For someone who isn’t a fan of the original Disgaea games, I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed my time with Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded. It’s not the best remaster I’ve seen and the challenge can be overly frustrating at times, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had in its simple-to-learn, hard-to-master mechanics and charming characters.
Earth's mightiest heroes... eventually.
Stuffed with juicy content but might be too much of a mouthful for some.
At the very least, the future of Kingdom Hearts is looking even more exciting than before and maybe that’s enough. For me, it certainly is.
As a Dragon Ball love letter, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is nearly perfect, featuring an amazing world and attention to detail.
Supermassive's next step into horror starts strong.
Visage isn't going to be for every horror fan. It's slower pace, difficult puzzles and lack of direction are going to make many struggle, but that's also kind of the point. For every moment where I didn't know what to do and felt like I was on a wild goose chase, there was another moment of gratification for finally figuring it out. Throughout all of those moments, I was scared and that's indicative that even if I didn't, Visage knows what it's doing.
It's frustrating to not be able to talk about the bits of Rebirth that I liked the most due to a fear of spoiling things, but just know that there's a lot to uncover that makes the bits that I liked less worth going through. Although the pacing and second half of the game let things down a bit, an awesome story and a campaign full of tension make Amnesia: Rebirth worth playing through for both the horror fans and the horror fearful.
Even with some of its mechanical and story-telling shortcomings Rise of New Champions is a fun time that shows why this is a beloved series. There's a lot of joy to be had in following Tsubasa's story and creating your own and the flashy football action has some shining moments. With some more tuning and gameplay focus, there's a really bright future for Nankatsu's football star.
If you're a big fan of the series or just Modern Warfare 2 specifically, there's no doubt that this remaster will be an easy purchase. If you've not got any nostalgia for the game then the asking price might be a little steep, but this was made with Call of Duty fans in mind. For those fans it should be clear that Modern Warfare 2 Remastered is absolutely worth giving a look.
New Tales from the Borderlands' smaller-scale focus on three 'nobodies' and their relationship with each other makes this a tale worth hearing.
Although its stealth systems can feel a little too forgiving and easy to work around, Serial Cleaners’ grungey story is still one well-worth going through thanks to its likeable cast, sense of style, varied levels, and satisfying core mechanics that manage to stay fresh throughout the adventure.
Pac-Man World may not be Pac-Man World 2 like I’d hoped, but it’s still a solid classic platformer with enough unique elements to help it stand out. Those who have played the original will no doubt appreciate the nostalgia, but those like me who missed it originally will still have a good time.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt manages the impossible and makes the battle royale genre feel fresh again, with smart changes to the formula and movement that completely change the game. Its fast-paced action isn’t for the faint of heart and Prague might get a bit old after hours of playing, but it’s well worth sinking your teeth into just to see what the heck a vampire battle royale even looks like.
For a lot of fighting game fans, The King of Fighters 15 is exactly what they’ve been looking for - a no frills fighter that focuses on its mechanics and doesn’t hold the player's hand. In a generation where most games in the genre have five-hour campaigns from day one, it’s an admirable stance to take. As much as I love how KoF 15 plays and looks, I can’t help but miss the bells and whistles that are expected. If you’re looking for a fighter that shrugs off that expectation, then the King of Fighters 15 is absolutely for you.
The difficulty without much progression and lack of any kind of guidance can make BPM feel a bit unwelcoming, which is a shame when its mechanics feel so great to learn. It's worth diving into for the core premise alone, but don't expect to have anyone hold your hand through hell.
Destroy All Humans' impact on you is definitely going to depend on how much you played the original release. As a fan of the original, I was sat gleefully destroying all the humans and basking in the improvements, but I could also see people who haven't played the 2005 release not quite "getting" it. For those in the same boat as me, it's exactly what it needs to be: a faithful improvement on the original game, and an indication that Crypto has plenty of life in him yet. Hopefully it can pave the way for an all new adventure someday soon.
Put simply, Sakura Wars isn't going to be for everyone. It's oddly paced, character-focused, and anime-inspired, but that's also some of the best things about it. If even a tiny bit of you is interested in that description, there's a chance you'll really enjoy the craziness that Sakura Wars puts on the table.
Although it doesn't try to do something as radical as World Seeker, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is arguably just as great by sticking to the satisfying Warriors gameplay loop. One Piece fans will adore it even with its condensed story-telling, but it's also great for people with a casual interest in the series. It's easily the strongest title in the series so far, and a great bit of mindless fun in the wonderful One Piece world.
Even if Tales of Kenzera: Zau's combat and platforming can occasionally stumble, they act as a great compliment to the hard-hitting story and heartfelt characters that explore grief in one of the most interesting and human ways I've seen in some time. Above all else, Zau's realistic journey through the loss of a loved one is something that's going to stick with me for some time, and I'm grateful for the loving lessons I've learned from it.