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Marvel’s Wolverine had these moments that I absolutely loved, and these others that frustrated the hell out of me. There are design choices in here; I would point straight at the QTEs when saying this, which felt pointless. The game evokes a period in gaming that I at least fondly remember, but for a modern game, it just doesn’t completely work. Throughout my entire playthrough, I kept thinking of another Insomniac game, Sunset Overdrive. I love that game. Is it perfect? No. Is it even them at their best? No? What it is, though, is Insomniac’s unique brand of crazy. There is nothing genuinely special or memorable here. There are moments where the game justifies itself, but even then, it lacks that spark you expect, and it’s a shame.
Nighthawks has some pretty noticeable stumbles. The story hits dead ends way too often and can often feel like you are solving another case to figure out how to move on to the next portion. Similarly, progressing states is a mystery unto itself that can take a pretty hefty amount of time to start pushing forward. Where the game succeeds, it does so with enough force to propel past its faults. The RPG, while not necessarily deep, is very rewarding, and the open-ended structure leaves loads of room to explore. The narrative is phenomenal, with an engaging cast of characters that never fails to delight. More than anything else, though, this is the closest to a creature of the night I have truly felt in a long time, living out my VTM and True Blood dreams, and that is really saying something.
I was never the same after that summer. Gaining new friends that I frequented for years to come, although I tried to resist the change future me is grateful that things turned out the way they did. Likewise, once Foxy leaves her electronics and decides to look up at the world above, she really starts to live. To appreciate the world in new ways, to recognize that these fleeting moments will become cherished memories, to feel that life is worth living. Woodo appreciates profound storytelling as much as its adorable art style. So much for a simple puzzle game.
Do you want me as the driver on the next train you get on? No, you most certainly do not! Am I a better driver than I was when I started Train Sim World 7? Yes, but in a formal debate you would have a hard time grounding that claim. None of that matters, though. Turn the knob to forward, put the brake in release, crank the throttle for speed, then sit back and watch the world that drifts by your window, beautiful, majestic, and calming. I’m still not fully sure how many issues I encountered were technical or me just not playing very well, but I put up with them because it was worth it. For that feeling of freedom you are afforded, I would do anything.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword upgrades the franchise from the previous era, making for a much more technically challenging game. Instead of fighting fixed camera angles, you are fighting fast enemies with move sets that require precision to overcome. This could easily feel like anything or everything else on the market, but instead, thanks to a clever skill tree of robust abilities, you get a vast amount of tools that require timing to master. It is enough that you can choose which ones to emphasize practicing if others aren’t working out the way you need them to. This elevates the title’s combat from simple hack-and-slash to something creative and enjoyable.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is more of the same, on a base level, but that’s not a bad thing. The cycle of dungeons and sales, with minor reflection on capitalism, worked then and continues to work well. The improvements to this, as evidenced by the jump from the Pixelsprite of the first game to the 3D animation, also feel meaningful. A good early access campaign can mean all the difference for a roguelike as it grows with its audience, and clearly the time was not squandered. If you want a game all about making money, this is well worth your money.
The painful part is I really wanted to love The Blood of Dawnwalker, not have this lukewarm emotion towards it. The best aspects of the game are so unique compared to everything else out there and, with enough commitment, are very fun to play. It’s the other side of that coin that muddies the water. That great combat has to contend with technical hiccups, and those are the only things where maybe I would feel differently. Progression is the best example of how great Ideas just keep having minor directional choices hold them back profusely. There is a series here; developer Rebel Wolves has a great concept here that works when it works but doesn’t when it doesn’t.
The question about what makes an indie game special is one often brought up by developers and players alike. In Cat Me If You Can’s case, it is simple. It captures a relaxing atmosphere for observant explorers to photograph cats and occasionally interact with the environment. Cue the impossibly slick soundtrack that invites you to not only look at every corner with ease but also to take it easy while doing so, and you have a formula that cat lovers everywhere will rejoice in.
Continuing the resurgence of modern games capturing that retro feel, Isle of Reveries knows what it wants to be and achieves it. From the stellar pixel art style to the sound effects and music straight up from the 90s, it feels right at home with the contemporaries it so earnestly wants to be a part of. Clever puzzle mechanics from its copy ability and extensive dungeons round up one experience that, thanks to its humorous delivery, lightheartedly reminds one of a classic time with care.
Tell you what, I loved my time in Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, even when I was running for my life from instakill. This is everything an adventure should be; it pays homage to games I grew up on to craft an experience that felt shiny and new. More than any of that, it opens up the universe for more experiences than just keeping rats at bay and throwing rocks at people’s heads.
I wanted so badly to enjoy Starsand Island. I have been waiting for this release for a while. It’s just hard to recommend the game in the state it is in now. I feel worse, given it’s a small team taking big swings. Potentially you will have a different experience; clearly, people have progressed past where my game came to an end. Even before that, though, Starsand Island was underbaked and not ready for primetime in the slightest.
I often hear that Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a good game, but it isn’t Nioh. I understand that sentiment and have even said it. As a Kasurigami main, one of the only weapons that freaking dropped between the two, I feel like I never really gave it the chance. There are some things, sure, that I feel don’t rise to the gold standards Team Ninja has set for themselves; upon reflection, though, they were so much closer than I remember. The game is fun, and you can genuinely get lost in it. Sure, I can list off some points that are lacking, but that combat? Chef’s kiss. Some of the absolute best, and that’s enough, is a reason to play.
For a franchise that by now has even more games than movies, it appears that there was a glaring omission until now. Star Wars Zero Company tells a gritty narrative with seasoned characters that take no prisoners, and it does so with a confidence that makes it among the best media in a galaxy far, far away. To deliver intricate, satisfying tactical gameplay mechanics with limitless replayability, make it a must-play not only for fans but also for players at large.
1000xResist is a narrative game first and foremost. It can be challenging to look at a visual novel game and review it; I mean, storytelling is subjective, but this isn’t strictly that. From that perspective, the story is meaningful, beautiful, and painful. The story isn’t straightforward, but once it all fits together, it has something important to say.
Sure, soulslikes are to this day among the most imitated genre, with few permutations to make them stand out. But have you considered playing as a cat? Kristala aims for a solid experience that applies interesting parrying and platforming mechanics to keep the gameplay moving at all times. While the medieval fantasy story is one by the books, the combat is one that consistently satisfies with every encounter. As this genre goes, there is nothing more to ask for.
The Sinking City 2 was, for better or worse, everything I expected it to be. That was to say, an enjoyable trip through a land of horror and action. Even with the open areas that you get, you have a mostly linear experience that offers just enough freedom to find your own way and enjoy getting lost along the way. The narrative never hits the high I would have wanted but never sinks so low that I am let down. The combat is the element that should hold your attention more than anything, which is fun even at its worst.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a competent fighting game, and given Arc System Works’ pedigree, I would expect nothing less. The flashy and over-the-top moveset genuinely makes you feel like you are a superhero smashing up the city in a life-and-death fight for justice. The combat system is robust with plenty of variety once you start exploring off the game’s standard combo paths, but given the structure, this might not be the most friendly fighting game to cut your teeth on.
While I played GoldenEye 007 on my purple, see-through Nintendo 64 back in my youth, I will admit I don’t really have an attachment to it. You know what else came out that same year? Final Fantasy VII, and that changed my life forever. Agent 64: Spies Never Die, however, did successfully manage to remind me why I subjected myself to every kid on my block for as long as I did. It’s an addictive loop, even at its most frustrating. There are places I feel this game could have evolved the formula or resolved the issues, but I get the direction, and I respect it. My biggest issue, and maybe this is unfair, is that the game tries too hard to feel like the classic game and not enough to set itself apart. It is fun, though, and in the end, who could ask for more?
By taking a bountiful genre into new and interesting directions, Blood Dungeon is able to rise above the chaff. It eschews mindless stat boosts in favor of a more measured approach to the chaos inherent to the format and, in doing so, creates a distinctive experience that rewards quick thinking just as much as smart build choices. The balance between the low-level power of the player and the necessity of navigation elicits a tension and excitement so rarely seen in bullet-heaven titles.
Nothing that you play here is new. But it does not have to be. Airy platforming that reminds you of better times. Active combat that makes you fight faceless enemies. A heartfelt cautionary tale that sneaks up on you. And the secret ingredient, an absolutely gorgeous art style that will often stop you in your tracks. Duskfade has it all. Sometimes, that is what you need to remind you of what is important in life.