A.J. Maciejewski
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a decent 3D platformer that does a great job of capturing the magic of what makes the cartoon as appealing as it is. If you don't mind its lack of challenge, I'd say give it a go but just keep any pins away from Patrick, ok?
Heirs of the Kings has a surprisingly engaging story and a slick retro presentation that may just be enough to hold your attention throughout. However, with super-easy difficulty and a lack of strategic elements, it can also verge on unsatisfying at times.
We Were Here Forever is a phenomenal experience that you and an online friend will thoroughly enjoy, especially if you're into escape rooms. Its puzzles are elaborate, challenging, and, most of all, superbly rewarding even when they're a bit frustrating.
DRAINUS is a top-notch shoot 'em up thanks to its clever combo of bullet-absorbing fun and satisfying upgrade deployment. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys some good old-fashioned arcade shooting action with a couple of modern twists.
Cuddly Forest Friends is a great game for youngsters as well as grown-ups with a soft spot for adorable and relaxing entertainment. Throw in a bunch of silly and well-done mini-games and you're left with a winning formula for a rather specific audience.
Wings of Bluestar is a middling yet solid shoot 'em up that may not stand out in the genre but it's fun for the short while that it lasts.
Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is a superb compilation of one of the best action platformer series from the good old days. It's a bit weird that an inferior version of it released last year but whatevs; this is a great collection regardless.
I may have jumped on the Divine Knockout (DKO) train a bit late but holy hot darn, am I having fun with it! From a varied cast of different-playing gods to a spectacular cartoonish game world and phenomenally fun gameplay; you'll have a great time with DKO.
Although the shift to a more action-oriented combat system initially made me hesitant, I ended up loving every second of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters once it all clicked. Plus, the meta-humour and lovely cast of characters are more delightful than ever.
I absolutely loved my time with NeverAwake so if you enjoy twin-stick shooters and are looking for a new challenge then I highly recommend it. Plus, the fact that it's as visually stunning and pleasing to the ears as it is makes it even more worthwhile.
I'm very happy with what Graze Counter GM has to offer from its super-fun core gameplay to its intuitive mechanics and charming presentation to its satisfying supplementary content. It really is a special shoot 'em up that I'm sure you'll love. ❤️
If you're new to the mainline Fire Emblem games albeit an enthusiast of SRPGs in general like I am then Engage will surely wow you with its tight old-school gameplay, incredible presentation, and fantastic cast of characters. Heck, it might even turn you into a dedicated fan.
At the end of the day, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a solid retro-inspired action game that does a good job of offering a satisfying albeit brief campaign. You could definitely do a lot worse but there is substantial room for improvement, that's for sure.
If you enjoy twin-stick shooting and roguelikes then you'll certainly dig Lone Ruin. It may not be the most expansive example of the genre but what's here is still fun so if you decide to give it a go, let me know and I'll see you on the leaderboards! 😄
Even though I usually enjoy any SaGa game that I play, Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered left me more annoyed than fulfilled. With that in mind, it does have redeeming qualities thanks to its great cast of characters and nifty party growth mechanics.
CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- REUNION is one of the best remasters out there thanks to its complete presentational overhaul and when you have such a great base game to work with, you're left with an action RPG that even rivals modern examples of the genre.
Alphadia Neo is a decent retro-inspired RPG with its main issue being just how profoundly unchallenging it is. With that being said, its many systems actually have a lot of promise so I hope that they're used in a future game with a bit more meat on its bones.
Chained Echoes isn't a perfect old-school RPG but it sure as heck is top-tier. I imagine that if it released on PS1 back in the mid-'90s, it would have either been a huge hit or gradually garnered a massive cult following and how many games can you say that about?
I'm very happy with how cute and accessible SMURFS KART is because it allows anyone to enjoy racing in adorable little karts as their favourite miniature blue chum. It may be a bit short on content but it's certainly not short on fun.
If you enjoy old-school arcade games as much as I do then you owe it to yourself to play the wonderful Donut Dodo. With accessible gameplay and challenging scoring mechanics as well as a genuine retro aesthetic and great music; there's a lot to munch on here.