Tomorrow is a massive release day for games. For some reason, publishers and developers decided that people who play video games would need a lot of joy in their lives come February 15. I simply cannot fathom why.
Needless to say, there are four major titles being released tomorrow and the reviews for all of them are now in. Well, almost all of them. Though Anthem is also coming out tomorrow, it is only being released for those that have EA Access, Origin Access, or Origin Access Premier. Reviews for that game have not gone live yet. We'll go through each of tomorrow's releases in alphabetical order using the scores offered up by OpenCritic and Metacritic.
Crackdown 3
OpenCritic - 63
Metacritic - 62
Crackdown 3 is a "mechanically solid" game with incredibly dated mechanics and "repetitive gameplay." It does nothing to advance the open-world genre but it should be enjoyable for those that still like the original Crackdown. It is, for lack of a better term, simply average in almost every respect. This mediocrity runs throughout Crackdown 3's story, its presentation, its UI, and even its visuals.
Far Cry New Dawn
OpenCritic - 74
Metacritic - 73
Far Cry New Dawn is essentially what you would expect from a non-numbed Far Cry release. Though it reuses the old map in Far Cry 5, the amount of changes to the environment are enough to make it feel like a fresh experience. The game feels "familiar yet fun" that doesn't re-write the Far Cry formula so much as it slightly alters the formula. If you have played a Far Cry game before, especially Far Cry 5, you pretty much know what to expect here, nothing more and nothing less.
Jump Force
OpenCritic - 61
Metacritic - 62
Critics are saying that it's mostly "flash (with) little substance." Though the roster has 40 "beloved characters," the "odd design choices" made for the game really hold it back. Multiple reviews call out the "horrific" and "atrocious" animations and visuals. The fighting lacks depth and fails to excel in any particular area. It sounds like this is a game made for those who are hardcore anime fans. Fighting game fans looking for a good tag-team battle-arena fighting game should avoid this one.
Metro Exodus
OpenCritic - 83
Metacritic - 84
Metro Exodus is said to be a very "well paced" title that manages to successfully integrate new gameplay elements while leaving behind or streamlining old mechanics. It retains the "series' signature tension" throughout the game in spite of its "uninspiring FPS combat." Some reviewers did note a few "technical issues" that mainly centered around some lighting hiccups and audio issues. Multiple reviews took some issue with the way the story is presented, with at least one calling it an "obtuse system of storytelling."
