In a market where STGs are becoming increasingly niche, with their popularity failing to keep pace with the many releases that, fortunately, continue to find their way onto PC and consoles, launching a game aimed solely at hardcore fans is certainly a risky gamble.
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The game originally launched on 8-bit platforms, and this release naturally lets you play that very same version with a fresh, newly translated English script. But that’s not all: you can also select a fantastic 16-bit version, complete with revamped visuals and a reworked soundtrack.
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Everything feels messy and haphazardly thrown together, as though it were put together by someone lacking experience or direction. Bullet patterns and their visibility are constantly obscured by the rendering of the 3D backgrounds, with objects in the distance that don’t appear to move naturally but instead look like actual obstacles in the player’s path, when in fact they aren’t.
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Even twenty years later, Under Defeat remains a fantastic STG well worth playing. Its progression feels satisfying, and the game never comes across as brutally unfair. When you do die, it’s usually because you’ve boxed yourself into a pattern with no way out.
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The weapons are one of the game’s greatest strengths: tonfa, swords, greatswords, chains and blades, staffs, and many more, each with its own attack speed to accommodate different playstyles and personal preferences. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a reminder of what games used to be like: difficult within the limitations of their technology, yet rewarding to learn and capable of rewarding players who take the time to master their mechanics.
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As any good metroidvania should, the map and progression are a crucial part of the experience. Once again, the development team has struck the right balance between areas that can be explored immediately and those that require a bit of backtracking after obtaining the requisite new abilities.
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We’re diving headfirst into the ’90s, a true golden age for arcades, with plenty of memorable titles from TAITO and other developers. Based on what we’ve played, this collection is undoubtedly worth the asking price, and fantasy fans will find plenty to sink their teeth into.
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The game is an easy recommendation for just about everyone, whether you’re a longtime fan of the franchise or looking to dive in for the first time. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is the perfect starting point, which can then be followed up with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake.
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Neva feels like a coming-of-age story, with Alba taking on the role of guardian to the young wolf, while the changing seasons mirror her physical and emotional growth. From the carefree, sun-drenched days of summer to the turbulent autumn, through the bitter cold of winter and into the rebirth of spring, her journey unfolds as a touching tale of growth and change.
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ATLUS has proven itself to be quite literally the only company capable of creating UI that truly deserves to be called UI. The style oozes from every screen, whether you’re in the middle of combat or simply have the game paused, with vivid, vibrant colors that will dazzle your eyes in the most spectacular way.
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The real additions to the Investigations series, if we can call them that given that both games were released in the previous decade, include features such as Mind Chess, a sort of battle of wits that Miles must play with witnesses to break their resolve and get them to reveal the information they’re hiding.
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Three old games? Well, actually, four old games and one completely new one! That’s right, because the collection also includes a major omission from the Anniversary Collection: Haunted Castle, the 1987 arcade version. The completely new addition, meanwhile, is Haunted Castle Revisited, a spectacular updated version of Haunted Castle that retains the six-level Classicvania structure while bringing its gameplay much more in line with the series’ more recent entries.
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A product aimed at a very niche audience, and even retro gaming fans might prefer to pick it up at a discount. Fortunately, the price isn’t particularly high, but a more substantial selection of titles would certainly have tipped the scales and earned the collection a higher final score.
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At first, the parts available for building your Gundam will naturally be limited, but the more missions you complete, the more parts you’ll unlock. There’s also a shop where you can spend in-game currency to purchase complete kits, complete with a digitized version of the original packaging.
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Ninja Slayer is a chaotic mess of mechanics that simply don’t work. The style is there, but substance is nowhere to be found.
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Minds Beneath Us puts your moral compass to the test, often forcing you to confront uncomfortable truths. When it matters most, it manages to elicit a genuine emotional response from the player, encouraging them to forge their own path, whether idealistic or otherwise.
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Part Blade Runner, part Cloudpunk, part Altered Carbon, all wrapped in a stunning Art Deco aesthetic and infused with ’50s-inspired engineering and propaganda, Nobody Wants to Die has a character all its own. While drawing inspiration from some of the genre’s greatest cyberpunk classics, it leaves an indelible mark on the player with its own distinctive vision.
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Rider’s Spirits is clearly reminiscent of Super Mario Kart, and while it tries to distinguish itself from the more popular game, it ultimately falls short in virtually every respect. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, it simply trades the instant, chaotic fun that defines Nintendo’s offering for a more technical and demanding approach.
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It’s a remaster of the original Nintendo GameCube title of the same name. Beyond the cleaner visuals and an aspect ratio optimized for modern TVs, then, there isn’t much else to add. And ultimately, that’s a good thing, because The Thousand-Year Door was already an excellent game 20 years ago.
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Fans of the little witch can finally experience this entry in the series, now with improved and much more responsive controls on their platform of choice or PC. Even so, Rainbow Cotton remains a niche title aimed at a very small, dedicated audience.
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