Waking up marooned on a tropical island with no memory of who he is, Goro Majima does the only sensible thing. He becomes a pirate captain.
Arkride Solutions is back in business in The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II.
Ninja Gaiden games have been successful because of their tough-but-fair difficulty and their intense frenetic battles, and these are the areas where Ninja Gaiden 2 Black excels. It may not be the definitive version, but this is still a great version of a great game and is highly recommended to any fan of ninjas or action games in general.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gives a high definition remaster to the Wii classic
It's up to Lilac the Attuner to save the kingdom from rampaging Homunculi in Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins offers a new take on the long running series.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana may show its age with its mechanics, but still holds up surprisingly well. It lacks many of the standard features of modern Ys games, such as multiple playable characters, minigame battles and homebase building, but still provides the same story-driven adventure with fast-paced action combat. It's a relatively short adventure that can be completed in around ten or twelve hours, but none of that time is wasted with unnecessary filler. Between the charming visuals, enjoyable gameplay and amazingly-reworked soundtrack, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a great action RPG that should be experienced by all fans of the genre and a must-play for fans of Ys.
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer may not actually train the player to be an effective boxer, but it is a fun way to burn some calories and get the heart rate elevated.
Raziel is back in upgraded versions of the Soul Reaver games in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered.
Fantasian: Neo Dimension is a modern take on the RPG formula. In many ways, it's similar to classic Final Fantasy games, but elements such as the trajectory aspect of battles and the Dimengeon help distinguish it from other titles the developers have previously worked on. The Dimengeon is an especially welcome addition to slow down the interruption that random encounters provide. The battles are enjoyable as they do require strategic planning, though playing on Hard difficulty can result in especially rough difficulty spikes later on. The rewarding battle system is complemented by the fantastic soundtrack and engaging story, reminiscent of some of the best classic RPGs. A couple characters can be grating and sometimes the controls feel like they could use some refinement, but Fantasian: Neo Dimension is a welcome challenge for anyone who is a fan of classic JRPGs.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is how a classic game should be remade. The new graphics style brings Dragon Quest III into the modern era while maintaining the original iconic designs. The quality-of-life improvements also make the 36-year-old game feel modern without sacrificing the core elements of the original experience.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a refined version of the 2011 cult classic. The visuals are smoother, the game mechanics feel more natural, but aside from the minor face lift and some new costumes, this is exactly how we remember it. Outside of New Game+, all the changes and updates to Shadows of the Damned ar minor. This is great news for purists who love the original how it is, but it also makes some mechanics feel dated. For players who are fine with average game mechanics and enjoy juvenile humor, however, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered remains a good enough time that's worth revisiting. It might not be an incredibly deep game, but there's still something satisfying about decapitating demons with a sentient shotgun.
Ys X: Nordics brings welcome changes to the template that made its predecessors enjoyable. The ship exploration and naval battles add a new dimension to exploration that wasn't present in previous games. The shift from a three-member party to two does put limit on play variety, but having two constant playable characters brings a different dynamic which works well in the greater context of the story. These changes help differentiate Ys X: Nordics from other entries in the franchise, but it maintains the elements fans have come to expect, such as recruiting people for their base and watching it grow. The story takes interesting turns, especially later in the game, and all is done with a great accompanying soundtrack and frenetic mana-enhanced combat. Returning Ys players will find many elements that are familiar, but enough changes were made to make this new entry stand out from what came before it.
The remake will not have the same impact as the original, but it's still a worthwhile game for newcomers and old fans alike.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred continues the story of Diablo IV into its next inevitable chapter. The story continues in a satisfying way as players explore the new region of Nahantu. The Spiritborn class is a blast to play, the mix of a martial artist with different Guardian Spirits providing support has potential for numerous viable builds.
G.I. Joe is back in this to stop Cobra in this retro inspired beat 'em up.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - Mask of Darkness is what every expansion should aspire to. It introduces an interesting new story, new challenging environments and enemies, but doesn't stray too far from what made fans love the original. It's a few more hours of what can be described as more of the same, but that's meant in a complimentary way. The platforming challenges, nonlinear exploration and epic boss battles are why Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is such a great game, and fans can expect to see more of that in Mask of Darkness. Most fans will be able to finish it in around five hours or so, but the quality of that time is well worth the price of admission.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is a fun way to revisit a cult classic, but ultimately doesn't do much to improve it. It's a remaster, not a remake, so fans should temper their expectations going in that this is pretty much the same game they played over a decade ago. There are new cosmetic items to get and the new RePOP mode offers a different visual style for the game, but there are a few missing costumes from the original and the iconic soundtrack has been completely scrapped. Being able to play on modern hardware is nice and having a new achievement/trophy list to unlock can be appealing to some, but saying this is an improved version is a tough sell. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP can be a fun way to experience the game, especially for first timers, but overall, the original release is the better version.
Castlevania Dominus Collection is not only a great collection of games but also an impressive technical feat of bringing games designed for Nintendo DS hardware to modern platforms.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road is a worthy addition to the ever-expanding game. The Scribing feature is a great addition for players who want to customize their character's abilities and the Mirrormoor Incursions help make the world feel alive. While these newly-added features help set Gold Road apart from the previous expansions, it does fall into the trap that many annual expansions are prone to where it does feel like the new features are marking off items on a checklist. Gold Road is a good addition to The Elder Scrolls Online, but after eight expansions in ten years, each expansion starts to feel like it is treading familiar ground, even with the well-done new features.