Casey Scheld's Reviews
Retro Racer does the bare minimum needed for the racing genre. The vaporwave aesthetic has been done to death, and the lack of any sort of meaningful content makes this an easy pass.
Slappyball turns the game of volleyball on its head, adding arcade-like elements and zany gameplay into the mix. Though the controls are floaty and the microtransactions gratuitous, this still proves to be a fun party game.
Guilty Gear -Strive- sets a new gold standard for fighting games. Everything from the netcode to the presentation has been polished to a shiny sheen, and its incredibly high skill ceiling will keep players coming back for years to come.
There's no better way to see the Dragon Ninja Ryu Hayabusa in action than with the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. Those that can deal with the odd loading stutter can experience some of the finest hack-and-slash combat on the market today.
The three button setup of Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown has stood the test of time, providing an incredible amount of depth with a strong emphasis on the fundamentals. It's just a shame that the spotty netcode drags down the overall experience; those looking to seek out new challengers best come with a bit of patience.
Superstorm Melon Date's dystopian world tries to be original with its bizarre premise, but this visual novel follows the standard tropes of the genre a bit too closely to make a splash.
Describing a game as abstract and surreal might make it seem like it is cutting edge, but A Long Time and its inoffensive world plays things far too safe. While it doesn't waste the players time, it also feels like there should be more to it.
Bacon May Die plays it safe, featuring combo-heavy action that has a low skill ceiling. While it can be a fun way to get out some pent aggression, this little piggy just isn't king of the hill.
Sometimes you need a AAA epic to get lost in, and sometimes you just need some good ol' fashioned dumb fun. Bite at the Museum most definitely fills in the shoes of the latter, doing exactly what it says on the tin and nothing more.
Nyaa-kuza!! is a solid game paired with a mediocre one. Those with a penchant for puns will love diving into its visual novel segments, but the lack of polish in its action sequences drags the whole experience down.
Hamster All-Stars is pure, unadulterated goofiness. While the racing aspect is rigged, one cannot deny the allure of building the perfect racetrack for your little furry friends.
Controlling Parallel Shift's protagonist duo at the same time sounds like an interesting concept, but the execution ends up feeling like an awkward affair. When paired with its bog standard retrowave aesthetics, the end result feels like something players have seen before.
The electronic beats of Beat Rush make for a prime world to race in, but the simplistic controls limit its long term replayability.
Using a mouse with a shmup sounds like it wouldn't work, but Sniper Ships: Shoot'em Up on Rails' unorthodox control scheme manages to be its strong suit. Although the cluttered graphics prove to be a handicap, this title hits all the right notes for the genre.
Endro is a game without purpose. The poor minimalistic presentation and gameplay devoid of strategy makes this title feel like a waste of time.
SKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID's minimalistic nature is both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. Boiling the racing genre down to its most basic elements means that there's absolutely no fluff, but this ultimately kills any replayability it may have had.
Tadpole Tales may be a simple shmup at its core, but its stellar audiovisual presentation and tight controls make it worth a playthrough for fans of the genre.
Miska's Cave is a simple game at its core, but its checklist of challenges and wealth of unlockables will keep players running along.
Super Raft Boat's action-crafting hybrid is a bit awkward, but is still unique nonetheless. Those that can deal with a bit of frustration will be treated to a unique take on the shooter formula.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time carries the torch for the series, providing a worthy follow-up to Crash and Coco's adventures. The trial and error gameplay isn't for everyone, but those eager for a challenge will enjoy doing so with the next-gen prowess of the PlayStation 5.