Melissa Sarnowski

was released into Early Access as the most wishlisted game on Steam. Although it pulled in over 100,000 concurrent players, it definitely doesn't have the feeling of a fully finished game just yet. However, there are plenty of city builders available that can help fill in the time between updates for as it continues to be developed during Early Access.

has dominated the life simulation genre for decades, but that position could soon be shaken. While news about remains minimal, three strong competitors are getting ready to be fully released or released into Early Access in 2024 and 2025. For the time being, seems to be EA's life simulation priority as it continues to release DLC for the 2014 game. At this rate, could be in trouble before it ever sees a release date as more games take up the challenge of facing the franchise's long reign.

is set directly after the events of as its sequel, but aside from that, its position on the larger timeline for the franchise is unclear. Of course, this isn't unusual when it comes to games, considering how convoluted even the official timeline is, especially since it splits into three branches. But there are some events included in that raise questions about how they might affect the events of other games.

is seeing a resurgence in popularity thanks to the new TV series set in the franchise available on Amazon Prime. While following the characters both in the show and the games, it's easy to get absorbed in exploring the Wasteland and forget about the Vaults created by Vault-Tec under the pretense that they'd be locations meant to keep people safe from radiation. Of course, the safety they were promised isn't what many Vault Dwellers received.

has a hefty amount of unused content, from items and lines of dialogue to an entire dungeon. Since it's confirmed that there won't be any DLC for that could add some of this content, it will forever remain unused. Unfortunately, this is common in game development, and there's almost always content that might've made the end product way different but ended up being cut from the final version.

doesn't have an officially confirmed sequel in the works, but there are many assumptions that one will be developed given the game’s success. In the event of a sequel being created, there's no shortage of potential for new plots and settings in the massive universe of. Plus, the canon book events already include the perfect set-up for a sequel.

has plenty of side quests that Link can complete while he works on solving the strange phenomena occurring in each region, including "," a sort of recurring story beat from. These quests aren't required to complete the game, but they often reward Link with items like Rupees or food that he can use later to gain a buff effect. Additionally, they expand on the lore of Hyrule and add depth to the characters living there as strange events start happening due to Ganondorf being freed.

takes place directly after. As such, there's a lot of familiarity when it comes to the NPCs and areas that Link encounters. That includes the sight of Hyrule as it still shows signs of destruction from Calamity Ganon's reign of terror, but there are finally areas where Link sees a few buildings being rebuilt, and in some cases, he even helps reconstruct them with his new arm's abilities. However, it's both interesting and important to note that all these new buildings are being made out of wood instead of stone.

likes to hide content in the nooks and crannies of its levels, leaving plenty of small details left unnoticed by Tav and their companions. Not even exploring every location is enough to reveal the wealth of secrets hidden in Faerûn. Since there are so many letters, books, and notes scattered throughout all three acts, it's easy to miss rare hidden letters that add more context to the story.

brought a lot of new features with it that haven't been seen in previous games. The physics system that's used for Link's new Ultrahand ability is smooth and not like any systems he's used in the past. However, one particular system uses items in ways that destroy them, so having a steady supply of strong items to work with becomes important, especially against tougher enemies and bosses. Considering that weapons are subject to a durability system, Link goes through a lot of items throughout the duration of his journey to save Hyrule once more.

is a direct sequel to, which isn't common in the franchise. Most games are independent of each other, even if there's a timeline that tries to connect them across three timeline splits and an unclear placement for. The stories can each be experienced separately. And over the years, there are certain story beats that have become expected, or even tradition. However, that doesn't mean every game follows these traditions instead of finding ways to make them feel fresh.

has an open world that's perfect for the inclusion of many side quests and extra activities. While some of these activities are just for fun, others reveal lore about the game's world. The rewards for these extra activities also vary, but one specific chain of quests has a pretty powerful final reward once the entire quest chain is completed.

might not feature Harry Potter or his friends directly, being set long before they were born. However, it does contain references to elements from the books that didn't even make it into the movies. Naturally, it's difficult to fit the contents of an entire book into a single movie, but video games offer a way to add details in the background in ways that movies can't always manage. This includes adding in a mystery character that could be considered a gentle giant that enjoys a bit of humor now and again.

has a few buffs that feel overpowered, but it seems like not all of them are intentionally included in the game, and there's one buff that might be a bug that's only available during an Honour Mode playthrough. But since it's available at all in Honour Mode and gives any affected party members all the resistances that Gerringothe Thorm has, this is one bug worth pursuing.

features a decent selection of races and subraces from which to choose in character creation. However, it doesn't have anywhere near the number of races and subraces that are available in, which is the tabletop RPG upon which is based and takes its setting from. While there are mods that allow Tav to be more races beyond those included in-game, official additions from Larian Studios could bring with them even more unique dialogue choices based on the races added.

could be considered a masterpiece that follows up another masterpiece in the form of. However, includes an additional game mode that provides a challenge for even an experienced Link. As it stands, this extra game mode will never be a feature added to, no matter how fun it would be to give it a shot.

continues right where left off with Cloud and his group having left Midgar. At least, in the main timeline, that's where the group starts off in this section of the trilogy. But with the existence of multiple timelines, and more being created with even the smallest choices, the story can get a bit confusing, especially when it looks like some characters have varying levels of awareness of those alternate timelines.

features shiny new versions of some of the most iconic moments from the original game. Among those moments is the Gold Saucer, where Cloud can go on a date with one of his companions. Although almost every companion is an option for this scene, the two most popular choices are Tifa and Aerith.

continues the story of as a direct sequel, starting with Link and Zelda exploring ruins beneath Hyrule Castle that they didn't know were there. Naturally, that acts as the beginning of a new adventure, since Zelda discovers not only reliefs in the ruins that tell a story, but the sealed body of Ganondorf. And this encounter begins a journey that spans thousands of years.

certainly doesn't have a shortage of items the party can find during their journey, especially if they meticulously dig through every area and open all storage containers. It's not unusual to pick up items that don't seem to have a use besides selling them to a vendor, but even items that are pieces of a puzzle or a quest later in the game aren't always obvious at first glance. However, part of the fun of a game based on 5e is exploring and discovering how the choices a player makes affect situations later.

has had rumors about a sequel, although nothing has been officially confirmed yet. But that hasn't stopped requests from being made about features that should or shouldn't be included in a sequel, should one end up being made. Many features that would benefit a sequel to could use similar ideas from other games as a foundation.

DLC finally has a release date and received a new trailer alongside the announcement. In true FromSoftware fashion, there are a lot of hidden details and new enemies in the trailer. But that also means there's plenty of room for speculation while waiting for the DLC to fully release.

often lets the party decide how they want to approach obstacles. However, the options that they're given to deal with obstacles can include — and usually do include — some rather immoral choices. And like in a classic game, committing party fouls and unethical actions often ends up being the most efficient approach.

is full of memorable characters, but the returning trio of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf usually gets the most attention. However, there's a cohort of side characters with interesting backgrounds or development throughout the games' stories that end up being overlooked. Even so, this attention to detail helps make the world of Hyrule feel alive and breathing.

continues the unending war against multiple factions that threaten Super Earth. It's the duty of every man, woman, and child to help defend Super Earth against intergalactic threats, which results in a new war starting every time the previous one ends. Among the threats to Super Earth that the citizens find themselves in a cycle of wars with are the Cyborgs. However, doesn't have Cyborgs as a faction, and there's a reason behind that — one that might be disturbing to most.

consistently wraps up the main storyline in each game by the end, with Link saving Hyrule — or another land like Termina — from the evil that's threatening it. However, that doesn't mean that every question that comes up in each game receives an answer before the finale. Some of those unanswered questions result in mysteries that could have major implications for the lore of the universe.

is a beloved franchise with memorable characters, settings, and stories that tug at heartstrings. However, these games are also filled with puzzles that can lead to endless frustration and dread that comes with specific sections. At least guides are available to help Link get through these obstacles and save Zelda and Hyrule.

is a massive game with content that changes depending on the choices that Tav and their party make. As a result, there are plenty of hidden interactions, dialogue, and cutscenes that end up being missed. And since some choices are more popular than others, that leaves a lot of these interactions unseen by the majority of parties.

doesn't enforce any type of moral code on castaways. And that means they always find new ways to torment each other, NPC humans, and even Pals. While these ways to make life on the islands easier are often horrifying in theory, they also have a tendency to work well, making it beneficial to forgo ethics and morals when trying to survive as a Palworld Tamer, and making it possible to capture creatures with ease that would have been deadly encounters before.

'sstory is intricate and amazing to experience, especially with the options that the player is given to influence the path the party takes. However, with a game as massive as in both scale and vision, not everything that could've been an option makes it into the final version. And that means that there are multiple story opportunities that end up being missed. Given the scale of updates regularly receives, though, some of these could be added in the future, if unlikely.

has no shortage of equipment options for every member of the party to choose from. While some pieces are certainly better than others due to the stats and bonus effects they have, they don't look the same. Since each piece of gear has a unique look, certain combinations of pieces can give the party both power and style.

launched into its Early Access period with a mix of praise, booming success, and controversy due to its similarities to. However, those controversies have, in no way, lessened interest in the game and the number of concurrent sessions being played, and some Tamers have turned to datamining to see what might have in store for them in the future.

is now available on Early Access, and it's a hit that's taken over the concurrent session charts on Steam. And although it's fairly polished, it's far from being glitch-free. From infinite loading screen bugs to using the guard AI against bosses because they follow a Wanted tamer indefinitely, there's no shortage of ways to make use of the game's issues before they get patched out.

has entered Early Access, quickly taking over the scene and becoming one of the hottest topics in gaming. Part of this popularity comes from the adorable creatures called Pals, which can be collected in-game and assigned to tasks at a base or taken along on adventures and used in fights. Pals can also be bred with each other, allowing for the creation of fusion Pals with unique strengths.

includes a lot of information hidden in notes or behind specific dialogue options. As for Origin characters, playing through with them instead of a custom Tav fills in their stories and triggers cutscenes and dialogues that wouldn't be available otherwise. However, there's one Origin character that requires more work to fill in their background thanks to a case of amnesia – the Dark Urge.

has plenty of difficult bosses that the party will end up facing and possibly dying against, especially in Honour Mode. However, bosses aren't the only threats that can end a run when it just takes a single party wipe to get a game over screen. Even normal enemies can be enough to kill Tav and their party, depending on how the battle is approached and how well the attack rolls go.

gives characters the opportunity to gain permanent buffs in each of the game's three acts. The effects of each buff vary greatly, from gaining the ability to summon a familiar or getting a bonus point to put towards a character's stats. However, a lot of these permanent buffs are easy to miss, especially during a first playthrough of .

is set in the 1800s, long before any of the events in the series take place. Despite that, Hogwarts' magical campus is full of familiar names, but the familial relationships may not be obvious, especially for those who haven't read the books. Going through and seeing which characters from are related to characters from the novels can make the next playthrough a bit more interesting.

uses dice rolls to determine more than the order of attacks, which strikes hit, and how much damage they deal. Combined with the right choices, a successful dice roll can help the party avoid entire battles. For an Honour Mode playthrough, skipping both boss and non-boss fights can be crucial to surviving.

doesn't give Tav's companions plot armor, and that means there are multiple ways to kill them throughout the game's three acts. However, killing companions isn't the only way to lose them. Certain choices made during main story quests or as part of their companions' quests can result in the companions leaving Tav of their own free will. And once they leave like that, they can't be brought back to the party.

allows Tav – the default name for a custom protagonist – and their companions to gear up and prepare for battle in a variety of different ways. Because is based on the systems in , it uses Armor Class as a way to decide if an attack hits the targeted character. As a result, having a higher AC means that fewer attacks will land, and careful character building can result in a near-invincible Tav.

has added Honor Mode for any Tav who wants to test their mettle against the threat of permanent death in the event of a total party kill and bosses with Legendary Actions. The risks of Honor Mode can also make parties reconsider courses of action that they maybe wouldn't give a second thought otherwise. However, that also means that there's the possibility that parties will make decisions that they end up regretting, especially if they result in a total party kill, or drain the group of a lot of resources that could've been saved for other encounters.