In the end, Death's Door is a charming, witty indie game. Its combat is solid, exploration is a blast, and it has just the right length. Though the lack of a map and difficulty options, in addition to a somewhat unstable frame rate, hold the title back a bit, its mix of Dark Souls and Zelda elements is a great fit. It is definitely an adventure worth checking out.
Regardless of the few issues, though, Dusk is a pleasure to experience. It's optimized wonderfully for Switch, the sound design is exceptional, weapons and power-ups are unique and a joy to use, and there is a lot of variety between levels. In addition, the game has an Endless mode, complete with a stage inspired by Peach's Castle from Super Mario 64. And if you preordered the title, you get access to Dusk '82, an 8-bit demake prequel that's actually pretty neat. All in all, Dusk stands together with Doom and Quake as a formidable FPS.
Unsighted is a great adventure. At first, it may lack a distinct identity due to its many influences, and its stamina system and time limit can cause frustration and anxiety. However, players that stick with it or adjust some of its more grating aspects will find a lot to love. Give it a whirl if you are into Metroidvanias with an emphasis on planning and strategy.
Don't get me wrong - I had a fun time with BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites. The rebalanced difficulty is great, and there's even an option for sadists that enjoy the original. Combat has some strategy I appreciated, especially with figuring out when and where to detonate infected enemies for maximum effect. (I still received many C grades for my time and life scores at the end of levels, though.) It's just that I wish some of the platforming were better and the characters were given more personality. Hopefully, this re-release will garner interest in BloodRayne, and a fleshed-out sequel will head our way one day.
After all is said and done, Unbound: Worlds Apart is a special little game. Sure, it wears its Ori influence pretty tightly on its sleeve, it has a bit of an unstable frame rate, and there are some difficulty spikes in the latter half. But the wildly different portals you get to summon and the puzzles that are intertwined with them are unlike anything I've seen before. They are quite creative and always made me hungry for the next area and its new gimmick. Give it a whirl if you enjoy variety, puzzles, and Metroidvanias.
All in all, Mr. X Nightmare is a great add-on for Streets of Rage 4. For less than $10, gamers get new characters and an infinitely replayable Survival Mode. The free update just adds a cherry on top. Grab it when you can, and enjoy playing while dreaming of a possible Streets of Rage 5.
But these are minor inconveniences. Boomerang X is a short but sweet indie gem. Its frantic nature has you holding your breath as a deadly laser misses you by inches while you throw your boomerang at an arena's last combatant. Expect to have a lot of moments like that if you decide to purchase Devolver's latest unique title.
When remaking something that is hard on an old console, developers should try to fix any unfair elements while keeping the spirit of the original alive. If you don't bother to touch those things up, you'll end up with mediocrity, time and again. Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is just that. While the title looks stunning, has nostalgic collectibles to gather, and includes a Classic Mode and Boss Rush Mode as extras, all that extra fluff means nothing if the game itself is fundamentally broken. Ah, what could have been.
In the end, Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a mediocre game. Uninspired level design, frustrating movement controls, and permanently missable power-ups all contribute to a lackluster experience. When I think the best part of the title is the cute butt dance Asha does when she opens a chest, you know things are bad. Just play Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap or Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom instead.
There is something here that can turn into a great series. If a sequel gets made for Kaze and the Wild Masks that leans more into its own ideas and tightens up its platforming, there isn't a doubt in my mind it can eventually become one of the greats.
At the end of the day, Olija is a voyage that is quite a blast, even though it ends quickly.
Still, Desperate Struggle is a great action game. It has some fantastic one-liners, the end boss is a sight to behold, and there are a lot of cool moments peppered throughout. If you fully analyze the good and bad, it's no better or worse than No More Heroes. Play them both back to back while awaiting No More Heroes III.
These drawbacks aside, I can heartily recommend Horace to action-adventure lovers. You'll chuckle and shed a tear throughout your playtime while learning the techniques necessary to conquer the gravity manipulation-heavy platform sections. If you're an old soul like me, you'll also appreciate the many references to old-school gaming. Give this genre-defying title a chance if you want to experience something old and new at the same time.
Regardless, No More Heroes is still a blast to play. There's something so satisfying about swinging your hands to slice someone in two. It has blemishes, for sure, but its main gameplay and sense of style win out in the end. The Switch release is the definitive version, bar none, so check it out if you like quirky adventures.
Regardless of these minor quibbles, Spiritfarer is a journey I wholeheartedly recommend taking, even if management sims are not your thing. The main lessons of accepting loss and the importance of leaving something behind are important to learn. The heavy topics your colleagues discuss with you are also necessary to navigate and leave a lasting gut punch. The title is also wonderfully animated and the music is superb, with its main theme receiving a number of variations throughout the experience that well up deep feelings inside of you. Give it a go if you are ready to ugly cry and smile at the same time!
Regardless of the few gripes I have with Carrion, the title is such an original idea that it's very easy to recommend.
Granted, you could memorize levels through a lot of trial and error and become an Ultracore master. But for me at least, it's not worth the time and effort.
All in all, though, Project Warlock is a reminder of the retro FPS with just a smidge of RPG elements thrown in. The title has a wonderful aesthetic, fantastic music, and enjoyable gameplay. While there are a number of little things that annoy me, it's unique enough to get a recommendation. Buy it if you grew up loving Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, or especially Hexen.
Regardless, The TakeOver is a wonderful time. It's not overly long and its unique mechanics help it stand out against other brawlers on Switch like River City Girls and Streets of Rage 4. If you're looking for a great homage to the '90s that incorporates modern enhancements, this game will meet your expectations and then some.
Regardless, Arcade Spirits is a unique visual novel. It has a lot of humor as well as dourness, which will have gamers guessing their fate while simultaneously shaping it themselves. As you go from floor assistant to something much more, you'll find true love along the way. The dream of working a job you adore while finding your soulmate: a hardship in real life, but achievable in a few short hours with Arcade Spirits.