This Is The President certainly has its good moments, with its silly humor hitting the mark more often than not and its core plot servings its purpose well. However, it does wear out its welcome thanks to an over-reliance on filler and restrictive mechanics to try and curb the player's success. A little bit more trimming and this could have been a fantastic political game, but even so it still has plenty of quality behind it.
Chorus is a space shooter with stunning ship-to-ship combat, all wrapped up in an intriguing world that brings personality to an impersonal genre.
In spite of the technical limitations of the previous generation version, MXGP 2021 does manage to be a successful entry in the series that will likely keep motocross fans happy. It’s not as in depth as some other official racing sims on the market, but there's enough variation to keep players engaged while its race-to-race gameplay is still enjoyable.
Overall, Beyond Blue is an interesting game with some solid story strands to propel its underwater gameplay. Its emotional impact doesn’t reach the heights of the likes of Firewatch, and its limited gameplay may put some players off if they want something more substantial or challenging, but nonetheless this is a well crafted and calm title that proves its worth. When it comes to education-based games, this is a good example of how engaging it can be.
Overall this means that Knights of the Old Republic is still one of the best games ever made, even if it's not received any particular improvements on its older versions. The main pull here is that players can finally enjoy the title on the go via the Switch, and for Star Wars fans who have never played the game before it's another opportunity to enjoy one of the best Star Wars stories ever told. There will no doubt be debates about PC versus Switch for Knights of the Old Republic, and those who already own the game already aren't missing anything if they ignore this new port, but none of that takes away from one of the true classics of the early 2000s.
In spite of its issues, Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is a video game mystery done right. Its main plot is well-written and its characters expertly performed, while its gameplay genuinely makes the player feel like a detective. It's not perfect, but Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is a successful, small-scale head-scratcher done right.
Overall, though, Bloodshore is still one of the better examples of the FMV revolution. It's a lot of fun to experience, and leans into the cheese that both successfully works with a lot of FMV games, and for examples of the stories it is emulating. The game has its issues, but as a hokey piece of B-movie fun it's worth replaying to find its various story strands.
As such B.A.T.S. is a bit of a mixed bag. Its presentation is fantastic, with well-devised sprite work and a strong sense of humor throughout, and when the game does flow at the speed it needs it is an awful lot of fun for its short run time. However, those awkward design choices and more difficult technical issues do hold it back from reaching its full potential.
Overall, House of Ashes is a fun horror romp. There's nothing subtle to be found here and the game is all the better for it, with exciting set pieces and a fast-paced story. It has its issues, both technically and with not really having anything interesting to build into its Iraq War setting, but it's still a hoot to play.
Overall The Sundew is a strong and engaging point and click adventure game with a compelling story and enough strong puzzles to keep players scratching their chins for its run time. Fans of the genre will find things to love here, and the fact that it comes from a one person development team makes it all the more impressive.
These issues ultimately don't undermine just how charming Rainbow Billy is to play. With a message of good faith that rarely wears out its welcome and a brilliant take on turn-based RPG combat, Rainbow Billy is a game that was clearly made with a lot of care for its individual components. Providing players can turn off their cynicism, there's plenty to love here.
Ultimately, eFootball 2022 is a disaster at launch. It's a buggy, unenjoyable mess with limited gameplay options that strip back the core strengths of the PES series, and the fact that it was released in this state at all is shocking. Konami may bring in fixes as it implements further free-to-play updates, but even then, the question over eFootball 2022's worth will still need to be repeatedly asked.
Overall, Gas Station Simulator is vastly better than a lot of the simulator games that are available. It's a charming and occasionally buggy experience, but one that allows the player to find a little bit of peace in a daily grind.
Overall, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is absolutely brilliant. It's one of those rare games that feels like it belongs to the new generation thanks to its magnificent world, and its developers knew exactly how ambitious to be while still providing a top rate experience.
WRC 10 is an extremely fun game with a few caveats around the amount of changed content from last year's entry. It's not a must-buy for those who own WRC 9 unless they are a rally fan desperate for the new stages for the 2021 season or the updated liveries, as the anniversary additions are the only major update from last year. However, whose who don't own WRC 9 but who are interested in rally racing will see this as the most comprehensive official WRC game to date, with lots to enjoy and plenty of hours' worth of entertainment to be found across its various modes.
Overall The Big Con is a charming little slice of nineties nostalgia. It's propelled by its strong writing and world-building, a deep understanding of the era it is referencing, and some fantastic characters, and it's certainly a road trip players will enjoy taking. Although its gameplay is limited and there are some technical issues, it's an earnest and compelling journey.
As such Rustler is not quite the retro callback to early sandbox games that players may have hoped for. It's an enjoyable fun diversion for a little sharp burst of low brow humor, but in the long term it's unlikely to keep players engaged. Combined with a wide variety of technical issues, Rustler feels like something of a missed opportunity.
Arietta of Spirits is a safe but enjoyable top-down action adventure game. It has fun if simplistic gameplay and a solid story that provides a strong emotional core to keep the player involved. It's not a must-play, but certainly ticks all the right boxes for those hunting for a nostalgia fix that even the top franchises of the genre have abandoned.
Twelve Minutes is atmospheric and hugely ambitious within its tight time limits, although the game is held back by unsatisfying narrative payoffs.
Overall, The Siege of Paris is a bit of a missed opportunity. It's still an awful lot of fun for those who enjoyed the base game, and the assassinations may be simple but do add a bit of a variety to the experience. However, there's little that's truly refreshing, and is not a must-have for those who own Assassin's Creed Valhalla.