The final month of 2020 is here and the finish line is within sight. Next week will see the release of the biggest game of the year and we’ll be here to play it. That’s right! Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is almost upon us. Let all other games behold it, and tremble.
TheGamer has been playing and dissecting each and every one of the major new titles as they have been released. Here are our reviews of some of the biggest releases of November & December 2020, including XCOM meets The Godfather, the Greek gods meet Breath of the Wild, the Luminary meets new consoles, Worms meets real-time, and Yu meets Kay.
Empire Of Sin - 4.5 Out Of 5 Stars
Empire of Sin is a tactical strategy/management sim that has been referred to as XCOM meets The Godfather. You play as one of 14 gangsters in ’20s America, with the sole purpose of becoming the biggest player in the world of organized crime. Empire of Sin switches between a management mode for running your illegal operations and a tactical battle map mode for combat. The number of choices on offer might be overwhelming, but the game’s robust tutorial will make sure you’re adequately prepared for running your empire.
There are a number of different ways to play Empire of Sin and no two playthroughs will be the same. You can be a heavy-handed gangster who rules by force or a Littlefinger style schemer who wins through duplicity. There are a number of different factions in play, including the police force, and every action will spark a reaction from one of your foes.
The aesthetics of Empire of Sin perfectly match the tone of the world, which manages to be comedic in order to avoid glorifying the mobsters. The only place where Empire of Sin falters is the combat system, as there are a number of glitches related to taking cover and the targeting system that are present in the game at launch. These will hopefully be fixed in a future update so that players can build their criminal empire without fear of being derailed by bugs.
You can check out Sam Watanuki’s full review of Empire of Sin here.
Immortals Fenyx Rising - 4 Out Of 5 Stars
Immortals Fenyx Rising is an action-adventure game that fuses Breath of the Wild’s gameplay and exploration into a setting based on Greek mythology. The story involves Typhon of the titans imprisoning gods and turning them into mortals. Zeus seeks the aid of Prometheus, and the two narrate the events of the game. The player controls a soldier named Fenyx, who washes up on the mysterious Golden Isle. It’s up to Fenyx to explore the islands and seek a way to unshackle the gods so that they can defeat Typhon.
The comedic writing of Immortals is stellar and it remains entertaining throughout. The Golden Isles are filled with vaults that contain puzzles that need solving, and these are a lot of fun to figure out. The only issue with these puzzles is the ones that require platforming, as the controls can be finicky and imprecise at times. The main issue with the PC version at launch is that it’s plagued with a number of performance issues and glitches that cause the game to crash. The combat system in Immortals is a lot of fun, and Fenyx has a number of options available for dealing with enemies, but mastering the dodging/parrying skills are the key to victory. Immortals falls slightly short of being a must-have game, but it’s still a lot of fun, especially for people looking for a more structured version of Breath of the Wild.
You can check out Cian Maher’s full review of Immortals Fenyx Rising here.
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition - 5 Out Of 5 Stars
Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition has finally come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One, as well as PS5 and Xbox Series S/X through backward compatibility. The game is already available on the Nintendo Switch, but it was released in a diminished state in terms of performance and visuals. The PC/console versions of Dragon Quest 11 S fix these, so that the game looks and runs much better than it did before.
Dragon Quest 11 S is an updated version of one of the best JRPGs of the previous generation. It’s filled with new content and quality of life improvements that weren’t present in the original version of Dragon Quest 11, making it a worthwhile purchase for people who have already completed the game. Dragon Quest 11 S has an engaging combat system, unforgettable characters, and a story that will keep you entertained for hours. Buy it now or get it on Game Pass, as it’s an unmissable experience.
You can check out Sam Watanuki’s full review of Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Edition - Definitive Edition here.
Worms Rumble - 4.5 Out Of 5 Stars
Worms Rumble eschews the turn-based nature of the previous Worms games for real-time gameplay, as it’s a shooter in a fast-paced setting. Worms Rumble brings back the familiar weapons from the early games and transplants them into a 2.5D world, where individual players or groups can battle each other to be the last worm standing. There are a number of cosmetics to unlock in the game and they retain the humor that made the series so popular in the first place.
Worms Rumble has a bit of a learning curve for its controls, especially as the fast-paced gameplay can make it hard for people to pick up how everything works. It’s worth sticking with, as Worms Rumble is a ton of fun and will keep you coming back for more carnage. It’s also free for PS+ subscribers in December.
You can check out Sam Watanuki’s full review of Worms Rumble here.
Haven - 4.5 Out Of 5 Stars
Haven is a co-cop puzzle/action game that is designed for couples. The players take on the role of Yu and Kay: two escapees from a society where arranged marriages are mandatory and enforced. The two crash-land on a bizarre planet and must find resources to survive. You shouldn’t expect Don’t Starve levels of resource management, as Haven is a chill experience about exploration, rather than a bitter fight against the elements.
The strength of Haven lies in its characters. The game spends a lot of time developing the relationship between Yu and Kay, so expect a ton of dialogue between the leads. Fortunately, the voice actors give excellent performances for both characters. Haven is about exploring Yu and Kay, which means that the combat and platforming is more of a framework for this dynamic.
Haven does have some issues, as the game has some brutal and persistent load screens, even on Xbox Series S. The game can also take a while to get going, with the early hours being way too easy, to the point where they become boring. These issues aside, Haven is a phenomenal game, and is a must-have for couples who play video games together.
You can check out Sergio Solorzano’s full review of Haven here.
