![]() But Konami hasn't released a new game in the series for nearly 10 years. It's especially fitting since Castlevania laid the foundation for Dead Cells' fast-paced action all the way back in 1986. In its Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC, developer Motion Twin proves yet again that it's in a league of its own when it comes to crossovers. It begs the question: if 505 could afford Danny Trejo, couldn't the publisher also afford to revise its script or possibly even get a second take?įight classic Castlevania bosses in Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, While it's clear that the game was made with some specific constraints, presumably brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's odd to hear household names disinterestedly rattle off lines that all sound like first takes. The most notable offender among multiple phoned-in performances comes from Chuck Norris, whose lines actually sound like they were delivered through a cell phone. ![]() Unfortunately, there's no lemonade to be made with these lemons. ![]() With its camera regularly planted on cleavage, and profane writing that would've been in poor taste even a decade ago, its cast is admittedly not given much to work with. It tries to lean on its star-studded cast to deliver it from mediocrity. While there are technically more missions available, most of them bleed together, creating a pervasive sameyness that never really let up after my dozen-or-so hours with the game.Ĭrime Boss' gameplay and general structure aren't inherently bad, they're just lacking the same teeth players can expect from other crime games. Players will go on various missions ranging from hits, fighting rival gangs over turf, stealing valuables and contraband from rival gangs, and robbing strip malls. Its single-player roguelike mode sees the player assume the role of Michael Madsen's character, Travis Baker, as he seeks to rule the criminal underworld of Rockay City, a fictionalized version of Miami. Even if it provided a fun gameplay loop in its main mode, this game would be a difficult sell. Reluctant, flat performances from A-listers like Michael Madsen and Michael Rooker, Danny Glover and Danny Trejo, Chuck Norris, Kim Basinger and Vanilla Ice dress shoddy, sometimes offensive dialogue in an unflattering, low-effort sheen that lacks even the most basic charm that average B-movies could fall back on. It's out on PC but will release on PS5, PS4 and Xbox later this year.Ĭrime Boss: Rockay City feels like a joke that I'm not in on. But Cereza and the Lost Demon does succeed at making you feel like you're playing a team slowly learning to work together - whether you're doing that by yourself, or with a friend.Ĭrime Boss: Rockay City features a stacked cast of TV & film stars, including Chuck Norris. It also lacks the mechanical depth of truly cooperative games like It Takes Two. It's got the quality animation and aesthetic you'd expect from Platinum Games, but little of its baroque, intense action. I got through most of the game with my wife, who enjoyed Cheshire's pure destructive force, while I played support as Cereza.Īll in all, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a curious beast. You can always just hand a Joy-Con to a buddy, and suddenly you're playing an (unofficial) co-op game, where the challenge isn't hand-eye coordination, but rather verbal communication. It can feel like the schoolyard challenge to rub your tummy and pat your head at once. Where Brothers used the dual-character format to deliver a wrenching story, Cereza and the Lost Demon uses it to tickle your brain and vex your fingers. The control scheme resembles 2013's Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, only more fluid, even arcade-y. That's up to Cheshire, who can leap into action as a giant cat-monster, ready to tear into enemies and smash through obstacles like thorns and rocks. Cereza can bind enemies and activate magical flowers, mushrooms, and the like.
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