Sunblaze will push your platforming skills to the limit. Still, as the challenge rises, so does the knowledge that everything in this game can be overcome with a few well-timed jumps and dashes. The charming design is contrasted by the bloody obstacles that await each level, creating a fun challenge that won’t leave you with too many broken controllers.
Astalon: Tears of the Earth is an unexpected masterpiece of retro designs blended so delicately with modern roguelite elements. Death doesn’t punish the player as much as it sets them up with improved ways to approach situations. There’s a sense of discovery in every area, but this does limit direction causing some confusion when trying to figure out where to go. Further, bosses can be underwhelming compared to normal enemies, which creates an awkward balance of challenge. Regardless, this is the must-play game of the summer.
World’s End Club is a product of some of the greatest minds in adventure storytelling. The story of the Go-Getters Club will emotionally move you in many ways through the narrative, only to be held back by unresponsive and limited platforming gameplay segments. It acts as a way for this team to step outside of their comfort zone while still being influenced by their strengths to create an unforgettable story of friendship and hope. Sadly, it requires players to look past quite a bit to fully enjoy.
If you’re going to play Days Gone, do yourself a favor and play it on PC. There’s a decent level of options here for PC players to fine-tune their experience and even quality-of-life features missing from other PC-only titles. The story can be messy, but the more you progress, the clearer the intent of this staggered narrative becomes. The level of immersion is high in some areas, but Days Gone knows when to be a game and when to challenge the player’s patience with mundane systems. This game is a must for survival action fans.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids is an excellent extension of what the base game offers fans. Its focus on uncovering a mystery is embedded in the campaign and missions. Roaming around Ireland provides a new playground for fans to explore but at the cost of a few empty areas. Still, there’s so much to discover here that just being able to spend more time in this world is reason enough to return.
Resident Evil Village is like a reunion of all the previous games in the series. It takes what worked and gives it to fans in small bites across this horrifying adventure. Tension is created in multiple ways that force you to adjust on the fly, but as scary as it, the thought that answers to all your questions lie beyond the next door will keep you going. Resident Evil Village isn’t having an identity crisis. It’s fully aware of what it’s doing. Somehow, the blending of these systems produces the most entertaining nightmare you’ve ever had.
Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition is an amazing upgrade that no one will think they wanted until they play it. The free nature of it allows fans to return to a more immersive world, while those who have yet to play can experience the best version available. This is the way Metro Exodus needs to be played. Sadly, the PC requirements are high, but those who can play will be treated to some serious eye candy.
New Pokemon Snap is there for fans who wish for a casual Pokemon experience with the only challenge being to take creative pictures of Pokemon. It recaptures much of what the previous entry offered with plenty of new systems and features to add depth, but it sadly doesn’t deliver on the sense of ownership over the pictures that I once felt. It’s all so fleeting in this digital age. Still, there are plenty of beautiful environments and Pokemon to take shots of. I wouldn’t mind waiting another 20 years for a sequel or having this be the last entry altogether.
If you haven’t been playing your VR device lately, Star Wars Pinball VR is the perfect reason to charge it back up. This is perhaps the closest you can get to experiencing these tables in real life and they translate so well in the VR space. Even if you’ve played Star Wars Pinball before, I think this version provides enough of a unique experience that warrants an additional playthrough.
The Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack may not offer enough for old fans to double-dip in the adventures, but there’s so much here for new fans to discover. Not just in terms of gameplay, but the evolution of this series and the characters that paved the way towards its current popularity. The extra content and quality-of-life features are just added bonuses to the adventures that await.
I feel like I can go on and on about SaGa Frontier Remastered that would extend far outside the scope of this review, but if I could sum it all up, I’d say this is the best non-linear JRPG of our time. This does come with a load of nuanced challenges that will push your patience and understanding of the genre. However, after a few hours, you’ll feel the same way.
Oddworld: Soulstorm is hands-down the best entry in the series to date. It takes everything great about these games and packages it up in a beautiful and modern adventure that mirrors its classic gameplay mechanics used for over 20 years. Some of the item management systems weigh on the pacing, and the controls take a few hours to master, but there’s just something unique in every stage that makes this adventure enjoyable from beginning to end.
Bladed Fury’s console debut has not gone unnoticed. This is a great game that takes clear inspiration from Vanillaware action games. It’s mindless hack-and-slash with a purpose and is exceptionally fun in short bursts. I ended up playing for the challenge and boss battles alone; the environments and plot were engaging enough to see the adventure through until the end.
It Takes Two is a beautiful and exciting co-op experience, that can potentially mean so much more for those who relate to this premise. Working together is not always the issue in a relationship, sometimes you just don’t get along. Across all the jumps, boss battles, and deadly puzzles, we get to witness this couple’s journey. From this, we also learn a few pointers on teamwork and having a ton of fun along the way.
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is an amazing Metroidvania. The environments, enemies, and clever use of magic and weapons go beyond influences as the developers truly make this adventure their own. The lack of weapon differentiation is mended by the use of elements and low-impact puzzles, but the short runtime and low difficulty may leave you wanting more.
Root Film is an incredibly stylish and beautiful adventure visual novel held down by a few flimsy opening chapters. The pacing takes a dramatic hit due to a lack of direction, which caused me to step away several times. However, the second half is where the stars align and provide a solid and memorable conclusion to those who stick around.
The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos has everything that fans loved with a little extra to make it the proper send-off for this title. The whodunit direction was a smart way to focus on the amazing writing this game offers while causing the player to break down the possible suspects and solve this mystery. This expansion is Obsidian at their best and compliments this entire experience so well. It’s just sad that there won’t be more.
Gnosia takes the rules of a social game and turns it into a single-player science-fiction experience. Each loop will present you with more questions and slowly feed you answers to what is a compelling and unique narrative. The game is fueled by an amazing cast of insane characters and over-the-top mechanics that make it fun no matter how long you play.
Maquette is a beautiful game with a compelling narrative that is a perfect weekend experience. Across its four-hour runtime, I was able to feel emotionally invested in this relationship as I begged to see it through until the end. The puzzles hinder progression, but the lack of interaction with the environment limits any additional playthroughs or unique playing experiences.
Forward To The Sky on Nintendo Switch is not worth the price of admission. It’s almost comically bad and requires a lot more refinement than the Switch release provided. Everything is just dull, from the story to the platforming and combat; I don’t think I was ever really having fun. The moments of challenge in the platforming piqued my competitive nature, but it was only due to the game’s unresponsive controls and unpredictable camera angles.