Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is a gimmick game without the gimmick.
Fans of golf RPGs? We’ve had a tough time of it lately. Recent Mario Golf entries have failed to deliver the depth of the Game Boy gems. The sequel to indie hit Golf Story, Sports Story? It’s on the way, we hear, but not as quickly as fans would want. So if you like this particular combination, you may be seeking out a stopgap.
Can a game show significant improvement over its predecessors while further entrenching itself along the wrong path? Origami King certainly tries, making a game that’s a blast to read and gorgeous in screenshots but just not that fun to play.
If you engage with the modes 2K seems to want to push most, you’ll have to deal with baggage that weighs down the experience.
It's hard to evaluate Gaiden as a standalone game. And that's because it isn't? Sega took what could have been a flashback chapter in Infinite Wealth and tacked on some extras.
Is it fair to compare indie project Melatonin to the big-studio polish of Rhythm Heaven? Perhaps not. It doesn't quite reach those heights, but what it manages is well-executed.
Pokemon Violet and Pokemon Scarlet certainly don't put their best feet forward. They run rough. Visual downgrades are clear. But ultimately, once you settle in, they're certainly full Pokemon games.
Increased enthusiasm for tactical role-playing games in recent years is leading to a wealth of fun indie experiences in the genre. Dancing Dragon Games, a small JRPG developer, partnered with Dark Deity publisher Freedom Games for its own entry, Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga. It isn’t just an homage, though, offering overlaid tactical systems that make it feel mechanically distinct. The scrappy release isn’t much of a looker (though there’s some nice sprite work!), but the gameplay is what matters, and there’s a lot of thought to it.
Chocobo GP fares better than most Mario Kart competitors, delivering a rough-around-the-edges experience that’s still fundamentally fun most of the time.
Without fondness for the original games, you might find Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond less than compelling. With it, though? You’ll be fine as long as your expectations are in check. They’re faithful remakes!
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, the new game from NieR creator Yoko Taro, is a peculiar little game. It knows what it wants to be! And its aesthetics definitely come first. But if you’re at home in its slower pace and tavern feel, you’ll have a good time.
WarioWare: Get It Together!, the latest Nintendo release, is the return of a beloved franchise. It’s got a lot of personality! It has some new ideas! But it’s polarizing and a little thin.
Pac-Man 99, the new Nintendo Switch Online exclusive, seeks to follow in the footsteps of the battle royale retro games that preceded it. And that’s not unreasonable! A game like this needs classic, addictive action at its core, and Pac-Man is certainly that.
If there’s one thing Harmonix always gets right, it’s the vibe. Whether it’s Rock Band or Dance Central, Super Beat Sports or DropMix, the studio’s games feel distinct and cool from the jump. Fuser, Harmonix’s latest work, is no exception.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a magical, transformative experience under ideal conditions that works way better than you’d think. When you stray from those conditions even a little, though, it deteriorates rapidly.
So why would you play Kirby Fighters 2 over Super Smash Bros.? It’s small and focused. It’s clearly on the same page with an all-fun play session. Gooey is in it. HAL and Vanpool clearly hope at least one of those will resonate with you. And if all else fails, they hope you like the smoochin’.
Unicorn Overlord combines the timeless tactical RPG genre with overworld exploration and an innovative battle system for a unique epic fantasy experience in the iconic Vanillaware style. Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes. Unicorn Overlord is, as a whole, a loving and well-crafted return to the Ogre Battle formula. If the character designs aren’t a dealbreaker for you, and we’d understand if they are — seriously, can they at least figure out how shirt fabric works? — there’s a lot of interesting tactical decisions to make.
As a genre-expanding release rather than its predecessor's sole standard-bearer, Wargroove 2 hits a bit differently.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is simultaneously a triumph in preserving the timeless strategy gameplay of the past and a huge missed opportunity to give it a rejuvenated platform that could attract new players.
At its best when its focus is divided, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fun Bakumatsu sandbox. It doesn't have the engrossing standout minigame like the cabaret or business management challenges of previous titles, and its time period means it also doesn't pack a fun arcade. But its jack-of-all-trades approach still resonates.