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Best games of the moment – part 13 (winter 2019)

Best games of the moment
In this overview we discuss the best games of the moment you can play this fall on your Xbox One (X), PlayStation 4 (Pro) and Nintendo Switch.
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In this overview we discuss the best games of the moment you can play this fall on your Xbox One (X), PlayStation 4 (Pro) and Nintendo Switch. In this overview you will find Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, Death Stranding and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Best games of the moment: Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 first one is Pokémon. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are special Pokémon games. Previously, we could only enjoy the series in its full glory on handhelds such as Game Boys and Nintendo DSs. Since the Nintendo Switch is both a handheld and a console, this is technically the first Pokémon title in the main series (so excluding spin-offs) that we can play on the big screen. And that has its advantages, although we immediately say that there could have been much more in this experience. However, we start from the beginning.

In Pokémon Sword and Shield we travel to a new region, as in every new main part. In the role playing game we are given the task of completing the Pokédex, a digital encyclopedia for monsters, while we can also beat the strongest trainers in the country. This is the old and familiar design that feels like a hot bath after our adventures in Alola in Pokémon Sun and Moon. Because it is a new region, we are introduced to new Pokémon: not only new species, but also variations on existing animals.

That’s an aspect that made Sun and Moon very cool, so we are happy that Sword and Shield have received the same treatment. New in this part is the Wild Area: a large area where we can walk around freely and catch Pokémon. You can also do some other things here, but it doesn’t add much to the game. It is great to finally have a free camera control, but it comes at the expense of frame rate and graphics. The same applies to other locations: the game is not very nice and the technical basis is not always in order.

Add to this that this is the easiest Pokémon-rpg so far and the content at the end of the game is quite disappointing , and you have a game that could have contained much more. Although this is not the Pokémon game that fans have been waiting for right from the start, including the undersigned, it is a nice and relaxed Pokémon experience that you will get through without too much trouble. The basis is still solid, the Pokémon designs are bold and there are plenty of opportunities to experiment with strategies.

Best games of the moment: The Outer Worlds

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13, second is The outer Worlds. Lovers of role playing games can indulge themselves, because in October the long-awaited The Outer Worlds finally came out. Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas, among others, has once again produced a beauty of a game. The game is set in an alternative future in which mega corporations start colonizing and forming alien planets, with varying results. The story begins with a ship full of the best people before the new colony gets out of track.

The player wakes up on board from cryogenic sleep, to discover that most passengers are still in cryogenic sleep, and begins a journey to a nearby colony to investigate the true nature of the businesses. The game contains several factions and a branching story that responds to the player’s choices. The choices that the game presents to you make you think carefully about the consequences for the colony and the people who are still on the colony ship. You ultimately decide what happens to the people.

Do you want to play the game without too much murder and destruction? That is possible if you put a lot of points in your dialogue. Do you want to shoot or slap more? Then go wild in combat skills. The choice is huge and in these examples they are extremely simplified. All weapons feel nice and have variety. In addition, you can find many mods with which you can adjust your weapons even more. If you engage more in the dialogue to reach your goal, you will also find enough variety and fun answers. So there is something to do for every playing style.

You can complete The Outer Worlds on your own, but if you are lonely you can also take AI companions with you and do fun missions with them. Most also have something to say about the choices you make and have their own skills. As a result, this game feels more than a Fallout in space and it strongly reminds us of the first Mass Effect parts. And the combination of Mass Effect and Fallout is super cool. The Outer Worlds is truly one of the best games of the moment and a must for rpg enthusiasts.

Best games of the moment: Death Stranding

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 next is Dearg Stranding. Death Stranding is a video game that is difficult to describe. Basically it is an action adventure game from Kojima Productions, the man who previously created the Metal Gear series with Konami. Now the best man worked with Sony on this exclusive PlayStation 4 title. Death Stranding is set in the United States during the aftermath of the event called Death Stranding. During that tumultuous period, strange beings arrived on earth that normally exist between life and death.

In Death Stranding, you play the role of Sam Bridges, a character played by an actor Norman Reedus. The player has the task of providing cities that are far apart from each other with supplies, while in the meantime they have to be connected to a large communication network. As a player you are also constantly assessed by the company you work for, for example with likes such as on social media. We then look at the condition of the supplies, for example. The better you score, the more you can do.

As you continue to play, you get access to extra space in your large backpack, among other things, so you can take more with you. In the meantime, you need to make sure that you pack everything neatly and that you keep cities as a friend. Everything you do influences the course of the game, and that is what makes Death Stranding a pretty exciting game. Even though initially not much happens at all and you may have the idea of ​​playing postman. Words do not do this unique game any good; if you are interested, then it is good to buy the game.

Best games of the moment: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars is next in In the Best games of the moment series of part 13. It’s long ago a good, narrative Star Wars game appeared on the market. In 2017, fans became despondent of Star Wars Battlefront II a shooting game that was full of payment options and lootboxes . The hope was far away. Yet many people were cautiously looking forward to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Developer Respawn Entertainment had demonstrated with Titanfall 2 to be able to tell a great story. Fortunately, the developer continued this line in the Jedi Fallen Order.

Cal Kesto is a Jedi in the making at the time of Order 66, the emperor’s order to exterminate all Jedi. He manages to escape and spends his years as a scrap yard on a remote planet. When eventually the enemy also comes to inspect here, Cal can no longer hide himself and is forced to resume his life as Jedi. By visiting different planets, Cal learns more and more about his own past. This teaches you to use new force powers and you can navigate through different environments better and better.

For example, by pulling lianas at you or small pieces across walls to run. It therefore pays to return to old areas. Around every corner there is a box with a reward waiting for you. Of course Cal also has a lightsaber available, the characteristic sword of a Jedi. The fights that you engage with this are the highlight of the game. By combining many movements, fluid battles arise that splash off the screen. We really enjoyed playing while playing.

The rebounding of hostile bullets didn’t feel so satisfying even in the beloved Jedi Knight games. It is wonderful to string the enemy Stormtroopers on your light sword. These boss fights are not only spectacular but also extremely spicy, but all the more satisfying to complete. It is noticeable that you do not have complete control over Cal and that avoiding attacks does not always prevent damage. Something that can become frustrating. Yet it is not at all in the incredibly cool adventure that you as Jedi are experiencing in this game.

The Surge 2

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 next is The surge 2.The first The Surge is a game that has stayed with many people. It was a game in which you explore the world in a Dark Souls-like way (as in: there are big, strong enemies and you have to navigate your way through a large landscape), while in the meantime developing your own robot suit. It was a great concept with a number of clear downsides: the story didn’t go very deep and the enemies were not always cool. With the The Surge 2, developer Deck 13 got a second chance. How is the developer doing now?

The Surge 2 is also an action role playing game. The Surge 2 shares its gameplay basis with the first part and presents a cool world with crazy enemies and ditto possibilities. As a player you can shape your character like you do yourself. While playing, you can aim for specific limbs of your enemies, so that you can pick them up and use them later. In this way you have enough freedom of choice to make something of yourself and this is an element that comes to the fore very well. You can also avoid and counter attacks.

Jericho City, the city in which The Surge 2 takes place, is a beautiful area with plenty to discover. There are also secret paths here and there, so that you always keep a good eye on you. What makes the game totally cool is that along the way you have to make choices that affect the world around you and the game itself. As a player you are therefore pretty central. While playing, you actually do three things constantly: overcome, survive and upgrade. Are you a fan of Soulslike games? Then this is your next video game.

FIFA 20

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 next is FIFA. ‘The grass is green, the sky is blue. Is it September? Then FIFA will come to you! “You can now set the clock on it. At the end of September EA always brings the newest FIFA game on the market. Is FIFA 20 a worthy successor to FIFA 19, or is it time for EA to do a little better?

On the basis, not much has changed this time. This time you have better control over dribbling in 1-on-1 situations, taking free kicks and penalties has changed and the ball sometimes reacts slightly differently than you are used to. Of course the teams and players have been brought back to date for the current season. Are you used to FIFA 19? Then you will be able to step in again with FIFA 20.

The Journey mode has been omitted this time and “Volta” has been added. Volta is all about street football. This allows you to throw the whole bag of tricks open to humiliate your opponents. This mode revives the times of FIFA Street and is a nice addition to FIFA 20. You can also create your own street soccer player here and earn ‘street credits’ to become the best street soccer player in the world.

It’s about time now that EA will actually do better for FIFA 21. We would like to see a bit more innovation in order to visualize football more realistically and a little less a ‘run-your-rot show’. Did you enjoy FIFA 19? Then you can buy FIFA 20 blind again. And the enthusiast can go wild again with tickets in Ultimate Team.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13, next game is Dragon quest. No lack of role playing games (RPGs) nowadays, especially on the Nintendo Switch. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age is also one of those that should appeal to fans of the series or genre and newcomers. The gameplay systems within this title can go very deep, but not everything is mandatory. If you are not in the mood for something, it is not a problem and it is often possible to obtain certain items in a different way. But the deeper you go in this game, the more fun it gets in the end.

The XI in the title obviously stands for the number eleven, this is the eleventh part in a video game series that started on the NES. Since then, publisher and developer Square Enix has had little to do with the basics, but many things around it have changed. Dragon Quest is such a series that does not forget where it came from, while modern elements can still be introduced. That keeps the series as a whole fresh and accessible, while players from the first hour can still start the adventure they grew up with.

Also nice for players from the first hour, is the retro mode. You can play the game completely in 3d, such as on the PC and PlayStation 4, but you can also choose to play the game with old-fashioned graphics, as if you were playing on a Super Nintendo. In addition, the game has a much better soundtrack on the Switch, your teammates are now following you and there is a faster mode for fighting. This is actually the Definitive Edition of the game, even though you do not notice that in the graphics: they have suffered a blow in the port.

Fortunately, this is the eleventh part in the series does not mean that you have the must have played previous games to understand the story. The game stands entirely on its own and presents brand new characters, extremely pleasant storylines and beautifully designed locations. There is almost no boring moment visible in this video game, which can be summarized as one of the best RPGs ever made. Really where all the elements show that a lot of love and attention has been paid to this. Dragon Quest XI deserves to be played.

Code Vein

Code Vein is next in the Best games of the moment series of part 13.Code Vein has been with us for a long time. the radar is on. Basically this is also a Dark Souls-like game, just like The Surge 2, but then again with its own twist on the genre (which is jokingly called Soulslike). Basically Code Vein is an action role playing game set in a large open, apocalyptic world. Unlike for example Dark Souls or The Surge 2, the game is presented in an anime style. That means blazing fast animations, vivid colors and tough action on the screen.

In Code Vein you are part of a hidden society of Revenants, called Vein. This is the last stronghold where people are still actively fighting and surviving, because they are provided with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories. The Revenants have become bloodthirsty because of this; if you completely surrender to this, there is a chance that you will become one of the Lost. The Lost are dangerous creeps who are completely stripped of their humanity – and cannot be restrained in their own bloodthirsty mission.

In Code Vein you get the task to work together with other teammates and put an end to the terror of the Lost. If you succeed in doing so without losing your humanity and finding your past, you have had a great day at work. You have to go to the end of hell for this, but believe us, it’s worth the trip. Occasionally the game can be spicy, but there are plenty of RPG elements, wonderful animations and accessible moves to enjoy on the go.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 is Ghost Recon. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is the successor of the 2017 Ghost Recon: Wildlands. This time the game is not set in Bolivia, but we go to the fictional island of Auroa in the Pacific. The contact with the island is broken and it is up to the Ghosts to find out what exactly is going on.

Who at Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint thinks of the realistic Ghost Recon games of the past, who will be cheated Hatch. Realism has been thrown overboard and this time it’s all about team play and action. You can move around the island freely and use cars, tanks and helicopters. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is a tactical shooter that you mainly play in the third person. You can only play the game, but the game comes into its own when you fight with a few friends in coop.

The basis of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon : Breakpoint is good. You have a large open world where you can go wherever you want. The problem is that the game is not actually finished. What good is a large open world if there is virtually nothing to do there? You will not see other residents driving around, making traveling from Punt A to Punt B a boring affair. Combine this with the many bugs, a slow-responding inventory, missing AI teammates (who only come a few months after release) and micro-transactions with a game that already costs 60 euros and you notice that there is enough to be noticed about the game. [19659004] Still, you can certainly enjoy the game. In single player the empty world will disappoint you, but in coop with some friends it remains exciting to take out a big drone together. You can choose whether you burst in shooting or choose to infiltrate a base unseen. The many videos in between playing are impressive and the acting of Jon Bernthal (The Punisher, The Walking Dead) is more than good. The main story will take you about 30 hours to complete, but with the many side missions and collectibles you can certainly double that time.

Grid

In the Best games of the moment series of part 13, next one is grid. Grid is already the tenth game in the TOCA series and the fourth game that bears the Grid name. Codemasters wants to reboot the series with this Grid and go back to basics. We can tell by the name, but also by the gameplay. Racing in Grid feels like in Race Driver: Grid, the first game in this series. According to Codemasters, it was important for the studio to make a handling system that felt like that in the first game and that worked out well. You can now decide for yourself whether you want to play in arcade or simulation style.

But the core of handling is as before. The real Race Driver feeling. Furthermore, one racing class works slightly differently than the next. If you race in a muscle car, it is much more car to car, “rubbing is racing”. And when you get into the GT class, you notice that everyone drives more politely. That is more of a real motorsport feeling to get the corners right and to make sure you keep your racing line. So you have enough variation in one racing game and many fans of the genre can be completely absorbed in the racing experience.

New to Grid is the addition of advanced AI racers. There are four hundred different artificial intelligence, all taking a different turn. There is also AI based on Fernando Alonso, who has also consulted for the handling system. The F1 champion acts as showdown boss in his own series and acts as a gatekeeper between you and the finals of the Grid World Series. On the track you can form rivalry and even get a nemesis, which makes racing somewhat dramatic.

All cars also look a lot better and the improved graphics can also show the reality of racing. Scratches and dents from colliding and even doors and bonnets that come loose or flap. Car manufacturers who lend their cars to games like this usually don’t want it, so it’s nice to see that there is a damage model. All in all, the new Grid is a good addition to the racing genre and a game that will give you a lot of racing pleasure. A recommendation for anyone who loves these types of games.

Need for Speed ​​Heat

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Need for Speed ​​franchise, Electronic Arts, together with developer Ghost Games, is delivering the comprehensive racing game Need for Speed ​​Heat. Heat is an open world racing game and is set in Palm City, a city based in Miami, Florida. In addition to racing through the city, you can also explore the surrounding area, such as mountains and open fields. Although there is no automatic day and night system, players can change part of the day whenever they want. And that is a good thing.

Because during the day you get access to a different event than in the evening. During the day you participate in defined races, in which you can win money at the end for the purchase of new cars and parts. At night it is time for illegal street races that you can use to build your reputation. And the better your reputation is, the more police you’ll be chasing – and the more exciting the races eventually become. It is therefore important to come home as quickly as possible in the evening; before you are arrested or before your car is broken.

In general we are very pleased with this 24th part in the series. It is great to see that a few favorite parts – such as changing cars and police prosecutions – are back. Moreover, the total of 127 also drive very well. There are a few things that throw a spanner in the works: for example, EA keeps asking for money after you have bought the game, technical problems may occasionally arise and online functions are not very strong. However, the basics, racing, are in good order and that makes Heat very nice.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Modern Warfare has been back and better than ever. With this reboot from the Modern Warfare series, Infinity Ward has made a good and fun Call of Duty. It sounds strange to say this about a Call of Duty game, but Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has a single player story. After Black Ops 4, studio Infinty Ward happily chose to make a single player story. For example, no content for single player was added last year and the focus was on the battleroyal mode.

The game is set in a realistic and modern setting. The campaign follows US CIA officers and British SAS forces as they work with rebels from the fictional country of Urzikstan, and fight together against Russian forces that invaded the country. It is a bold story and plays just like you are in a movie and the events really seem to happen. Ultimately, the campaign is short, but incredibly powerful, and moments pass by that you don’t forget (we don’t give spoilers).

But Call of Duty is especially popular because of the multiplayer. All known modes are present and recently Hardpoint has also been added via a free update, which is a variant of King of the Hill. All the modes play nicely and and the shooting with the guns feels incredibly good. In addition, you can also play against various console and PC players via crossplay, but you can also turn it off if you prefer to stick to console or PC. You have the choice, so that you cannot complain that “PC players have an advantage.”

In addition, Modern Warfare also has the special operations co-op mode. There is a fashion for the classic spec ops, but now you can also play different new missions with three other friends. These special operations continue the story of the single player. The operations are difficult above average, but if you work together and divide the roles well, it is a very nice experience. Call of Duty Modern Warfare makes a fresh start with a new and bold story and a good multi player. Highly recommended for this fall.

MediEvil

With the announcement of the remake of MediEvil a lot of fans of the PlayStation 1 were happy. This is one of the most popular PS1 titles of the past. Moreover, this is the time to meet Sir Daniel Fortesque again. That is the hero, or something in that form, of this game. MediEvil is a hack-and-slash game with platform and puzzle elements. That means you walk around in a level and defeat enemies with all kinds of different weapons, while figuring out what exactly the mission is.

Fortunately, the game communicates quite clearly what exactly is required of you is becoming. And if it is not clear, then it is part of the gameplay and it is quite fun to figure it out for yourself. The basis of MediEvil is still strong, but we notice a lot of cracks in the experience. For example, the camera almost never cooperates, we find the controls very slippery and the developer has hardly ever left their own mark on the game. For example, we are missing elements that could have modernized the game.

And then we are referring to, for example, checkpoints for a boss. Although the levels are not long, it can sometimes be annoying to have to do everything again when you are with the final boss. That said, MediEvil offers a great trip down memory lane for everyone who was looking for this, but we do wonder if the game is also suitable for other people. There is a lot missing from the experience, despite the fact that it is really cool to see Sir Daniel Fortesque in full glory.

Best games of the moment: Mario & Sonic at the 2020 Olympic Games

Anyone who ever thought that Mario and Sonic – once two arch-rivals on competing game consoles – would end up in one game could not have predicted that this would result in a series of sports games (plus: let’s Sonic in Super Smash Bros.). Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020 is already the sixth part in this series. This time, the sports game was released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, where we can dive into new sports and parts on the popular hybrid game console.

Like in previous titles, you can play with all kinds of characters from the Mario and Sonic series, in all kinds of sports. Each character has its strengths and weaknesses. And although there are also athletes who generally have good statistics, no character is really good at anything. That ensures a good balance in a video game where it is mainly about having fun with your friends. The multiplayer aspect is again the strongest jug of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games; the single player can sometimes be a bit boring.

Whether you play alone or against friends (we can really recommend drumming up your friends), you can enjoy both new and old mini-games. Games from previous parts are boxing, soccer, swimming and gymnastics, while the 2020 version for the Switch introduces sports such as karate, skateboarding, climbing and surfing. Moreover, there is also something going on online and there is even a 2D mode. The game has fun mini-games and a strong multiplayer, but the single player can sometimes be just a little too long-winded.

Best games of the moment: Disgaea 4 Complete +

Fans of strategic role playing games know that we can appreciate these types of games, looking at the praise for, among others, Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Disgaea 1 Complete . Now it’s time to get started (perhaps again) with Disgaea 4 Complete +, a complete version of the game Disgaea 4 that was released in 2011. It is again a crazy and deeply in-depth strategic rpg in which you can adjust, expand and train anything. This series guarantees hours of fun.

In the game, players are faced with a true revolution. In Disgaea 4 Complete +, you’ll be at the helm of the story that revolves around revolution and redemption, while dealing with all kinds of enemies, including vampires and werewolves. In addition, the series is known for its humorous tone that does not fade easily, because there are actually good dialogues written and the characters are well developed over time. In addition, the gameplay is so deep that you are overwhelmed with possibilities in the beginning.

What makes every Disgaea so strong is that there is actually no right or wrong way to play. Of course your characters can die and missions can fail, but you can decide for yourself which team members you take with you and therefore find important and which items you make stronger or not. Plus, multiple endings are available, on top of the already crazy amount of content, allowing you to keep playing the game until you drop. Don’t know the series yet? Then maybe you better start with the first part

Best games of the moment: Life is Strange 2

Last In the Best games of the moment series of part 13 is Life is strange. When you play a lot of narrative games, such as those from Telltale Games, you have encountered the game title Life is Strange. The first season of this episodic game has been well received by gamers and critics, so it is not surprising that we have been working on a new season since the end of last year. This time we will not play with a young lady who is on an adventure with her good friend, but with two young brothers who live in a suburb of Seattle, USA.

A tragic incident has forced the young brothers to flee from the police. Of course, along the way, they encounter all kinds of problems and obstacles – putting their relationship to the test. Because the story is central in this game, we don’t want to say too much about it; if you are interested in this title, you actually want to know as little as possible. Not convinced yet? Then know that there are super powers at play that the boys do not yet understand, which can lead to completely different situations.

Although the Life is Strange games are basically realistic and grounded, it is not surprising that we also encounter superpowers in this new season. In the first season it was time travel forces and you can find out for yourself what it will be for this season. The brothers aim to get to Mexico, but they don’t have many resources for that. What choices do you make along the way that affect the story and the characters around you? If you already liked the first part, then this second season will also appeal to you.

The game was first available in digital parts. Every few weeks a new part in the story came out, which you had to download individually to play. Now the game has been re-released. Completely complete, with all parts, on one disc. The edition also includes bonus content such as the previously launched bonus game The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. This is also a story in which your choices influence the course of the story. And you can now customize the patches on Sean’s backpack in-game.