There's little sense of impact to blows.
While everything does eventually come together, what's perhaps pitched as a victory lap through what came before ends up a bit of a slog, spending an incredibly long time reiterating what you already figured out.
After all, I love Metal Gear Solid 3 in its Metal Gear Solid Delta form just as much as I loved it when I last played it as part of the Master Collection. There's no question about it though, this cardboard box still contains the same game at its core, there's no sneaking around that.
The thing I love most about these dust ups is how critical hits are managed.
Trickier plays, while cool to witness and to pull off, often don't feel worth it.
A marvelously polished puzzle game.
Bosses are spectacularly designed but often simple affairs.
It's always a delight to see how this household object or concept is brought to life.
"The streets have traffic, but also friendly hot dog vendors who throw delicious, healing sausage treats."
Let's hope the conductor doesn't come through because Monster Train 2 is a truly first class ride through deckbuilder roguelike heaven. I'm already going off the rails with all the possibilities these smart evolutions to the rules and cards on offer bring, each run teasing me to chase new ways to to master the rails. I'm well and truly on board.
With one chance to land a single, perfect shot – few games have this tension and impact, really making me sit with how I felt about everything.
"I'm still finding more that intrigues me as I continue to place rooms and expand my blueprints."
"At its heart, Promise Mascot Agency is all about the vibes."
I think Dynasty Warriors: Origins – with its focus on Ziluan as a character, and focused on telling a more complete RPG-like story – does a tremendous job, and focusing on those elements really helps that come to the fore.
Antonblast explosively reinvents the destructive energy of Wario Land, delivering high-energy action that has you demolishing levels at speed while also rewarding precise play with a serious sense of momentum. Boss fights slow the pace a bit, but this is a front-to-back thrillride that you'll keep coming back to master.
Slathered with infectious energy, its innovative alternate-reality heartbreak shooting mechanics are thrilling to play with, and it's a world you won't want to say farewell to after you get your first ending. Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill can't match this neon-soaked survival horror for its sheer inventiveness.
The Rise of the Golden Idol wonderfully evolves on the original with some truly devious cases that empower you to feel like a genius as you piece everything together and read between the lines. Loads of details make this best played with a notebook to hand, each case stretching you to think in genuinely fresh directions.
"At its best, Great God Grove is about untangling a web of everyone's desires to ultimately make their realm a better place."
Nailing its low-poly aesthetic, smart visual and audio choices combine to create luxurious moments of tension. While a lack of friction makes action a bit straightforward, the well-crafted vibes make for an experience you won't forget anytime soon.
Despite it all, Haroona's journey still charmed me.