But given that video games around us are becoming more and more generic, “best practice” driven, and in general, everything that Romeo is a Dead Man pokes fun at, it’s nice to have the occasional game that’s willing to put some people off in pursuit of its creative vision.
More to the point, no RPG trading on nostalgia – port, remake, or entirely new game – should overlook the existing fans entirely. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined makes some very smart decisions with the narrative and gameplay, and is so very close to the perfect version of the masterpiece thanks to that, but players have to go in knowing that the challenge is essentially non-existent.
Code Vein II is very, very close to joining From Software’s games and the Nioh series in the upper echelons of soulslikes. A quality narrative, fluid combat and an excellent, Ocarina of Time-like approach to progression combine in a way that makes it very hard to put the controller down. It does feel like it’s in search of an identity of its own at times, and it’s unlikely to develop the reputation that Ocarina of Time has for that reason, but Code Vein II has a lot going for it.
The long and short of it is that FFVII Remake Intergrade is a truly excellent game, and it plays brilliantly on the Nintendo Switch 2. Having such an excellent port of an excellent game to play on the go more than justifies a second purchase of it.
I just suspect that in the world of board games, anime fan service aesthetics are something that heavily limits the number of gaming groups that are going to be willing to play. Not everyone likes fan service, and if even one person is put off by Heart of Crown’s characters (particularly the lolis), then that’s a group that’s never going to vote to play it on game night. Therefore, as I’m not a fan of playing randoms online, Heart of Crown is likely to be a single-player only experience for me, and that’s a disappointing way for an otherwise excellent game to fall short.
Temirana might not be up with my very favourite visual novels, but it is entertaining, with good and warm energy behind it. It’s not the ideal entry point to otome as it doesn’t really have a hook beyond “exactly the kind of game otome fans like to see,” but if you are a convert, you’ll find yourself chuckling along with the way it plays within the genre traditions right throughout.
The best games – as works of art – delight over and over, no matter how familiar they become. With Tomb Raider, and so many other blockbusters over the last 15 years, familiarity just makes the lack of creative inspiration behind them and the slavish devotion to risk-free content delivery all the more apparent.
It just goes to show the strength of Octopath Traveler that this one entirely playable and only slightly inelegant mechanic is my biggest issue with the game. Gorgeous art, an excellent soundtrack, a massive epic narrative that actually feels earned thanks to the strength of the writing and characterisation, and an exciting, tactical combat system. Yeah, it is, quite genuinely, an 80+ hour game, but that’s what the Christmas break is for, right?
Still, while Kirby Air Riders won’t be remembered in the countdowns of Nintendo’s greatest games, and certainly won’t have the longevity that Sakurai brought to Smash Bros., it’s a fun distraction and the kind of thing that you’ll pick up every six months or so for a quick blast and laugh. And sometimes that’s all a game needs to be.
The point I’m really getting at here is that Lumines Arise has a meditative-like quality to it. Lumines has always offered rich and vibrant soundtracks backed by gorgeous visuals and an incredibly intense, yet rewarding gameplay loops. Lumines Arise is the ultimate realisation of that vision, and quite possibly the greatest puzzle game I’ve ever played.
Football Manager 26 is for the diehards alone for this reason. It’s frustrating to deal with the bugs and UI changes, even if the core game remains basically the same. If you were to imagine this game without those issues, however, the new ideas and enhancements that are in the game are universally good and, whether it is just a matter of patches or waiting for Football Manager 27, there are very good reasons to get very enthusiastic about this series again.
If you’re going to play and enjoy this, it’s because you get hooked on that simple, basic gameplay loop. And if you do… well, welcome to dozens upon dozens of hours of it. If you’ve never played Sacred 2 before, but enjoy Diablo-likes or Eurojank like Risen, Gothic or ELEX, then there’s every chance you’ll find this one amusing (and in the right way).
The very best city builders make you want to learn about urban planning, and with Anno 117 it comes with a second benefit – it’ll make you want to learn more about what made the Ancient Roman cities tick as well.
While Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment isn’t going to convert anyone who doesn’t enjoy Koei Tecmo’s Warriors formula, this is a very fine entry in it. It effectively builds on the lore of Tears of the Kingdom, gives you plenty of entertaining characters to play around with, and looks stunning as the first Warriors to get a spin on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you enjoyed Koei’s previous collaborations with Nintendo, you’re going to really love this one.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is the most polarising Digital Eclipse museum experience so far, in terms of the quality of the games that are in it to play, I also think that it’s one of the most compelling experiences from a historical perspective.
Tormented Souls 2 is the kind of horror game you like to see from independent developers. As a clear passion project that is willing to push back against “best practices” to maintain the creative vision, it’s here for people who have fond memories of the formative years of survival horror, while also looking very modern. It’s by no means perfect, but the clear enthusiasm that went into it – and the fact that it’s so atmospheric – makes it compelling.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is the best version of one of the greatest video games. This review was largely pointless in the sense that just about everyone knows that it’s a masterpiece, and yet, as of time of writing, there are “only” 2,500 user reviews on Steam. For the love of Hatsune Miku, please don’t let this be a “cult classic” a second time around. If we’re going to ever take video games seriously as an art form, it needs to start with games like this being part of the canon.
Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D Remake achieves exactly what developers should always be trying to achieve with a retro remake: Breathe new life into something that fans love.
This Painkiller is a generic multiplayer shooter with a generic Christian horror-themed setting and aesthetics, and none of it is memorable.
Full Metal Schoolgirl isn’t quite as sharp as a satirical commentary (though it is there), and it doesn’t have quite the slick brawler action or memorable boss battles (though they are there). What it does have, though, is an excellent example of a roguelike formula largely done right, with great loot loops and an upgrade path that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve taken too many steps backwards every time you “die” and need to start a new run.