Evan Norris's Reviews
Combining the mechanics of rogue-like titles, Metroidvanias, and Dark Souls might sound too messy or overly complicated, but Motion Twin has done it with style.
While Ultra Space Battle Brawl has some intriguing characters, accessible controls, and a decent story mode, it simply wears out its welcome far too soon, thanks to shallow mechanics and gameplay that often feels too erratic and random.
While there are some difficulty spikes in worlds six through ten (including a brain-melting end-of-game boss) and some undistinguished production values throughout, they don't undermine the fun, frantic platforming on display.
Code of Princess EX is an attractive investment for action-RPG fans who don't mind some monotonous fighting or lackluster character models.
On balance Iro Hero earns its wings.
The Persistence, ultimately, is a fine example of both a rinse-and-repeat rogue-like and a first-person horror game.
With so many brilliant action-RPGs on the market, it's difficult to prioritize Shining Resonance Refrain, which is only decent by comparison.
What the game lacks in breadth and depth of puzzles it somewhat makes up for in variety.
There are a handful of high points, thanks chiefly to the emergent gameplay provided by Geomod 2.0, but not enough to change what is, in the end, an acceptable but unremarkable sandbox shooter.
There's something undeniably charming about Pode. Its adorable characters, meaningful story, lovely art, relaxing music, and satisfactory puzzling gameplay make it worth a look, especially for co-op enthusiasts.
The wait for Ritual just got a heck of a lot easier.
If there's a lesson to be learned from A Legend Reborn, it's this: don't build a game off a meme.
Go to hell and back to save your son in this gorgeous, flawed story-driven survival game.
Strange Journey Redux is a masterclass in first-person dungeon crawling.
If you love old-school shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament, and miss the barbarism of middle school gym class, this is the game for you.
Runner3 is a wonderfully weird game.
If you're looking for a thoughtful sci-fi story and/or a point-and-click adventure in the LucasArts mold, and can tolerate the short running time, this is a good pick.
Where some re-releases and remasters are content to add a single extra mode or a graphical face-lift, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition aspires to more.
If you can look past some uninspired visuals, you might find yourself having a lot of fun with Rogue Aces.
Super Daryl Deluxe is extraordinary — not just because it's a terrific RPGvania, but because it's the work of two university students.