MonsterVine
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It’s good when it works, and if your machine can handle it.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a shining example of what RPGs are capable of and what stories are. Why they matter to us, and why we keep coming back to them.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an exceptionally polished game with an extremely satisfying combat system, lovely and interesting companions, and a stylistic new look that gives this long-running series a much-needed fresh coat of paint.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership has some strange choices that take away from the title, but the gameplay and characters are as snappy and charming as ever. It’s not the best game in the series, but fans of Mario & Luigi likely won’t regret giving Brothership a chance.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake accomplishes its goal of bringing a decades old game to modern standards, offering a gorgeous art style and some quality-of-life additions. The tactical nature of the combat still works, although the lack of tactics during boss fights is disappointing. A chunk of battle animations could have used more love as it doesn't feel like complete remake. The story isn't as compelling as more focused modern RPGs, but it does still offer satisfying world-building and a few emotional beats. That said, the pros outweigh the cons for this remake, even if the remaking could have gone a bit further.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a great roguelike that takes full advantage of both the popular genre trappings and the massive franchise it’s based on. Outside of runs becoming a bit repetitive over time, the game is a fantastic combination of two excellent ideas that fans ought to check out.
Slitterhead may be a bit rough around the edges, but the core concept and story are intriguing enough to make this worth trying. There really aren’t many games like this, and I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in strange and dark titles.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is fun if you’re looking for an entertaining horror game. It has a lot of fun mechanics that add a lot of nuances to each level while throwing in fun death mazes for you to navigate. But being said, the Death Angels AI isn’t the best, and many of the story beats aren’t as heavy-hitting as their movie counterparts.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a complete and spectacular package, offering a fun and varied campaign, lightning fast multiplayer, and a return to round-based zombies that lives up to the hype. It doesn’t fully reinvent what Call of Duty is, but it’s far more varied than previous entries and everything included feels like it got the love and attention it deserves, making it a must-play for anyone who has fondness for Black Ops or Call of Duty.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is an incredibly beautiful game with interesting time mechanics and strong narrative hooks that eventually lead to a dissatisfying ending.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is a fantastic package that features a great remaster and an excellent all-new story that takes the best lessons from Sonic Frontiers. If 3D Sonic games going forward are like this one, it’s going to be a bright future indeed.
[REDACTED] is another action roguelite in a sea of games in that genre, and while it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does have some unique ideas. A focus on fast-paced speed and defeating rivals throughout each run provides a nice twist and the fluid action matches that speed, making for a fun experience. The narrative is lacking, but it also doesn’t take up too much time anyway, letting you focus on slaughtering enemies as fast as you can.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a bizarre and intriguing game that’s worth trying out. The combat and characters are a blast, which makes up for the janky movement and basic story. If you’re like me and had never played this one prior, it’s worth experiencing.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is overstuffed with unnecessary and uninteresting side content. While the main party mode feels like the strongest of the Nintendo Switch entries, a lack of variety in the minigames and only a few standouts make for a Mario Party that has a strong core, but not much else.
A winding and divergent narrative, Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut is the ultimate version of Slay the Princess and one that I would recommend to almost anyone.
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is another laid-back and charming title like its predecessor and the Boku no Natsuyasumi series before it. There’s lots to do and no pressure to get anything done, making for a bountiful title that lets you do what you want, when you want, as much as you want. It’s a great game to relax with, and worth grabbing if you need a break between bigger and more fast-paced games.
I am so genuinely happy to see the SaGa series get a well deserved new starting point for new fans, and doubly so for the fact that series vets will love this as well. If you have ever had a vested interest in the SaGa franchise, there probably won’t be a better time than now, with Romancing SaGa2: Revenge of the Seven. I am thoroughly impressed and have a new top 3 SaGa game.
Silent Hill 2 has more than enough modern features to make experiencing it in 2024 hit just as hard as it was praised for doing in 2001. The story still feels unmatched in the genre and the horror is upsetting in ways that feel quite different from some other modern horror titles. Its depiction of real-life horror is handled with incredible skill, using awful realities to benefit its horror without exploiting them or shying away from the realness of them. Combat doesn't have the depth you might hope for and its opening is stretched a bit too far, but it's still an excellent horror experience.
RetroRealms takes two of the most beloved horror series and adapts them into enjoyable platformers with excellent pixel art. The difficulty can be a little bit mean at times, but both titles are a blast overall – especially for fans of each respective series. I can’t wait to see what other movies get the RetroRealms treatment, though I’ve got my fingers crossed for Alien.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 offers a brand new story, and lots of new brothers and enemies. While the online community leaves a lot to be desired, World Brothers 2’s improvements over the first game remain significant enough to recommend.