Twisted Voxel
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Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back Max Caulfield as an adult who faces both personal and supernatural challenges. Although her new powers hold promise, the gameplay tends to feel overly linear, and the pacing is inconsistent. Overall, Double Exposure is an engaging yet flawed continuation of Max’s journey, but it falls short of the series' best moments.
Shin-chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t bring much innovation, yet retains the simple charm the franchise is known for.
Ys X: Nordics effectively combines classic Ys elements with modern gameplay, offering a rewarding action RPG experience. Centered on a younger Adol Christin, the game introduces the Duo Combat System and focuses on exploration via the ship Sandras. Despite some minor drawbacks in the early naval sections, it’s a must-play for both fans and newcomers, blending action, exploration, and character development seamlessly.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a new IP from Atlus that combines Persona mechanics with medieval fantasy elements. It features innovative systems like Archetypes and a hybrid battle approach. The narrative explores modern themes within a fantastical world. While the game offers depth and challenge in combat and exploration, it has some technical drawbacks, especially on the PC version.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero revitalizes the Tenkaichi series with nostalgic charm and complex mechanics. The game offers a dynamic experience with a vast character roster and an engaging combat system. While it has some issues with camera angles and balance, it's still a highly enjoyable entry in the franchise.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred introduces enough new content to make it compelling for Diablo 4 fans at launch, despite concerns about potential endgame grind.
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns offers new characters and guest fighters, but the high price is hard to justify with a short story mode and limited content. The unresolved gameplay issues and lack of replay value make it feel incomplete.
Reynatis was anticipated as a standout title but ultimately disappoints. Despite an intriguing dual-mode combat system and a blend of modern and fantastical elements, the game suffers from a weak narrative, repetitive gameplay, and uninspired presentation.
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged faithfully remakes the beloved point-and-click classic with improved animations, streamlined gameplay, and modernized features. The remake introduces a vibrant new art style while offering both a nostalgic Classic Mode and a newcomer-friendly Story Mode, striking a balance between honoring the original and welcoming new players.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster revitalizes the beloved zombie-infested game from the 7th generation of consoles. It uses Capcom’s RE Engine for improved graphics and quality-of-life updates while maintaining the original gameplay and humor. With time-based mechanics, customizable weapons, and a visual overhaul, it's a great return for fans.
Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis provides a poignant epilogue to the beloved JRPG, focusing on Aigis and delving into the aftermath of the main story. The narrative deepens character arcs and themes, but the gameplay mainly consists of tedious dungeon crawling, lacking the social elements that define the series.
Castlevania Dominus Collection includes three DS-era classics—Order of Ecclesia, Portrait of Ruin, and Dawn of Sorrow. With updated features like touchscreen integration and quick save, these challenging yet rewarding games are now more accessible.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a nostalgic tribute and a well-packaged bundle of timeless arcade fighting games. It has a sleek user interface, customizable gameplay options, and appeals to both long-time fans and newcomers.
Visions of Mana masterfully captures the heart of traditional JRPGs with classic elements and stunning visual artistry. The main storyline and combat system shine with engaging characters and smooth gameplay, but the lack of meaningful side content and occasional performance issues hold it back from perfection.
Fate/Stay Night Remastered revitalizes the classic visual novel with enhanced graphics, modern UI, and an official English release for its 20th anniversary. The multiple story routes, diverse endings, and rich storytelling offer high replay value and make it a standout visual novel for Fate franchise fans.
Despite some drawbacks, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is the best new entry in the series that fans and newcomers alike can appreciate.
Star Wars Outlaws offers a fresh take on the franchise. While it has great visuals and solid gameplay, it relies on familiar open-world tropes, which may not appeal to everyone. The protagonist, Kay Vess, and her companion, Nix, offer enjoyable interactions, but some missions and stealth elements can feel repetitive.
The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection revitalizes the beloved series with a focus on investigative prowess, updated visuals, and expanded gameplay mechanics. The shift to crime scene exploration and clue gathering breathes new life into the series, making it accessible to both long-time fans and newcomers. This collection stands as one of the strongest entries in the franchise, blending nostalgia and innovation for lovers of the detective genre.
Bakeru stands out in the crowded action platformer genre by blending nostalgic gameplay with modern mechanics. While the story isn't groundbreaking, it excels in character design, art style, and engaging gameplay.
Tomba! Special Edition brings back the beloved and quirky PS1 classic, delivering a delightful blend of nostalgic charm and thoughtful modern enhancements. While the game is primarily an emulated version, Limited Run Games has enriched the experience with behind-the-scenes content, a new OST, and widescreen support, making it more than just a simple port. Despite its age, the game’s unique art style and engaging Metroidvania mechanics hold up well, though the controls can feel dated.