Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox Series X via Game Pass)

I played Forza Horizon 1 and 2 and won every race, drove every strip of road, but went into this one with a different approach.  Just Drive.  With game pass there's so much to play, I have a hard time committing to one game for an overly long stretch, so to take this game as a "driving game" and not a "racing game" it really helped me to get through it.  This is a "live game" so there never really is an end, and the game encourages you to re run races, not get first and move on.  It's a beautiful game with a good soundtrack, but is likely best enjoyed when you fire up Spotify and just cruise around and race when you feel like it.  Recommend.

Tetris Effect Connected (Xbox Series X via Game Pass)

I owned Tetris Effect on PS4 but just realized this morning that I never reviewed it.  Tetris Effect is a super stylized version of what some would consider "The Perfect Game".  I've bought so many versions of Tetris over the years I've become quite good at it, which is nice when you're ready to compete online.  The skill ceiling is high and I'm far from the best, but I can usually hold my own.  The primary draw of this game is it's music and graphic details and this game does it better than any other.  Where the PS4 version had me hooked for a week only to drop it, this one keeps me coming back with the added multiplayer.  Recommend.

Gears 5: Hive Busters (Xbox Series X via Game Pass)

I tried to get back into Gears when I got my Xbox Series X and found I was far too behind to even begin to compete in the multiplayer.  Sure the game looked great, but I wasn't having a good time.  Enter Hive Busters, a DLC expansion included in Game Pass.  It's a very short 3 hourish campaign with a new cast.  I love games of this length.  This was a fun romp through the Gears Universe which makes me want to try the multiplayer again.  A great cast of characters and fun story that looks and runs amazingly on the Series X.  Highly Recommend.

Plants vs. Zombies (Xbox 360 on Xbox Series X on Game Pass)

I downloaded this for a nostalgia trip and ended up completing the entire adventure without losing a single level.  Around 10 years ago, I had so so many hours put into this game.  It's probably one of the best games of all time.  It captures a certain magic and scratches an odd itch I didn't know I had.  I want to keep playing but I feel like I should be playing something that pushes my new console a little more.  Oh well.  BRAINS!  Recommend.

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War (Xbox Series X)

I picked this up on disc taking advantage of a Shoppers PC Point redemption deal.  I played the heck of last years Call of Duty and was kinda missing the second to second action the series provides.  I really enjoyed the campaign and while the multiplayer has it's hooks in, I can tell already I won't be playing this game for the better part of the year.  It's fun in short bursts, but I know I won't be unlocking EVERYTHING with this one.  It's more Call of Duty, but I like it.  Recommend.

NHL Rewind (Xbox One on Xbox Series X on Game Pass)

NHL 94 in 2020 is one of the best things I've played this year.  It's NHL 94 through and through with current rosters and logos.  I remember my brother and I playing this game in the mid nineties saying "how can hockey games get any better than this?!?!" and you know what?  26 Years later, we were right.  Games don't capture the fun any better than this.  If this game had stable online play it would get much more play time than it already has.  Recommend.

Minecraft Dungeons (Xbox One Optimized for Series X)

I played this on Xbox Game Pass hoping for something to play with my oldest son Cole.  Turns out I play it with my youngest sons Jack and Eli.  I hadn't put any time into any type of dungeon crawler since "Gauntlet" in the arcade 30 years ago, if that should even qualify.  Things started out pretty exciting, cool unlocks, cool levels, but ultimately this game is about the grind.  Grind grind grind, replay levels hoping for cool loot drops, equip the loot only to find it wasn't as good as your old loot.  Now don't get me wrong, this game had me HOOKED, I even bought a copy of PS4 so I could play with my twins on separate TV's, but after 20 hours or so, the gameplay loop got a little dull.  I had a great time with it, and will revisit, I'm just not sure I'll be coming back daily.   Recommend.

Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox One)

When I saw this game show up on game pass, I was excited!  I was under the impression this game was an "Uncharted" clone, not sure where I'd heard that, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  After some playtime I did some more research and learned it's actually a "Dark Souls" clone, a game series I've never explored ... mainly because based on what I'd heard of that series, I knew wasn't for me. I kept playing though, enjoying what I was doing.  And then then deaths, oh the punishing deaths which have you spawning way behind the point of death.  Ugh.  I quickly dropped the difficulty down to easy which allowed me to explore the vast environments and solve the puzzles without the punishing deaths.  I had a good time, but I felt like I played it wrong.  It's a nice looking game and if you like Star Wars (I'm only a mild fan) I'm sure you'll enjoy the story.  Recommend on easy, but if you like to punish yourself, you'll probably love it at a harder difficulty.

Doom Eternal (Xbox One)

I had some serious reservations about playing Doom 2016, but when it was all said and finished, I still recommended that game with a fair number of warnings.  The gameplay in that game was so good I couldn't put it down and when I did, I couldn't wait to pick it up again.  Fast forward to 2020, I have my shiny new Xbox Series X, a game pass subscription and there's Doom Eternal at no real cost to me.  I was excited to play it, it didn't take long though where I felt very overwhelmed.  While the first game had upgrade paths etc, they seemed to make sense and came at you at an acceptable pace. This game though, this game has systems on systems on systems.  I feel like so many games nowadays want to be the one game you play for years.  I get games as a service, games like Fortnite and Overwatch, but sometimes I just want to play a campaign, have it do it's thing, and wrap up after 10-12 hours or so.  This game is trying to do so much, puzzle game, platformer, shooter, rpg.  I'm retiring this one about at third of the way through.  I can't bring myself to finish it.  It's worth a try if you enjoyed the first one, but this one's hooks didn't catch me.  Pass.

Crackdown 3 (Xbox One)

Waiting for the Xbox Series X I played through and quite enjoyed Crackdown 3.  It's a fun open world game with plenty of upgrades, although none of them are really meaningful.  The auto lock on of enemies makes the combat not very engaging.  A lot of things about this game coming to mind are negative, but I still enjoyed my time hopping around the city.  It's on Game Pass so I'd recommend it on that alone.  It's worth a try at least and maybe you'll see it through.  And if you don't?  Well, no harm no foul, you didn't have to shell out a lot of money.  Recommend, but don't feel obligated to finish it.

The Turing Test (Xbox One)

Coming off of a recent playthough of Portal I remembered hearing about "The Turing Test" which has a definite portal vibe, both in presentation and gameplay.  This is a first person puzzler but where Portal succeeds in it's playtime, humour, and story, The Turing Test feels like it's trying too hard.  I wanted to see the story though, it did have me engaged enough to want to see how it turns out, but the gameplay itself, likely the most important quality, had me YouTubing the home stretch like a madman.  I JUST WANTED THIS GAME TO END.  I was proud of myself initially for my brilliant puzzle solving, but by stage 50 I was done.  The game does have neat alternate endings, I played the last level twice to see them both through and while I did enjoy myself for the bulk of this game, I can't say I enjoyed it enough to recommend.  Pass.

The Messenger (Xbox One)

Another retro side scrolling adventure, let's be honest, this is a Ninja Gaiden clone.  I was really enjoying my time with this game, specifically part one.  By the time I got to part two, the game shifted from a traditional side scrolling point a to point b action platformer to a metroidvania complete with back tracking which, for me, is an instant turn off.  I then quit playing.  The game is good, I just wish it wouldn't have changed genre's or I would have seen it through.  If metroidvania's are your thing, by all means, play this game.  If you hate traversing levels trying to figure out where to go and what to do next, skip this one.  Pass.

Streets of Rage 4 (Xbox One)

Continuing my quest to play some "smaller, less graphic intensive" games on Game Pass before the launch of the Series X I decided to give Streets of Rage 4 a shot.  Coming off of Battle Toads this is a lot of beat-em-ups.  Streets of Rage 4 is a more traditional take on the genre and the actual "beating upping" feels better, is a little deeper and allows for more variety.  It lacks in level variety compared to Battle Toads, but that's not a fault.  Streets of Rage 4 was a fun romp, and while I played it on "easy" I'd recommend bumping that up to normal as it didn't present any challenge ... at all.  While I regret not playing it on a more difficult setting, there wasn't enough there to make me want to go back and play it again ... yet.  A second play through may be in my future as I quite enjoyed my time with this game.  Recommend.

Battletoads (Xbox One)

I've been trying to play some games on game pass that are not graphically intensive as I wait for the new Series X to come out.  I want to play some of the better games at the best possible frame rate and resolution.  Battletoads is a side scrolling beat 'em up, or so I thought.

An hour or so in,  I didn't know if I had it in me to complete this game, it felt very repetitive, but after some time the game radically changes things up and it become a very weird mashup of genre's including twin stick shooter, puzzle platformer, and my favorite, a wario ware style mini game collection.  It's funny, fresh and should be played if you have game pass.  Recommend.

Hotshot Racing (Xbox One)

A gamepass game I gave a few hours and had exactly a few hours worth of fun.  I used to buy these game on Xbox Live Arcade and stress about high scores, fastest laps etc.  This game has all those options, I'm just "over" competing like that.  This is what I love about GamePass, I can enjoy a game for a few hours and call it complete with no real investment of money or time.  I did complete every track and got a gold on every championship on the standard difficulty.  Recommend for a few hours.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 (PS4)

I received a $50 PlayStation gift card for Fathers Day and it just kinda sat there for a few months.  This game wasn't on my radar, but I was hearing great things.  When the hype didn't die down after a week or 2 I decided to give the game a try.  I'm glad I did.

This remaster improves the graphics immensely, it also updates the gameplay, which, in your head, you're likely thinking is a bad thing.  These games are known for their incredible gameplay, tight controls etc.  What they've done here though is make the game play like a modern game, and it plays like you remember the old ones do.  Do your research though and you'll see that the old games are missing some key tricks and features that make this such a perfect package.  You can't "manual" in the original Tony Hawk, that's one of the biggest tricks in the game to keep a combo going.  

I've put a large amount of time into this game and can only see the hours keep counting.  My 6 year old's have been enjoying it as well.  I have a healthy competition online with one friend and I look forward to playing more.  If you hold any nostalgia for this series, I highly recommend you scoop this up.  I still hold that THPS 3 is the best in the series, and I'm hopeful that one sees the light.  Recommend.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection: Halo: Reach (Xbox One)

I subscribed to Xbox Game Pass and with that came the "expansion" for the Master Chief Collection, Halo: Reach.  My favorite Halo game.   

After a replay of the game, 10 years to the day of it's release, I can confirm this is my favorite Halo Game.  The graphics are not a complete remaster like they've done in the past, but in my opinion, they still look good.  The gameplay is still there, the level variety is way up there and it's just plain old fun.  I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I like the Halo Games for their gameplay, but don't like the lore.  The spin offs (Reach and ODST) ditch all that "head up their own ass" story elements for a much more concise story that's easier to follow and care for the characters.  This is still a great game.  Recommend.

Super Mega Baseball 3 (PS4)

Super Mega Baseball 2 was my "Game of the Year" in 2018, so naturally I was excited for the 3rd game to to come out.  The best part was that I wouldn't have to pay for it as the game lets you play online with a handful of teams for free.  The free version strips a lot of the customization the series is known for, but that was okay with me.  

I played A LOT of the Super Mega Baseball 2, this game is strikingly similar.  Yes, there's more, more stadiums, more customization, new animations etc. There just isn't enough new here to hook me back in.  I played it fairly steady for a month, but it won't be landing on any top 10's this year.  It's a good game, just not different enough.  Recommend if you didn't play the heck out of the 2nd game.

Portal: Still Alive (Xbox 360)

I've played a TON of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone this year.  So much that I really can't play anymore.  I fired up the Xbox desperate for something different to play and saw Portal just sitting there.  "I'll try a couple levels" I thought and before I knew it I'd put a couple hours in.  The next night, a couple more and after 2,  yes 2, YouTube checks, I had the game completed.  The game is not overly long, but it's a perfect game.  The gameplay, mechanics, sound, aesthetics still hold up in 2020.   This is a first person puzzle platformer at it's core and one that hasn't been outdone since it's release. Highest recommendation.

Fall Guys (PS4)

Fall Guys is a Battle Royale like no other.  It touts itself as a gameshow, but ultimately it's a platformer/puzzle game where you're trying to outwit, outjump, outrun your opponents to be the last "man" standing.  The premise is amazing, the controls are not.  The controls are bad enough that they detract from the experience, but not poor enough to dismiss this game.  It's a family favourite and definitely worth a try. Recommend.

Crossy Road Castle (iOS)

Crossy Road Castle could be considered a "sequel" to Crossy Road, but it's so different, I can't really consider it that.  It uses the characters and art style, but this is a pure old school platformer through and through.  It has incredibly cute graphics and charm that are usually only seen in Nintendo titles.  The controls though, they're so spot on, it's beyond just about any other phone platformer I've ever played.  As far as I know it's only on Apple Arcade, a monthly subscription service, but it's worth the price of a month for this game alone.  Highly recommend.

Rocket Arena (PS4)

My son and I split on this game ($40) hoping for something new to play and what started out as a fun little distraction.  Within a couple weeks we were back to our "steady's", me with "Modern Warfare" and him with "Fortnite".  It's an interesting game of "Smash Bros meets Overwatch" and while it sounds amazing in concept, the shooting just doesn't feel good.  Shots travel too slow while the mobility is quite high, so it becomes a guessing game as to where to shoot.  I'm sure there are ways to get "better", I mean I've been crushed by other teams many times, but when there's little desire to get better, or yet to even play, why bother?  Rumor has it this game is going "Free to Play", that's what I'd say it's worth.  Pass.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 (PS4)

I knocked this game out in a couple sittings, a generally pleasant play through, but I must admit, I played on easy.  I wanted to see the environments and experience the all to predictable story.  I'm glad I did.  I've never been a huge "battlefied" guy, the game just seems "floaty" and this one is similar.  The shooting just never feels right to me.  It was decent, it was free, and for the five or so hours it took to complete the campaign, I'd recommend it.  I did not touch the multiplayer.

Call of Duty: WWII (PS4)

Well look at this, June and I've finally reviewed another game.  I've taken a new role at work which has restricted my game time, and Call of Duty continues to dominate when I do play, but after maxing out the battle pass and reaching max level (again) I decided to try this game as it was free on plus.

With this post comes some changes to the blog, no "start date, complete date, or price" ... just trying to simplify, and if you thought my reviews were short before, well, they're about to get shorter.

Call of Duty WWII is a solid entry in the COD series.  I especially enjoyed the campaign which tells a great story and provides characters I actually care about.  I'm spoiled by Modern Warfare 2019's multiplayer, everything about that game just seems right.  The shooting, movement and more seem "off" in this one going back to it, and leveling up World War 2 era guns just isn't as fun as the options are so limited.  For campaign, you can't go wrong.  Recommend.

Top 10 of 2019

I played far fewer games this year, 23 to be exact, here are my top 10.

10) What the Golf
9) Gears of War 5
8) Spider-Man
7) Luigis Mansion 3
6) Super Smash Bros Ultimate
5) Mario Maker 2
4) Apex Legends
3) Overcooked
2) Astro Bot
1) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Luigis Mansion 3 (Switch)

Date Purchased: December 23, 2019
Date Completed: January 3, 2019
Price: Free (Christmas Gift)

My kids had been clamoring for this game for a long time, I wasn't going to put down the money for it though, not even as a gift.  I told them to ask Grandma for it, that was a mistake and a brilliant idea at the same time.  I love this game.  I'd never played a Luigis Mansion before this other than renting the GameCube gaming and pretty much dismissing it immediately.  This is a great game with some rather light puzzle solving, brilliant co-op , and all that Nintendo charm you've come to expect.  The co-op is so good, my son Eli (6 years old) and I played about 90% of the time together and only a couple occasions did he "get in the way".  There were a few encounters where the controls felt a bit cumbersome, but overall I can't help but recommend this game, ESPECIALLY if you have someone to play co-op with.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (PS4)

Date Purchased: October 28, 2019
Date Completed: January 4, 2020
Price: $79.99 (PSN)

I had no intentions on buying this game despite them playing Metallica in the ad campaign.  Then I buckled, like I often do.  I scraped together all the loose change in the house, drove to no frills and bought $50 in PSN credit and footed the rest myself.  I'm glad I did. I haven't been this hooked on a game since the original Overwatch.  There are just SO MANY UNLOCKABLES.  The thing is, I don't care about any of the unlocks, I just care about unlocking them.  The gunplay is good, I enjoy almost every map and game mode.  I played the campaign, enjoyed it, but the meat and potatoes is in the multiplayer.  I can't stop, it's that good.  I hook up with friends and family, I get my daily challenges every day.  There's just always so much to do and I can't recommend it enough.