Welcome back to Fantasy Gaming! This month, we celebrate the launch of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, wave goodbye to Suicide Squad, and pour one out for Redfall.
Another month, another Fantasy update. The past few weeks saw some big game releases (and even a delay!), as our Fantasy competition continues to heat up.
Let’s recap the biggest ripples and shakeups.
What’s New in April?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Earns Team David a Big Win
After slipping from its original March release date, Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launched at the tail-end of April. By and large, it was worth the wait.
Jedi: Survivor sits on Metacritic with an impressive 86 critic score. I’m in the process of reviewing the game, and I’m pleased so far with Respawn’s sophomore Star Wars effort. The game improves on 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in ample ways, from storytelling to exploration and pacing. There’s a ton to see and do—puzzles, platforming… heck, even gardening—and it’s all supported by an open world that feels dense, but never bloated.
It could be better. Combat hasn’t improved much since Fallen Order and feels downright dated next to 2022’s stellar Elden Ring. The game also suffers from extensive performance issues (especially on PC—woof). But Jedi: Survivor earns its stripes in other ways, making it a Star Wars game well worth playing.
This is the first Fantasy release for Team David (me!), and it’s proving to be an effective one.
Suicide Squad Gets Pushed to 2024, Shocking No One
Fantasy giveth, Fantasy taketh.
It hardly came as a surprise when Rocksteady announced it was delaying Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League to next year. The live-service looter-shooter left an abysmal impression on players and critics when it was shown off at February’s State of Play showcase.
Still, it’s hard to imagine the delay doing much good. Suicide Squad is targeting a February 2024 release, giving Rocksteady less than a year to address feedback and try to salvage, well… anything. I suppose they should be commended for trying, at least. (See next section.)
While Jedi: Survivor earned me some big points, Suicide Squad leaves Team David with one fewer Fantasy contender. (Remember: We’re super-scoring the top four scores.) Here’s hoping my team toes the line.
Redfall Falls into the Red (I’m Sorry)
Speaking of disastrous looter-shooters, how about the latest from Arkane Studios? The Lyon-based developer is well-regarded for its immersive sims: Look no further than the excellent Dishonored franchise, as well as 2017’s Prey and the more recent Deathloop.
Now, that legacy is in jeopardy. Redfall—which marks the first Microsoft exclusive from Arkane since the Bethesda acquisition—had already looked shaky in previous showcases. But now, it’s out in the wild… and people aren’t loving it.
Redfall currently has a 63 critic score on Metacritic—a far cry from the high 80s/low 90s that Arkane is known for. It remains to be seen how much Microsoft’s presence influenced the game’s development, but the numbers speak for themselves. No matter how you slice the cake, Redfall needed more time to bake.
This marks the second Fantasy release for Team Amanda. While it’s a disappointing result, I doubt she’s losing much sleep. After all, she’s got another pick coming next week: a little arthouse game called The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Who’s in the Lead?!
Here’s the current Fantasy landscape heading into May:
1. A Hair Below Cromulent (Team Sam)
– Total points: 173
– Average per game: 86.5
2. 2 Fast 2 Fantasy (Team David)
– Total points: 86
– Average per game: 86
3. Tears of the Backlog (Team Amanda)
– Total points: 152
– Average per game: 76
Still anyone’s game! Tune back in at the end of May, when we’ll discuss Tears of the Kingdom and other Fantasy Gaming megatons.
Want to catch up on past Fantasy updates? Check out our Fantasy Gaming archives.
