With bumping tunes and Y2K inspirations, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk reminds us that, sometimes, looking back can be a way of moving forward.
I felt the care that went into making this game, from the suspenseful overarching narrative to the breathtaking visuals and malleable gameplay. Agent 47 is surprisingly personable, cracking jokes that wink at the fact that you're a hitman in disguise in high stakes situations. He also has a passion for cosplay that's embroidered into the way he operates, using fashion as stealth, blending into any room like a chameleon. When I embodied Agent 47, travelling from spectacular location to spectacular location to complete each dastardly deed on my checklist, I truly was Mr. Worldwide.
These days it's way too easy to get down in the dumps, doom scroll, and instantly complain about anything online; this game distracted me from that. It made me laugh, transporting my mind into a world where evil sentient emojis run a corrupt dating app, skeletons are motivational speakers, and goblins drink coffee from a pot. It gave me hope, and made me more optimistic at the prospect of real change, which can only happen when people respect each other, work together and rip it out of clutches of a CEO after slaying them with a giant sword.
An incredible world of demons, mystery, and vaporwave, Paradise Killer sets new standards for the detective genre.
Nostalgia and a new paint job aren't enough to save you from the dull, frustrating, and wonky experience that is SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated.
Treachery in Beatdown City is a funny and novel clash of genres in the form of an '80s beat-'em-up.
Wattam is a bizarre playground full of wonder, discovery, and cheerful friends that come together to tell a sweet story about rising up and bonding after conflict.
Erica is a carefully executed, harmonic clash of film and game that tells a great mystery in a memorable way.
All that being said, The Flame in the Flood is still a great survival experience, worthy of your time.