More than anything, Fear the Spotlight asserts a strong future for Cozy Game Pals, a studio that could accomplish a lot if it keeps iterating. It's also a nice foray into gaming for Blumhouse, and the willingness to invest in something of its nature proves that the company could have value in this space. While Fear the Spotlight isn't a definitive horror title, it's a largely charming experience that's better now than it was before.
Although Concord is solid and polished on a basic level, it's faced with an uphill battle that it already seems to be losing. A shotgun blast approach that attempts to hit the basic notes of every hero shooter prerogative makes it harder for it to do one thing in a truly fresh way, and the casual modes would be more exciting with bigger abilities and maps with more interesting pressure points. The game's systems click in Rivalry and get the job done across the other game modes, but Concord lacks the spark necessary to light much of a flame.
Kunitsu-Gami isn't going to be for everyone, and even for those who do find it alluring, its gameplay loop might eventually start to wear thin. But it's hard not to love something this creative, especially when its seemingly disparate gameplay elements are so deftly unified with a consistent and compelling style. There might be hundreds of fluid action games with more sophisticated combos and hundreds of strategy titles with deeper mechanics, but there's only one Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, and that makes it worth a lot more than many of those games will ever be.
Simple but great gimmicks can be hard to stretch into a complete game, and SCHiM definitely struggles a bit to cross the finish line. It does cross it, though, and the inconsistent results are nonetheless charming and occasionally inspired. SCHiM is a diamond in the rough that really deserves a polish, but even without it, the sparkle can still peek through.
Rumble Club feels like a natural evolution of streamer-oriented games, with quick matches, inoffensive styling, and no real skill requirement. Everything that makes it go down easy has the side effect of making it uninteresting, sadly, and its lack of distinct appeal is compounded by a number of sticking points that become apparent all too quickly. There's no reason that Rumble Club won't work within its intended context, but for anyone seeking it out with the expectation of a memorable experience, there are far better places to look.
To return to the start, there's still a lot to say about what this game is. It's equal parts literary and mathy. It's elusive but self-aware. It's romantic, in fits. It's something best played with pen and paper, even if it doesn't seem necessary for a while. It's a story told as fantasy, history, parable, and performance. It's Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. And it could very well be the best game that comes out this year.
Crow Country might not be a new genre-defining title, as its aspirations in both scares and scale are reasonably modest. It is, however, an excellent journey into a deftly rendered setting, and it's hard to find significant fault with its intimate understanding of what makes this sort of thing tick. Crow Country is an assured love letter to the original crop of classic survival horror titles, but what really matters is that it's a delightful new entry in its own right.
The list of problems with Arashi: Castles of Sin is long, but beneath them all there's a solid experience that can be genuinely fun to play. In a market with a surplus of better options, however, it's hard to say that Arashi's limitations are worth dealing with. Arashi: Castles of Sin - Final Cut is a frustrating package of a potentially good game, and by the time things come together in a way that's exciting enough to make its sins forgivable, the credits are already rolling.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a staggering sensory experience, and the consistent beauty of its world goes hand-in-hand with an engaging story and meaningful progress for Ubisoft's approach to open-world game design. Its weakest points are the areas where it doesn't go back to the drawing board, although repetitive elements go down more easily as part of a package that stuns in so many ways. A flight to an alien moon might never be in the cards for most of Earth's inhabitants, but Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is, and it might just be the next best thing.
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR juggles a lot as a standard-bearer for AAA VR games, and the balancing act means that it's unlikely to be exactly what any given person wants it to be. As a loyal and reasonably robust translation of a popular series, however, it smoothly avoids any critical fumble. It's easy to recommend the game for Assassin's Creed fans, and it lays a solid foundation that makes a sequel seem like a tantalizing prospect. Reworked combat could go a long way in making Assassin's Creed Nexus VR better, but the joys of stealth and daredevil exploration are enough to grant the weak points some forgiveness.
The Invincible is hard to recommend on the basis of its gameplay alone, as its walking sim core doesn't always feel like the best use of its potential. Its best features can be found elsewhere, however, with a competent take on a great story and a truly staggering success in the looks department keeping the engine running across a modest runtime. Branching possibilities may not be enough to incentivize a second bout of slow exploration, but as a one-time dip into a mysterious tale of beauty and danger, The Invincible might just do the trick.
The Lamplighters League has enough meat on its bones to make it a comfortable crowd-pleaser for tactics fans, and the careful integration of its many systems couples with a smooth learning curve to make it accessible to genre newcomers. The game taps into some of the best elements of customization and management while neatly avoiding crunchiness, and the only thing that's likely to become overwhelming is the occasional drawn-out battle. Simple to pick up and satisfying to master, The Lamplighters League is a polished tactical adventure that carves out a niche with swashbuckling swagger.
Hercule Poirot's newest outing features some charms, but it struggles to maintain a consistent standard of quality across all aspects of the game.
Full Void is worth playing for its best moments alone, and the artistic vision that underlies its crumbling world provides a consistently engaging visual feast. Nonetheless, it's hard not to wish that the gameplay more frequently rose above its comparatively mundane tendencies, especially considering a slight runtime that shouldn't necessitate much filler. Players looking for an exciting challenge or brain-teasers to rival the best adventure games might not be completely satisfied, but those compelled by the look of the game will no doubt find plenty to love in its beautiful artwork and atmospheric design of Full Void.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a mostly excellent update to a classic RPG and a great game for series fans who want some quick and easy alchemy. A polished approach to modernization brings a host of improvements, with a mistuned rate of progression presenting the only notable downside. Although Atelier Marie Remake may not scratch the roleplaying itch for hardcore gamers or provide the expansive experience of the Atelier Ryza games, its unique charms help it rise to the standard of quality that the franchise is known for delivering.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is an undeniably interesting experience limited in minor regards by the challenge of following up on its predecessor. Subtly evolved walk-and-talk gameplay and eminently human characters largely make up for the more familiar moments in the central mystery, drawing players through the story with minimal friction. Fans of the first title or of story-focused games in general can find plenty to chew on here, and the artwork alone could make the experience engaging even with a less interesting narrative. Oxenfree II may not always be operating at its highest potential, but when it is, there's still nothing quite like it.
Park Beyond feels like a throwback to the tycoon games that crowded shelves twenty years ago, intent on recapturing the more manic elements of a genre that sobered up over time. Players interested principally in simulating the management of an actual business might find that Park Beyond's quirks could drag it behind competitors. For gamers looking to scratch the imaginative itch, however, the game rises to the mantle admirably, encouraging the devious designs and flights of fancy that other games might reject. A little more polish could make Park Beyond great, but even with some rough edges, its charm is largely irresistible.
For players willing to overlook these issues (along with a strange amount of shoddy textures), the pleasures of Tin Hearts are readily apparent. The soldiers themselves are charmingly designed, and the mechanical satisfaction of marching them toward a solution is appropriately gratifying. Care is also visible in the narrative, which features a number of predictable beats but proves surprisingly willing to deal with heavier emotions and thorny resolutions. Tin Hearts is a game that begs to be loved, but with a bit too much inconsistency across its respectable runtime, it might be best for it to settle on being liked.
Afterimage is a game that requires some level of patience, taking a bit of time to embrace its potential and relying later on players' willingness to backtrack and sniff out secrets. For those willing to invest, the high points provide ample rewards in fluid, engaging combat and a gorgeous world. Afterimage may not do anything particularly new, but it does many things quite well. If players are looking to play a new Metroidvania while waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong, Afterimage captures some of the best elements that the genre has to offer.
For a weaker game, dealing with even minor issues might be a deal-breaker, but The Pale Beyond offers more than enough to overcome these quirks. The difficulty is well-honed, forcing players to stay on their toes without verging on frustrating, and the unanswered questions that arise in the story remain engaging until the final revelations. Although the interpersonal component isn't dialed up to draw out tears, solid character writing makes tough choices and failures fall heavy. The Pale Beyond's expedition might encounter a few rough seas, but players willing to brave them can find a journey that is abundantly worthwhile.