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Horizon Chase 2 is an excellent follow-up to Horizon Chase Turbo, offering a wide plethora of stages to race across and sights to see. I found enjoyment in modes I typically get frustrated in, with Time Trials specifically pulling me back for more each day. If you're a fan of arcade racers, Horizon Chase 2 is a great time I recommend trying out.
Touhou Genso Wanderer -FORESIGHT- is a dungeon crawler with very few tricks to reveal. It can be addictive at points, but the game is ultimately a barebones experience that quickly becomes tiring to play. There is potential for something better here, but the current product probably isn't worth your time.
Ultimately, Samurai Warriors 4 DX is one of the most complete experiences in the franchise, and it came with a pretty decent port to Steam. Although not the most customizable graphic experience, it stays true to what made it so great and would be a great acquisition at a discounted price.
The remake of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is great. It revives one of the most historically important games of all time with dignity. These old bones may creak at times, but the foundation of all of your favorite RPGs can be found here. There’s a good amount of exploration and party-building to keep you busy. The no-holds-barred combat will be sure to test your mettle, as well. There is room for experimentation, and learning how to be efficient creates plenty of replay value. Be forewarned: even with tons of quality-of-life toggles, this game is unforgiving. The autosave feature and balancing that lean towards ‘brutal’ ensures that the age-old adventure still has teeth. There are even settings that allow players to experience the game balancing as it was in its original format and its slightly altered console ports from back in the day. I don’t recommend coming to Wizardry 1 for a deep storyline. Its premise is nothing more than mildly interesting. I’m also not a fan of the DnD style balancing, I much prefer how later RPGs handle their calculations.
Indika attempts a lot with its short runtime, and it succeeds in many ways but falters in some. I have nothing but respect for the story it is telling and even enjoyed most of my time with it. Great characters and voice acting elevate an already memorable story, but sadly, it doesn't always hit the mark, and technical issues can bring it down a bit. It's still quite the experience, and I look forward to what the developer does next.
Pool Party is a great physics-based game that features a concept I have never heard of before. While it lacks slightly in content, it more than makes up for it in the fun factor category. Its fast-paced matches and fun ways of mixing pool with a certain activity or sport are certainly something that I would recommend to any fan of party games or if you have an event coming up. Lakeview Games did a great job with its first release, and I'm excited to see what they do in the future.
Ultimately, Endless Ocean: Luminous is a chill, relaxed experience that doesn't offer much beyond the surface. The game is essentially a collectathon, with little to do outside of exploring and looking at things. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but Endless Ocean: Luminous is exactly what it aims to be—a title about exploring the ocean.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board is a different enough party game that stands on its own. Sadly, it doesn't do enough to recommend playing it over its contemporaries. The world of Demon Slayer does a lot to carry the game forward and fill it with charm, but the minigames don't have as much going for them and lack variety. It is fun enough to recommend playing once with friends but not enough to play more than that.
Rainbow Cotton is ultimately a unique title with lots of charm. However, the experience is filled with bugs, camera issues, and decisions that left me scratching my head. With so many great ideas, it is a shame the controls and bugs plague what is otherwise a charming and colorful experience.
Library of Ruina is both a fantastic and frustrating experience. A twisted narrative and complex mechanics make for what could be a cult classic. Unfortunately, the lack of a natural difficulty curve as well as some awkward UI issues will make this game significantly less appealing to some. Overall, it is worthwhile, provided you have the time to fit it into your schedule.
SaGa: Emerald Beyond is the most easily accessible SaGa game while still having nigh impenetrable barriers surrounding its appeal. There are many prospective players who won't dig the presentation or take the time to understand the beauty found in the design. Those who give Emerald Beyond the time of day and devote themselves to understanding the game will most certainly walk away with something truly special. The Free-Form Scenario system urges players to progress the main plot in any way they so choose. Your choices will alter your progression path. Even your mid-battle decisions matter. The battle system relies on turn order and manipulation of said turns. Arranging your party to create combos while breaking your enemies apart is addictive. Enjoyment of this game hinges on whether or not you enjoy the battle system and multi-world conceit.
Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide ties up the base game quite nicely, resolving one of the key mysteries of the base game. The face-off with Leviathan is one of the most memorable Eikon battles yet, with a beautiful score and challenging fight. However, The Rising Tide still suffers from the same problems the base game had. It also only provides a few hours of story content, which makes it somewhat of a hard recommendation at its current price point.
Freedom Planet 2 is a very high-effort game with great art and ideas, however, the execution of said ideas often causes the game to trip and fall flat on its face. The speed and combat can be thrilling independent of one another, but they don't mesh well at all. This creates a disjointed feeling akin to shifting gears. This feeling is also recreated by the level design. Levels can joyfully breeze by or be filled with obstacles that kindle a feeling of annoyance. The game has a unique identity due to its blending of several different classic elements found in gaming greats but this "highlight reel" fails to capture the same charm, I fear. The story scenes act as an additional kick to the shins by being quite adept at ripping the player out of the action with irritating characters. Freedom Planet 2 is an alright, yet jumbled, copycat. The constant back and forth the disjointed creates is disappointing. If you happen to like the first game, then you'll surely enjoy what this game has to offer.
The Vale is perhaps one of the most unique titles I have played in recent memory. Hopefully, more developers can take some notes when it comes to making accessible games. It may be a very short adventure, but it's one I won't soon forget.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection revives two beloved multiplayer experiences for modern consoles. While both keep the gameplay feel and flow, this release is plagued with serious online issues that make this collection hard to recommend. The single-player content is exceptional and justifiable for purchase, but overall, the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection feels incomplete and messy.
Unicorn Overlord provides hours of gorgeous, meaty Strategy RPG. Prospective players can be guaranteed strong core gameplay with gorgeous artwork. The beauty and tactics bleed through the parchment and spread through every facet of the game effortlessly and intentionally. Planning out your units, customizing skills, experimenting with squad formations, and proper execution of your machinations only scratch the surface of what's possible. On top of all this, the story and characters polish archetypes and tropes to a mirror sheen that should leave any genre lovers more than satisfied.
Berserk Boy provides a fast-paced and easily replayable experience for those on the lookout for a new side scroller to play. While it doesn't necessarily test the player's skills too much, the core mechanics make the game a joy to play. There's a lot of charm and passion here that ultimately makes Berserk Boy a worthwhile purchase.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered proves that there is still a lot to love about Core Design's vision of the franchise. While there are noticeable issues, these don't break what is otherwise still a fantastic experience for those who are willing to look past them. Perhaps future Tomb Raider games should take some notes.
While Mario vs. Donkey Kong has a charming concept and visual direction, the twenty-year-old puzzle platformer shows its age through frustrating level design, bizarre controls, and very little content that improves upon the original. Further, with its $49.99 price point, it's hard to justify purchasing the remake unless you're a die-hard fan of the original GBA title.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is the best Mystery Dungeon game. It's absolutely heaping with mechanical depth and a breadth of content. The gameplay requires acute focus and a smart mind in order to progress. Items and enemies have a staggeringly high amount of interactivity that makes exploring even more engaging. Those who don't like roguelikes or strategic RPGs may not enjoy the randomness, as poor luck or focus can ruin a run in a flash. The game's story and characters aren't nearly as deep as the gameplay, but they offer some enjoyable respite from the challenging gameplay.