Zen Studios takes eight of their beloved Star Wars pinball tables and blows each of them out into the VR space in delightful and unexpected ways. Each of the tables offers hours of fun, and Zen provides a ton of ways to interact with them. The "basement cave" framing device provides a great extra layer of reward for engaging with the game. Recommended without reservation.
Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition has a lovely, relaxing vibe, and some pleasant, very recognizable farming mechanics. But some quest problems lead to frustration – and worse, hours of bewildered wandering. When progression grinds to a halt and there is nothing to do but grow endless crops, Deiland starts to feel less pleasant, and more like a purgatory.
SWARM performs some technological voodoo, allowing players to swoop, twist, and turn through its levels with no trace of VR sickness. An arcade game to its core, SWARM knows exactly what it is, and delivers on that experience with gusto, with smooth action and impressive visuals. An amazing amount of fun can be gained from swinging through the air and shooting evil robots. Highly recommended.
Breathedge offers some decent exploration and survival gameplay, tucked among very slow trips to gather materials that sometimes feel like they are wasting the player's time. A hit-and-miss sense of humor can sometimes amuse, while other times causing something close to fury. A mid-game pivot seems to drive the game off track-changing the mechanics in a way that feels jarring. Enjoyable for stretches, Breathedge can't help but shoot itself in the foot occasionally, in ways that are more frustrating than fun.
Monster Hunter Rise pulls the best features from past games to create an experience that feels particularly tuned for a handheld system. With plenty of quality-of-life improvements and several fun new mechanics, Rise pushes the franchise forward while retaining all of the depth and fun that fans expect. Another stellar release from Capcom.
Though technically something of a wreck, I still enjoyed I Saw Black Clouds' narrative audacity. The choices the game makes aren't necessarily good, but they are often bold. Even through the rough editing and sound issues, the game still delivers some surprises and suspense. Holler at the screen and throw popcorn with your buddies, and you just might enjoy this one.
Spacebase Startopia is a reasonably fun management/strategy game, slightly too complex to play with a controller. Though genre veterans will not find much challenge here, Spacebase Startopia is unique and cheerful enough to make it worth a look.
Pine has a lot of interesting systems and mechanics, but those individual pieces do not add up to a completely satisfying whole. While there is fun to be had with Pine's interesting exploration, many of the mechanics feel disjointed, with too much reliance on the game's collection-based economy. While Pine was clearly made with a lot of love, every good feature in is balanced by a mechanic that doesn't feel so great.
Bravely Default II is a throwback to the Final Fantasy games of the '80s, in all the best ways. Some modern quality-of-life enhancements smooth the road a bit, but all the good stuff you remember is here for the taking. If grinding monsters for levels, unlocking new skills, and hunting for missing crystals is your idea of a good time, then Bravely Default is your video game nirvana.
Maquette has a great puzzle mechanic as its central hook, though it sometimes struggles with obtuse implementation and fussy controls. Nonetheless, the narrative arc of the young relationship at the center of the game is well worth a bit of frustration to experience. Some lovely visuals and music make playing Maquette that much more rewarding.
PixelJunk Raiders is one of the most beautiful, moody, and tough games I've ever played. But it is the potential of the Stadia community crowdsourcing the game that makes it such a fascinating and unique experience. A unique experience on its own, PixelJunk Raiders has capacity to become a gamechanger if the gaming public choses to adopt it. Either way, this is a fascinating piece of video game history in the making. Attention should be paid.
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos places players smack dab in the middle of a living anime story, with all of the cool world-building and unique characters implied by that statement. Players used to a lot of action in their games will have to adjust to the slower pace of this plot-driven experience, but will quickly discover that it yields its own unique rewards.
Yupitergrad is a well-made game that I simply didn't enjoy very much. The suction-cup based line swinging works great and is a lot of fun on its own. But trying to get through difficult sections with any sort of precision can be very challenging. For the strong-willed and strong-stomached only.
Hitman 3 is a stunningly intricate work of video game art. As a franchise neophyte, I was delighted by the amazing world building and level design. While I expected a gangbusters action game, Hitman 3's more deliberate pacing has converted me into a series fan. Beautiful, sophisticated, and a mountain of fun, Hitman 3 is a revelation.
Neoverse dispenses with story (and a perhaps more-important tutorial) to get players straight into the action, trusting them to figure out the game's intricacies on their own. Those with the patience to learn Neoverse will be rewarded by its amazingly deep, fun, and varied gameplay. With three very different characters to choose from, and a mountain of systems and modes, Neoverse is one of the most addictive deck builders I've played.
Little Hope is a return to form for Supermassive Games. After the somewhat slow and dry Man of Medan, Little Hope arrives with a narrative audacity and assured performances that place The Dark Pictures Anthology squarely on the top of the interactive filmic adventure game heap. With a rich, complex, and wickedly surprising narrative, Little Hope is well worth playing, despite some awkward moments and transitions.
Override 2: Super Mech League is a great local and online multiplayer 3D brawler. With a ton of moves, a huge roster of cool and unique characters, and flashy special effects, Override 2 offers hours of fun. Go into the game with the knowledge that the online implementation is somewhat limited, with no cross-platform or cross-generation play. But when battling friends at home or online, Override 3 can't be beat.
Dispensing with frivolous window dressing like story and dialogue, Heroes of Hammerwatch give players direct access to its addictive dungeon crawling. Fun played solo – but riotous played with a group – Heroes of Hammerwatch does old-school gaming right, even though a bit more explanation of its systems might be welcomed by some players. With a ton of content to explore, Heroes of Hammerwatch is well worth the asking price. Highly recommended.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is cheerful fun, offering a fresh take on Greek mythology that is cartoonish but with just enough humanity to keep it grounded. While the game plays like a open world epic, every mechanic in Immortals is tied to well-designed puzzles. Though the actions you take become repetitive, the story and writing keep things lively enough to see Immortals Fenyx Rising through to the end.
Outcasters is fun, fast, and easy to pick up. A shot-curving mechanic pushes the gameplay in interesting directions, allowing for unexpected levels of strategy. Though the number of modes is currently limited, the modes that are included are quite fun - and there is always room for expansion. The character collection aspect of the game is surprisingly deep and addictive.