Castlevania Advance Collection really showcases a side of Konami we don’t see very often anymore. On one hand, they trot out old franchises with low-effort projects and try to essentially trick people into buying them. On the other, they are capable of putting out old games in a format that’s not just well crafted, but also seeks to preserve classics that you can’t easily find. The company is an enigma.
Diablo II: Resurrected did what it was supposed to as a re-release, and it managed to simultaneously preserve the original game. It’s a shame that the talented studios behind it have to deal with the failure of Activision leadership overshadowing their work.
Judgment may have been an acquired taste in many ways, but the sequel makes some of the bitterness go down easier. Given that you can basically dive in here and feel sufficiently caught up with a new case as the focus, it’s for the best. I really hope we haven’t seen the last of this subseries, because the creators seem to really care about it.
Deathloop combines a classic Arkane stealthy-shooty foundation with a genuinely interesting and fun premise to aplomb. This is going to be on a lot of Game of the Year lists.
I’m grateful that another Wario game even exists, and WarioWare: Get It Together! is going to be a hit for a lot of people who are already dedicated to this special brand of weird. But for some, the homogenization of a few aspects might not last them more than a week, so make sure you bring people into the fold if you want to jump in at full asking price.
I’m not sure if New Genesis is going to live up to the nine-year-and-still-going legacy of PSO 2, but it’s a start.
It might sound hyperbolic because Colors is one of the better ones to trot out, but I hope this ensures that Sega stops trying to hide its Sonic history. Bring out the Unleashed and Black Knight remasters, even if they’ll need more smoothing than Colors. Sonic has a long and turbulent history, but everyone deserves to see it without tracking down used copies of forgotten games.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Like the meh Terminator project before it, if you’re really craving something substantial from the Alien IP, you might like to blow apart some creatures here. Otherwise, wait for a sale and give the campaign one run-through with two other friends over a weekend: it’s the best way to experience this extremely proviso-laden game.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is now the definitive version of an already great game; and although the DLC does feel like too much of a companion piece at times, it doesn’t feel tacked-on in the slightest. If you’re keen on experiencing the game from the ground up, this is the way to do it going forward.
Despite some gripes, the legacy of this trilogy is fully secure. Inti Creates can kind of keep making these types of platformers indefinitely, and I’d keep playing them.
I can’t stop playing Pokemon Unite and chain-queuing games because it’s so fun, but these issues are going to drive some people away and need to be addressed. It’s a shame a few of these problems exist with the monetization skeleton because they’re so easily fixable, and while targeting whales is a classic mobile strategy, I don’t think the general audience for Pokemon is going to stand for it long term.
Zelda: Skyward Sword was a weird game to assess in 2011, much less today. It had a lot of great ideas undercut by some questionable design choices, but to some, it was the best Zelda ever made. I understand that $60 for a remaster of a 2011 game is a big ask, but this is the definitive version of a flawed yet fun adventure that should be part of any Zelda rotation.
What Monster Hunter Stories as a whole truly offers is an expansive look into the Monster Hunter universe through a more welcoming lens. It’s not as deep (in ways that both hurt and help its case), but that’s by design. Just know what you’re getting into and you should have a fun time with Monster Hunter Stories 2.
All these years later it’s a treat to revisit the world of Legend of Mana in any form, much less through an HD modern lens. It’s still unlike just about anything else out there.
As far as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade INTERmission goes as a whole, I’m really glad it exists. Yuffie is a character worth exploring on her own, as the enhanced focus on the Wutai and Shinra conflict in the Remake needed fleshing out. To be frank I wouldn’t mind seeing another one of these, say for Vincent, at some point.
Koei Tecmo could have used this opportunity to further strengthen the weak link beyond what it already did, but the first two games still stand so tall that it justifies the preservation altogether.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart isn’t afraid to revel in its mascot-platformer roots, but it manages to knock so many of its competitors completely out of the water.
Miitopia is mostly the same on Switch, to a fault. If you weren't crazy about this one on 3DS it won't change your mind, and the same flaws are intact here. Still, if you're an incredibly creative person that loves to spend their days endlessly perfecting Miis, you'll find a lot to love here. While its shortcomings are laid bare, its core strength, personality, is at the forefront.
Straight up, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster could have used more technical improvements. The subtle mechanical changes make it a better game without fundamentally changing it - which is a great thing because Nocturne never needed to be changed. I just wish the "remaster" part had a little more oomph to sway people who might find it dated.