Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review - IGN

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Bayonetta 3 Review - IGN

  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, JapanNintendo

  

  Starts 10/28/2022CONFIRMED78% CONFIDENCE3.9 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…is especially disappointing because it starts out so promisingly. It opens with a surprisingly dark…"

  I hold the Bayonetta series’ combat in such high esteem that I’d consider it in the top five or so combat systems of all time, right next to the Devil May Cry, God of War, Ninja Gaiden, and Batman Arkham games. It’s just incredible to look at, feels equally amazing to play, and is jam packed with opportunities for style and creativity thanks to the wide assortment of wild weapons at your disposal. Bayonetta 3 just further cements its legacy, strutting out with a surprising sequel in that it actually takes a lot of risks with changing up its established formula in an effort to revitalize a combat system that only slightly evolved between the first two games. Fortunately those risks pay off. Bayonetta 3 is an invigorated sequel with fresh new ideas that embolden its 13-year-old combat system, an impressive amount of variety throughout its 10 to 12-hour campaign, and more of that trademark sexy Bayonetta style that makes the series one of a kind.

  $59.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@PrettyGang

  Elden Ring Review - IGN

  Shinjuku, Tokyo, JapanFromSoftware

  

  Starts 02/25/2022UNVERIFIED78% CONFIDENCE4.6 years ago

  In the 87 hours that it took me to beat Elden Ring, I was put through an absolute wringer of emotion: Anger as I was beaten down by its toughest challenges, exhilaration when I finally overcame them, and a fair amount of sorrow for the mountains of exp I lost along the way to some of the toughest boss encounters FromSoftware has ever conceived. But more than anything else I was in near-constant awe – from the many absolutely jaw-dropping vistas, the sheer scope of an absolutely enormous world, the frequently harrowing enemies, and the way in which Elden Ring nearly always rewarded my curiosity with either an interesting encounter, a valuable reward, or something even greater. FromSoftware takes the ball that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild got rolling and runs with it, creating a fascinating and dense open world about freedom and exploration above all else, while also somehow managing to seamlessly weave a full-on Dark Souls game into the middle of it. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that Elden Ring ended up as one of the most unforgettable gaming experiences I’ve ever had.

  $59.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Resident Evil 4 Review - IGN

  Chūō-ku, Osaka, JapanCapcom

  

  Starts 03/24/2023CONFIRMED80% CONFIDENCE3.5 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…esident Evil 4. Even so, when I hit the start button on this 2023 remake of the legendary 2005 actio…"

  In light of the high-quality remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 released in 2019 and 2020, it felt like a safe bet that Capcom would do an equally admirable job of rebuilding Resident Evil 4. Even so, when I hit the start button on this 2023 remake of the legendary 2005 action-horror game I wasn’t prepared for how forcefully it would knock my knees out from under me and suplex me headfirst into 16 hours of sustained tension and exhilaration. This fully revitalised campaign dramatically one-ups the original in almost every conceivable way. Its Spanish countryside setting is substantially more sinister, its pacing has been tightened to the point where hardly a single minute is wasted, and its controls have been modernised in order to allow its signature dynamic shooting mechanics to really shine. I’ve been waiting 18 years for a game to thrill me in the same way as Resident Evil 4; as it turns out, this whole time I’ve just been waiting for another Resident Evil 4.

  $59.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Review - IGN

  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, JapanNintendo

  

  Starts 10/20/2022CONFIRMED80% CONFIDENCE3.9 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…irder when a giant manta ray from space arrives to cause trouble. The story is actually one of Spark…"

  When a game hits on a good idea, some developers are content to play it safe for the sequel, making a few refinements but largely stick to what worked the first time. That totally makes sense. But Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is not that kind of sequel; even though Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle surprised us all with its smart XCOM-style tactics in Nintendo clothing, this followup maintains its best ideas but reinvents itself to the point where it immediately feels very different. It’s bigger and better in nearly every way, with a more freeform and customizable take on combat and an almost completely rethought overworld that’s much less linear and absolutely packed with puzzles. The story’s all over the place and the Switch can’t always handle everything smoothly, but it’s a fantastic game that can be played as either an enjoyable cakewalk or a deep, demanding tactical challenge, all while maintaining its zany sense of humor.

  Picking back up in the post-Rabbid invasion Mushroom Kingdom, things immediately get even weirder when a giant manta ray from space arrives to cause trouble. The story is actually one of Sparks of Hope’s few missteps: the original’s trans-dimensional blending of Mario characters and goofball Rabbids is completely absurd, but it kind of makes sense in its own way. This time, though, the completely unrelated enemy spreads what’s effectively Ganon’s corrupt ooze with eyeballs from Breath of the Wild everywhere, and most but not all of her minions are also Rabbids for some reason? Also we have a spaceship for traveling between literal worlds? It makes Kingdom Battle look grounded in reality by comparison, which is something I never thought I’d say about that game. I wasn’t expecting deep lore or anything, but it’s kind of a mess. It does consistently have some pretty good jokes, though, so at least I was chuckling as I was scratching my head.

  $59.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  The Last of Us Part I Review - IGN

  Minato, Tokyo, JapanSony·…

  

  Starts 09/02/2022CONFIRMED78% CONFIDENCE4.1 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…on of Naughty Dog’s 2013 masterpiece to arrive inside a decade. Unsurprisingly, this remake takes fu…"

  You almost have to admire the hedonism of looking at The Last of Us Remastered, which is still visually impressive eight years later, and saying, “Yeah, that looks pretty good, but we can do better.” There’s very little left to be said about the original The Last of Us, a potent, post-apocalyptic cocktail of stealth, survival, and slaughter that’s revered for its haunting storytelling in an amazingly well-crafted world. You almost certainly knew that. It’s widely lauded as one of the best games of all time and one of the few to get a 10 from IGN, but I reckon you knew that, too. In fact, it’s a game so nice they built it thrice, which is where we find ourselves with The Last of Us Part I – now the third version of Naughty Dog’s 2013 masterpiece to arrive inside a decade.

  $69.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Horizon Forbidden West Review - IGN

  Minato, Tokyo, JapanSony·…

  

  Starts 02/18/2022UNVERIFIED87% CONFIDENCE4.6 years ago

  Successful sequels build on their predecessors in multiple ways – think Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and Uncharted 2. They all improve what came before them by conjuring up exciting new gameplay mechanics, developing characters through engaging stories, and switching up mission design to offer variety. In other words, they take a solid base and combine with new elements to create more advanced bonds, much like an alloy… or in this case, an Aloy. Horizon Forbidden West does this with aplomb, building on the already impressive foundations of 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn to tell a thrilling story full of familiar explosive combat against elaborate robotic foes and blockbuster action sequences, but also adding Witcher-like settlements to the map and filling it out with great side quests. There’s a genuine sense of exploration and loads of completely involving lore behind it all to uncover. The result is a fantastic open-world action-adventure that, despite falling into a couple of its old habits, emphatically delivers on the promises made five years ago.

  $69.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  A Plague Tale: Requiem Review - IGN

  Paris, Grand Paris, FranceFocus Entertainment

  

  Starts 10/18/2022CONFIRMED78% CONFIDENCE3.9 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…third-person action-adventure game that takes place in an alternate history version of 14th century…"

  Like a sugar-crazed child working their way to the bottom of a Halloween bag full of treats, A Plague Tale: Requiem is confident that the things which made the first game great will be even more delectable in ludicrous quantities. You liked massive swarms of rats? Well, how about we increase the number of them by a degree of 1,000! You enjoyed a gruesome and harrowing journey that tested the limits of your emotional resilience? Great, let’s increase your personal suffering by 200%! This follow-up to one of my favorite action-adventure games of the previous console generation turns the dials up to 11 in practically every way, and overwhelmingly benefits from those escalations despite sometimes being a bit heavy on the nihilism. With improved stealth action mechanics, a fantastic (and deeply depressing) story, and graphics that had me gawking, A Plague Tale: Requiem is an impressive glow up that’s easily worth the immense horrors it subjected me to.

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Hogwarts Legacy Review - IGN

  Burbank, United StatesWarner Bros. Games

  

  Starts 02/10/2023CONFIRMED85% CONFIDENCE3.6 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…eiving a Hogwarts admission letter that opens the door to a secret world. With Hogwarts Legacy, I’m…"

  Like many, I’ve been waiting for a truly excellent Harry Potter game since I was in the third grade. In that time, we’ve gotten some respectable LEGO Potter games, an underwhelming EA Sports Quidditch game for some reason, and even suffered through the fevered nightmare that is Harry Potter Kinect. But none of these has come close to fulfilling that fantasy of receiving a Hogwarts admission letter that opens the door to a secret world. With Hogwarts Legacy, I’m happy to say that we finally got a Harry Potter game that captures some of that magic. Its open world map absolutely nails the vibe of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it has spellcasting combat that’s stupefyingly good, the characters that inhabit it are charming and unforgettable, and it is positively brimming with countless diversions to soak up dozens of hours of your time. It may not be the most impressive technical achievement and it is certainly cursed with a lack of enemy variety, but none of Hogwarts Legacy’s issues can cast a Descendo charm on this triumphant visit to the Wizarding World.

  $69.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Need For Speed Unbound Review

  209 Redwood Shores Parkway, Redwood City, United StatesElectronic Arts

  

  Starts 12/02/2022UNVERIFIED78% CONFIDENCE3.8 years ago

  2022 was a stacked year that featured indie darlings (Immortality), blockbusters (God of War Ragnarok), and smaller, surprise hits (Marvel Snap), so it shouldn't be a shock that a game or two slipped under your radar. But the biggest blink-and-you-miss-it release might be late November's Need for Speed Unbound, the latest entry in EA’s long-running street racing series. With Criterion Games (of Burnout fame) at the helm, Unbound had the potential to be one of the best racing games of the year—or a return to series form after a few missteps. But while aesthetically pleasing and featuring cross-platform play with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, the $69.99 PC game lacks satisfactory car handling and a thriving, in-game world.

  $69.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Review - IGN

  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, JapanNintendo

  

  Starts 11/18/2022UNVERIFIED87% CONFIDENCE3.8 years ago

  It is still unbelievable to me that after 26 years of linear, straightforward RPGs, developer Game Freak really looked Pokémon players dead in the eye and said, “It’s fine, go wherever you want.” In the lead-up to the launch of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, I thought this claim would end up being a marketing gimmick, a little joke, something we’d all be mad about later. But from the moment I left the hallowed halls of Uva Academy, that promise has been wonderfully fulfilled, with open-world, open-ended gameplay serving as a shining beacon for the future of this beloved franchise. And yet, a finger on the cursed Mankey’s paw has curled anyway – Scarlet and Violet’s wonderfully innovative design is dramatically undermined by the numerous ways in which they feel deeply unfinished, with issues ranging from an incomplete world to massive and ubiquitous technical problems. So even though I want to celebrate how this generation reinvents and reinvigorates the world of Pokémon, I can’t without putting a great big warning label on it.

  $59.99

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• Gaming04/30/2023@ThePinGang

  Baldur's Gate 3 - Gameplay Trailer | State of Play 2023

  Ghent, Arrondissement of Ghent, BelgiumLarian Studios

  

  Starts 08/31/2023UNVERIFIED78% CONFIDENCE3.1 years ago

  Following a 20-plus year wait, RPG fans will finally return to the Forgotten Realms of the popular Baldur's Gate franchise. But the Dungeons & Dragons-based sequel has much more going for it than players' long-brimming anticipation. Developed by Larian Studios — the team behind acclaimed RPG series Divinity — Baldur's Gate III represents that rare dream pairing of a beloved property with the studio best suited to adapting it. Toss in the fact that this hotly anticipated PC game has been honed over two years of fan feedback-fueled early access, and we can't wait to party up and teach those ugly mind flayers some manners. 

  $69.99

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• Gaming05/02/2023@PrettyGang

  The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lands top spot on IGN's 10 Best Legend of Zelda Games of All Time

  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, JapanNintendo

  

  Starts 03/03/2017CONFIRMED80% CONFIDENCE9.6 years agoHappened as dated, per ign.com^[1]: "…only” came in at number 3 here. When it launched in 1998, Ocarina of Time instantly defined what 3D…"

  The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild reinvented a 30-year-old series in a way we rarely see. After Skyward Sword offered a slightly more linear, story-driven campaign than most fans were used to, Breath of the Wild readjusted dramatically in the opposite direction. Suddenly you could go anywhere and climb anything in any order you wanted, and goodness gracious was there a whole lot to choose from.

  There are plenty of fair criticisms to throw at Breath of the Wild, with common ones being its lack of traditional Zelda dungeons and items. But what’s truly impressive is how much it maintained the heart of a Zelda game even as it altered nearly every system around it. To a certain extent, Zelda has always been about exploration and choice, and Breath of the Wild simply leaned into and enabled those aspects of itself above all else, now making the world a place that would react to those choices as well. There’s just so much to see, so many people to meet and secrets to find hidden throughout this long-since devastated version of Hyrule.

  $59.99

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