Robby Bisschop's Reviews
Lake – Season’s Greetings has genuine human interactions, a bright visual art style that is like a balm for the soul, and a no-stress approach to story-telling. You’re guaranteed to come out of it a more relaxed human being after playing it. It’s also the perfect DLC to get into the holiday mood!
Neva is a short emotional adventure with canvas-worthy art design and a beautiful soundtrack that I instantly added to my spotify playlist. The platforming gameplay is tight, the combat is simple yet satisfying and the relationship between you and your titular antlered wolf pet feels incredibly wholesome.
Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm FPS that has all the elements you need for a delightful symphony full of fast-paced action and heart-pounding metal music. It was one of my favourite games of 2022 and the musical crescendo it built up to resonated so much with me that I was excited to play through it again in VR.
Phantom Spark delivers an exhilarating experience for fans of fast-paced, time-trial racing games, reminiscent of Trackmania. Its focus on constant improvement and speed will satisfy those who love pushing for faster lap times. However, it’s not for everyone. if you’re not into high-speed precision and repetition, it may feel less appealing.
Invector Rhythm Galaxy is the perfect follow-up to an already perfect rhythm game. Its eye-popping visuals light up my living room as its bass lines make my teeth chitter in pure glee. This game makes me happy and that is probably the best praise I can think of.
This minesweeper roguelike swept me away. It took a few runs to get into things, but eventually, it managed to plant its flag into my daily rotation, and I was hooked.
Princess Peach Showtime pirouettes onto the scene, delivering a standing ovation-worthy performance that’s easy enough for kids, but dazzling for all ages, proving you don’t need a mustache to save the day.
With its blend of whimsical humor, clever mechanics, and charming artwork, Lil Guardsman earns its place among this year’s finest indiegames, leaving me eagerly anticipating my eventual return on my quest for completion. If you’re into point & click-style adventures or just enjoy laughing at bizarre situations with even weirder outcomes, then this is a game you shouldn’t miss!
Stunt Paradise is a great little indie game that will provide a few hours worth of fun while you discover its setpiece stunts. I’ve played it together with my two kids and that only added to the enjoyment as seeing them cheer with glee after beating a level is pure bliss.
Balatro deals a winning hand with its innovative twist on an age-old formula. It breaks the rules of poker in many fun yet unfair ways, with playthroughs that are as varied as a shuffled deck. It’s a title I can see myself sinking hundreds of hours into and if other 2024 titles hope to have a shot at Game Of The Year, they better up the ante!
Let’s Sing 2024 is the perfect party game for the holidays. Invite your friends and family and have a laugh while singing to your favourite songs. Just make sure to spring for the VIP subscription or you’ll soon tire of singing the same titles over and over again. The attempt at a single-player campaign was handled poorly and the few bugs here and there also dampened my excitement versus last year’s version.
In a year of Nintendo triumphs, the Super Mario RPG remake by ArtePiazza is no exception. This nostalgic journey from the SNES era brings a rush of Nintendorphines, leaving me grinning from ear to ear throughout the game.
Bluey The Videogame faithfully captures the show’s charm, offering a delightful interactive episode experience. While young gamers will relish every moment, the fun ends a little too quickly. Lio & Fé give it two thumbs (or paws) up!
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged promises near-endless fun, especially in multiplayer showdowns. Still, it rides in the slipstream of its predecessor, more akin to a turbocharged DLC than a groundbreaking sequel.
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is the perfect Xbox Game Pass game as it’s not for everyone, but still worth checking out. It’s full of fun and quirky minigames and if you have a good sense of rhythm, you can finally show the world who’s the boss of the pigeon coop. Sadly, the online issues plaguing the game at the moment make it hard to recommend as I’ve personally walked away from it with a ton of frustrations.
Warioware Move It! is the perfect party game to play with your friends if you want to show what the Switch’s motion control is capable of. It’s a ton of fun to discover the various minigames and find out just what’s expected of you, but in the end, the novelty will run thin and it doesn’t take long to have seen everything the game has to offer.
Detective Pikachu Returns tries to bring a jolt of excitement to the Pokémon universe through great visuals and lively animations. However, its shockingly simple plot and low difficulty might leave more seasoned gamers wanting more. If Phoenix Wright + Pokémon is a combination that sparks your interest, then be sure to whip out your magnifying glass and detective hat!
PAW Patrol World is a fine game if you have kids who enjoy the show and love to spend time collecting items and helping people in need. The camera brings the biggest frustration to people who are used to playing such games, but for kids, it’s a wonderful introduction to a more open-world approach and they’ll be having fun for hours.
Verses of Enchantment is a fresh take on the deckbuilding genre that uses poetry to create powerful spells. The artwork, poems and overall presentation deliver a coherent experience that is incredibly fun to play through once, but is not likely to keep you busy for hundreds of hours.
Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is a carefree and wholesome platformer with lots of sights to see, shiny things to collect and optional speed runs to challenge yourself. It’s a balanced platformer that’s sure to scratch that collecting itch, wrapped in a neat island adventure package.