The game looks modern, but feels more like a classic entry in the franchise. If the thing you were missing was frustration and elation in equal measure, then yours will be a rich bounty indeed. For better and for worse, this is a heaping helping of the cruel whimsy you remember so well. Mario Party Superstars is a glamorous trip down cherished paths you’ve mostly blocked from your memory.
Games like The Hinokami Chronicles are about feeling fast, powerful, and cool. It’s about piloting people like Tanjiro and Zenitsu, and seeing what their incredible strength can do. These are fighting games where you and a friend are panicking, shouting at one another as explosions and effects fill the entire screen. Within this framework, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles succeeds with flying colors. The exploration sections are somewhat dull, the fighters are interchangeable, and the story is told in a separate menu, but the parts that need to work, do. Combat is crazy, fast, and deeply satisfying. Whether this is your first 3D arena fighter or your fifteenth, The Hinokami Chronicles are a lot of fun.
Any game that mixes genres like this has to make cuts somewhere. In this case, a little depth is traded for accessibility. While this isn’t the most complex dungeon crawler or dating sim, the final result is still quite satisfying. You’re given ample space to explore your violent and romantic impulses. The dating pool is both expansive and inclusive, with excellent writing to match. Though the combat gameplay loop is simple, it offers an engaging challenge with narrative relevance. On the other hand, each half of the gameplay can feel like a distraction from the other half. Maybe this is the price required when smashing two disparate systems together. Even if you end up missing the absent depth, the laid-back pace is a rewarding compensation. If only one-half of this mashup premise appeals to you, what you’re looking for may lie elsewhere. But if you’re looking to blend hacking, slashing, and smooching, Boyfriend Dungeon will be a perfect match.
On the surface, this game has all the ingredients to make a great RPG. The graphics are gorgeous, the soundtrack is infectious, the combat is approachable yet complex, and there’s a ton of replay value. Unfortunately, the disparate pieces don’t hang together quite right. Without a strong central narrative, you’re left bouncing around for the whole playthrough. And without a comprehensive walkthrough, you’ll be doing so for quite a long time. There’s a serious barrier to entry, but I still managed to enjoy myself in spite of all this. If you read all that and still want to dive in, then don’t hesitate to do so. Despite all the strange roadblocks, Legend of Mana has a lot to offer any action RPG fan with a little patience and perseverance.
Like the visuals and the sound, my recommendation for PUSS! is a complex, chaotic beast. On the one hand, it’s a beautiful, brilliant game. I haven’t heard a game soundtrack this unique in literal years. The visuals will haunt your dreams for days after you’re done with this game. And yet, the challenge is either insurmountable or woefully insufficient. After a moment of weakness, I decided to look up some let’s plays on YouTube. It turns out I’m just not good at maze games? A man hands as shaky as these should have seen this coming, but still. My evaluation of the difficulty is tied to my skills in the genre overall. To that end, if you’re a maze gamer? This will be an absolute blast. Conversely, if you’ve got no patience for high precision movement and constant dodging, PUSS! might be a pretty bad time. Either way, you’re unlikely to see a game quite like this for a very long time.
Such was my time with Calico. The troubles I had were as unobtrusive and gentle as my enjoyment. You’re so laid back, that something like floaty controls or vanishing walls is barely an inconvenience. Conversely, the soft pastel skin of this game is difficult to get a grip on. Players looking for a more involved life sim will come up short, but if comfy gaming is your aim, you’ve struck gold. Calico is a brief, blissful vacation in a world of gentle magic and cute companions. If you’re looking to just relax for a little while, Calico will be exactly your speed.
Without my suffering-tinted lenses, Ghostrunner is a fast-paced, tough-ass platformer. Every stage is a non-stop barrage of fresh new challenges. Death is around every corner if you ever stop moving. You’ll experience crushing defeat in a host of different ways, but your victories will be all the sweeter. You can choose your path to victory, with multiple routes available through some of the larger stages. On the aesthetic side of things, more or less every stage is drenched in cyberpunk minutiae. The neon, the grime, and the violence lend an electric urgency to your already death-defying exploits. My only warning is this: know what you’re in for first. First-person action platform games aren’t for everyone. Of course, I had to play one to discover this, so who knows! Maybe a new favorite subgenre is waiting in the wings.
Although my ultimate verdict is weeks of multiplayer away, the first slice of this cake is a tasty one. Even casual Marvel fans would do well to keep Marvel’s Avengers on their radar.
For the hardcore crowd that’s made it this far, congratulations! You will love this game, no two ways about it. For everyone else, heed my warning: Mortal Shell is just as brutal and beautiful as you’re imagining.
Layers of Fear VR still manages to scare the crap out of you more often than not.
Golden is the superlative version of this entry in the series. There’s nowhere else you’ll find such an expert mix of ruthless battles, lovely social interactions, and awesome music. First-time players of all varieties would do well to snag Persona 4 Golden on the PC.
Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls is a great escape for anyone invested in the genre’s illustrious past.
If you’re seeking out a little scif-fi arcade action, definitely check out Space Pioneer.
While each element of this game had it’s ups and downs, I was still able to get sucked right into the battles on every stage.
Although I found a few cracks in the facade, I still had some decent fun with this game. The Sonic aesthetic is plastered over every surface, the songs kick you out of your chair, and teamwork system adds a lot of mileage.
While not always clearly defined, Battle Princess Madelyn is still a damn decent excursion into the storied history of 16-bit platforming.
If you found yourself starving for a greater challenge while playing World of Final Fantasy, then the Maxima Upgrade will surely light a fire in you. If you struggled and slogged through the game’s many battles, then this upgrade will leave you famished yet.
Freaky Awesome has a fascinating premise, incredible music and delightful enemy design. Unfortunately, my biggest problems are with the game's core mechanics.
I can't totally ignore the flaws present, and I suspect that many potential players will not be able to either. But this is a rock-solid title nonetheless. If you know the Touhou name, or even if you know the masochistic joy of bullet-hell gaming, Battle Burst is worth checking out.
Final Fantasy IX is an excellent investment on the Nintendo Switch.