The Best Games of February 2018
Honorable Mention: Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Read the Review!
Starting with a couple of honorable mentions, check out the Twinfinite’s Staff picks for our best games for February 2018 which includes of course, our Game of the Month!
Assistant Editor Alex Gibson: Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the ambitious debut title from developer Warhorse Studios. Attempting to realize an immensely detailed open world with an almost unparalleled commitment to realism and authenticity has proven no easy task. But while there are plenty of bumps along the way, this is an RPG that boasts enough charm to mostly forgive the many bugs, graphical shortcomings, and poorly implemented mechanics.
We absolutely adored the story of Henry, the Blacksmith’s son, as well as immersing ourselves in the ambiance of medieval Bohemia. The believability of the environment is kicked up another notch by the game’s many survival mechanics and tiny details that envelop you in its world. In many ways, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is both breath of fresh air for the genre and a hark back to an older era of gaming in which games encouraged experimentation and exploration.
Yet there’s almost too little hand-holding in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It’s a game that really demands a lot of your time and concentration, which makes it inaccessible outside of a hardcore audience. Often, its systems and level of complexity overwhelm rather than entertain, and too frequently those frustrations are exacerbated by technical glitches. Sword combat – one of the game’s most anticipated features – is suitably tactical and nuanced, but it’s also clunky and not particularly satisfying until the end game.
In the end, as we mentioned in our review, Kingdom Come Deliverance is a niche role-playing experience that will divide gaming opinion. On the one hand, it’s a unique and inventive gameplay experience with a story that really endears itself to you. But it’s also finicky, rough around the edges, and often cumbersome to control.
The Best Games of February 2018
Honorable Mention: Dynasty Warriors 9
Read the Review!
Publisher Yamilia Avendano: Dynasty Warriors 9 aims to change up the series that needed a face lift after all these years. Adding in an open world was a huge endeavor, and while there’s still a lot to tweak and perfect, this is exactly where the series should have been for awhile now.
Roaming through China, defeating enemies, changing the outcome of quests depending on what you complete, and ultimately playing through the most robust representation of The Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors 9 set the stage for where the series should absolutely be headed towards. It might not be for everyone, but it’s a positive attempt at a whole new way to play an iconic series.
The Best Games of February 2018
Honorable Mention: Moss
Read the Review!
Guides Editor Chris Jecks: PlayStation VR has had a few ups and downs since its launch nearly 18 months ago. Following a strong initial slew of titles, some lacked the polish needed to really justify the price tag. Moss is different, and it’s right up there as one of PSVR’s finest titles so far.
Moss puts players in control of Quill, an adorable white mouse just oozing with charm and reasons to audibly “awww” whenever she interacts with you. You’re the Reader in Moss, an otherworldly being that guides and helps Quill navigate the many obstacles and foes blocking her path to save the world from the spreading darkness.
As Reader you’ll use your special powers to pull, push, and otherwise interact with objects in the world so that Quill can reach her goal. Thanks to playing the game in VR, though, you can get whole new viewing angles of the more complex sections. You’ll also have to assist Quill in dealing with enemies, too. Though she has a fairly effective sword, you can help her out even more by freezing and slowing down enemies, controlling their movements and (in some cases) ranged attacks, and using their abilities to activate switches that open up a new way for Quill to proceed.
Where Moss will no doubt hook you, though, is its level of polish and charm. Its worlds are magical, whether you’re sitting in the grand church-like room as you read the book of Moss, or in the thick of the forest with birds zooming past. Polyarc has clearly put a lot of time into ensuring Quill acts just as adorable as she looks. Help her out in a tough situation, and she’ll gesture from her heart up towards you. Solve a tricky puzzle and she’ll hold her paw up for a high-five (which you can totally do). Lean right in behind her when she’s not looking, and she’ll get spooked when she notices you. It’s these kinds of subtle animations that make Quill such a likable protagonist and one I really hope to see more of.
