There are some excellent video games that had the misfortune of being released alongside high-profile titles and were buried as a result. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age released close to Marvel's Spider-Man, while Katamari Damacy REROLL released on the same day as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This could be the same fate that awaits the games released alongside Cyberpunk 2077, which is why so many other titles decided to push their release back to 2021, in order to escape the wrath of Night City.
TheGamer has been playing and dissecting each and every one of the major new titles as they have been released. These are our reviews of some of the biggest releases of December 2020, including the long-awaited trip to Night City, the Pokemon/Metroidvania fusion we never knew we wanted, a trip through the darkness, and a return to the arcade flight games of old.
Cyberpunk 2077 - 5 Out Of 5 Stars
After years of anticipation, controversy, and delays, we've finally arrived in Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 lets you create your own vaporwave avatar and send them out into the futuristic world of deception and excess. Keanu Reeves famously described walking through Night City as breathtaking, and he wasn't wrong. This is a city that is as beautiful and massive as anything created by the people at Rockstar, and experiencing this strange place is almost worth the price of admission alone.
In terms of gameplay, Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't rock the boat too hard. It's similar to games like Deus Ex and Dishonored, with the player being able to resolve combat and quests in a number of different ways. The character writing in Cyberpunk 2077 is stellar and the bulk of the quests rival anything from The Witcher 3 in terms of engagement. The gameplay simply acts as a framework for experiencing the Cyberpunk 2077 story, with its awesome level and world design. You also get to spend a lot of time with Keanu Reeves, which should give it a 40/40 Famitsu score on its own.
It bears mentioning that the game is riddled with bugs at launch and the performance issues on the last-gen systems are so bad that CD Projekt Red has apologized for them, so bear that in mind before making a purchase. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the best games of 2020, so long as you're willing to overlook its technical shortcomings.
You can check out Kirk McKeand's full review of Cyberpunk 2077 here.
Monster Sanctuary - 4 Out Of 5 Stars
The monster-catching of Pokemon and the exploration of Castlevania/Metroid have finally come together in Monster Sanctuary. The player takes on the role of a Monster Keeper, who must defeat & breed their own team of creatures to defeat an evil organization and save the world. The game is short on story, which wouldn't feel out of place in an NES-era RPG. Luckily, the gameplay makes up for it.
The battles in Monster Sanctuary are 3v3 affairs, with a focus on buffs and status effects. There is a lot going on with the combat system and coming up with strategies for defeating enemy teams is addictive. The only problem is that the different systems at play can result in battles going on way longer than they should. The Pokemon elements are also tied to the Metroidvania gameplay, with certain monsters allowing the player to bypass hazards and explore more of the game world. The game could have done with being a bit clearer in regards to which monsters are needed in specific situations, as there is currently a lot of trial and error involved in their use.
Monster Sanctuary is an enjoyable throwback to games from the 16-bit era, in terms of its gameplay and visuals. It's worth checking out for fans of monster collecting or Metroidvanias.
You can check out Jamie Latour's full review of Monster Sanctuary here.
Morkredd - 4 Out Of 5 Stars
Morkredd is a puzzle game about guiding a ball of light and two characters through a world composed of darkness. The catch is that the characters will die if they walk into a shadow. Fortunately, there are a lot of checkpoints, and the game's runtime is short (clocking in at around three hours), so there isn't much time for the player to get frustrated.
The world of Morkredd is gorgeous and it keeps switching things up in regards to the gameplay, especially in its final stages. Morkredd might not last for long, but it's worth checking out if you're a fan of puzzle games.
You can check out Jon Bitner's full review of Morkredd here.
Project Wingman - 4 Out Of 5 Stars
It's not unusual for indie studios to make games that pay homage to classic titles. Project Wingman is a game developed by a three-man studio, which is intended to be a battle-themed homage to the Ace Combat series.
Project Wingman is set in a dystopian future, which mostly acts as an excuse for giving futuristic weapons to contemporary fighter jets. The focus in Project Wingman is the combat, with jets firing railguns and salvos of missiles at each other. This isn't a relaxing or realistic flight sim, this is arcade action at its finest.
The cinematics and visuals in Project Wingman could use some work, which is a symptom of the game being developed by such a small team. The mission variety could also have been expanded, but it's propped up by the excellent Conquest mode, which adds roguelite elements to the gameplay. Project Wingman is a love letter to a niche genre, and we can't wait to see what the developers add to the game in the future, especially now that it's becoming popular on Humble Bundle and Steam.
You can check out Sean Murray's full review of Project Wingman here.