David Flynn
You can still clearly see the 3DS roots in Rune Factory 4 Special's PC port, but it's still a fantastic game worth enjoying if you haven't already played it. It does have some keyboard input issues, particularly with name entry, and some aspects were clearly not intended to be viewed at a high resolution, however it does put forward enough effort to work on PC that makes it a decent platform to play on.
Kingdom Hearts on Switch could have been excellent, but instead of actually giving at the very least 1.5 + 2.5 the love and care they deserve they've all been shoved into the cloud. On top of dealing with input lag, dips in visual quality, and the occasional stutter many of these games look and run a lot worse compared to their PS4 or even PS3 counterparts. But hey…it's portable. Kinda.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus still has some lingering flaws from the series' rough transition to 3D, but is still an incredibly fun time from start to finish. Catching and battling Pokémon hasn't been this fun in over a decade, and despite the wealth of things to do in Hisui I'm still hungry for more.
Pathologic 1 & 2 are masterpieces of games as art. They are cruel and disturbing, but ask unique questions and do things you won't see anywhere else. These are singularly unique experiences that are worth suffering through.
Pathologic 1 & 2 are masterpieces of games as art. They are cruel and disturbing, but ask unique questions and do things you won't see anywhere else. These are singularly unique experiences that are worth suffering through.
LOVE 3 is a challenging precision platformer without the frustration. With some smart level design and accessibility features as well as chill music, this is a great game for anyone looking for a bit of a challenge.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker caps off a lengthy story arc in the best way possible. The main quest has tons of unexpected twists and turns with satisfying payoff for fans both new and old. Sage and Reaper are a ton of fun to play and the new dungeons and trials will put your skills to the test. If you're not already playing, you should be.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fun way to exercise your brain regularly. The competition aspect keeps the game fun and engaging if the single player isn't up to snuff.
Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space may be the low point of the trilogy, but it's still a laugh out loud game everyone should find entertaining. The remastered visuals are gorgeous, the soundtrack is incredible, and most of the puzzles are fun to solve.
Controlling Rei in Solar Ash's beautiful world is an absolute joy, with fluid, precise, and simple controls as well as a diverse set of challenges to overcome. Unfortunately, there are more than a few moments where the normally excellent level design suddenly becomes tedious and annoying.
For better and worse, Evil Genius 2 on console is exactly the same as on PC, complete with glitches and menu navigation. It needs a bit of work to smooth out the experience, but the game itself is a ton of fun and well worth playing, however you can get your hands on it.
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is full of lackluster additions to a fantastic game. Some new areas are blocked off, quests feel like busy work, and the new items aren't all that useful. The best parts are already in a free update, so stick with that.
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters aren't perfect, they're certainly the best and most convenient ways to play these classic games. The soundtracks are lovingly orchestrated and the pixel art is gorgeous, though the latter does lose some detail in the translation. Each game feels great to play, but I do wish extra content from previous releases or remakes had been included.
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters aren't perfect, they're certainly the best and most convenient ways to play these classic games. The soundtracks are lovingly orchestrated and the pixel art is gorgeous, though the latter does lose some detail in the translation. Each game feels great to play, but I do wish extra content from previous releases or remakes had been included.
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters aren't perfect, they're certainly the best and most convenient ways to play these classic games. The soundtracks are lovingly orchestrated and the pixel art is gorgeous, though the latter does lose some detail in the translation. Each game feels great to play, but I do wish extra content from previous releases or remakes had been included.
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters aren't perfect, they're certainly the best and most convenient ways to play these classic games. The soundtracks are lovingly orchestrated and the pixel art is gorgeous, though the latter does lose some detail in the translation. Each game feels great to play, but I do wish extra content from previous releases or remakes had been included.
While the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters aren't perfect, they're certainly the best and most convenient ways to play these classic games. The soundtracks are lovingly orchestrated and the pixel art is gorgeous, though the latter does lose some detail in the translation. Each game feels great to play, but I do wish extra content from previous releases or remakes had been included.
The Grand Theft Auto series will always be seen as a cultural milestone in video gaming which led to the open world games that we cherish now, but the years have been a bit harsh on the trilogy and the complete lack of care put into what is essentially an afterthought of a remaster doesn't help matters much. The few updates made with controls, shooting, and lighting are nice, but not enough to justify the $60 price tag. The games are still worth revisiting, especially if you've never played the original releases, but only if you aren't playing on PC or the Switch as those versions seem to share the bulk of issues the game is currently experiencing. So far PS5 is the way to go for a hassle-free trip into Liberty City, just maybe wait for a price cut first.
Shin Megami Tensei V is a masterfully made JRPG and fascinating work of art. While the characters could have used more fleshing out and the leveling curve is wildly uneven, it's still incredibly fun with thrilling combat and a gripping plot.
While there is a great game somewhere in here, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: Cloud Version has many, baffling issues seemingly exclusive to this version. On top of not being comparable to other console versions, it somehow performs even worse to the point of being almost unplayable most of the time. As usual, your results may vary depending on internet connection, but this version still needs a lot of work.