A.J. Maciejewski
Shovel Knight Dig may not be as fine-tuned as the original but it's still a ton of fun to dig deeper and deeper in its roguelike campaign. I definitely recommend it but try not to be disappointed if the fun is over within only a few hours like it was for me.
I enjoyed my time with Steelrising much more than I thought I would. Usually, soulslikes don't come anywhere near FromSoftware's games but this is impressively close with the exception of its copious amounts of weird bugs and inconsistencies.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is a superb entry in the long-running franchise that made me pumped for Trails to Azure as well as Trails into Reverie and the inevitable release of the Kuro no Kiseki series. There sure are a lot of these games but I still can't get enough.
Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden is the best entry in the series so far with its satisfying monster card collecting progression system. With that in mind, it doesn't really do much else to break out of the mould that its predecessors were forged in.
Game Type DX may be a silly take on the awful ad-heavy Xbox 360 dashboard but it's also a solid shoot 'em up that makes achieving high scores a ton of fun. A contemporary sequel would provide more bite, though, so I hope that one is on its way.
Mixolumia is a top-notch puzzler that will keep you trying to outdo your previous best. It may not be as fully-featured as some other puzzle games but you'll still find it difficult to put this sucker down once you get going.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is jam-packed with nostalgia, extras, and most importantly, a baker's dozen of classic games. If you're a fan of beat 'em ups then order some Pizza Hut, invite the neighbourhood kids over, and have a blast.
I thoroughly enjoyed Little Orpheus' premise and imaginative game world so it's unfortunate that its gameplay is as basic and unchallenging as it is. Plus, having collectibles spawn only after you complete stages makes for some super-tedious replay value.
I enjoyed my time with Fairy Elements so much that if someone told me that they're looking for an old-school RPG, it would be an easy recommendation. With tons of content and a challenging strategic battle system, there's a lot to love.
Thymesia is one of those games that you should take its reviews with a grain of salt because it's an obviously clunky game yet its combat can be super-satisfying for the very specific kinds of gamers that it's targeting. Everyone else will probably find it too irritating to play.
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 contains 2 easygoing adventures; each with an undeniable feminine touch. Even though they both lack challenge, playing these delightful SRPGs still makes for a great change of pace from the current gaming landscape.
Splatoon 3 is a fitting sequel to an awesome series that'll have you happily spray your ink all over the place. It may not do anything particularly revolutionary but does it really have to? No... but it would be cool if it did, right?
Onsen Master is a frantic co-op multiplayer hot springs management game that can be a lot of fun despite its clunky and bug-ridden gameplay. In other words, just like a public hot tub, it can be enjoyable but it really starts to stink after a while.
As a big fan of the original back in the day, I admit that perhaps Pac-Man World hasn't held up as well as I thought it would. With that being said, Pac-Man World Re-Pac is definitely a cute and colourful game that's full of fun gameplay and rewarding collectibles.
Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince is a superb sequel to an indie darling that begged for a follow-up. Needless to say, I'm glad that Lily and Chrys' grandpa still has plenty of imaginative tales to tell. 👴
I mostly enjoyed my time with Cursed to Golf but just like Arnold Palmer, I'll be happy to retire with a nice cool glass of lemonade and iced tea because it can be quite a frustrating game that starts to overstay its welcome sooner rather than later. 🍹
Playing The Last of Us Part I made me acquire a newfound appreciation for its sequel because even though it's a great game with incredible characters, it actually feels overwhelmingly dated compared to Part II. You have to love those graphics, though; holy heck!
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? is a middle-of-the-road trivia game that's so full of padding that it becomes boring fast. I can only recommend it to kids but even then, I doubt that many youngsters will have the patience to sit through a whole game.
Yars: Recharged is by far the best Atari Recharged game so far and one of the most enjoyable twin-stick shooters that I've ever played. With its impressively strategic elements and brutally difficult challenges, I can't stop wanting to play it so I think I'll go do that now.
After Wave: Downfall is an arcade-style game that lacks refinement yet it's still undeniably compelling thanks to its frantic gameplay and enjoyable co-op implementation. Plus, the fact that you can unlock all sorts of upgrades and extra content is a nice bonus.