Banishers is so far one of my Games of Thr Year for 2024 along side Dragons Dogma II. The interactive story is one of the most intriguing things about the game with multiple endings making the replay value high.

The graphics are great, the combat is fun, the story is incredible, and I haven't had any bugs in my playthrough. The game isn't perfect, it can drag a bit and feel a little slow. It isn't the easiest game to get into but it is a fun game with God of War like combat and a branching narrative you won't want to miss.

I definitely recommend this game.

Dragons Dogma II is a refreshing take on the open world RPG genre that takes everything from the first game and makes it better. That said the game doesn't change much of the core of what Dragons Dogma is. This sequel feels like a giant DLC expansion at times. I do not think that's a bad thing tho. Some sequels try to change so much and ruin what we loved so much about the first one, but this game made sure to stay true to what Dragons Dogma is.

The create mode is insanely good, the combat is phenomenal, and the world is very interesting. The story is unfortunately not great and has never been a big focus but it does take away from the game as it is a big part of all RPGs.

Overall a great game that I would highly recommend.

A very fun turn based tactical RPG with a compelling story and a rich unique world. The only thing stopping this game from being a full 4 stars is all the unfixed bugs. People who know me know that bugs are the least of my complaints usually, but when they prevent me from progressing in the game, it kinda matters. Considering this game came out in 2015, these kind of bugs should be eradicated. Obviously they just left them in. With that said, everything else about the game is a great time. Yes, it feels a big old school, but I don't see the issue with that.

I do recommend this game if you like good narratives and tactical RPGs like me.

I got this game for free and wanted my money back. As a huge fan of Super Smash Bros I have always wanted a good alternative for other consoles / PC and so far nobody can seem to do it. Hopefully the upcoming sequel can fix the major problems here.

Aside from it not playing like Smash Bros control wise, which made it worse, it also just didn't feel good. The strikes didn't feel impactful, the game didn't feel reactive enough. I wasn't having fun.

I see the potential, but do not recommend this at all.

When I first started playing Persona 5 I wasn't a fan. It is my first time playing a Persona game and I didn't understand the hype. After a few hours I put the game down and moved on. However, I couldn't avoid the hype, and decided to give it a second chance.

Persona 5 Royal is an incredible game. It starts out slow but once it opens up you really see why so many people love it. The turn-based combat is the best I've ever played and the story is solid.

The game is a bit of a high school simulator, but it's so well done. Exploring the city and doing activities, hanging out with friends, making connections. It's all apart of the experience that makes this game great.

Disclaimer: there are some WILD stories involved in this game, particularly the first arc. I won't spoil it, but it could trigger somebody who may have gone threw abusive experiences in their life.

That said I highly recommend the game. It takes awhile to get going but it's a worthwhile experience.

There comes a time where you have to admit that a certain game genre just isn't for you, and I have to do that with Soulslike / Soulsborne titles. Personally I do not enjoy this game, but I liked it more than previous Soulslike titles that I have played. You can call it a skill issue but I play many difficult games, these kind just aren't my style.

That said, I think Lies of P accomplished what it set out to accomplish making one of the more competent Soulslike titles that fans of the genre will thoroughly enjoy. I can't personally recommend it for the average gamer, but if you like these games I absolutely can. With that being said, if you are a Gamepass subscriber there is no reason not to give this game a try and see if it is for you.

EA Sports UFC 5 isn't just fundamentally the same as EA Sports UFC 4, it is almost the same exact game. It has the same exact roster, missing a large number of top 15 UFC fighters, and it has the same exact career mode. Unfortunately the slight gameplay improvements is not enough to make this game worth buying.

The Positive:

There isn't much positive here, but there is a little bit. The ground game feels much better and the submission system is clearly an improvement. It's still a little too stall based but the ref stand ups are faster and in simulation with the slower clock it doesn't feel as bad.

The striking is fundamentally the same, but it does feel a little smoother making for a overall better gameplay experience but not one that is different enough from UFC 4 for it to be the only improvements made in the 3 year development cycle.

The Negative:

I will try to keep it short. At the end of the day you are paying for the same game. We get mad that most Sports games are just a roster update, and well, UFC 5 doesn't even give you that. It feels like they ported UFC 4 to a new engine and told you it was a new game.

A game like UFC 5 had massive potential with career mode. The UFC owns old promotions like the WEC, WFA, Strikefore, and PRIDE. Instead of leveraging this and creating a MMA career mode for the ages that allowed you to go to multiple promotions and win title, living the ultimate MMA simulation fantasy, you are just some former street fighter who gets a chance on DWCS and if you fail fights for the WFA and lives the same exact career as every play through you'll ever have. It is extremely unfortunate that THQs UFC Undisputed 3 still has a far better career mode.

Unfortunately if you buy UFC 5 you are basically buying UFC 4 Remastered. If that's something you're into then I say go for it, but I can't recommend this game.

Update:

Digging deeper even the A.I in this game isn't good. If you play NBA 2K, for the most part, Steph Curry will play like Steph Curry. In EA UFC 5 a wrestler will wrestle but they all fight in similar ways. Islam Makhachev doesn't fight like Islam Makhachev. Mike Tyson and Kimbo Slice are essentially the same fighter. It makes for a very repetitive experience. The most unique thing is fighting those who have unique animations but they don't necessarily fight differently. It would be nice to see upgraded AI that had Isreal Adesanya keeping distance using teeps, leg kicks, and question mark kicks but not being extremely active. Staying on defense and looking to win rounds but take the finish if you leave yourself open for it. Instead Adesanya fights much more like any good kickboxer AI in the game. It's upsetting to see as a fan of the sport.

Fire Emblem: Engage is not my favorite Fire Emblem game, but it's a great game nonetheless. Incredible tactical combat that the series is known for is where this game really shines. I have so much fun once I get to the combat. The story is solid and characters and decent but it could have been better. I did like what they attempted to do with the academy but it could have been done much better. Overall the game is a bit of a slow grind with the academy but the gameplay and story is more than enough keep this game interesting and it's some of the most fun I've had this year. Highly recommended if you enjoy tactical gameplay and an anime-ish story & characters.

80+ hours in and Starfield is not only my Game of The Year so far, but it is also close to passing The Witcher 3 as my favorite game of all time. Bethesda has really, once again, redefined the sandbox gaming genre.

My main character I played as a Gangster, Neon Street Kid, Crimson Fleet pirate who was able to get through many missions off the strength of that alone. There was a mission where my friend was taken captive by the Fleet and when I arrived I told them to let him go and they just did it. In a separate playthrough I had to fight them all. Being able to just walk in and make my demands showed the different ways you can approach missions based on what you've done in the game. Other similar options have come up with my gangster background and my Neon Street Kid trait. The RPG elements in his game are next level.

While I'm not the best at it, the ship and outpost building is a great element of the game that obviously works well especially seeing what everyone else has been able to make. Even my limited skillset allowed me to make some pretty cool ships.

Not only is the main story and faction stories incredible, the exploration and role playing elements will keep you playing for many many hours after you've completed them. It is another BGS game that will last for decades.

UPDATE:

171 hours in and Starfield has surpassed The Witcher 3 as my favorite game of all time. Phenomenal RPG. I'm glad Bethesda was finally able to make their vision come to life. Can't wait for the DLC and updates, as well as the mods.

This is a 5/5 (or 10/10) game if I've ever played one. Highly recommended.

There comes a time you have to admit a style of game isn't for you and these Civilization style strategy games aren't for me. I'm just not very good at them and I'm not sure I ever will be.

Despite that I had a lot of fun with Humankind. Building my small native tribe into a not so great Civilization because I'm not very good was fun. I played for hours, multiple play throughs, failing. Next thing I knew it was 5am.

If you enjoy strategy games I definitely recommend this. I will be playing it again.

I played The Quarry with 4 friends, and it was a damn great experience. One of my characters was killed because my friend got scared and shot an area he wasn't supposed to. Another died as I tried to save a friend instead of running. Eventually I ran out of characters and had to watch my friends finish the game 🤣 but it was one of the most unique experiences I've had playing one for these interactive story games and I will always be appreciative of that.

Did the couch co-op with my friends bump this rating up higher than if I played it by myself? Maybe, but I highly recommend this game anyway.