The Punished Backlog
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I enjoyed a lot of my brief time with The Tower on the Borderland, but too often, the experience felt like a rough draft of what comes next. That said, the game has laid the groundwork for something truly special—a potential series that builds upon and honors the legacy of PlayStation 1-era third-person games that many of today’s players grew up on.
Throughout the approximate three-hour playtime of Duck Detective, players will be treated to delightful dialogue, charming artwork, excellent voice acting, and a satisfactory series of logic puzzles. While the short playtime and price point will be a turn-off for many, fans of the mystery genre will certainly enjoy it.
Hauntii is a beautiful game that often gets in the way of its own contemplated brilliance. It is the game’s quieter moments that will stick with me long after the credits have rolled. At its best, the game presents an interesting, meditative alternative to the usually chaotic twin-stick shooter and challenging puzzle genres.
It’s hard to capture the experience of playing a PlayStation 1 horror game for the first time. Yet, somehow, Crow Country succeeds. Equal parts a love letter and a response to the horror of days long gone, it recaptures both the aesthetic and magic of early 3D horror games, balancing modern updates with classic touches. Though light on fear, Crow Country is a well-polished experience that expertly nails the old-school aesthetic.
Despite its shortcomings, Rose & Camellia Collection is a unique title to own and one you will want to play with friends in local multiplayer. I mean, who DOESN’T want to have a virtual slap battle? Just keep the wonky controls and steep price point in mind.
My biggest problem with Rough Justice: '84 wasn’t even that it didn’t work—it’s that, even when it did, I still just wasn’t having any fun.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an achievement in storytelling, and its gameplay only complements it, giving players an avatar to live through a universally human experience. The combat, platforming, and exploration are satisfying and thoughtful, combining to create another great entry in a hall-of-fame genre in gaming. I can only hope that the title of the game hints at more tales to come. Surgent Studios has something special on its hands, and this is a developer and IP worth keeping an eye on.
Saviorless is well worth your time. Its brevity isn’t a hindrance, but rather an invitation to an artistic experience with the heart of a visual novel. At its price tag of $12.99, the two- to three-hour journey doesn’t disappoint, providing a haunting if not tragic experience that balances its unsettling violence with its peaceful backdrops. Not a moment is wasted in Empty Head Games’ initial showing. I am excited to see what the Cuban studio creates next.
Ultimately, Kudzu’s reliance on charm and nostalgia fails to conceal its greater failings. Attempting to bring back the gameplay and broader stylings of classic titles can be a tall task, but we can’t lower our standards the way we may have during the actual Game Boy era. Kudzu serves as an uncomfortable reminder that maybe some things deserve to stay in the past.
Botany Manor is a beautiful game that caters to anyone with a love of horticulture, science, or mystery. It’s also an important game, one that tells an effective story about the resilience of women—past, present, and future. In terms of quality, the game delivers. However, at its $24.99 asking price, the three- to four-hour experience (five if you hunt for achievements) may leave you wanting. Thankfully, the game launches day one on Game Pass—and it is the perfect way to spend an afternoon or two. Whether you pay to play or you subscribe to vibe, Botany Manor deserves a look. Bring the brains, and it’ll bring the seeds, the planters, and the heart.
Somehow, despite shouldering almost impossible expectations, Rebirth is a wonder: a marvel of a game that merges the old and nostalgic with the ever-increasing burdens of modern gaming sensibilities and technical prowess. The combat is incredible, fine-tuned to a sharp edge, and a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. Rebirth also justifies its shift toward open-world gameplay with a breadth and depth of content that ranges from simple tasks to deeply involved side quests. Despite a turbulent ending that almost feels more tailor-made to invite speculation than to provide a coherent narrative, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a high watermark of the genre. Its true legacy, however, will ultimately be determined by the final part of this exciting trilogy.
While Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is far from perfect, I found that after spending an afternoon with it, I could hardly wipe the smile off my face. If you’re interested at all, I would highly recommend getting the whole package and not just trying to play one case at a time. Despite how Frog Detective feels in the beginning, the mysteries do build off one another and get better the deeper you go. By the time you hit the grand finale, the slow start will be a distant memory and the payoff will be well worth it!
Death Trick: Double Blind, while imperfect, is colorful and engaging. Perhaps it’s just like a real day out at the circus—you see some cool tricks, but then you eat too many sweets and you get overwhelmed by the crowds. Yet, at the end of the night, you’re still delighted by what you’ve seen, and you know you’ll remember it. Death Trick: Double Blind won’t be a game everyone enjoys, but it certainly will have its audience. I imagine there will be a lot of fan art. I hope those people—romantics, thinkers, dreamers—find Death Trick: Double Blind and enjoy the ride.
Hadoque’s debut title Ultros is a stunning, colorful Metroidvania. From its opening moments, the game draws the player in with its wondrous color palette and captivating music. Traversing its world—known as the Sarcophagus—feels familiar if not a bit uncanny for those who have played other recent genre titles, like Dead Cells or Hollow Knight. In a crowded and competitive genre, Ultros stands out as a memorizing, psychedelic adventure.
Silent Hill: The Short Message feels like an echo of an echo. Its existence reverberates through the horror genre, but it is a noise we first heard 10 years ago replicated time and time again. The P.T. comparisons are still possible because of its initial stirring. The aesthetic and gameplay echoes are now indistinguishable in a way that comparison is inevitable. The difference is that this echo comes from the publisher that set that first sound into motion.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank was an absolute joy to play, and I’m thankful it made its way to Xbox Game Pass. It runs incredibly well, aside from some minor lagging during a boss fight. The game may only be on a few platforms right now, but if it’s anything like its predecessor, it will be on nearly every device soon enough. My total playtime was around five hours each session, with the second time reaching 100% completion. If you enjoyed Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, you’ll enjoy Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. Or, like me, you may even like its sequel much more than the original, due to its genre change-up and updated gameplay mechanics. I had an amazing time playing Turnip Boy Robs a Bank and it is likely to end up on my 2024 Game of The Year list in December. Heck, I may even play it a few more times by then.
The Lost Crown isn't a perfect game. Quests can be buggy, graphical errors pop up now and then, and you may find yourself fighting to jump in the right direction. Overall, however, it's a magnificent package that's well worth your time. Sargon’s journey was a joy to experience, and I will long remember the elation from nailing a hard puzzle. What could have been a simple odd project from Ubisoft is instead both a love letter to a beloved genre and a wonderful next step for Prince of Persia. My only hope is that you can love the exploration and journey as much as I did.
I enjoyed my time with Born of Bread. The characters are cheery, the combat is smooth (if simple), and the dialogue, though verbose, offers just enough charm to keep the player reading. That said, it’s far from a perfect substitute for a Nintendo-level release. We’ll see whether a patch (or a few) helps ameliorate some of its bigger technical stumbles. For now, though, Born of Bread is a competent Paper Mario-like that’s held back from truly leavened greatness.
A Highland Song is a beautiful game about a difficult journey, uplifted by gorgeous watercolor art and a gracefully told story. I felt a deep kinship with Moira. This is a game for anyone who has ever looked at the world beyond their window and felt an ache to crest the horizon. Inkle’s newest release is a meditative adventure that would be perfect for anyone who’s a fan of games like Old Man’s Journey, A Short Hike, or Inside (if Inside was happy and not a horrifying nightmare). It’s not for everyone, but then again, neither is running away. A Highland Song is a game for and made by those who know what it is like to yearn and dare to try.
I wasn’t a believer at first, but Ghostrunner 2 won me over. Sure, the story’s forgettable, and the technical performance takes a hit here or there. But the combat is sharp, the platforming is sharper, and there are quite a few surprises lying in wait. (I’m intentionally not spoiling one of the game’s coolest gameplay twists, but trust me: It rocks.) If you have room on your 2023 gaming plate for one more adventure, and you’re ready to grind through the pain, Ghostrunner 2 is well worth your time.