In the end, Coffee Crisis is a game that weakly tries to inject some roguelike qualities into a less-than-average brawler.
Pumped BMX Pro is more of a regression for the series than a progression. The tougher-to-handle physics, combined with a set of tracks that fail to ease players into the game, make for a title that is only good for veterans of the first game. The presentation is mediocre at best, and the lack of meaningful unlockables makes the whole thing feel like a chore. Unless you must have this title for some reason, there are certainly better options to fulfill your physics-based trick fix.
Trials Rising is a very good game and a return to form for the series.
Devil May Cry 5 is a must-play title for action fans. The action is fast and fluid, and its accommodations for both skilled and new players make it easier for everyone to enjoy the gameplay. The title is packed with a healthy amount of levels and several different hooks to keep you playing after you finish the campaign. The presentation is stunning, and while the game does contain microtransactions, they can easily be ignored. Capcom has another winner on its hands, and DMC5 is an early contender for game of the year.
Dead or Alive 6 maintains its status as a solid and surprisingly deep fighting game that gets hidden underneath the readily apparent fan service. The tweaks to the fighting system only improve the accessibility while not hurting the more advanced players. The 24-character roster is refreshed, but the customization feels more limited. The same can be said for the levels and graphics, which are fine but lack any signs of ambition. However, DoA6 is still a good, solid purchase for fighting game fans, although it may not be the big leap that series fans would've wanted.
Detached is the sort of game where you'll enjoy your short time with it if you aren't easily susceptible to motion sickness. The atmosphere is absolutely gorgeous, giving you a good sense of the beauty and loneliness of space. The puzzles aren't bad, but the lack of direction about where to go can be an annoyance when you have a constantly depleting oxygen meter to worry about and a finite amount of fuel. It may not be a VR showcase title for everyone, but those who can stomach it will enjoy their time.
Pinball FX3: Williams Pinball Volume 2 is another winner thanks to the variety of tables included and the improved use of flourishes.
On a platform that already has a pretty solid fighting game lineup, Shadow Fight 2 is a pleasant surprise. The fighting system is different from most games, but if you can deal with its slower flow, you'll find some fun here. The presentation is muted in places but still interesting, and even though some parts of the campaign can feel like a slog, you'll get your money's worth. Shadow Fight 2 won't be your main squeeze, but it can be a good cooldown offering to play between some other fighting games.
If you're a pinball fan who has never played these tables before, then Pinball FX3: Williams Pinball Volume 1 provides a good means to rectify that.
Debris Infinity does a very good job of being a pure arcade shooter. The shooting is thoughtful, since you're trying to balance abilities with quickly shooting enemies. The number of foes on-screen at any time makes the game difficult but not impossible, and the presence of both leaderboards and co-op for every mode provides a real incentive for another run, no matter how many times you've already died. Debris Infinity is a well-done pick-up-and-play shooter with a low $5 asking price, so it's easy to recommend for the Switch.
La-Mulana 2 is an absolutely solid sequel. Even though there are a few additions to the core gameplay loop, they don't dilute how unforgiving the game can be. The level of difficulty doesn't feel cheap, and obtuse puzzles can feel very rewarding when solved. The game is long enough to feel like you've squeezed more than enough value out of it, but it never drags on. The game has a few flaws here and there, but anyone who's looking for a tough platforming experience will be pleased with what they find in La-Mulana 2.
Metro Exodus is an absolutely solid, all-around experience. Although the change from indoor to outdoor scenery is striking at first, it allows the gameplay to breathe and feel different from previous titles. The signature makeshift guns are paired well with the new crafting ability, and their lack of stopping power makes firefights meaningful and stealth sections tense. There are still issues here and there, and the presentation could be tighter, but this is a worthy sequel to a game that has earned its cult status throughout the years.
Gungrave VR is a game that not only tarnishes its own legacy but also leaves a bad impression of VR as a whole. The gameplay is shallow, as attacks feel slow and lack any sort of impact. The limited nature of the stages and the lack of any intelligent enemy combat makes the affair boring, but the clunky implementation of VR is what really drags down the game. The VR feels unnatural, and it doesn't safeguard one from getting nausea. There's still hope that the upcoming sequel will fare better, especially if it sticks with more traditional gameplay elements and presentation, but this VR take is one that players can easily skip.
There's a certain audience that'll find Heavy Fire: Red Shadow to be a decent game. For those people, the turret sequences in other shooters must be their favorite part of the game. For everyone else, including fans of the series, Red Shadow is an utter disappointment. From a regression in gameplay to overly long stages and terrible presentation, there's nothing to recommend here, even if you just want to Trophy hunt. Unless you absolutely need to have every game in the console's library, stay as far away from this as possible.
Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry is a good start to a potential comeback for the series. The return to the classic point-and-click formula is appreciated, even if some of the puzzle solutions can be obscure. The humor could be much better, but some of the jokes do stick, and the presentation is decent. Franchise fans will enjoy this title if they won't miss the original creator's nuances.
Resident Evil 2 Remake does more than make a great game look prettier for the modern crowd. The changes make the game a brand-new experience for those who have played the original, but the title keeps a sense of familiarity that prevents it from being totally unfamiliar.
Aggelos works great as both a homage to the source material and as a game on its own merit. The faithful reproduction of the Wonder Boy style still holds up today, and while the new powers don't significantly change things for the better, they don't detract from the game, either. The gameplay is solid, and the gameplay length comes in at a good running time, so you'll get your money's worth from the experience even before you set out to play it again on Hard mode. With a great presentation backing up the entire experience, Aggelos is a great title for classic adventure platformer fans.
It is by no means a masterpiece, but Attack of the Earthlings provides a fun and a solid strategy experience for those who aren't looking for something extremely deep. The levels have a good layout, and there's a wide variety of smart and dumb enemies to keep you invested. Your offensive abilities, from setting up traps to body disposal, are fun, and the humor keeps things lively. It is a short experience that doesn't have much replayability due to the lack of variable difficulty, but you'll still enjoy your time with Attack of the Earthlings.
As mentioned at the beginning of the review, the mode you choose to play will influence your impression of Battle Princess Madelyn. For arcade mode players, the game retains the spirit of Ghosts 'n Goblins, and while there are a few concessions to make the game seem a touch easier for newcomers, some of the design decisions suck away that enjoyment. For story mode players, those flaws are compounded by more design issues that make it a frustrating Metroidvania clone. In the end, the game's charm isn't enough to attract anyone but genre die-hards who are looking for a near-impossible challenge.
Regardless of platform, Groove Coaster is an interesting rhythm game. Although it has leaderboards to please the more competitive types, the game is really about experiencing the songs as a visual ride. Correct inputs act as the mechanism to make the ride more audibly pleasant. The controls work well enough, but the amount of songs available is dwarfed by those in the mobile release. The need to replay all of the songs on all of the difficulty levels can feel tedious. The PC version may not be the best one, but it's still a good port of a fresh rhythm title.