A.J. Maciejewski
Blaster Master Zero 3 is a rewarding and memorable conclusion to an epic trilogy of incredible games.
Ayo the Clown is exactly what a 2D platformer should be; silly, fun, challenging, varied, and intuitive. So, if you enjoy the genre then adding this indie gem to your collection is a must. Plus, it's sure to make you smile and that's always a good thing.
Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a fantastic shoot 'em up with one of the most satisfying mechanics in the genre; F-Burst. On the other hand, I can't help but wish it received the same treatment as the far-superior Chronicle Saviours.
As a game reviewer, I assumed I was bad at games so how on earth did I find Death's Door to be an unchallenging and somewhat unsatisfying experience? Whatever the reason, it's still a good game and I enjoyed mercilessly slaughtering its unique bosses.
Batbarian has you play as a barbarian who's friends with a bat and that's pretty cool. Not only that; its gameplay strikes a perfect balance between combat and puzzles to make a supremely rewarding formula and it's quite funny to boot.
Although loads of shoot 'em ups have incorporated a similar grazing gameplay gimmick before, Risk System manages to still forge its own identity in the genre with its easy to pick-up-and-play controls, rewarding boss fights, and stylish graphics.
Is it out of time for games like Out of Line or did it run out of shine which made me go out of mind? Either way, now that I'm out of whine, I'll slap a 5.6 on this review and look forward to what the devs come up with down the line.
If you're ever in doubt that video games are a true form of art, play Crash Drive 3. Its thought-provoking missions that are set in a variety of whimsical environments really spoke to me in a deep, personal, and meaningful way. Oh, and the cars go vroom-vroom!
If your idea of fun is flicking your boogers on the wall to see which ones stick, you probably won't enjoy Curved Space. However, those who simply want some old-school action in a roguelike setup will surely appreciate what it has to offer.
Cotton Reboot provides an incredible experience for shmup fans with its expertly-crafted arrange mode that modernizes the classic to new heights. In fact, it does such a good job with this that it could be used as a template for any shoot 'em up remake.
For a game based on maintaining your momentum, it's disappointing that Cyber Hook wears thin after playing it for only a short while. That being said, some gamers who enjoy re-playing levels repeatedly to outdo their previous efforts might enjoy it.
Induction is perhaps the most satisfying puzzle game that I've played all year but that level of satisfaction can only be achieved after lengthy periods of carefully fine-tuning your solutions. This won't appeal to everyone but I like it and that's all that matters, right?
For a laidback casual gaming experience, few games offer as much delightful sights and silly shenanigans as Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective so if you want a simple game to chill with after a long day, I recommend giving it a go.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an absolutely incredible game so if you haven't played it yet, this HD iteration makes for a great excuse to finally give it a go. Those who still own it on Wii might want to hold out, though, because it's surely not a huge step up.
The core gameplay of Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing is promising enough that I'd love to see a sequel. As it is, it's a bit too thin on content and could definitely use more gameplay elements to help it compete with similar racers.
Within the Blade will definitely make you feel like a ninja and by that, I mean you'll have to tirelessly train in order to become a master of your craft. Once you do, the reward of stealthily slaying hordes of guards is a nice payoff but it's a steep climb to get there.
Playing a shoot 'em up in VR made me realise how much potential classic arcade formulas have for the platform. 1976 - Back to midway may not feature the most robust gameplay but it's still a heck of a lot of fun so give it a go if you dig shmups and have PlayStation VR.
I wasn't expecting to have as much fun with The Sisters - Party of the Year as I did. Its varied collection of mini-games is impressively enjoyable and when you consider that there's a whole single-player component, you're looking at one jam-packed party game.
The original Raiden is a solid shoot 'em up that's still a lot of fun but playing through it made me thankful that its sequels ironed out its more frustrating aspects. In fact, I hope to see Raiden II and Raiden Fighters release for Arcade Archives down the road.
If Space Jam: A New Legacy - The Game was given a lot more time in the oven, it could have been a pretty good beat 'em up. As it is, it feels like an alpha demo that still has a long way to go before it's ready for the general gaming public.