Sascha Ritter's Reviews
I'd really like to be kinder toward Dreamcards. I appreciated the underlying, highly complex systems. Particularly the separation between deck cards and the stock of additional creatures, as well as accumulating resources instead of engaging in combat activities, worked wonderfully well for me. And the wealth of ideas within its systems is impressive. At the same time, though, this approach steers Dreamcards into serious pacing troubles. Deckbuilding becomes enormously repetitive, and the few duels play out almost identically by the third attempt. Hardcore deckbuilding fans will find plenty to enjoy here; everyone else can look forward to future projects from Soneka Games.
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With its numerous pacing issues and monotonous presentation, Donutal does a bit too good a job of masking its strengths beneath the adventure's surface. The worldbuilding—particularly the diverse alien cultures—is genuinely excellent and breathes real life into the characters. The duo interview system, which could certainly mature into an entirely gameplay highlight of its own in a (spiritual) sequel, offers unique moments on both the gameplay and narrative fronts. And when the game's messages and themes appear more important than ever in today's times, I can only wholeheartedly recommend Donutal.
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In the end, Elden Ring is a game that divides opinion. Some simply can't come to terms with the Soulslike principle itself. Some wish there were more Dark Souls in it. Others, less Sekiro. And so on and so forth. Yet for all Nintendo Switch 2 owners, especially those who haven't yet gotten to play the game, it's worth a look. Whether in handheld mode or docked, both ways of playing are fun (for me), and technically the game has been solidly ported. Elden Ring is without a doubt one of the greatest games of this generation. And with the Tarnished Edition, more gamers can now form their own opinion. Personally, I can only recommend it.
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The intent here is twofold: to spark interest through association and to provide a loose framing story. And both of these The Alighieri Circle achieves with its template drawn from the literary masterpiece. Yet anyone hoping for more of a "Divina Commedia" (like myself) will be bitterly disappointed. Gabriele's journey into the Inferno is a solid, yet superficially narrated work with clichés and an abstract, but ultimately too monotonous game world. At least the few trials we must face are quite entertaining in terms of gameplay and fit well into the game's atmosphere. However, what's missing are memorable highlights or more courage in exploring the existing elements in order to stand out from the crowd.
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Sovereign Tower is a game operating on a very high level. I enjoyed much of the writing, and the characters earned special places in my heart. Despite some sluggish moments in the later stages, the gameplay loop of managing audiences and roundtable affairs represents a highly unique evolution of the "Confidant systems" already familiar from other genres. I just wish the inconsistent time travel had a greater impact on the gameplay or the narrative.
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Orpheus: To Hell and Back has a good concept, and I really liked the retro art style as well. And that’s despite some inaccuracies in the adaptation of the mythological story! But the monotony combined with the lack of challenge—both of which are partly due to the game’s length—didn’t do much for my enjoyment. The game’s technical shortcomings were just the icing on the cake.
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The numerous plot twists—as well as the shifts in our own perception of the events—would likely not be possible if we simply had to read the story in its written form. That’s why The Incident of Galley House has become one of my favorite games of the year.
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Dinoblade has never managed to move beyond its status as a meme from four years ago; the narrative and gameplay hardly build on this whimsical idea at all. Instead, the game becomes repetitive, loses its appeal over time due to its boring level design, and is more frustrating because of its technical shortcomings than because of any clever game design.
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Maseylia has some damn good ideas in terms of level design, and the world-building is solid. The non-linearity also comes into play more as the game progresses. But especially at the beginning, I think the game could just as easily have been a linear platformer. My biggest criticism, however, is that Maseylia just doesn't feel right, whether it's combat or platforming.
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Copa City uses its football theme like a jersey one puts on just to somehow be part of the football world because there’s something to celebrate right now. But it cannot convey the emotions that millions of fans around the world connect with the sport.
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It is not a puzzle game that will go down in the annals of the genre. But it is definitely one that I would recommend to someone looking for a few hours of relaxed and enjoyable entertainment.
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The light we followed as Will ultimately turned out to be a will-o'-the-wisp. Will: Follow the Light has some good ideas, and the gameplay variety in particular is not lacking. I could happily have spent an entire game sailing in the way it is implemented here. But aside from its strong opening and a few recurring motifs that run throughout the game, the narrative leaves much to be desired on almost every level. Above all, the emotional core simply fails to land because the storytelling and presentation lack the necessary craftsmanship. Everything is in part there, but much like the town at the beginning, the remains of a solid story can only be glimpsed beneath a landslide.
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There are therefore only two ways to look at Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. Either I view it as a kind of successor to Disco Elysium, in which case Hershel's adventure is a far weaker and more superficial version of the “original.” A version that lacks the essence, the “it,” the “special something” — which serves as an indication of what ZA/UM really lost when fame and success arrived and eventually descended into chaos. Or I look at Zero Parades for what it ultimately is. The second project of a highly ambitious studio that may not have been able to repeat its success. But one that, despite its narrative weaknesses, can establish itself as a serious player within its niche with a solid second title.
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In my opinion, this is probably Infinity Sweeper’s biggest flaw. The game is built on a puzzle format that only partially accommodates the random chaos of a roguelite. As a result, Infinity Sweeper strays too far from the classic minesweeper feel, yet at the same time fails to make its new gameplay experience exciting enough. In the end, there were simply too many of those recurring “impossible” moments. And in many places, the added mechanics don’t seem well-thought-out enough to allow for proper builds. Especially when I consider how many roguelites I’ve played this year alone, there are numerous other titles that have handled these tasks better. Infinity Sweeper has only superficially met my expectations for a Minesweeper roguelite.
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INDUSTRIA II feels very much like the kind of horror movie sequel that gets rushed to market after the moderate success of its predecessor. The story is continued competently enough, but the gameplay feels abandoned halfway through development. Ideas that the original INDUSTRIA introduced — whether narratively or mechanically — are only superficially touched upon here, leaving them unable to make any meaningful impact in Industria II. And then there is the technical state of the game, which ultimately becomes the final nail in the coffin and pushes an otherwise merely dull experience firmly into frustrating territory. As things currently stand, I simply cannot recommend Industria II. Perhaps Bleakmill will manage to bring the game closer to a solid state through extensive updates, at which point it might become an easy recommendation for fans of the first title. I certainly hope so.
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Smash it Wild quickly ends up feeling like every run follows the same pattern. A match begins, you swiftly dismantle or control the opposing team however you like, and then it devolves into a drawn-out endurance phase. This creates a sluggish, repetitive loop that personally didn’t provide much enjoyment. I’ve noticed this issue increasingly this year with various roguelite titles, where the core gameplay tends to wear itself out quickly. In those cases, it was often the language barrier, the resulting need to constantly reorient oneself, and the time investment that contributed to the fatigue. In Smash it Wild, however, the problem lies more in the lack of variety and the overly simplistic approach to strategic decision-making. Forming a final judgment is difficult. I do like the concept of Smash it Wild as well as its “expanded” form of run progression. Yet after only a few runs, the game gradually worked its way out of my interest—not through a sudden, decisive strike to my taste, but rather slowly and insidiously. Ultimately, Smash it Wild fails to keep its gameplay loop engaging and varied over the long term.
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Now things get particularly fascinating (at least for me—maybe not so much for you, who knows): I started this text under the assumption that Gambonanza is a pretty solid game with lots of creative ideas and a stable roguelite foundation, but one that didn’t fully win me over because chess and I apparently don’t quite get along. And now here I am, and while writing this I’ve already launched the game twice. My thoughts about it have actually made me want to give its somewhat more complex style of strategy another try. Gambonanza therefore seems to be doing something very right after all.
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In Beyond Words, it’s definitely worth taking a closer look at the gameplay loop. The odd bit of chance can bring a run to an end sooner than we’d like. But most of the time, Beyond Words is simply brilliant and one of the best titles in the word-building subgenre.
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Yet I also believe that for fans of the genre, a rough diamond is lying dormant here, one worth hunting monsters for.
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Except for these somewhat novel experiences on PC, EA Sports FC 26 is largely a strong game once again for fans of simulated football. Without competition, it's no surprise that Electronic Arts has settled comfortably on its gameplay foundation in recent years. Unlike in previous years, however, FC 26 has become a better game in its finer details for me than last year's installment.
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