Avowed Feels Amazing, Monster Hunter Wilds Seems Incredible, And More Of The Week's Takes

The thing is, Avowed just feels right.

Usually, sitting down with a new role-playing game, there’s a period of adjustment, of getting used to the foibles and learning its particulars. But with Avowed, I just started playing. I had picked a rogue-ish character, armed with twin pistols and a bow for longer range, and immediately set about exploring some caves beneath Dawnshore like I’d lived there my whole life. - John Walker Read More

One of the most confounding things about video games is how they often tell stories that are clearly meant to be real-world allegories rather than escapist fantasies, but are still often framed as such by the companies that make them. After playing four hours of Metaphor: ReFantazio, the upcoming fantasy RPG from the minds behind the Persona franchise, I enjoyed playing the turn-based battles, watching how it blends action into its overworld to help mitigate the grind, and seeing the ways it borrowed from the long history of Shin Megami Tensei while adding twists and turns all its own. But we already knew a fair bit of that already, and Ethan Gach covered that side of things extensively when he saw the game at Summer Game Fest. I wanted to get a sense of what this new fantasy RPG Atlus had cooking was actually about. What I was most struck by was how overtly it tackles not only election anxiety and the various social issues that arise when people are fighting for power but also seems to be commenting on the futile notion of the fantasy genre as escapism…but Atlus wants to make sure you know the team has “no political agenda.” - Kenneth Shepard Read More

“I wanna take you for a riiiide.”

As a kid, I grew intimately familiar with the bouncy theme song for Marvel vs. Capcom 2. I’m sure most everyone has a story about this game, and here’s mine: my family could not afford a babysitter, despite the fact that my parents worked from sunrise to well beyond the sunset. My older brother was often placed in charge of me growing up, but when he wasn’t available (because he had his own life) I’d accompany my folks to the laundry they operated. Throughout the 90s and early-to-mid aughts, their business frequently featured one or two arcade cabinets. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was the one that I occupied most, and it became everything to me. To my knowledge, it was the first game I ever tried to master. I must’ve hopped on the sticks twenty times an afternoon whenever I found myself at that laundry, and in turn MvC2 has never quite left me. Everywhere I go, I hear that tune still, and every fighting game I play, I simply yearn for the good ol’ days. - Moises Taveras Read More

I recently got the chance to play four hours of Metaphor: ReFantazio, the fantasy RPG from the minds behind the Persona series. I came away really enthralled by its world and how it seems to be toying with the barriers of fantasy and reality. I was less thrilled with how Atlus attempted to distance its in-universe political drama from reality, but I’m still intrigued by what the game itself seems to be saying. I saw a lot of the game in those four hours, and I think I’m still waiting to find the flair in its turn-based combat, which felt like it was missing some of the bells and whistles that make games like Persona feel more complex than just hitting elemental weaknesses. But despite any lingering concerns, I still experienced a handful of standout moments in which I could feel Metaphor: ReFantazio worming its way into my brain, sparking my curiosity, and alleviating some of the problems I’ve had with some of Atlus’ previous games. Here are a few moments from my play time that have stuck with me. - Kenneth Shepard Read More

Admittedly, I’m not the fighting game savant at this site, or even in my own circle of friends. Crucially, I think everyone plays more of this genre than myself, though I was a bit of a fighting game fiend growing up. That lack of experience didn’t impede me when it came to last year’s Street Fighter 6, however, which brought the long-running fighting series to the newest generation of console with stunning results. Street Fighter 6 broadly smoothed out a lot of the issues players had with its predecessor and packed in so much love and veneration for the franchise’s history that people couldn’t help but adore it. Now, it’s continuing its little comeback tour with a legendary roster addition, along with features built to help its fanbase continue their own personal journeys with the game. - Moises Taveras Read More

Monster Hunter Wilds is going big. After months of trailers, teases, and hands-off looks at it, the upcoming title had its big blowout, complete with a playable Gamescom demo and a round of previews I was invited to. After about 90 minutes with some of the game’s opening hunts, I’m pretty confident Monster Hunter Wilds is going to set the world on fire. - Moises Taveras Read More

Now and then you see something that reminds you that the passage of time marches on so quickly that it’s nearly imperceptible. Yesterday, August 25, was Batman: Arkham Asylum’s 15th anniversary. That’s right. What is arguably the most well-regarded game starring Bruce Wayne ever made is old enough for a learner’s permit. The Arkham series has seen better days, as the most recent entry in Rocksteady’s DC universe, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, is rightfully divisive. But looking back at where it all began, Arkham Asylum was a truly remarkable experience that set a new bar for what we expect out of a superhero game. If you’ve never played it, the original game and its sequels are bundled on sale on Xbox, PlayStation and Humble Bundle for less than $10 - Kenneth Shepard Read More