Chris Jecks
Evil Dead: The Game
Best Games of May 2022
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|SRelease Date: May 13, 2022Genre: Asymmetric Survival MultiplayerTwinfinite’s Evil Dead: The Game Review
There was a fair amount of skepticism as to how well The Evil Dead would translate into a video game experience. However, we were left pleasantly surprised at just how well Saber Interactive has managed to capture the B-movie charm and campiness of the movies in its asymmetric survival multiplayer title. “… there’s just no denying the charm of Evil Dead: The Game. It’s a brilliant encapsulation of what made the movies so iconic and beloved, and it just oozes humor and delicious campiness at every turn. It’s still fairly rare for games attached to some sort of entertainment IP to do well, but I’d say Evil Dead’s already off to a groovy start,” said our Reviews Editor ZhiQing Wan in her full review (which you can click the link above to read in full). The game hasn’t just limited itself to multiplayer action, either, with a handful of single-player missions offering up a number of characters and cosmetics as unlockables. There are a few slight balancing issues, especially pertaining to the Demons at early levels that the developer could do with ironing out, but as far as multiplayer experiences go that’ll have you and friends screaming and shouting, Evil Dead: The Game is up there.
Salt and Sacrifice
Best Games of May 2022
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5Release Date: May 10, 2022Genre: 2D ARPG, MetroidvaniaTwinfinite’s Salt and Sacrifice Review
The follow-up to Souls-like dark fantasy RPG, Salt and Sanctuary, the aptly-named Salt and Sacrifice brings its blend of Metroidvania and Souls-like gameplay to PC and PlayStation consoles once again. Donning a stylish 2D visual style, the game makes use of well-designed regions that are a sheer joy to explore, littering them with challenging enemies to take on and gear to experiment with to find the perfect build. “Salt and Sacrifice continues to nail down all of the moving parts and elements that go into creating an impressive Souls-like game. For most players –especially those just discovering the genre for the first time– this is an easy recommendation,” concluded our Reviews Editor ZhiQing Wan. However, long-term fans of the genre may find that Salt and Sacrifice doesn’t quite do enough to push the genre forward and keep veteran fans of Souls-like games invested until the very end. Still, if you’re looking for something to scratch that post-Elden Ring itch you’ve got going on, this could be it.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising
Best Games of May 2022
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo SwitchRelease Date: May 10, 2022Genre: JRPG, ARPGTwinfinite’s Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising Review
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising may seem like the kind of game you can pass up on. Acting as a prelude/ prologue to the upcoming Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes, the title tells a strong, self-contained story, while laying solid foundations for Hundred Heroes to build upon when it releases in 2023. Driving the story forward is fast-paced combat which allows for ample experimentation on how you approach each combat situation. There’s a good amount of light puzzle-solving and resource gathering in here, too, to mix things up, but it does get a little repetitive by the time you roll the credits. “On its own, it is a capable action-JRPG that looks great, with solid combat and platforming to keep players distracted from completing repetitive quests, but as part of the larger universe, it lays an inviting foundation for what is to come with well-realized characters amid a larger unfolding conflict,” surmised writer Jake Su in his full review, with “New Neveah becoming an irresistible world to spend time in.”
Crowns & Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit
Best Games of May 2022
Platforms: PCRelease Date: May 6, 2022Genre: Adventure, Point-and-ClickTwinfinite’s Crowns & Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit Review
The point-and-click adventure genre is one that’s fallen by the wayside as technology has advanced and enabled developers to provide huge, immersive worlds for players to freely explore. But developer Tag of Joy laughs in the face of your misplaced notions of the genre and delivers the rather fantastic Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit. The result is proof that there’s still life in the ol’ point-and-click formula yet. Despite its story pacing flaws, Crowns and Pawns pays homage to its predecessors while bringing new life to the genre with varied and challenging puzzle design and a visual style that really pops on your screen. There’s a little bit of camera wonkiness here and there to deal with, but if you’re looking for a more linear, focused and concise adventure after the wealth of open-world titles we got at the beginning of this year, Crowns and Pawns is well worth considering. Point-and-click is not dead! Long live point-and-click!
Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters
Best Games of May 2022
Platforms: PCRelease Date: May 5, 2022Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based TacticsTwinfinite’s Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters Review
The Warhammer franchise is best known for its tabletop games, and Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters distills all of that rewarding, tactical goodness to become one of the finest turn-based tactics games of recent years, even challenging the XCOM franchise that’s now synonymous with the genre. Putting players in control of the Grey Knights, Daemonhunters sees you trying to purge a plague that’s infecting and destroying an entire galaxy. What makes things so darn compelling in the gameplay though, is that your average Grey Knight is way stronger and more deadly than your opponents, allowing you to cut through basic enemies with satisfying ease. Aggressive play is encouraged here, but missions still require strategic and tactical thinking if you’re going to emerge victorious, even on the lower Merciful difficulty. There’s even an entire strategic layer of out-of-combat action where you’ll need to determine which planets require immediate intervention, what technologies (upgrades) to research, and what equipment you’re best investing in to help your Grey Knights when you jump into the action. “Suffice it to say though, Warhammer 40k: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is a fantastic video game, a game of the year contender, that demands attention in a genre that is now synonymous with XCOM,” says writer Khayl Adam, and if that’s not high enough praise to pique your interest — and warrant its place on this list — we don’t know what is.
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