Evan Norris's Reviews
Afterlife is a solid entry in the Souls-like sub-genre and the very best version of Death's Gambit you can own.
This is the finest version of one of the best horizontal shooters ever made, frame rate issues notwithstanding. It retains the best elements of the original — outstanding art, mesmerizing music, and exceptional gameplay — and pairs it will new quality-of-life features and bonus options.
Overall it's a competent addition to the growing battle royale family, particularly for less experienced players.
Some of its more controversial elements remain, despite the technical, graphical, and mechanical overhaul. Yet the new features — optional motion controls, full camera control, auto-save, a less intrusive companion, a smoother frame-rate, and modernized graphics, among others — will surely be welcomed by parties on both sides.
Proof that the franchise has great potential for growth outside the bounds of its traditional mechanics.
Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+ is the most complete version of the arcade game, but it's not yet optimized for home consumption.
The three new characters — Estel, Max, and Shiva — enhance an already stacked roster, and the endless Survival mode adds considerable longevity to the core experience, as long as you don't mind the repetitive, grindy gameplay loop.
A fine remake, with new mechanics, flashier gameplay, reimagined visuals, and reworked sound. As a bonus, it includes a score attack mode, a port of the 1993 X68000 version of Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams, and online leaderboards.
Ender Lilies is one of the finest games of the year. Part Metroidvania and part Soulslike, it manages to deliver in all phases: story, world-building, mechanics, gameplay, value, art, and music.
Is Curved Space more The Sixth Sense (a drum-tight, show-stopping thriller), or closer to The Happening (a meandering jumble of half-finished ideas)? The answer lies somewhere in the middle.
The biggest problem is that there simply isn't enough of it, due to a short running time. Let's hope this is only the first of Goose's intergalactic adventures.
Sludge Life is paradoxical. As a video game it's short, shallow, and often rudderless. As an artistic experiment, however, it's powerful, expressive, and bold.
Nishizawa and company could have updated a few old-school level designs and mechanics to improve the experience, but chose instead to preserve the identity of the original. The result is a remake that faithfully sticks to the established formula, warts and all.
Despite the passionate performance of its creator, Aluna isn't quite ready to compete with the better action-RPGs out there.
More R-Type is never a bad thing, even if it comes in a scrappy package like R-Type Final 2.
An audacious and ambitious game that ranks among the best of the series, even if it's a touch inharmonious.
There are some small problems — overlong stages, tedious twin-stick segments, a late-game difficulty spike, and a couple of missed narrative opportunities — but overall this is an enjoyable homage to classics like ActRaiser and Mega Man X.
Due to the short running time the game never satisfactorily unpacks its story, mechanics, puzzles, or gameplay systems. This is one turnip harvested just a little too soon.
It's a punishing game with lots of stops and starts, but its production design, world-building, platform-puzzle mechanics, and replay value make it worth playing.
Say No! More is one of a kind. It's imaginative, inspiring, and very, very funny. It's also a short, mechanically shallow experience.