Niko Lähteenmäki's Reviews
In the wonderful world of the internet, a game about Gollum has largely been seen as a doomed idea from the start, but I have to disagree. In capable hands, the character could make for a perfectly solid stealth adventure. As a protagonist, this grey trickster is interesting, primarily because of his tragic backstory. Too bad that almost nothing works in this game, and therefore Gollum's Adventure is one of the worst games ever made.
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Swery and Suda together! What could possibly go wrong? Well, unfortunately, quite a lot of things. It’s just a true shame that personality, good music and horror movie references alone doesn’t make for a good gameplay experience. Maybe masochists and roguelite veterans will get more out of this, but for me it fell disappointingly flat. Here’s hoping that Suda’s next epic will deliver on its promises better next year.
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Lost Soul Aside is a particularly frustrating case. Yang Bing and his team have managed to create flashy and quite fun action game full of mostly well-designed boss fights, nice graphics and great music. But nearly everything else around it is so hollow and tedious that it was hard to muster the energy to see it through to the end. And I apologize for nitpicking about the price, but when a game drains roughly 70 euros from your wallet, certain aspects really should be in a much better state.
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It pains me to say this, but Shadow Labyrinth feels somewhat like a relic in terms of structure, level design, and combat – one that seemingly never witnessed the birth of games like the Ori series or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. In principle, it offers the foundations for a solid Metroidvania and is by no means a bad game. In practice, however, many of its competitors do things significantly better, especially when it comes to art style and combat. Unfortunately, not even the occasional nods to other Bandai Namco retro titles or the random Pac-Man mazes can quite make up for this.
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I thought for a long time on how to rate this release. From a preservation perspective, Glover is an interesting case indeed, but as a remaster, it barely deserves two stars. However: when the game works and the level design shines (rarely), it does have some fun moments and quirky ideas. The music is also quite catchy in many places, so it's not a completely hopeless case. Nevertheless, Glover would've needed a lot more work to make it more appealing and relevant for younger generations.
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Despite being quite bad as a remaster, Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition is not a completely hopeless case, as it is still a stylish adventure that makes great use of its source material and will surely entertain those returning for another playthrough. However, it deserves a much better framework, as many mechanics have inevitably aged over the past 25 years, and the new technical issues certainly don’t make the experience any easier for point-and-click enthusiasts. Therefore, dear friends, I highly recommend buying the bug-free GOG release on PC. Or, at least wait for an update fix.
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Unfortunately, Soulstice is a forgettable hack-and-slash that also overstays its welcome. This is a shame, because at its best, it can be quite stylish and mechanically competent, especially during boss battles. The challenge level feels well-balanced, but a completely uninteresting story, bland characters, repetitive environments, occasional camera problems and ultimately shallow combat drag the experience down into an abyss from which it never recovers. Even its overall vibe seems primarily aimed at underage goths. That said, Soulstice does have some solid foundations, and the hack-and-slash genre is far from outdated. Perhaps in a sequel, the pieces will fall into place more effectively?
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The difficulty in Atari Mania often feels downright unfair, making retries more frustrating than fun. Mediocre instructions, unclear hitboxes, input lag issues, and occasionally odd control mechanics ruin the experience far too often. There are some good microgames — plenty, in fact — but progress is halted far too frequently for all the wrong reasons. This is a true shame: Atari Mania has a fun and interesting concept, and I really wanted to like it more.
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Although Forspoken has more points of criticism than the average game and there are definitely better RPGs, the "DON'T BUY THIS" campaign by certain YouTube personalities feels a bit over the top. There are some good elements after all, and the gameplay itself is quite enjoyable. The fantasy adventure that blends the present and the past strongly reminds me of the '90s, when similar "ordinary person in a magical world" setups were seen more frequently. Too bad, that the main character is quite unlikeable.
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Sonic Superstars is a genuinely frustrating creation. It's basically a decent Sonic game, and by no means the worst entry in the series, as it includes some solid ideas here and there and can be a really fun platformer at its best. However, at its weakest, it is an extremely frustrating experience, and everything reeks of being blend with lack of imagination. It just can't be recommended as a full-price release, even though it does have some decent content.
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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is impressive in terms of writing and production values, but gameplay-wise it’s mediocre at best. It's mostly a mind-numbing, repetitive mess that leaves much to be desired and it’s disappointing that Rocksteady’s latest release turned out to be a flop, as it’s clear the studio has a passion for DC’s chaotic crew and its heroes.
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EA Sports FC 25 is the best football game of the year, but that’s not saying much: Konamis eFootball is still so much worse than FC 25, that it really doesn’t have any competition.
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What kind of experience is the new Just Dance from the perspective of a dance newbie? Well, first of all, everything is cheerful, lively, and colorful – which isn’t necessarily my cup of tea, but you get used to it. On the other hand, everything runs smoothly (at least on Switch 2), and the experience has been pleasant enough that I definitely plan to keep sweating it out on the "home dance floor". What bothers me more however, is the lack of imagination, especially regarding the game modes. It all feels a bit too safe for my taste, even though there’s so much potential to do more.
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It feels a bit tiring to give the same summary every year, but it’s true: despite its shortcomings, EA Sports FC 26 is once again the best football game on the market. That said, there still isn’t much real competition. Aside from Konami’s wonky eFootball (formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer), there are only a few smaller titles, such as the 5-on-5 game Rematch and the excellent, emotional, story-driven football tale Despelote. However, in terms of style, these play in a completely different league compared to EA Sports FC.
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Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is – for better or worse – very carefree and straightforward platforming fun, which suits especially for nostalgics and younger audiences, thanks to its colorful appearance and retro vibes.
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Gex Trilogy is undoubtedly a fascinating time travel back to the 90's, and I can recommend the trip to nostalgics, those who have missed the character's prime time, and simply for people who are curious about the 90's. BUT: it must be emphasized that it is very much a product of its time in both look and sound (yes, not all the jokes have necessarily aged gracefully), so it’s not something I’d recommend to newcomers right off the bat.
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Despite its minor flaws, Stratogun is a minimalist, enjoyable, and visually striking arcade shooter that pushes players to their limits but rewards effort generously. It’s not the easiest game difficulty-wise, but thanks to its well-designed gameplay loop, frustration never really got the chance to set in.
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Trek to Yomi is a memorable experience, but its gameplay merits are somewhat lacking. If you're a fan of Kurosawa-style storytelling, this five-hour adventure is worth recommending, but others might want to approach it with caution — perhaps even knock one star off the rating. Despite all my complaints, the game still held my attention from start to finish, largely thanks to its stunning aesthetics and striking story.
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X-Out: Resurfaced comes close to hitting the mark but doesn't quite make it. It stays true to its era and is overall a solid shooter, offering a refreshing experience that stands out both in gameplay and audiovisual presentation. However, its punishing difficulty level inevitably pushes less experienced players away, making it hard to recommend without reservations — except to fans of the original game and the most dedicated bullet-dodgers. That said, if you're feeling lucky and looking for new challenges in the realm of 2D shooters, feel free to add an extra star to the score. Once you master X-Out’s intricacies, it rewards you handsomely. Now, we can only hope that its sequel also makes its way to modern platforms for everyone to experience!
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Sonic Origins is a very mixed bag. The collection proves that the Sonic games have stood the test of time quite well — especially CD, which after this revisit might have become my personal favorite. The series’ art style is still pleasing to the eye, the music rocks, and the Retro Engine conversions are mostly high quality. However, in terms of content, the execution feels incomplete. This could have been the ultimate Sonic collection — the one that puts older compilations to shame. However, the wasted potential is frustrating and it’s almost unbelievable that Sonic Mega Collection Plus, released 18 years ago on the PlayStation 2, still outshines Sonic Origins in terms of content. Think about that.
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