Niko Lähteenmäki's Reviews
After a challenging start, Mina the Hollower burrows its way into my all-time indie favorites. Despite its fairly lengthy 25–30 hour runtime, the adventure never feels dragged out, as the game stays fresh from beginning to end thanks to its variety. Practically every aspect of the game reflects the developers’ passion and care for their magnum opus, and above all, Yacht Club Games has avoided gimmickry for gimmickry’s sake – instead, the inventive mechanics and skillfully crafted world complement each other brilliantly. Comparisons to older Zelda titles and Souls games are justified, but a bit tiresome, because Mina the Hollower absolutely has an identity and style of its own despite its influences.
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Rugrats: Retro Rewind Collection is a decent package of Rugrats games, that haven't aged that well. Especially the Game Boy games were really basic and mostly annoying, but there's some fun to be had with the PlayStation versions. Even so, without nostalgia this collection is a hard sell for new gamers.
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Bubsy 4D is a fun and clever platformer that despite being a bit too short, rises above the average thanks to its ambitious mechanics and mostly great level design. It’s just a shame that Fabraz – well known for developing highly regarded indie platformers – stumbles slightly when it comes to the technical side and certain gameplay aspects. Even so, the bobcat’s commendable comeback shouldn’t be dismissed with a mere eye-roll.
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R-Type Dimensions III is a great remaster of an Super Nintendo classic. Challenging and rewarding gameplay will need your full attention and more, but it is fully worth it. The stage design is one of the best in the series, while the new 3D graphics are well done as well. However, the new music by Eric Krause steals the show – it is absolutely fantastic.
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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is fast, chaotic and surprisingly deep alternative for Mario Kart World – especially for Sega and Sonic fans. It's like a great rollercoaster ride that just keeps on giving with its inventive cross-world mechanics and wonderful track design.
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MindsEye is still not a good game. It has received several fixes after the release and now it is at least playable. But the story, gameplay... Everything screams mediocrity. The driving is fun though!
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Aphelion is fascinating and visually stunning adventure that has some of the best audio work that I've ever witnessed. Gameplay-wise it is quite simplistic – and that may drive some people away.
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Super Meat Boy 3D is brutal yet addictive and genuinely fun platformer. However, I can’t help but think it would be even better if its spatial perception issues and somewhat shaky controls could be refined into better shape. It’s enjoyable as it is, but with the difficulty level soaring through the clouds, it would admittedly be nice if not quite so many attempts didn’t end in death due to slightly clunky gameplay. Be that as it may, the action is enjoyable, quirky and anarchic, and that alone earns it a lot of forgiveness in my eyes.
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In terms of its story, South of Midnight is unquestionably one of the highlights of recent years for me, as I experienced a full spectrum of emotions alongside Hazel. In terms of gameplay, it ultimately feels a little too one-dimensional, although it is polished enough that nothing in the action is truly frustrating apart from the repetition. Even still, the journey is truly well worth experiencing.
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Fallout 4's Switch debut is an excellent way to play this classic, either on tv or on the go.
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Screamer is a stylish, content-rich, and ambitious racing game that slightly stumbles over its own grandiosity. Narrative shortcomings, combined with a hint of excessive multitasking lower its overall score just enough that it doesn’t quite reach the very top tier in my eyes. Despite these nitpicks, it’s still an enjoyable high-speed racer that manages to carve out something unique in its own market.
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There’s a reason why Pokémon are so beloved. LeafGreen and FireRed Versions are both still undeniably enjoyable, evergreen releases and have aged well, because their mechanics were so carefully designed from the very beginning. At their best, they take me back in time to a more carefree life – for example to those moments when I was a kid and sat on the yard swing for hours, playing with my Game Boy. As a re-release however, it is too lazy and cynical, topped off with a price tag that’s a bit too high.
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Escape from Ever After is a refreshing surprise in this year’s lineup of games and therefore a strong candidate for my personal Game of the Year list. Its whimsical premise, satirical tone, and overall humorous writing – combined with quirky gameplay mechanics and sufficient variety – carry the experience wonderfully throughout the entire adventure. Best of all, it offers entertainment for all ages: cutesy and fairy-taleish' elements for children, and an engaging script for adults that brings a smile on my face time and time again, enhanced by enjoyable gameplay mechanics. The end credits even left a slight sense of wistfulness in the air, as this is the kind of game one would have gladly kept playing for longer.
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The wacky and murderous feast gets even better when the universes last hero gains access to a skateboard, a host of new weapons, and an even more diverse playground to wreak havoc in, among other things. High on Life 2 is a sequel that improves virtually every aspect compared to its predecessor, including writing and the jokes. Hopefully the occasional technical issues can still be ironed out – luckily the updates that have been released so far show that things are heading in the right direction!
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Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition offers an excellent journey into the origins and history of the first Rayman adventure. However, the absence of the original compositions lower the overall rating, as the atmosphere clearly suffers without them, and therefore it cannot be described as the definitive release.
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From the co-creator of Rick & Morty comes an imperfect but fun FPS that has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many jokes that doesn't quite make you laugh. At its best however, there is some fun to be had, including solid gunplay, actually funny jokes and colorful landscapes.
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Probably the wackiest Suda51 game ever. Fans will love it, others... Well, you just have to try it. As an action-adventure game, it is solid for the most part!
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I can’t say how much fans of the original work may be irritated by the changes made to gameplay or graphics, but from a personal perspective, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined completely won my heart. The diorama-style presentation, charming visual design, successful changes to pacing, masterful music, and of course the safe yet great gameplay made this "bloke" long for simpler times. At every turn, the game radiates a warm, cinnamon-roll-scented coziness – as if I was returning to my own lovely home after a long journey.
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Despite its difficulty, Sektori is pretty much a perfect arcade-style twin-stick shooter and has fully earned its score. Even after hours of gameplay, I still don’t feel particularly skilled, but that is by no means the game’s fault – quite the opposite. I’m aware that I’m only at the beginning of my journey and nowhere near satisfied yet, and I intend to continue my “studies” with the game so that I can climb as high as possible on the global rankings. Sektori is a modern work of art that justifies every one of its gameplay design choices with style and craftsmanship. Instead of mocking the player, it rewards improvement fairly as skill grows.
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Almost as charming and whimsical as the first Tombi!, but that's not enough when controls are this frustrating. The 3D graphics haven't aged that well either, and the soundtrack is a bit of a let down compared to the first game. If your nostalgia is strong with this one, you might get some enjoyment from Tombi! 2, since it is rather faithful to the original release.
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