Despite the initial backlash from YouTubers before Star Wars Outlaws even hit the shelves, I found the game to be a genuinely fun and solid experience. Sure, there were plenty of critics lining up to tell us the game mechanics were going to be clunky, especially when it came to combat. But let me tell you, they were as wrong as a stormtrooper's aim. In reality, the game was surprisingly fluid, with combat mechanics that felt smooth and responsive.

Developed by Ubisoft, Outlaws takes heavy inspiration from the Assassin’s Creed series. So, if you're familiar with scaling walls, sneaking around, and engaging in some epic, open-world exploration, you’ll feel right at home. Just keep that comparison in mind, and you’ll understand the game’s vibe—and probably enjoy it more.

One of the standout elements for me was Nix, the main character’s adorable yet fierce pet. Nix wasn’t just there to be cute (though it succeeded in that department); it was genuinely helpful throughout the journey, whether fetching items or distracting enemies. Speaking of the journey, the planets were stunningly crafted. Sure, we got iconic locations like Tatooine and Jabba the Hutt’s palace, but the game didn’t stop there. It introduced new, breathtaking environments that added more depth to the galaxy we know and love.

Traveling by speeder was another highlight. It’s a quick, slick way to get around, and I may or may not have spent more time than necessary zooming around just because it felt so cool. Space travel? Yep, that’s in here too, and it’s as fun as you’d hope. It added a whole new layer to the game, letting you hop between planets and giving you that authentic, interstellar Star Wars experience.

And now, to the heart of it: the storyline. I thought it was fantastic. It balanced action with a heartfelt, gripping narrative, without dipping too far into the overly-Disneyfied territory. After all, we’re dealing with outlaws here, not galactic superheroes. It’s gritty, it’s real, and it manages to feel like a fresh addition to the Star Wars universe.

In summary, Star Wars Outlaws is a ride worth taking. Ignore the pre-release haters, strap in, and enjoy a wild, outlaw-driven romp through the galaxy. It’s not perfect, but it’s one of the most enjoyable Star Wars games I’ve played in a long time.

Having been a dedicated Destiny 2 player since its launch, and diving deep into its expansions over the past three years, I can confidently say that "The Final Shape" stands as the pinnacle of what Bungie has achieved with this franchise. This expansion delivers on every front, making it the best addition to the game thus far.

One of the most striking aspects of "The Final Shape" is its emotional resonance. The return of Cayde-6, voiced again by Nathan Fillion, brings a wave of nostalgia and depth to the narrative. His interactions, particularly with Crow, add layers of character development that fans have longed for. The storyline is both heartbreaking and uplifting, making it one of the most compelling campaigns in Destiny 2's history​.

The gameplay itself is a perfect blend of challenge and engagement. The introduction of the Prismatic subclass allows for unprecedented customization, letting players mix and match abilities from different elements. This feature doesn't just feel like a rehash of old subclasses but provides a fresh and unique gameplay experience. The flexibility it offers in combat is a game-changer, enabling new strategies and playstyles​​.

Puzzles in "The Final Shape" are intricately designed, drawing inspiration from past raids and dungeons but simplifying the mechanics to keep the experience engaging and intuitive. They provide a satisfying flow without becoming tedious, which is a significant improvement over some previous expansions​.

The campaign's setting, the Pale Heart, is arguably the most visually and structurally impressive environment Bungie has created. This linear destination, designed specifically for the campaign, enhances the narrative's momentum and immersion. The surreal landscapes, blending familiar and new elements, create a vivid and captivating backdrop for the story​​.

Combat is invigorated with new sandbox features, including the introduction of formidable new enemies and mechanics that require players to adapt and strategize. The endgame content, particularly the epic final boss fight, evokes the intensity and scale of classic Bungie titles like Halo, offering a climactic and memorable experience. The final battle, which involves a massive online collaboration to defeat the boss, is a testament to the game's community-driven nature and provides a fittingly epic conclusion to the saga​​.

Overall, "The Final Shape" is a masterful expansion that brings together all the elements that have made Destiny 2 a beloved game. Its emotional depth, innovative gameplay mechanics, challenging puzzles, and breathtaking environments set a new standard for what an expansion should be. For anyone who has journeyed through the world of Destiny, this is a must-play, offering a gratifying and spectacular culmination of years of storytelling and gameplay evolution.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is the best single-player game I've ever played. Let's start off with the theme of the game. With a perfect blend between mildly-violent action and calming discoveries, this game delivers on all fronts. It offers amazing scenic views in 4k, mildly challenging puzzles, NPC group-based rewards, and player customization/level progression. I've also experienced the game multiple times in co-op and it's built perfectly for a two-person playthrough. 

Ubisoft, Havok, and 20th Century Game, amongst others, did a fantastic job matching the game to the feel of the movies. You really feel like a 9-10ft tall Na'vi when you're running in the forest and destroying giant mechs. For me, seamlessly running in this game, leaping from branch to branch, climbing obstacles, and jumping off mountains for my banshee to catch me felt better than playing Assassin's Creed. I've played Far Cry, and while you can tell the game has some similarities, it is completely different. You do not fly on an alien pterodactyl, slide up vines, bounce from tree limb to tree limb, and fall great heights on purpose - and survive. To me, it didn't feel like Far Cry at all.

The forever-explorable base of the game itself has me hooked. It is calmer than playing Minecraft or Starfield. The open-world style of the game, with crafting and in-game vendors, feels a lot like a new-age Skyrim. The colorful and calming UI is the perfect feel for the game. Let's start with hunting for your food. You must eat to survive and feed your Ikran (aka Banshee) once you get one. Your Banshee eats raw meat, but you must cook yours. Cooking is soothing in the game, and discovering new recipes for your recipe book is fun. Crafting is also a key part of the game. As you collect meat, you will also collect creatures' hides and can use them in conjunction with other materials to craft items.

The fighting mechanics of the game are great. I've heard complaints that the game is hard to get used to in this regard. The game literally rewards you for being stealthy – and this is the way of the Na'vi, just like the movies. You will get extra rewards if you raid an RDA base without sounding an alarm. You can even hack mechs and turrets instead of attacking them to get around. Additionally, the game tries to spark interest more on the Na'vi side than the human side, even though it showcases a good blend of both as a whole. So, it is sometimes better to use bows and spears than shotguns and assault rifles. This game is not a Call of Duty-style game when it comes to running and gunning, but I, personally, never expected it to be. If you're expecting that, I can see disappointment coming your way.

As you get into the game, you will discover that there are a ton of things to do. You can do side quests, discover bellsprings that increase your health, discover ancestor skills that unlock skills that you've forgotten from your lineage, unlock gear for your Ikran, clear RDA bases, clear RDA polluted areas (like clearing RDA towers/mini-bases), discover Na'vi camps, discover abandoned Resistance outposts, and destroy CON-DEV (Consolidated Development) RDA construction blimps. On top of that, you can hunt, craft, and fill your Hunter's Guide with knowledge of all beasts and enemies. Even if you've managed to do everything there is to do in the game, there are respawnable mini-bosses spread throughout the map, like super thanators that block your Na'vi senses. Did I mention that there is a multi-player co-op? 😉 So, even if you're bored in your own world, you can play some missions again with someone else and keep the rewards in your inventory.

If you play the storyline only, you will likely beat the game at levels 14-16, depending on the gear you find and your upgrades. It took me around 20 hours. With the story and side missions, it's said to have around 40 hours of content. To do absolutely everything (https://howlongtobeat.com/game/93907), it would take around 70 hours. The game's max level, at least for now, is level 20. Even at max level, you can switch out your weapons, weapon mods, armor, and Ikran gear (the last doesn't affect your stats but is just for cosmetics). The best type of gear in the game is labeled pristine – and it's the equivalent of an ultra-rare item (or the rarest). It is best to have all pristine weapons, mods, armor, and materials. With two expansions coming up to complement the game, I can't see what else is in store for this series.

I've loved this game from the start. I purchased the game & DLC on day one (I have the SP). I cranked out 60 hrs immediately, beat the game, reached level 20, and unlocked the whole map. I left some bases and quests for me to do on purpose so over time I had things to do besides the Ikran baskets and finding the very last of the skillflowers. That being said, I've been waiting eagerly 6 months for this DLC and not much was leaked about it prior. I thought it would just be a side-story added to the existing map.

I was extremely happy to find that they extended the map. For those who don't know the map was already 98.5 square miles which I believe is the largest Ubisoft map. Now they've added 14.7 square miles more with new foliage and points of interest including RDA bases and Na'vi Camps! And the Na'vi Camps aren't small either. Some are absolutely massive and stunning like in the main game. There are more Na'vi Shops & there is more clan reputation to earn. New items and new enemies are introduced. The new large RDA bases are massive.

Without giving any spoilers, the plot was very well thought out and made me tear up like the main game. It's about a 5-6 hr completion on regular mode, but that's just the base plot. The new expansion adds tons more side quests and explorations. The plot includes most if not all of the remaining characters from the main story. The boss is just as important as the main story boss. Considering what the boss does during the storyline - it's imperative that you stop them! This makes the story just as inclusive as the main story of the entire plot of the game.

Your level is also extended to 25, and the new items received are very helpful. There are now legendary items, which are even better than exquisite (this is also for the food)! Since new plants have been introduced, new food combos exist. To me, the expansion added the perfect balance of more RDA mechs to the game's lore. The Main Story was very Pandora life-heavy, and this expansion introduces more of RDA's kickass gear and focuses on that. This game is just perfect overall, to me. This is just my opinion, but I absolutely love this game, and it's my favorite. Ubisoft did well blessing this game with more content than I expected. They went above and beyond!

TL;DR - The game had a rough launch, and was basically down for two weeks when I purchased the game which affected my review heavily because this game currently has few unlockables to offer (this was written in April, 2024). So all the hype and the stress of wanting to play wasn't for much other than my friends being obsessed with it, which makes me competitive. Additionally, there are only two enemy factions to fight, even still, months after launch. However, it is so heavily co-op-based and the power-ups are so cool, that I can see past this. I don't often find myself playing this game alone a ton unless I am bored and want to level to beat my friends or meet new gamers. The devs like to add new major things to the game, which keeps it alive, but if I had no friends who played this game, my review would be two stars. The amount of content available in the game should make it around $19.99-$29.99, especially considering there are still bugs. To buy the Super Edition and all warbonds, that currently would cost you $80.

Having spent 31 hours in-mission and reaching level 38, I can confidently say Helldivers 2 is a fantastic cooperative shooter. It's a game best enjoyed with friends, working together to achieve objectives on hostile planets. From the extensive customization options to the recent addition of environmental hazards (meteor showers or fire tornadoes, anyone?), there's a lot to love here.

However, the launch wasn't ideal. For nearly two weeks, the game was plagued with glitches, bugs, and server issues that made it nearly unplayable. Sometimes, it took over half a day to even get into a match – frustrating for anyone who just wanted to jump in and fight for Super Earth! While the developers have ironed out most of these issues, it left a sour taste – especially considering the $40 price tag for half a month of no play.

Another point of contention: the unlockables. I had all the stratagems unlocked by level 20, leaving little to strive for afterward beyond warbond customization unlocks. There are also only two enemy factions, which can get repetitive after a while.

But those are minor quibbles compared to the overall fun. Helldivers 2 truly shines in its cooperative gameplay. The community banding together to unlock warbond rewards through metals is a great addition, and the use of tactical boosters adds another layer of strategic depth. Recent additions like flying bugs, helicopter support for Automatons, and giant mechs add a whole new level of excitement to missions. Plus, with many players using their mics, the teamwork and camaraderie are top-notch.

So, is Helldivers 2 perfect? No. But it's a wildly fun, objective-based co-op shooter with a ton to offer. If you can look past the rough launch and shallow base-game unlockables (additional warbonds cost $10 each currently), you're in for a treat. Just remember to bring your friends and a healthy dose of communication – you'll need both to survive out there!

TL;DR - Overall, this game is an action-packed, realistic, Mass Effect-like game. The campaign could be better - way better - but the freedom to explore and the deep side missions/campaigns make up for it. The lore of the universe is fun to learn as you go. Playing the campaign is an option, and there are multiple new game pluses (every new game plus is like reaching prestige levels in COD). However, it takes far too long to get from point A to point B in some instances during gameplay.

Without giving any spoilers, the main theme behind the campaign is revealed toward the end of the game, and it was not what I expected. This was probably a well-developed story, but I felt the story was told like someone gave up trying 3/4 of the way through and some other guy had to make up something quick to finish out the storyline. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense, but there were also multiple other ways to make up an alternate ending and it makes sense - and some of those options, I believe, would've been better suited. Put it this way, if the universe and space really work like how it is revealed in this game, then I would be disappointed in our laws of physics. Also, yes, the main story of the game attempts to answer our entire purpose in the universe and how the universe works.

Some of the side quests I thought were more interesting than the campaign and they are very lengthy. Exploration in the game is extremely fun. I would compare this game to No Man's Sky, but a realistic version. You can discover new planets, life, and landmarks as well as establish a home base (or have multiple bases). If that isn't enough for you, you can still buy luxury apartments in the popular cities across the galaxy. The beautiful and unique cities of Starfield are spread throughout the local galaxy, making it easy for you to enjoy exploring the different settings and environments the worlds have to offer. Player customization, starship customization, and assigning your crew are even more than what you'd expect from a Bethesda game. However, on the unpopulated planets, the dev's attempt at making one want to explore is pushed a little too far when you must travel far distances on foot and there is nothing to see in between.

TL;DR - Overall, this game received a not-good score because I was forced to stop playing over a bug, and I had no motivation to pick up playing again. It also lacks unique creativity.

Firstly, I will start this review off by saying this game is a rip-off of Pokémon. Yes, the game mechanics are different - meaning this is an open-world survival game almost exactly like ARK, but it shares the game art style of Pokémon. The designers of the game have admitted they stole the art style, which in itself is not enough for me to disregard a game's creativity, but they also based every single Pal in the game off of an existing Pokémon - at least when the game was first released. They additionally copied different "Palspheres", meaning there is an equivalent to a regular Pokeball, a Great Ball, etc. On the positive side, they have added the ability to create a large, customized base(s) in the game, ride (or fly) your Pals, and use them as defense or workers to grow your base. In the beginning, despite copying most of what Pokémon is and adding to it, I enjoyed playing the game. I was almost ready to admit that it was better than Pokémon.

However, despite my initial enjoyment of the game, it was cut short due to many bugs. I am not a fan of alpha-stage or beta-stage games being released for a profit on big-name consoles, simply because they are buggy and aren't done yet. My fears became true when I initially could not change the name of my character (which stays permanent), my character kept getting stuck, and eventually, the ability for my Pals to fight stopped. The main mechanic, Pal battles, stopped working for me and after days of updates and continuing to play the game, I could not level up much and kept dying because my Pals would just head in the other direction or stand still during battles. I am led to believe my save file somehow got corrupt due to this bug - I switch between Xbox and PC and the bug remains between platforms.

While trying to find a cure for the bug or when it would be fixed, I discovered online that Japan doesn't have fair use laws in their Copyright regulations. It boils down to this: when a project is publicly showcased, the competition cannot take any action once published if they don't raise objections during development. The developers of Palworld, Pocketpair, were publicly showcasing the development of this game which was much like Pokémon. The Pokémon Company did not raise any flags or complaints, despite knowing about the project in its early stages. They predicted it would be a flop. Finally, internal concern arose, but just before the Pokémon Company could do something - Pocketpair pushed their broken alpha-stage game so they couldn't be sued. This was how it was able to even legally hit the market. Knowing this, I could not find any more enjoyment in the game as they really did rip off Pokémon, a game I've been a fan of my whole life. Plus, this game is entirely broken (at least at the time of this review).