Years later, it’s still a bloody good romp worth a good slash with the added benefit of portable play. Head on down to Santa Destroy, you’ll leave happy.
If you’re fresh off the likes of Streets of Rage 4 or River City Girls, I feel like this stands next to them pretty handily. Couch multiplayer fans will feel comfortable enough taking in the short runtime, even with a few rough edges. Certain elements here ultimately amount to nitpicks, but the total package still holds up today.
Really, should anyone be surprised that No More Heroes III is a good time? Suda51 and his gang may be known for games that are varying levels of weird, but you can hardly ever say that they're boring at all. Travis might have been in relative exile for a while, but it feels like he hasn't missed a beat. It's time to fire up that beam katana back up, people. Far from a swing and a miss, it's good to see Travis back in his element. This gets a solid recommend from me.
Atelier games continue to be the mark of a consistently good franchise, and Sophie 2 does little to deter me from that sentiment. It’s the kind of game that deserves to be experienced alongside your favorite creature comforts and maybe a hot beverage to boot. Sophie’s latest outing most definitely deserves to exist, and those looking for a relatively easygoing and chill experience can’t go wrong here. It’s a worthy sequel to a cherished game, and a wonderful way to celebrate the joy fans have experienced over the years.
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a clever and creepy indie game that isn’t afraid to show how much love they have for this style of storytelling. It may not be the kind of game that will please everyone, but it will satisfy those looking for an old-school experience wrapped up in eldritch horror. Switch owners looking to expand their adventure game library will find a solid experience here, and the low price point will work in its favor. Thomasina’s misadventure is a story worth playing, so long as you go in ready to tussle with the old-school quirks of the genre.
While It finds itself in the company of phenomenal ground-up remakes like Dead Space and Metroid Prime: Remastered, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should feel good about what they’ve done here. Not only does it bring a previously inaccessible entry of the franchise to a captive audience, but it also shows that they can breathe new life into them as well. That part alone is worth celebrating. There are times when this remake does walk. But when it sprints, it really turns on the jets.
It’s the best version of this game to date, and it gives me hope that seeing these being brought to modern platforms may be the spark that gives us brand-new titles. But for now, I’m fine with getting a well-crafted remake of a damned fine game with the kind of quality-of-life updates and additional content that help the low barrier of entry go down even easier than a straight port ever could. Go roll up some stars, man. You’ll enjoy it.
With that main course being the old guard rubbing shoulders with the new, I’m looking forward to seeing these guys interact when Infinite Wealth eventually drops. The story isn’t perfect, but still spins a tale worthy of the Dragon of Dojima. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name may be a shorter game, but there’s a surprising amount of depth in that brevity. It’s been a good year for Like a Dragon, and a game that celebrates their leading man like this is worthy of your time and money. Go ahead and devour this, and get excited for Infinite Wealth.
Sure, there are plenty of titles that poke fun at multiple aspects of gaming tropes and the surrounding culture. But sometimes pulling back the curtain in a creative way can really work to the medium's advantage.
The amount of extra content and inclusion of DLC is reason enough to pick this up for sheer value alone.
Thankfully, most of the complaints I have are nitpicks at best. The nicks in the armor are noticeable, but despite that, everything manages to hold together. There’s heart, emotion, and care here that shouldn’t be passed over.
It may not have the sharp writing that we’ve become accustomed to in gaming these days, but at the end of the day, it’s perfectly playable. Sometimes that’s all you need to have an enjoyable time. This one’s worth kicking back to.
Considering that I’m limited in my exposure to this franchise as a whole, I found myself engrossed in what this game has to offer. This is a decently crafted side game with enough heart to make it competent enough to play, but a tasty side of fanservice for those who’ve been really digging alchemists and absurdly long game titles for 20 years.
Part of this game shows its age in a number of ways, but this is not a quick and dirty port by any stretch of the imagination.
Despite that, the gameplay here is solid, despite its expected aim at casual audiences. None of this is especially deep, but I can say with some confidence that there is some fun to be had in firing this up and playing with a group of friends.
It may not offer the twitchest of gameplay, but getting past some antiquated aspects will yield an enjoyable time.
M2 has proven time and again that they know what they’re doing with the games that they rework, and this port of Shinobi is no different. This is a solid version of the game that is appropriately priced and fits right in with the Switch’s library and on-the-go nature.
Even with some elements from the original release that could have used a little sanding down, Yakuza 3 Remastered is still an worthwhile entry in the series to for longtime fans to experience again. It may not be my favorite sequel, but it’s still a competent and enjoyable one.
If you’re looking for something outside Los Santos and would rather hit people with a dick bat, this isn’t a bad way to spend some time indoors.
Sludge Life feels like the video game version of being under the influence, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While it feels like it might be a little too wrapped up in its own aesthetics at times, it still remembers that it’s a game first and not a video from the weird part of YouTube.