Hipster Attack is a nice port of a mobile tower defense game that we haven't seen in quite some time on the PC. The gameplay is easy to pick up, and the various strategies mean that this isn't a cakewalk — at least until you get the full arsenal of HR employees at your side. Some will hate the twitchy nature of some segments of the game, but if you don't mind tower defense games being a little more action-packed, you'll enjoy the brief time you have with Hipster Attack.
Perhaps the reason for the existence of Bullet Witch on Steam is for the sake of preservation. Unless you still have your Xbox 360 hooked up and a disc copy of the game — or Microsoft makes this backward compatible on the Xbox One — there's no other way to play the title on modern hardware. With that being said, the unpolished gameplay and bare-bones presentation do the game no favors in this day and age, and the general failure to launch issues cast Bullet Witch in a more negative light. Unless you have a strong sense of nostalgia, there's not much of a reason to pick up Bullet Witch.
Red Dead Redemption II is exactly the kind of game you'd expect from Rockstar.
Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online is a game that fans of the series will enjoy. The dialogue-heavy nature and comedy are well done, and the story doesn't get in the way of it. It does a serviceable job of making the MMO-style gameplay work, but you have to accept the grind in order to not be bothered by it. It isn't a good title for those who are just jumping into the universe, but if you've played anything previously released for the series and fell in love with it, then 4GO isn't a bad addition.
Horizon Chase Turbo is a throwback racer for those who want to race with near-impossible odds at all times. Constantly starting at the back of the pack, the aggressive AI opposition, and the exaggerated physics system require nothing less than pure skill and tremendous luck if players want to get close to first place in any races. At the same time, the generous progression system and easy-to-handle controls mean that you can get quite far before you need to start being perfect. With local multiplayer and an excellent presentation in tow, Horizon Chase Turbo is a must-have for those who dearly miss old racing games.
Awkward is just bad. Its premise is paper-thin, and its questions range from boring to shocking without a counter-balance to turn testy questions into a form of dark humor. The presentation is nonsensical, and the game doesn't seem to have any purpose. Its only saving grace is that the games are short, but it only takes one time before your party chooses to play something more whimsical instead. Unless you want to bring down the mood of the party or instigate arguments, there's no reason to have this game anywhere near your system.
In the end, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition is a great action-RPG that is a perfect fit for a platform that has yet to be inundated with them.
Azure Reflections is a good bullet-hell shooter for genre fans. Despite the short levels, the boss fights are exhilarating, and the new mechanics add a good twist to an otherwise proven formula. The title is able to challenge more experienced players, while also accommodating newcomers without necessarily giving them an easy ride to the end. Although the Switch already has a number of bullet-hell shooters, Azure Reflections is a fine addition to the library.
In the end, Lost in Harmony just doesn't deliver. The dual stories can be hit-and-miss for some players, but the music is good in both tales. However, the poor gameplay implementation sinks the experience, and the lackluster presentation doesn't help, either. The game is inexpensive at $6.99, but it can only be recommended if you've exhausted all other options and still want something to play that isn't terrible.
Although it's a short experience, Donut County is enjoyable. The base desire to see everything destroyed by a simple, ever-expanding hole overtakes the lack of complicated mechanics, and the story is fun, whether you want something with or without some meaning attached. At the very least, Donut County is an experience that will stick with you for some time.
Strange Brigade is a flawed but ultimately fun experience.
Much like its predecessors, Forza Horizon 4 is an excellent, all-around racing game. The addition of seasons adds variety to the racing conditions to greatly expand the functionality of the already-large map. The online play is done well, especially since it's smartly designed so players who want to play solo can do so. It's the core racing mechanics and plethora of events that make the game fun as they retain the solid handling and physics the series is known for while also providing near-limitless play on fun events. For racing fans, Forza Horizon 4 is a must-buy.
The Council: Episode 4 - Burning Bridges is the penultimate episode of the game, and it does a good job of making things interesting again, but it does so with quite a number of flaws intact. The unrealistic reactions to big events are the episode's biggest flaw, as all of those shocking things lose their impact when everyone else fails to make a big deal out of it. At the same time, those new revelations open up things just enough to make the final episode more intriguing. Here's hoping that the finale makes the journey worthwhile.
The tweaked gameplay mechanics, along with a bigger emphasis on platforming and puzzle-solving, make this a perfect ending chapter for the recent trilogy, and series fans will certainly be pleased with how Shadow turns out.
If you want to take a chance on Thief of Thieves, wait for a sale. Otherwise, you can probably pass on it and hope a possible sequel will handle things better.
War Tech Fighters is simply good enough. The gameplay seems limited since you don't get a sense of movement, and specific mech fighting is restricted to quick fights with other mechs and one-hit cut scene kills, but the constant flow of action mitigates that a bit. The side missions and grinding for cash makes up for a lack of multiplayer, and the presentation is fine but nothing feels like it's state of the art. War Tech Fighters won't be your next all-time favorite mech game, but you'll still have a good time rolling through the campaign.
In the end, Danger Zone 2 dips below the standard set by the original game. The addition of the run-up makes the levels feel deep, but the wonky physics and crash restrictions and presence of older issues negate all of that positive movement. The lack of modes is accentuated further by the lack of levels, and the middle-of-the-road presentation makes the game feel lackluster. This is the type of game you'll want to pick up at a sale, but if you're more patient, you might want to wait for the developer's upcoming Dangerous Driving to see if it can finally deliver a full Burnout-inspired game.
Smoke and Sacrifice is a good game once you know what you're getting into. It is an adventure with clear objectives but a slower pace due to the amount of collecting and crafting involved. It's also a much easier survival game to digest, since you aren't monitoring too many meters at one time. Tying it together is a captivating presentation and a narrative that is as dour as it is fascinating. Although the Switch version suffers from some hitches in areas, the game should still be experienced by genre fans.
If it weren't plagued with issues, Super Bomberman R would be a fine return to the PC for the series. Both the campaign and the multiplayer lack the flourishes that make some of the older entries memorable, but the core gameplay still holds up enough to remain enjoyable for newcomers and more casual players of the series. You have to treat the game as a local multiplayer title instead of an online one and hope you don't get hit with controller issues. Considering both the price point and the fact that other indie titles have already run with this concept to a much better execution, however, your best bet is to check out the game once it goes on sale or has a good price drop.
It's difficult to recommend Gene Rain to anyone. The story makes no sense, and the game does a good job of maintaining that sense of confusion. The gameplay has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and the presentation would be laughable even during the prior console generation. Not even Trophy hunters would be attracted to this title because the grind to obtain them is unbearable. Stay as far away as possible from Gene Rain.