Heather Johnson Yu's Reviews
Blanc is certainly cozy, cute, and charming, and it deserves high marks for its aesthetics and ideas, but I can’t deny how frustrated I felt while playing it. There were some high moments where cub and fawn flew through the frozen fields, delicately criss-crossing darkened paths in an otherwise blinding white spendor, but they were often followed by whiplashed lows of missing actionable cues and odd technical difficulties. If Blanc speaks to you, I think you’ll enjoy it, but if you’re on the fence, give the dev team some time to address the issues. Until then, Blanc remains the perfect example of a snow day — enjoyable in theory as long as you don’t have to travel.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection was a weird pick to re-release, but if it was going to be done, it should have been done properly. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Portable Adventure brings up the grade ever so slightly by being a passable title considering its era, but the ball was dropped when it came to Bill & Ted’s Excellent Video Game Adventure. The simple inclusion of the instruction manuals complete with level maps would have elevated the entire experience to make this original LJN release genuinely playable; unfortunately, this necessary information was left out, and players are yet again left to fumble around in the bushes, trees, and fences. I hate to say it, but as it currently stands, this is not a worthwhile purchase — I can’t even recommend this to fans of the original movie because it’s still just as unplayable as it was all those years ago. I can only recommend Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection to those who, like me, were haunted by Bill & Ted’s Excellent Video Game Adventure and want to utilize the newly implemented save states to finally have a shot at finishing the game. But if Limited Run Games releases an update later with the maps? It might be a little less bogus then.
For better or worse, Digimon World: Next Order has all of Bandai’s best ideas mixed together into one complex title. As a game, this can be huge and intimidating, but it can also be someone’s comfort game to melt into at the end of a long day. As a port, Digimon World: Next Order should be praised for its continuous improvement as it jumps from one platform to the next, but its pricetag hasn’t improved in its 7 year run, which can put off some players who have become accustomed to purchasing ports at a lower pricepoint. Digimon World: Next Order was an overwhelming first foray into Digimon, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was blown away by the complexity, nuance, and depth the series has to offer. Perhaps Digimon truly are the champions after all!
The PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack is a brillant example of how different games can collaborate in a fun and cohesive manner. Fans of Final Fantasy VII Remake can further immerse themselves in the environments and lore of one of their favorite games, while PowerWash Simulator aficionados receive even more levels to quickly gobble up. Although the somewhat confusing naming-system of certain parts in specific levels made for some moments of frustration, the fact that this is completely free DLC certainly softens the blow. If you’re ready for a brand new adventure in this mechanical metropolis, the PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack invites you to get your hands dirty (and then clean again).
Painting Werther is a gorgeous deep dive on a classic novel depicting the dangerously obsessive emotion that is limerence. It stays true to Goethe’s message while enhancing the immersion with beautiful paintings and stunning music. Although it may be on the shorter side, the experience should not be measured in hours, but impact — and Painting Werther makes a powerful impact. If you’ve ever wanted to feel well-read while still getting your gaming in, Painting Werther compells you to show it some love.
It doesn’t take someone with spirit sense to see that Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is something special. A horror visual novel game that blurs the role between character and player, Paranormasight is unique in its ability to give horror fans a new brain-teasing experience while allowing those who normally chicken out over this genre the ability to finally play a scary game by themselves. Paranormasight manages to blend familiar elements from beloved genres into something innovative, inventive, and altogether new; it is my hope this becomes a continuing franchise for Square Enix, who is on the cusp of further greatness. Grab Paranormasight or be forever cursed to remain outside its sinister, alluring shadow.
Pharaoh is one of those dream remaster candidates for those who fondly remember ’80s and ’90s PC games, so it stands to reason that fans of the original would have high hopes for Pharaoh: A New Era. Although it doesn’t quite meet those expectations for a few reasons — both understandable and questionable — Pharaoh: A New Era is still a must-play for anyone who loves city-builders, Ancient Egypt, or just wants to try something nuanced and interesting. If you’re looking to unearth ancient gaming treasures to polish into something new, Pharaoh: A New Era is proof the gaming gods answer prayers in mysterious ways.
Ten Dates features strong writing sold by actors that genuinely embodied their parts. There were quite a few surprises in the non-linear path to love — some that made me think twice about a candidate before veering off to another — which was embraced by the gameplay and encouraged multiple playthroughs. Although the weighting of the questions wasn’t entirely clear, that didn’t stop me from having a lovely time. If you’re tired of looking for love in all the wrong places, Ten Dates has plenty of singles ready to mingle.
God of Riffs probably could have used more time in the oven; the enemies are far from diverse and its story mode is set to release sometime this year. With that being said, it’s still a pretty good rhythm game that makes you want to hack-n-slash the demons charging at you, so in that sense it accomplishes its task. If you’re on the hunt for a new rhythm game for your VR headset — something kinda like Beat Saber and Ragnarock but at the same time its own thing — God of Riffs has two axes with your name on them.
Nitro Kid offers that slice of synthwave cyberpunk heaven in the form of a turn-based deckbuilding roguelike. It has a solid mechanic and balanced gameplay that proves addicting when you throw the amazing soundtrack into the fray. Although I wish there had been a little more in terms of a storyline — or even just backstory — that’s not a dealbreaker for an otherwise great game. If you’re looking for a fight with plenty of synthwave flair, Nitro Kid is ready to deal you in.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake lays the Spongebob charm on thick, the Bikini Bottomites and their worlds ripped right out of one of the many, many, many episodes we’ve come to know and love over the years. Although it has a lot of great ideas pulled from the vast Spongebob universe, there’s something just a little sticky about the way it all came together in the end. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is good, clean F.U.N., and as long as you don’t expect too much out of it, you’ll have a totally coral time.
A Space for the Unbound is Mojiken and Toge Productions at their best. If you weren’t paying attention to this powerhouse team yet, correct this mistake now with the literal masterpiece that is A Space for the Unbound. It proudly stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of To the Moon and Rakuen with its impeccably unique flair, ready to laugh with players during the high moments and cry with them in its lows. If you have a fondness for emotional narrative-driven games and have been even remotely curious about A Space for the Unbound, don’t wait a moment longer and get this game (and some tissues).
I may have only spent 6ish hours with Trombone Champ’s main game, but those few hours were spent giggling and guffawing at how silly my mistakes sounded. Given enough time, my mistakes were few and far between, and I truly did become the ultimate Trombone Champ of yore. Trombone Champ may present itself as a novelty title — a joke not meant to be taken seriously — but those who give it a chance will find a surprising amount of polish and sophistication. I never could have predicted that Trombone Champ would become my favorite rhythm/music game of 2022, and if you’re even remotely interested in the title, I’m confident it will be yours too.
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is hands down one of the cleverest games on a mechanics level. Players will truly feel like they are crafting brews while connecting to the magical whimsy of the medieval era. Although I wish I was able to get more involved in the world of Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator, either through story or exploration, the mechanics alone kept me entertained for 40 hours so I can’t complain too much. Even if the rest of the game is a bit shallow, Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator’s gameplay is something to write home about. Here’s to hoping the dev team can concoct more content in future updates!
Calling Melatonin a chillwave Rhythm Heaven is both accurate and not descriptive enough. Its structure is roughly the same, but its pastel palette, soothing soundtrack, and loose-yet-cohesive approach to storytelling give it its own unique flair. Melatonin may only be a 1 – 2 hour romp through dreamland, but if you really savor its playful art style, brain-melting music, and easily-mastered mechanics, it can quickly become a bedtime routine of its own. And, after popping some melatonin myself, a level or two of Melatonin before I snooze sounds lovely to me.
Goodbye World is an important game development story for gamers and developers alike. It has interesting characters, fantastic art design, and pacing that kept me engrossed in the narrative from start to finish. Unfortunately, its game within a game will polarize players, who will either love its retro-inspired platforming or loathe its stop-go positioning within the story. Goodbye World is a must-play experience for the story alone, so if you find yourself with an hour or two to kill and $12 to spare, Goodbye World says “hi!”
The Plague Doctor of Wippra is clearly a bleak, gamified examination of a dark period in human history; what makes it bleaker is its illumination on just how little has changed. Despite our modern comforts and conveniences, human behavior under duress seems to remain constant. And in the midst of all these cascading, convoluted moving parts, The Plague Doctor of Wippra asks players to think carefully of their choices, knowing that sometimes, the best of two evils is the best one can do. If you’re seeking a short-lived point-and-click journey through time where the choices really, really matter, The Plague Doctor of Wippra is accepting patients.
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow was a pleasant surprise for me — a fantastic game in its own right, but one whose story doesn’t deserve to end here. I absolutely need a book, film, or TV adaptation of this story, and the great thing is you wouldn’t have to change much for it to be ready for consumption in other media. Although I did find myself struggling to make sense of the ending, I suspect a second playthrough is all I’d need to clear up any questions I still have. The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is truly a pixel art masterpiece — one that definitely deserves a deep dig.
Despite a few easily fixable issues that I foresee being patched in the near future, Kukoos: Lost Pets is an adorable little 3D platformer that will easily entertain young and old alike. I could see this being a family favorite, with parents and kids each grabbing a controller to cooperatively save every last pet, pluck every last fwendly plant, and beat every last boss together. Kukoos: Lost Pets may look simple, but its puzzle elements provide some perplexing moments that’ll satisfy veterans for a weekend and newcomers for much, much longer. If you’re looking for something that’s cute on the surface but a little more complex in its core, the island of Kukoos: Lost Pets beckons.
I don’t know what happened with Crossroads Inn. I don’t know why, in the 3 years that have passed since the original release on PC, Crossroads Inn is still a confusing, buggy mess. I don’t know who thought Crossroads Inn was ready for the extremely small Switch screen in its current state. I typically pride myself in being a reviewer that can see the positive in any game and find the audience a title was made for, but when it comes to Crossroads Inn, I find I’m at a loss. If you must get this game, try it out on PC first to get a better feel for the controls and UI; if you only have a Switch, I can’t in good conscience recommend this game to you.