine. Literally.

3. *TIE* Doom Eternal (Xbox One/PS4/PC/Nintendo Switch/Google Stadia) / Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – When it comes to what I like about video games, these two titles are almost polar opposites. With it’s excellent combat-puzzle hybrid gameplay, Doom Eternal was by far the sweatiest single player experience I had this year— to the point where I got so hyper focused it was a transcendent, out of body experience (where I didn’t need VR). On the other end of the spectrum Ghosts was beautifully immersive in its expansiveness and immersion. While it didn’t bring any one new thing to the table, it did mostly everything so well that it was hard to put down. – 4.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Hades, Call of Duty: Warzone, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Remake, Star Wars Squadrons.

-Myke Ladiona

1. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – The anticipation and hype surrounding this highly loved JRPG title was unreal and luckily it exceeded my expectations. I could barely put down the controller once I got hooked, a true masterpiece! The wait for Square Enix to grace us with the “sequel” to this epic story continues. Without a doubt my favorite single-player game of 2020 and that says a lot, as 2020 had lots of heavy hitters in the single-player/story category. A game no-one should miss out on. – 4.5/5

2. Valorant (PC) – My #2 pick sees a highly competitive team-based 5v5 sci-fi/fantasy first-person shooter title from the same company that brought us League of Legends. Even back in Alpha build this felt more polished and finished than its competitors– a brilliantly executed multiplayer game that rewards tactics, pure skill and communication. Valorant borrows elements from popular games like Counter-Strike and Overwatch. Its free-to-play model makes it very accessible and with non-intrusive cosmetics microtransactions that doesn’t alter the fine-tuned gameplay. Oh! It also runs well on a wide range of hardware. – 4.5/5

We made a list and now everyone’s gunnin’ for us!

3. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) – A sequel we really didn’t need and it didn’t achieve the same level of greatness with the story and how it was told compared to their first game, but it’s still one of the better single-player games released this year. Naughty Dog always deliver with the packaging, a visually stunning game that takes you on a journey that plays on all the heartstrings along the way. For better and worse. – 4.25/5

Honorable Mentions: Ghost of Tsushima, Call of Duty: Warzone, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Remake, Desperados III.

-Daniel Sorenson

1. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) – It’s no surprise that the sequel to my favorite game of all time winds up in the number one slot. Although it didn’t blow me away as much as the original, it still slipped the rug from under me, in a very brilliant way. This game took a narrative risk thus creating divisive reception, and I respect Naughty Dog for that. This is going to be a game that people will revisit in their 30’s and have a completely different outlook on. It’s no surprise that Naughty Dog checked all the marks with this one: graphics, sound design, music score, gameplay, combat, and especially narrative. I’m not here to tell you it’s extremely polished in all avenues. This is my number one because it made me pensive, fostered conversations on morality, and demonstrated how gaming as a medium can take advantage of the high level of immersion it offers. – 4.75/5

2. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – When everyone else was experiencing a high level of zen and joy from Animal Crossing, I was having the same exact experience with Ghost of Tsushima. Tsushima is one of the most beautiful worlds I ever explored and following the wind direction or a cute animal to my next destination was a treat. Yet this game wasn’t all pretty and rainbows, as the story is very good with some dark themes. Ghost takes elements from games like Assassin’s Creed and somehow creates the Assassin’s Creed game we have been asking for in a Feudal Japan setting– except better. Although TLOU 2 is more critically GOTY, I had the most fun with Ghost. – 4.5-4.75/5

3. Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4) – This game straight up made me smile non-stop, and it wasn’t just nostalgia. Square Enix somehow managed to recreate and evolve the magic of the original FF7 and made it feel like a completely different game while keeping the core elements. It also somehow perfected the hybrid turn-based with action mechanics. Also…that remix of “One Winged Angel”! – 4.25/5

Disclaimer: Waiting for PS version of Hades to dive deep.

Honorable Mentions: Demons Souls Remake, Cyberpunk 2077.

-Dee Assassina

1. Star Renegades (X1/PS4/Switch/PC) – Once again, let us give praise and thanks to Xbox Game Pass. Because, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t have played it otherwise with so many other huge games coming out. Check my review for details on this gem that you shouldn’t miss if you’re a fan of gorgeous sprites, strategies, old school rpgs, and Into The Breach. – 5/5

2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) – I think a lot of the other writers at GHG thought I was kidding when I said this would be on my list (since so many monster games were coming this year). Nah, I was dead serious. AC came out swinging with more of everything that long-time fans love, pulled in new fans with its undeniable charm on a platform that finally caught on. It gave gamers the best friendship they never knew they needed: Isabelle and Doomslayer. My only problems were Nintendo being Nintendo with some aspects (multiplayer, one island per console, etc). – 4.75/5

3. Cyberpunk 2020 (uhh… PC?) – First off, I truly feel for gamers that play the game on a base Xbox or PS4. What CDPR pulled was utter bullshit and I hope they got flame-retardant coal for Christmas. That being said, I’m lucky enough to play on a Series X and haven’t had one crash or game breaking bug (just “Skyrim glitches” here and there). Where this game shines is the sheer liberty with how you can build your character (stats-wise, not physically) and handle missions. The stories told — both main and side — are fantastically written and should definitely be experienced. Check Dee’s stellar review for more details. – 4.25/5

Honorable Mentions: Ghost of Tsushima, Doom Eternal, Empire of Sin, Gears Tactics, Marvel’s Avengers (not kidding, idc), Hades, Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

-Felipe Crespo

1. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – Masterpiece of epic proportions on all fronts. Also the best movie I watched in 2020. Can’t heap enough praise upon the title and Suck Punch Productions. My Game of the Year, my Game of the Generation (narrowly beating God of War). Can’t wait for what’s next for the franchise! – 4.75/5

2. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (X1/PS4/XSX/PS5/PC) – From being underwhelmed in the first 30-hours to still absolutely in love at 120+ hours, Valhalla for me is the comeback story of the year, and believe it or not, the best AC game I’ve ever played– and I’ve played ‘em all. Except Unity. Fuck Unity. – 4.5/5

3. Call of Duty: Warzone (X1/PS4/Xbox Series X/PS5/PC) – A tired franchise and a tired game type somehow reinvigorated both. The expansion of lore through weekly intel hunts helped build a cohesive shared universe in the COD franchise. I may have been the only person asking for COD lore, but it led to hours of me scavenging for the truth of what happened in Verdansk. – 4/5

Honorable Mentions: Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War, Doom Eternal.

-Dan Witt

1. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (X1/XSX/PC/PS4) – New protaganist, new setting, new gameplay. RGG Studio took a huge gamble on Yakuza 7 but managed to hit a monumental home run. They offered not only one of the best Yakuza games, but a very compelling Japanese RPG as well that is very accessible to series newcomers. Like A Dragon just feels like the perfect evolution of a great series. – 5/5

When you’re fighting over the last exclusive Gundam figures at Madarake!

2. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – FF7R took me back to my childhood, offering an almost perfect remake of the original Final Fantasy VII while changing some of the groundwork into a still incredibly satisfying game. While not a direct 1:1 port, fans of the original can easily jump in and relive the magic in a very beautiful rendition of Midgar and incredibly satisfying action combat. – 4.75/5

3. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – GoT doesn’t break the mold or reinvent the wheel, but what it does is take an established open world formula and improve on almost every aspect of it. With one of the best melee combat systems in recent years and an exploration system that actually feels rewarding, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most impressive open world games to date. Now with a multiplayer mode that is incredibly fun, it is a very great package to experience. – 4.75/5

Honorable Mention: Hades, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Remake, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Monster Train.

-Keiko Fukoyama

1. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – Having watched 27 — yes, twenty-seven! — Samurai movies in preparation for Jin Sakai’s 80+-hour journey, I was already going into this Sucker Punch title excited as shit. While it was a tough call between this and my #2, this PlayStation exclusive made more of an impact to me, culturally, and as a whole melted inside my brain for several months after I rolled credits. Just on the vanilla PlayStation 4 it was a beauty! The intuitive yet not overwhelmingly complex, visceral combat is definitely the year’s best, and the surplus of supporting characters and various sub-narratives were memorable. In a year where we upgraded our lovely PS4 and Xbox One consoles for awesome stuff that cost 500 bucks, having an open world “greatest hits” type genre game like Ghost of Tsushima was the perfect cherry on top. – 4.5-4.75/5

2. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – If Ghost is my #1, FF7R is my #1A. Actually, I originally rated this one slightly higher than my top pick. Hey — it’s been a long year. While that game still gives me the feels, no 2020 game gave me higher instant gratification. The best moments of this remake are among the best moments in video games of the year. Yeah, I say that without playing TLOU2 (so sue me), but, hell, I’m one-half of the Gamescast so I can get away with it. In the end, part 1 of the new FF7 is a flat-out gorgeous, invigorating battlefield of every weeb dream imaginable. – 4.5-4.75/5

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5/PS4) – While I’m still playing it, taking my sweet-sweet time swinging around this superb PlayStation 5 eye-candy on my new 65″ Sony X90H LED, the 50% overall completion is enough to grant Miles’ story in my Top 3. While not entirely exclusive (it runs just fine on PS4/PS4 Pro) and not the mega-experience Peter had 2-years ago, this follow-up improved upon every one of the original Insomniac Spidey title (but the villains; more of Marvel Comics’ fault than that of the devs’). And, really, there’s nothing like it; Miles Morales just feels next-gen, popping on the screen like nothing else in gaming. The story is super solid, the characters are multilayered and Miles’ skills just outshine Pete’s. Arguably the most fun game of the year. – 4.5/5

Disclaimer: Personal 5 Royal woulda been my GOTY if not for being a mere enhanced rerelease (and being 7000 hours long.. geesh); I also just started Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on the PS5 a few nights ago (but loving the Viking vibe already!).

Honorable Mentions: Doom Eternal, Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r]: Star Wars Squadrons, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Granblue Fantasy Versus, Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

-Travis Moody

1. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – GoT captivates with almost every aspect of the game. The environment, the sound design, and visuals all work together to bring you into this beautifully crafted world. The action/fighting is always fun throughout and feels very well balanced in that you hardly ever feel like you didn’t deserve to lose in those trying moments. When a game can played as easily and fluid as this, and you can still stop and stare at the landscape of it all and feel like it’s art, you know you’ve got something special. – 4.5/5

2. Hades (Switch/PC) – The most fun I’ve had with a roguelike in quite some time. As with all roguelikes, you’ll become quite familiar with death as you play, but you’ll gain bonds (and romances) with the Greek gods as you progress which both deepen the story and add new elements for your playthroughs. Even once complete there’s still hours and hours worth of gameplay. – 4.5/5

3. Animal Crosssing: New Horizons (Switch) – Call me crazy for putting this in the Top 3, but.. this is the top 3 for 2020. This game dropped right at the beginning of the quarantine and was a perfect escape from all the worries of the ongoing pandemic. The relaxation of living on your own island, caring for your new house, doing some fishing, visit your friends islands; it was such a release from the tensions brought on by this year. – 4/5

Honorable Mentions: The Last of Us Part II, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Doom Eternal.

-Matt Robb

1. The Last of Us Part II (PS4) – Like any great work of art, TLOU2 is divisive and it is hard at times to separate the toxic discourse from legitimate criticism. While not the perfect game for everyone, it is a most certainly heartfelt and passionate work from a lot of talented people and worth experiencing for yourself to make your own opinion about. – 5/5

2. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4) – One of the most polished games of the year, Ghost of Tsushima, takes all the best aspects of samurai lore and constructs a compelling narrative. Story aside, the visuals and music are gorgeous as well, and Sucker Punch made an open world game that’s actually worth exploring. – 5/5

3. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) – Fans have been waiting decades to play a remastered version of FFVII and not only did SquareEnix deliver, they knocked it out of the park! The battle system is exciting and dynamic and the story takes some unexpected twists and turns even if one is familiar with the original. – 4/5

Honorable Mentions: Hades, Carrion.

-Michelle Kisner

1. Half-Life: Alyx (PC VR) – These top 3 are hard to rank in order, and all are here because aside from just being great games, they also brought a lasting wow factor. With HL: Alyx, it was simply being in the world of Half-Life in VR. The atmosphere it spot on, the controls are great, graphics are superb and you get a continued story from Alyx’s perspective. Although to be clear, it’s a continuation from the original Half-Life, not the sequel. Every VR owner that enjoys first person shooters should give this game a try, and every VR owner that loves the Half-Life series… well what are you waiting for? Buy it now! – 4.5/5

So… I see that only 1 of these 10 goofs has VR…

2. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (X1/XSX/PC) – While I don’t consider this a game, it does have features of a game such as challenges and a leaderboard. It’s also an amazing achievement for simulators and for the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. The developers put a lot of effort, a lot, to make this the best one, and it shows, as the last time we saw a title in the series was 2006 with Flight Simulator X. Graphics are amazing, excellent sound, solid controls and UI system, and just down right phenominal tech powering the in-game world. Not only is the world using satellite mapping that turned into an incredibly well created 3D environment given the data at hand, but there is also real-time weather and real-time flight data. The data is actually so large in all areas, that it is streamed to your PC — and soon Xbox — as you fly. And while it won’t teach you how to actually fly a plane, you will definitely come out of it with a better understanding of the flight systems and greater respect for pilots. – 4.5/5

3. Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners (PS4/PC) – With many failed or poorly received games carrying this name, I was unsure about this. It turned out to be the best “Walking Dead” video game, with good graphics, solid controls, decent storyline and overall drops you right into the zombie experience you expect. Beyond the usual “shoot and loot”, you also meet people along the way and make decisions as well as learn about characters and their stories. However, one of the wow factors it brings involves your microphone. If you make a noise or speak near your microphone, the game hears it and so do the zombies. – 4.5/5

Honorable Mentions: Star Wars Squadrons, Phasmophobia, Doom Eternal, Project Wingman, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Cyberpunk 2077.

-Patrick Obloy

***GHG’s Games of the Year***

1. Ghost of Tsushima

2. Final Fantasy Remake VII

3. The Last of Us Part II

4. Animal Crossing

5. Hades

Honorable Mentions: Cyberpunk 2077, Doom Eternal, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Warzone, Star Wars Squadrons, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Remake.

Happy New Game Year from GHG!

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020

THE GEEKDOM GAMESCAST [Season 2, Episode 4 – Zoom Edition]: Here We Go.

Microsoft is bringing the Xbox 20/20 vision with reveal events each month for the Series X, while Sony finally unleashed some next-gen news with its the all-new PlayStation Studios (and, today, showed just what the Unreal Engine 5 can do on the PS5).

Your homies Myke Ladiona and Travis Moody — The Geekdom Gamescast! — finally get Zoomin’ too (with a shout to Robert Bexar on the additional images!), breaking down all the hot gaming news and recent releases for the first time ever in video format…

https://youtu.be/74tQqFXY1lQ

We also hit the concrete with Streets of Rage 4, cover the newest events swirling around The Last of Us Part II, share our thoughts on story DLC for Mortal Kombat 11, get pumped for Yakuza titles on Xbox, and even list our favorite Star Wars video games of all time!

May the Force be with you, always, no matter what day it is in May. Catch us next week for our Final Fantasy VII Remake spoilercast!

-Travis Moody & Myke Ladiona