A glossy and streamlined remake of a cult classic faithfully updates the experience for modern audiences but struggles to make much of an impression nearly twenty years after the original release.
Thymesia understands the core of what makes the action genre so satisfying but fails to meaningfully execute on its ideas and world.
South of the Circle beguiles with its polished presentation and top-notch performances but often forgets to make itself a compelling game in the process.
A good heart and strong sense of design can’t elevate Adventures of Chris out of its lacklustre platforming and mixed messaging on body issues.
Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel lifts liberally from the best of the horror genre but its unsatisfying core gameplay loops leave you out in the cold. A nifty camera mechanic allows for some entertaining time-bending exploration and the game has a solid grasp on 2000s grunge aesthetics, even if the story at its heart is a little old hat.
There’s a great game just beneath the surface in Ghostwire: Tokyo obscured and pained by the pretty good one layered on top. Not too dissimilar to the men that lead it, the game is flawed and prone to mistakes that drive away affection it rightfully deserves. But it’s trying and in the end, that’s all that really matters.
Push through the desire to cringe in its face and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin delights with gauche earnestness and one of the most rewarding action combat loops on the market.
Breathedge takes an interesting premise and shoves it out the airlock with an overreliance on tired jokes and half-baked survival sim mechanics. An admirable attempt to move the genre forward collapses under the weight of too much self-awareness and not enough polish.
Heavenly Bodies deploys a fantastical movement system and clever puzzle design in service of a decent enough time on your own but probably deserves to be experienced with a friend.
Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View has some worthwhile secrets to uncover but cases them in an unremarkable mystery.
A Juggler's Tale is an uneven medley of indie platforming tropes and philosophical chin-scratching but a beautiful art direction make it almost worth it.
Death’s Door is a game that prepares you for the end, relishing in the journey all the same.
For all it’s charm and mechanical depth, Wings of Ruin only just manages to fly.
Biomutant is a statement of intent, a deliberate step away from the excess of old and toward a genuinely exciting reinvigoration of the genre.
Rebirth‘s romanticised version of the genre is perhaps best forgotten
Mortal Shell‘s origins may be steeped in an echo but the final product has more than enough soul.
Ary and the Secret of Seasons might don the aesthetics of grand adventure games but it only ever glimpses the horizon it’s so clearly chasing.
The (dry) bones of Super Mario 3D All-Stars are impeccable - three of the best games ever made, spruced up for one of the best consoles ever made.
Stellar writing and performances are paired with refined mechanics and an overall vibe that makes the whole thing seem effortless.
It’s just all so captivating and lovely, rising above small annoyances or shortcomings to prove why it has been held up as a classic for so long.