(Playstation 5) The hype didn't lie. This game should be considered one of the greats!

I will try not to gush too much on this but it is a must play. Expedition 33 took the old school fantasy turn based RPG formula and truly brought it into the modern era, more so than the best remasters that have come out in recent history!

Graphically the game is stunning with its own style. Taking place in late 1800s France, you are brought into this vibrant and beautiful world that heightens the journey throughout. The story is rich with complicated characters and emotional twists and turns that features some prominent actors to voice them (Charlie Cox and Andy Serkis to name a couple!). From the very beginning, you are fully immersed.

The combat feels very polished as well. It is a great combination of turn-based action with a parry/counter system that implements skill and reaction time. It's like Mario RPG combat on steroids. Each character comes with a very unique set of a moves. This combined with an impressively robust upgrade system, there's really no wrong combination of characters to go with, which allows you to truly proceed with your own playstyle.

Being a fan of many game soundtracks, this took me by surprise as well as I wasn't expecting to be so enthralled by it. It is a completely original score of music with French elements touching on electronic, orchestral, and operatic tones that adds to the unique feel of this game. The music keeps you calm through even the most difficult fights but still provides an epic experience! I am not ashamed to say that I actually bought the 6 vinyl set after beating this game!

Overall this game was a true treat to play! It was recommended by two friends and I am so glad I listened. My wife even got into the story just watching tangentially, by the end she was watching completely. Even after the story is complete, there are plenty of other things to explore but it doesn't beat you over the head with it which keeps it mysterious like the classic PS1 era RPGs like Final Fantasy VII.

Do yourself a favor and start your expedition!
"For those who come after!"

(Nintendo Switch) Game developer Dotemu hit another homerun riding on their success from TMNT Shredder's Revenge!

I am so happy to see that arcade beat 'em ups are getting a revival of sorts. There have been a lot of great remaster releases of the classics and now we are treated to some great new games in the genre. Marvel Cosmic Invasion safely sits itself among those great modern titles.

From a gameplay perspective, it's a lot like Shredder's Revenge. It's your classic 2-D side scrolling brawling action with some light RPG elements for leveling up. It's a well oiled machine so there's not much to knock in terms of the core mechanics. Cosmic Invasion's strength however, is in it's variety of characters. They did a great job trying to represent some popular characters as well as some deeper cut but loved choices. Each hero comes with a unique move set but the controls are the same so its easy to switch back and forth. It is so satisfying racking up combos on enemies with some of the faster brawlers! The visuals and audio are great as well. It's familiar but fresh all at the same time.

Whether you are a Marvel fan or a beat 'em up fan, this game is certainly worth the playthrough!

(Nintendo 64) A bridge between two eras of sports gaming.

I've mentioned on here before my fondness for the simpler days of sports games. As impressive and in-depth as sports games have become over the years, I can't help but feel they also have a barrier to entry. You don't hear a lot of non sports fans playing sports games anymore. But back in the earlier years of games, sports games were shared by all! This game is a good middle ground. It took the simple gameplay of your 16-bit Madden games and brought it into the 3D world. I don't watch football besides the occasional Super Bowl party and I still find enjoyment in this game almost 30 years later!!

Visually, it is what you would expect from a Nintendo 64 game, the polygons are a little clunky but there is good attention to detail with the player models and jerseys. The game sound is decent as well bringing some player and crowd noise as well as live commentary. The game also features the entire 1999 season roster as well as an impressive line of historic teams which for any fan, can be fun to explore.

Madden is obviously the industry standard for football games but this game is a solid entry into NFL's gaming history. It's very easy to pickup and run with it. The playbooks are easy to understand and it's super satisfyingly to complete a Hail Mary pass! So if you're looking to revisit the old days of Jerry Rice (one of the few players I know) and the 49ers, this is a fun pickup!