Everything is new in May – and we also started a few new (or new old) games on our home video game platforms to pass the time privately.
We have to fight our way through the fantastic worlds of a JRPG epic, a brutally ridiculous zombie apocalypse, an idyllic diorama adventure world and an agonizing 100% challenge. The editorial team plays this in May.
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Sören – Dead Island 2
A year ago the unbelievable happened: After years of development and multiple changes of developers Dead Island 2 appeared. Unfortunately only in the Epic Games Store, but the wait for a release on Steam has paid off: On the one hand, the zombie carving has now been freed from a number of bugs, and on the other hand, the version including all previously published DLCs was available for a significantly cheaper price – and already I've been throwing myself the last few days regularly in the evening to Hell-A.
And what should I say? Dead Island 2 is Dull fun, especially in co-op mode. With a few selected friends you fight your way through different, separate areas through crowds of undead, collect new weapons, improve them at workbenches, level up your own character and then hunt down mindless walkers again. The whole thing never requires more than a few active brain cells, but is great for switching off after a stressful day.
Especially because the combat system is brutal and violent, but the atmosphere is rather curly and airy. The main character perceives the danger from the zombies more as a fun sideline and the whole story is absolutely B-movie level – the game itself knows that, which is what makes it so never takes it too seriously. But sometimes you don't need more to be entertained with a few hours of chaos. Especially when the technology runs as smoothly as it does in Dead Island 2. That alone is a plus point, which doesn't necessarily speak for the state of many other games.
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Jonas – Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide & Balatro
Not my game of the year, but definitely a title that gave me a damn good time in 2023: Final Fantasy 16. Almost a year later with the second DLC The Rising Tide The last content expansion for the action title has been released and invites you to return to Valisthea once again. However, before I follow the request made in a mysterious letter to save the Dominus from Leviathan, I first have to familiarize myself with the game's combat system. Because if there's one thing that usually stops me from getting into DLCs that come out much later, it's the fact that I… long finished with the main game and mentally ticked off the skills required there.
So I'll internalize the key assignments and esper talents again, crush a few Billo opponents and then I can explore a realm hidden under our noses with Clive, Jill and Joshua and absorb Leviathan's powers. By the way, the announcement that the FF16 DLC deals with the sea serpent made me really happy: although I found the predecessor to be largely mediocre with its empty open world, that was Set piece around Leviathan and Lunafreya A real highlight for me, so I was looking forward to the happy reunion – even if the story circumstances were incredibly sad.
The way there is paved with a few nice, mostly unspectacular fights in a beautifully overgrown temple setting (I'm really impressed with the new Tonberry design, though) until I finally come face to face with the sea serpent. The duel with Leviathan delivers the usual esper epic that already exists in the main game Visually stunning Kaiju battles has conjured up on the screen and, apart from an incredibly tight DPS check in the third phase, is once again a real pleasure, in which Ifrit's hot fire in combination with the water masses creates hearty clouds of steam.
Theoretically, I could of course complete numerous side tasks, try out the new abilities of the incorporated espers and face the test of water, but in addition to returning to Final Fantasy 16, I'm currently captivated by a very special card game in front of the flicker box: Balatro. I know I'm late and as a self-confessed poker hater, I wasn't willing to give the indie sensation a chance for a long time. But if I at half past two only with a lot of willpower I move from the couch to bed because the roguelike has me firmly in its nasty “just one more run” claws.
Gerrit – Tunic
This month's PS Plus games opened the door to a game on my Pile of Shame that I've been wanting to tackle for a long time. So I put on my green doublet, sharpened my sword and shouldered my shield and am now enthusiastically playing The Legend of… er, I mean… Tunics. As a little fox, I now roam through mystically illuminated forestsmysterious ruins and dark cave labyrinths, solve puzzles, collect objects like mushrooms, chili peppers or small images of myself and even find magical weapons.
It really resonates Legend of Zelda and the inspiration from this cannot be denied to the cute indie adventure. Still, Tunic is refreshingly different. The fights, especially against larger opponents, don't forgive many mistakes and – in true Souls style – require close observation of the attacks. The skills I've gained mean I'm happy to revisit one or another area of the world, where there are always shortcuts and secret routes, so I never have to wander around for long. And with the fairly distributed upgrade options, I can quickly turn the sweet forest dweller into a skilled fighter.
In addition to the cheerful, colorful and papercrafty art style and the isometric perspective, above all else the game instructions have a retro charm. This must be collected and put together in the game in the form of scraps of paper scattered across the island. This is how the story, game mechanics and item use gradually emerge – these virtual magazine pages have the look of video game instructions from the 80s and 90s, complete with notes added in ballpoint pen. Charming and imaginative.
Arlene – Actually Rune Factory 4, Professor Layton and Baldur's Gate 3, actually Super Mario Wonder
To be honest, this month, like far too often, I have a huge discrepancy between what I would like to play and what I actually play. Last month there were big discounts on the Nintendo e-Shop Rune Factoryseries and since I absolutely loved part 4 on the Nintendo DS, I had to buy it. Since then I've gotten past the start screen maybe twice because the world still seemed too familiar to me and I… no longer feel the original stimulus could. Maybe I should have used one of the other parts?
And then there's that too Professor Layton and the Call of the Phantom full of hope that at some point I'll have enough brain power to continue playing on my Nintendo 3DS. Not only that, too Baldur's Gate 3 is slowly starting to gather dust in my Steam library as I find it increasingly difficult to get started after a long break. Which game? so it actually takes up my time?
It is Super Mario Bros Wonderbecause During a dry spell when it came to supplying games, I discovered the principle of completion. What I would have previously described as a waste of time is now really fun for me, even if the life of my controller is constantly in danger. I'm just missing three purple coins in the special world up to 100 percent and I'm not ready to give up despite the poor prospects. Luigi and I, we can do it.