Holly Hudspeth

“Dune:Awakening does a phenomenal job of making Arrakis come to life, from the oppressing heat and sand as far as the eye can see, to the terrifying encounters with Shai Halud. Once you get your feet under you, the game has dozens of hours of exploration and content to work through, making it a very enjoyable experience. The combat leaves a lot to be desired, but classes, weapons, and gadgets feel fun. Took some points off for lack of housing decoration options and mods, and for the lack of real end game content. Would love to see raids, or overworld bosses, and better boss encounters in Testing Stations. Over all Dune:Awakening is a unique and fun experience that will suck you in right away.”

“Land of the Vikings is a beautifully done survival colony sim that takes the genre to the next level with gridless building. The ease of managing your village and the simplicity of the UI are very much appreciated. It makes the hassle of doing mundane tasks for your village so much easier. The art, music, and attention to detail is phenomenal. Being able to build a village in any way I want is so much fun. You will be challenged throughout your game, all the while having a relaxing time watching your little Vikings go about their daily lives. Land of the Vikings is a masterpiece, and I highly recommend it!”

“Overall I felt disappointed in Paleo Pines. The world is bright, colorful, and fun to be in. The dinosaurs are truly adorable. Playing the flute to learn their song to befriend them is a very unique experience. But the rest of the execution is just mediocre at best. Forgettable quests, roadblocks on things that just aren't fun, cost of supplies is too high, and the fact we can't even go into our house is a real bummer. The quality of life things that we all basically expect in games these days just aren't there. I'd love to see some changes made to the game. I honestly really did try to get into Paleo Pines because the visuals are adorable, but at the end of it all, I was left incredibly bored and lost interest.”

“The Sims 4 Horse Ranch is unfortunately a wonderful concept rendered almost unplayable due to bugs, and both my Sim and animals getting stuck. The CAS clothing items and Build Mode pieces are fantastic and add a lot to the game, especially if building a ranch or country theme is your jam. Bonding with your horse and the interactions between both your Sim and the animals is heartwarming, and riding is loads of fun. I'd have liked to see more with the Equestrian Center and competitions, not being able to go inside is kind of a bummer and a waste of space. As much as I'd have loved to explore all that Horse Ranch has to offer, I just can't play it in its current state. I'd love to adjust my review at a later date if things improve.”

“Journeying through the Necrom Chapter on my new Arcanist was loads of fun. The new Arcanist class is very powerful, feels amazing to heal on, and has some of the most satisfying visual and sound effects I have ever seen in a class. The Apocrypha zone is a visual masterpiece, and Telvanni Peninsula makes you feel right at home in Morrowind. The main story was very engaging with a huge plot twist, and I can't wait to see how it all ends. This Chapter is a must-have for Elder Scrolls fans.”

“The Sims 4 Basement Treasures and Greenhouse Haven Kits bring dozens of content pieces that mesh really well with previous Kits such as Blooming Rooms, Courtyard Oasis, and even Romantic Garden Stuff. The Basement Treasures Kit would blend perfectly with the Paranormal Stuff Pack, and I intend to play around with my saved game to do some more decorating. I really enjoyed both Kits, and for only $4.99 each just go ahead and pick them up!”

“People who enjoy home life and raising babies in The Sims 4 will love the new changes with the baby update and the Growing Together Expansion. There are loads of cute clothes, hairstyles, and interactions that were added for babies, toddlers, and children. The social dynamics tend to get really deep and complicated, and weren't my cup of tea. I'd like to not have to have constant conflicts and jealousy, especially when my Sims don't have those traits (for a reason). An option to turn off cheating or jealousy would be great in future patches. The self-discovery traits have potential, but most times weren't anything I'd have liked to add to my Sims. Overall, Growing Together hasn't been my favorite, but that is because I tend to have a different playstyle in The Sims 4 than what this is geared towards.”

“It's obvious that Pharaoh: A New Era was a labor of love by Triskell Interactive and Dotemu. I am sure there wasn't a massive demand for this title, but there are some die hard fans out there (like me) who enjoyed and appreciated this game beyond comprehension. It keeps the heart and soul of the original Pharaoh, while making just enough tweaks to improve upon a timeless classic. The nostalgia factor is high on this one, and if you liked any of the late 90s to early 2000 city-building titles, then picking up Pharaoh: A New Era is a must. My only request: please consider remastering Zeus & Poseidon!”

“I have been a big fan of the JWE game franchise from the start, and the Dominion Malta expansion adds some great new decorations and species for you to play with in your parks. The Oviraptor and Lystrosaurus are precious, and honestly make the pack worthwhile just on that alone. A fun new Campaign that aligns perfectly with the Jurassic Park Dominion movie will keep you busy, and Update 5 brings in new Challenge Levels if the Campaign isn't your thing. If you're a fan of the movies and like park builders, you can't go wrong with the JWE games, and Dominion Malta fits in perfectly.”

“Land of the Vikings is a fresh new addition to the city building genre that breaks the mold with a gridless building feature. You can place your buildings, farms, and roads in any way you see fit, which allows for fantastic customization. It balances day to day managing of your Vikings out perfectly, making once tedious tasks in the genre a breeze. With excellent graphics and superior attention to detail, Land of the Vikings should not be missed if you are a fan of city builders. I cannot wait to see how this game progresses, and am thoroughly impressed so far.”

“Sea Monsters DLC for Parkasaurus is an absolute pleasure to play. With new aquatic and semiaquatic creatures, new biomes and enclosures, and three new story missions you will have plenty of things to do in your park. For just $6.99 this DLC comes packed to the brim with content, and most importantly you get new hats. Parkasaurus continues to be my favorite dino park builder on the market, and the Sea Monsters DLC brought in some of my favorite species such as the Megalodon and Mosasaurus.”

“The Sims 4 Werewolf Game Pack introduces some exciting new things to the game, such as the ability to draw on your Sims fur and stamp on designs which gives you endless possibilities for customization. The new lunar cycle which directly affects your werewolf, and the werewolf packs along with the hierarchy are all fun. I enjoyed the way your Sims looks the closer they get to transforming. However, some of the social difficulties from being a werewolf, and the fury and destruction of items in your own home made things more difficult. I can't see myself making my everyday Sim a werewolf, but this pack is definitely fun to play through at least once or twice!”

“I hope that the future of Purrasic Jark is bright, and not filled with escapees mauling my guests like those "other" dinosaur theme parks. My experience with Dinosaur Island has been very relaxing, at times downright funny, and not too overwhelming. A lot of sim games, and especially some sim games in the same genre, like to over complicate things. Let's Build a Zoo: Dinosaur Island is just the right combination of giving you enough to manage without making things hectic. I had an absolutely wonderful time over the long weekend enjoying every aspect of this charming title, and I look forward to playing some more.”

“The Sims 4 Carnaval Streetwear Kit is just fun, plain and simple. It might not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed the pieces. There are so many items you can use to change up the look of your Sims; nails, accessories, clothing, makeup, even some cool shades. Now for my suggestion to the Sims team, give us an actual Carnaval destination! Let us dress up and travel to Brazil and have a blast.”

“The Sims 4 Modern Menswear Kit fails on multiple levels. The pieces are targeted at male Sims to give them a trendy and updated look, but they fall short of that. Frumpy sweaters, pleated mini skirts, and silly looking pants bring nothing to the table. Out of the 23 total pieces in the Kit, I really only sort of liked 3 of them. Save your money, and pass on this Kit.”

“The Sims 4 Blooming Rooms Kit adds in a lot of plant-type decorations to your home, not only in the form of potted plants, but also planted lights, shelving, a vine curtain, and tables. It gives the player more choices for cozy and homey decorations, but I feel some of them only fit specific aesthetics. While The Sims 4 has definitely had better Kits release this year, at only $4.99 it's worth picking up so you have options”

“The Sims 4 has released a lot of quality content this year, and the Fashion Street and Incheon Arrivals Kits don't disappoint. Both add wonderful pieces of clothing to your Sims wardrobes, with new and unique options we were desperately missing. The kits are reasonably priced at just $4.99 each, and definitely spice things up for your Sims!”

“I've been playing Cottage Living for an hour or two each day for a week now, and still feel like I have a lot left to discover. There are plenty of quests, and I really like the laid back simple living feeling to the expansion. Caring for and dressing up my farm animals is an absolute delight. Cottage Living is a total home run in my opinion, if you're a fan of the game this is a must-have for your collection.”

“I am a huge fan of the entire Elder Scrolls franchise, and have played ESO since beta. My absolute favorite Chapter was Elsweyr and that will forever be a hard one to top, but Blackwood was quite enjoyable. The addition of Companions is fun for both new and veteran players, but I am kind of left feeling like this could have been a DLC rather than a full-blown Chapter. I had a good time questing through the area and completing the main story, and the throwbacks to Oblivion with the story and portals were very cool. I definitely hope to see more Companions added to the game, even if it's through the Crown Store. My only request is to add on to the already amazing story that is being told!”

“The Sims 4 Dream Home Decorator Game Pack was just what I needed, as I really wanted to start designing some of my own homes and rooms. I very much enjoyed the hands-on experiences with each of the clients' unique homes. My only complaint is that some of the likes and dislikes are not obvious, especially when it comes to particular styles, and that the clients don't tell you what you did wrong at the end of the renovation. The reveal at the end is super fun, and reminds me of being on a fixer upper TV show.”