In this overview we will discuss theBest games of the moment that you can play this spring on your Xbox One (X), PlayStation 4 (Pro) and Nintendo Switch. In this article we look at Mortal Kombat 11, Rage 2 and A Plague Tale, among others.
Best games of the moment : Team Sonic Racing
At first glance, Team Sonic Racing seems to be a downright downgrade when compared to Sonic & All- Stars Racing Transformed explains. That game showed what is possible when developers abandon the Mario Kart formula and give it a big twist. In Transformed it was possible to have your vehicle turned into an aircraft or boat during the race, as the environment required that of the racers. During such a race it often happens that the landscape around you suddenly changed.
Unfortunately, this kind of gameplay element is no longer seen in Team Sonic Racing. What we get in return for this is another experience that we have not seen before in kart racing games. You play in a team of three characters in total. You compete against other teams that also consist of three characters. Along the way you can help each other by handing out boosts, sharing items and activating team attacks together. Do the same together to get the most out of the attack.
Although the game is perfectly playable when you play as a player together with two computer-controlled team members, the gameplay only comes really come into its own when you have two friends and sit on the couch together. The teamwork results in tactical team meetings that constantly change based on the situation on the screen. Does anyone need an item? Ask for it! Some items also only occur when you share them with your friends, which encourages sharing. Plus: other items are linked to characters.
So it is worthwhile to race with someone other than Sonic the Hedgehog, but you have to find out for yourself. The multiplayer is nice and extensive, but that does not mean that the single player has been omitted. The story mode, with lyrics spoken by voice actors, is a bit superficial and one-sided, but can be played with two friends. This makes achieving the different goals a lot easier – and ultimately a lot more fun to do.
Best games of the moment : Final Fantasy VII
When you have played a game like Final Fantasy VII, you won’t forget it so quickly. Especially if this was one of your first RPGs when the PlayStation 1 was completely hip. If you did not pick up the game at the time, you now pay the main prize for it. That’s why it’s nice to see Square Enix releasing the game, of course with a price tag. You can play it on the PlayStation Classic or a modern game console of your choice. Final Fantasy VII is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch.
At the time, you needed three CD-ROMs to play the game on your PlayStation, and that was unheard of. Now the game is on your hard drive and you can go through it in one go. What starts as a rebellion against a bad organization, soon results in something much bigger. Final Fantasy VII takes players on an unprecedented journey through large environments and with beloved characters. Today you may find some (gameplay) elements a bit outdated, but that does not alter the fact that the game is still a classic.
The game is still seen as the best Final Fantasy game to date, and for some people this is the best game ever made. Fortunately, opinions differ on this. Because it is a role playing game, the game is not for everyone. The fights can be a bit slow and the environments could now be labeled ugly. It is therefore primarily the feeling of nostalgia that dominates here. New players who are curious about the grandfather of the modern RPG need look no further.
Best games of the moment : Judgment
Judgment is a game from the makers of the now popular Yakuza series. In the game we take the role of a dishonored lawyer, who is looking for justice in a world full of corruption and despair. You do this, among other things, by playing a detective. As a player you get access to innovative detective systems that keep the game fresh, while that can be alternated with all kinds of mini-games and a great fighting system that the Yakuza games are known for. This time, however, everything is somewhat streamlined.
That streamlining may not be better for everyone, but in general it provides a better experience because you know exactly what you can do and what you can do. has to do. And that ultimately benefits the pleasure at the bottom of the line. There are a total of two fighting styles that you can combine to get the most out of combat. What’s more, you have access to a variety of skills, stuff, and hilarious and powerful attacks that don’t make the combat system nearly boring.
Players familiar with the Yakuza games may come across too many elements where they are incredibly familiar. be bored and then the boredom may strike earlier than for people who pick up a Yakuza-like title for the first time. However, the story is great to follow, making the game worth playing. It is nice to see that this spin-off from the Yakuza series is more than capable of standing on its own two feet, even though we notice that the detective system is not as in-depth as we had previously thought.
Best games of the moment : Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat is a fighting game series that we have known since the days of the Super Nintendo and the Sega Megadrive. If you have already found Mortal Kombat X (or XL) great, then you will be fine with the newest part of the franchise. The basis of the gameplay is still the same of course, so the details, especially in fighting games, are important. There is a new graphics engine (base) of the game, through which all bone fractures are better visualized and the different hits and kicks seem to be coming even harder.
In addition, Mortal Kombat 11 has two more important spearheads: adaptable fighters and streamlined gameplay. You can design the fighters in the game the way you want (within the limits set by the game developer of course), so that the fighting can feel even more personal. In addition, the gameplay is more accessible than ever, because the making of combos is streamlined. That does not mean that Mortal Kombat 11 is an easy game. If you go for it, be prepared to work for it.
Fortunately, the fighting game features an extensive tutorial mode where you can learn the intricacies. There are a lot of maneuvers that you can make yourself familiar with. So if you are a new player, allow yourself the time to follow those lessons. That only increases the pleasure. For example in the incredibly extensive story mode, which, due to time travel elements, is more chaotic than ever before. It is the showpiece of the series, so we think it is not strange that Netherrealm Studio has paid so much attention to this.
However, a few things can also be said about the game, unfortunately. If you want to fully focus on unlocking all kinds of adjustments for your favorite fighters, then you will have to invest a lot of time and repeat many battles until you are ready thanks to the reward system. Because it is random. In addition, we miss some popular fighters, you always have to be connected to the internet to play and we can’t ignore the micro transactions – elements that could be better next time.
Best games of the moment : A Plague Tale: Innocence
In A Plague Tale: Innocence we follow young woman Amicia and her younger brother Hugo, who make their way through a dark story and even darker landscape. They are chased by so-called Inquisition soldiers, while trying to avoid rats carrying a plague. The young people have almost no advantage and that story element translates beautifully to gameplay. More than once you are on the edge of your seat of excitement and the developer has done this nicely.
The catchy story causes you to start worrying about the main characters in this game. And that is well done, since that is not easy at all. The game does not last that long – by about twelve to fifteen hours you have seen everything. But the game will stay with you. Basically it is a survival game that we have seen a lot of in recent years. But because the emphasis is now so much on the story and less on typical gameplay of the genre, you get a special experience.
You notice quite quickly that the emphasis is less on gameplay. In that respect you can say that A Plague Tale: Innocence is somewhat superficial. But luckily there is enough to keep you busy between the exciting moments. You can make things yourself and the characters can get stronger, but this time it feels less arbitrary than normal in survival games. The best thing about this game is the story and the fact that Amicia and Hugo are not immediately portrayed as superheroes: they are grounded characters who have something to lose.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
The first Dragon Quest Builders game was a surprising success. It combines the building gameplay from, for example, a game such as Minecraft, with the decoration, presentation and (light form of) storytelling from the popular Dragon Quest games. Dragon Quest Builders 2 takes place after the events from Dragon Quest 2, so the story falls nicely in the canon of the series. You take on a bad group called The Children of Hargon and you are tasked with rebuilding the Isle of Awakening.
Just like in the first game, you do that by building. You help the people around you and you are rewarded with appreciation from islanders. The more appreciation you have, the better your character is and the more recipes (in fact building plans) and islands you unlock. In contrast to the first part, it is possible that the characters you help continue to live on the island this time. And that is nice to know, since they have been given a little more personality and so they are not simple mission givers like in part one.
In addition, the structure of the game has been improved. You won’t lose your progress if you go to the next level – this time you can do whatever you want on the four islands (of course within the limits of the design). In addition, each island also has its own layout and problems, which keeps the gameplay feeling fresh. The basis of Dragon Quest Builders 2 has also been adjusted: you no longer have to do everything alone: non-playable characters can help you build and find the required parts.
Something players may have to get used to is the fact that your character is not a fighter. If there are fights, you must leave them to other characters. That might be a bit frustrating, especially if you are used to getting stronger so that you can do it yourself later – but that moment will not come. There is also the new multiplayer: together with three friends you can build what you want on your own island. Unfortunately, the four-player game doesn’t work – but that’s not a big deal, since this is a solid, single player adventure.
Rage 2
Rage 2 is a special video game. Teams responsible for the recent Doom games, Max Max video game and the Just Cause series have worked on this title and we notice that in all facets. In the world of Rage 2, everything has gone wrong and different groups are fighting over the available land. In addition, there are also mutants that roam around and set up their nests somewhere. You as a super soldier, the last in his or her class, are given the task of ridding this post-apocalyptic world of problems. camps to be overpowered, dead predecessors to be found and mutant nests to be turned over. However, it is the decoration and the absurdity, both in the design of the characters and the diverse landscape, and the feeling of the gameplay that make Rage 2 worth playing. Because it is a first-person shooter and the Doom team has cooperated, you can expect that shooting is a must.
And luckily that is true. Moreover, you can expect the same structure that you know from the Just Cause games: the story is secondary to the gameplay, while the gameplay is secondary to the optional nature of the game. Before you can reach the end, you must first create a lot of chaos in the vast landscape. There are not many missions in Rage 2, because the focus is not on that. Those missions are a loose, common thread for the lean story. The real core lies in completing the optional goals.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission
Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission is a strategic card game with the heroes from the Dragon Ball series. Let’s assume that strategic card games are not meant for everyone. You should like to put time in your strategies by viewing your maps and options at your leisure. And you have to be willing to fail and admit when things don’t work out the way you planned. Enthusiasts of the genre already know things like this, but newcomers can still be mistaken about this.
As fans of strategic video games we can tell you that Super Dragon Ball Heroes is worth your time . You have to invest time right from the start by completing the tutorial, but when you have done that, a content-rich and reasonably deep game opens in which you can spend a lot of hours. Moreover, there is also fan service to be found everywhere. You meet characters from all kinds of different series and moments, so that fans of the Dragon Ball series can undoubtedly have a great time.
Are you not a fan of Dragon Ball? Then that effect is of course not present. What you still have at the bottom of the line is a deep strategy game with a pleasant appearance and flashy design. Incidentally, it is not a standard card game: there are rules that you might have to get used to, but that is part of the charm. There is also multiplayer (offline and online) for the extra pots. The biggest drawback of the game is probably the visual effects, but that may have something to do with the Switch hardware.
Day’s Gone
There are problems with the sound. There are problems with the visual display. There are problems with the gameplay. There are problems with the story. There are problems with the world. And yet, despite all those problems, we played Days Gone with great pleasure. In Days Gone, you play with Deacon, who drives his motorcycle through much of the United States while rescuing survivors, beating sort-of-zombies, looking for clues about his wife and the world, meter by meter, bit little by little, makes better.
Almost nothing about Days Gone is original. A story that focuses on a post-apocalyptic world in which zombies and a mysterious organization are in charge speaks of little originality. The gameplay, in which soft sneaking is better in most situations, also reminds us too much of other games that do all this better. Add to this that the sound does not always coincide with the images, the zombies often disappear from the screen and many emotional moments do not come across well; what do you have left?
Actually still a damn good and especially playable game that keeps you busy from start to finish and can keep you busy for a long time. Precisely because ninety percent of the game is not original, the adventure feels like a warm bath of recognition. Moreover, there is a part that is unique and that are the hordes of zombies that can come after you. When that happens, it is pure chaos that only the better players can deal with. The whole game also prepares you for this, but you only find out towards the end.
Why we emphasize everything that is wrong with Days Gone is very simple. Know what you’re getting yourself into. It is not a flawless adventure; everything can go wrong on a technical level. Sometimes boredom strikes when you have to do a fetch quest (drive from point a to point b and pick it up) for the umpteenth time, but in the end we can all see through it. And that is the biggest compliment that you can give a game, and especially its developer. It is all not perfect, but it is incredibly fun.
Warhammer Chaosbane
Over the years we have seen quite a few Warhammer and spin-off games. But with Warhammer Chaosbane, a unique game is now being added, as this is the first action rpg and hack and slash title to take place in the Warhammer universe. And that setting works out well. The story of Chaosbane was written by a writer of official Warhammer books and is about a world plagued by war and dominated by magic, where you have to stand up to face the Chaos hordes.
Pick a hero four character classes and prepare for epic battles with the most powerful artifacts from the Old World. The story takes you through four different worlds, each with new cool enemies and bosses. The hack and slash gameplay plays nicely away from that; but where in the levels you can still manage with a hack and a slash, you cannot get away from that with the bosses. Here you really have to find the right strategy, otherwise you will often see the “try again” screen. This is how the game keeps you actively involved.
Chaosbane can be played alone, or even with up to four players in a local or online session. The game is a fun time on your own and one to three friends or strangers just make the game more fun. So you can choose from four different classes, including a soldier from the empire who can sustain a lot of damage, a dwarf who specializes in contact combat, a high elf who inflicts damage remotely by manipulating magic or a forest elf who plunges deadly traps and a master is with bow and arrow.
The characters each have their own unique skills, complement each other well and play well. When you have finished story mode after all that, you can continue playing for a while. There is a mode where you can beat the bosses again and again and a relic hunt where you can always get a better item. And you can also try all of this on ten different levels of difficulty. In addition, several paid and free updates are coming, so we expect everyone to be busy with Warhammer Chaosbane.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
We have had to wait a while, but now the game finally available: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. This is a combination of the PlayStation 1 game and its PlayStation 2 successor. It is a much more difficult kart racing game than, for example, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Team Sonic Racing; so don’t expect a cute, easy go-kart game that you rush through. The basis of the game is CTR: Crash Team Racing, which was released on PlayStation 1 twenty years ago: a go-kart game with a story mode.
That story mode was unique at the time and was encountered two years earlier in Diddy Kong Racing. the Nintendo 64. In story mode you have to complete all kinds of challenges, finish races and defeat bosses so that you can move on to the next world to do the same. The overworld that connects all levels with each other can sometimes be a challenge to drive through properly, so you really don’t have a moment’s peace. In addition to a story mode, there is of course also offline and online multiplayer available.
The gameplay of CTR is mainly about power sliding. That is no strange mechanic in itself in karting games, but the element never felt as crucial as in this title. It is also made difficult because you have to press multiple buttons at the right time. In Mario Kart, for example, you can also slide power, but there it works easier and perhaps also more accessible. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is therefore less suitable as a party game, since it is only fun when everyone knows the mechanics.
However, if you have mastered the gameplay, then you have a real challenge in story mode. No matter how cool that mode is, there are some reservations. The bosses have a huge rubber banding effect: they will stay far behind you and can always catch up with you. In addition, the mode does not include tracks from the PS2 successor; you can only play it in the individual modes and that is a shame. In addition, it is unfortunate that the frame rate remains so low, since this, certainly in the beginning, can influence your racing performance.
The Sinking City
The Sinking City is also a special game, but for completely different reasons. It is an adventure game in which you play the role of a detective. In a large open world you have to investigate things and you come across elements inspired by monsters of H.P. Lovecraft. You are in Oakmont, a city half under water and suffering from supernatural phenomena. What exactly happened to the city and its inhabitants is up to you to find out. That is what the game is all about: finding out the truth.
The detective in The Sinking City, named Charles Reed, but not only exploring the depth of the city, but also the horrors of it that emerge from his own his own fantasy. Every now and then during the investigation you are attacked by horror-like monsters that you would rather lose than be rich. Then while playing you find out that the controls are a bit woody. The offensive gameplay is therefore not of the highest level. This game should have more of the investigative gameplay.
The Sinking City was created by the same studio that was previously responsible for the Sherlock Holmes games released on the PS 4 and Xbox One. So that part is fine. The atmosphere is also unknown; this is without a doubt the best game based on the work of Lovecraft. Sometimes you come across some technical limitations and the open world sometimes feels a bit empty, so that you can be taken out of the immersive experience. But if you can see through that, you can expect an exciting adventure.
F1 2019
Codemasters has been making the official game for Formula One for a number of years now. Usually the game will be released later in the season, but this year we will get the game two months earlier. Fortunately we can say that the earlier release date has not affected the quantity and quality. One of the largest and long-awaited new additions is Formula 2. In career mode you can now choose to complete a shortened Formula 2 season to get ready for Formula One. This provides a more complete experience.
The cars otherwise control their big brothers, due to the reduced downforce and grip. But that makes the Formula 2 so cool. So you cannot play the entire season in career mode, but you can do that in championship mode. That season is still based on the 2018 season, unfortunately, but with a free update you can play the 2019 season later this year. If you choose to start your career in Formula 2, you will also be faced with another new feature for the series.
Here you meet two rivals that make it difficult for you . One is your teammate, who is the nicest driver ever, while the other is super arrogant. Both are a bit cliché, but they are a welcome addition to a previously lifeless career mode. To stay with that mode: driver transfers are also possible for the first time. For example, it may be possible that Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel change places during the season, or Max Verstappen who goes to Mercedes. This makes every season a unique experience.
Every F1 game is of course not complete if you cannot race online. In F1 2019 you can now participate in weekly events, in addition to the normal Grand Prixs, where you have practice and qualifying during the week and the race during the weekend. At the end you will receive points and in-game money based on your place in the rankings of that event. Very nice addition and adds some extra competition. In addition, the safety rating and penalty detection have been improved, so that you can match even better with like-minded racers.
Blood and Truth
PlayStation VR owners can now go wild with the action-packed title Blood and Truth. If you have the PSVR at home, then you have undoubtedly played the London Heist gameplay demo. This game is based on that. Blood and Truth, however, goes much further than London Heist and presents a full game that you have to play in virtual reality. This game is also set in London, where you have to compete against the criminal underworld. The game is first-person, so you experience everything from the eyes of the main character.
Blood and Truth has a lot of elements that work well and are elaborated. From the moment you wear the headset, you are the main character. It is an unprecedented, spectacular adventure with a full story and also beautiful graphics. Shooting works almost perfectly (if everything is calibrated, of course). If you have ever wanted to play in an action movie, this is your chance. You end up from one action scene to the other and are therefore constantly on the edge of your seat. Mandatory fare from PSVR owners.
Collection of Mana
No video game collections on the Nintendo Switch. In this new collection, Collection of Mana, you get no less than three role playing games that you can trick through. The first was previously released in Europe under the name Final Fantasy Adventure and presents an accessible RPG made for the original Game Boy. The gameplay may not be very deep, but is therefore ideally suited for people who are not yet familiar with the genre (and can see through the old graphics).
In addition, there is Secret of Mana, a game that was previously released in polished form for PlayStation 4, among other things. It is a game with unique elements, including a multi-player stand, which is a hot item for many gamers. place in the heart. And rightly so, because some RPG elements are still found today in more modern RPGs or new games that try to emulate old games with a modern twist. Fortunately, the action-packed combat system still lends itself to strategy.
The most important game in the collection, however, is Trials of Mana. This third Mana game has never been released in Europe and has now received an official translation from the original team for the first time. Just like Secret or Mana, some parts may feel a bit outdated, but we cannot deny that these games have been incredibly important for the development of the RPG genre. For RPG fans of yesteryear, the collection is therefore mandatory – and also for anyone interested in RPGs.
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