Evan Norris's Reviews
This sequel shines almost as brightly as its predecessor, thanks to diverse mission types, accessible gameplay, a wealth of single-player and multiplayer content, and lovely art and music.
An outstanding addition to the RE canon and an ideal complementary piece to the remake of Resident Evil 4.
It never realizes its full potential as an action-platformer, even as it succeeds in controls, atmosphere, and moral decision-making.
Dimension Shellshock isn't great on its own, but it does make an already great game even better. If you've been looking for a reason to boot up Shredder's Revenge, this is it.
Thanks to the studio's amazing attention to detail, and its investment in worldbuilding, turn-based mechanics, and production design, Sea of Stars has emerged as one of the best games of 2023.
If you love arcade shoot-'em-ups and platformers, or if you're a Darius super fan, think about investing in Taito Milestones 2. Otherwise, you might consider picking up a few individual titles à la carte from the eShop.
If you missed the Nintendo DS original and the 2011 HD version, consider this your third and best chance to try a previously overlooked gem.
While the new fighting mechanics and large roster of playable characters hit the mark, the rogue-lite elements don't quite stick the landing. Still, the game is a fairly fun beat-'em-up experience, especially with a friend along for the ride.
While the story and venue fail to leave a strong impression, and the backtracking gameplay gets old fast, the game's successes in animation, platforming mechanics, and end-game content help balance things out.
The results speak for themselves: solid shooting, interesting scoring mechanics and level designs, and carefully curated experiences at each difficulty setting.
Even without console ports or the mysterious R-Gear, Ray'z Arcade Chronology is a remarkable collection. It features three entertaining arcade games, including one of Taito's very best, surrounded by a bevy of options, special features, and settings that make those games more accessible and interesting than ever before.
Returning to A Wonderful Life after 19 years is a comforting, warmly nostalgic experience. The colorful characters and climactic moments in Forgotten Valley stand the test of time, even if the mechanics and gameplay possibilities compare unfavorably to modern takes on the farming/life simulation model.
Regardless of whether it’s superior or inferior to its predecessor, Tears of the Kingdom is a staggering achievement in video game design and programming, and one of the very best games of the generation.
Unlike a lot of games that pull together pieces from the Souls-like formula and the Metroidvania template, Afterimage manages to give equal weight to each half. Better yet, it mostly delivers on the best parts of both sub-genres.
It never manages to reach the mechanical and stylistic heights of its inspiration, due to its ordinary storytelling, generic art direction, and a predictable gameplay loop, but overall it's a decent RPG with a good amount of content, some likable characters, and an engaging tactical weapons system.
The base game is one of the boldest, prettiest, most audacious arcade games of the era, even if it's eventually undermined by a late-game difficulty spike.
While the games themselves aren't outstanding, the effort to enhance and preserve them certainly is.
If you're a fan of Flashback and the sort, you really can't go wrong with Lunark, even if it's a tad forgiving and far too short. If you're less comfortable with the sub-genre, or want something meatier, consider waiting for a sale.
Dead Cells fans will find a lot of value in the add-on, as will any Castlevania followers willing to tolerate a considerable amount of repetition and randomness.
Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition is an interesting experiment. On one hand, the re-release shines a light on the mediocrity of the original game. On the other hand, it revives a niche title, augments it while retaining its authentic core, and brings it to modern players who might have gone their whole gaming lives without ever encountering it.