Greak: Memories of Azur has a lot going for it. I just wish that its core concept of controlling three characters at the same time worked better. Too often, instead of being helpful, your siblings just end up getting in the way. If you can look past these sections, though, you’ll find a beautiful game with some great puzzles and a lot of heart.
Dodgeball Academia is a joy to play with hard-hitting, balls-to-the-face action. The tone of the story may be a bit too hyperactive for some, a shame when we’re talking about an RPG, but there’s still enough joy and genuine laughs to be found to be worth your time.
NEO: The World Ends With You does a lot right. It provides incredible style and a solid combat system. The story is entertaining, and the characters almost feel like old friends after how much we’ve been through together. Its many systems may seem daunting at first, but they provide a lot for you to chip away at. While I wish it did a better job of respecting the player’s time and that certain elements offered a bit more variety, any fan of the original will want to beat a quick trip to Shibuya. New players will still find a lot to like, but may be better served checking out the original first, or at least watching the anime adaptation released earlier this year.
If you’re playing with others, I imagine you’ll have a great time with The Ascent. While it still isn’t anywhere near perfect, the beautiful graphics and solid gunplay should be enough for those who just want something cool to play with their friends. There’s plenty of loot to collect along the way, too, letting you each put your stamp on your character. If you have no one to play with, though, I wouldn’t recommend The Ascent. The game feels like it’s fighting against you the entire way. It never stops feeling like this game wasn’t meant for you.
I’ve already lost hours to The Ramp, and I think a lot of players will find this chill toy of a game is just what they’re looking for.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a stunning showcase for the Xbox Series X. It makes a stronger case than any other game on the system about what the next generation of gaming can bring. While a little more direction and a better interface would have been nice, my head has been stuck in the clouds ever since my first jaw-dropping flight. I can’t think of a better time for the sort of freedom it provides. If you have an Xbox Series X, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Omno will provide most players with three or four pleasant hours. Despite a few frustrating moments, I really enjoyed most of my time with it. For a short game though, which doesn’t do much new and which doesn’t quite reach the level of similar titles like Journey or Arise, that can make for an uneasy recommendation. That’s the joy of Game Pass, though. When considering what to spend your money on, a few pleasant hours may or may not be enough. For those who can play it for no extra cost however, that makes this an easy game to check out. Players on other platforms may need to think about whether this is the right title for them, but Game Pass subscribers should give Omno a chance. I think you’ll be happy you did so.
Despite a slow start, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD proves worthy of its place in the series. While a bit of trimming at the start would make a stronger game, once it got going, I never wanted it to end. If you like Zelda games and haven’t played Skyward Sword, you owe it to yourself to try this one. For veterans of the game, you’ll find a ton of quality of life changes making this the definitive version. Even if you were put off by the original release, you might find this time that you fall for this legend.
Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a lot of fun to play in the moment. While I don’t love every design choice the development team made, I completely see what so many fans love about it. This Switch port, however, is a cheap one, not doing a great job of utilizing the platform or providing the sort of content expected of a home port. If you’re desperate for more Darius on your Switch, it’s not a bad option. With two different Darius collections releasing last year, however (One for the series’ arcade history, another for its console history), and with Darius Cozmic Revelation on the way, which will include this title and a remaster of the excellent G-Darius, there may be better options for you to enjoy killing robot fish on the go.
Last Stop tells a wonderful story that is well worth your time. There’s just so little that feels like a video game in it. Most of what is here feels like it’s included because someone was afraid players had too little to do. At its best Last Stop feels more like watching a solid season of TV. That’s not inherently a bad thing. A few sequences, however, show how embracing the gaming format is able to enhance it, and definitely left me wanting more. As long as you go in with the right expectations, though, I think you’ll find a lot to like.
Observer: System Redux weaves a moving tale, both fascinating and relatable. With fantastic updated graphics, stunning audio, moving voice acting, and a memorable environment, this is a tale worth experiencing. I just wish it actually played better. The few times you actually have to do more than walk from room to room, the game falls apart. Thankfully they don’t make up a huge chunk of Observer, but they grow more common as you get deeper into the game. If you’re okay with that, though, and have time for an interesting cyberpunk story, Observer is worth your time.
No matter how you play it, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a stunning success. While it doesn’t take as much advantage of the PS5 as I’d have liked, this is still the best version of this excellent remake. I’m a huge fan of the bold new direction they’re taking this version of Final Fantasy VII in, one which has even a veteran of the original game on the edge of his seat waiting for part two. Whether you played Final Fantasy VII in 1997, 2020, anywhere in between, or even if you never played the original, you owe it to yourself to check out our favorite game of 2020.
While I wish it took longer for content to start repeating, Wildermyth proves that a procedurally generated story can still be deeply moving, with memorable characters and relationships. What’s here is already well worth your time, but if the development team keeps working to provide more content, this could become one for the ages.
Cotton Reboot! breaks out the witch’s magic and makes a thirty-year-old game feel fresh and new. While not every update lands perfectly, and some content is worthy of a warning, this is an adorable shooter that looks and plays great. Here’s hoping Cotton can return with even more magic soon.
With improved graphics and fantastic use of the DualSense, the PS5 is the best place to play A Plague Tale. This is a unique, interesting story which is well worth your time. I just with that playing it was more interesting. Long sections of the game are only saved by strong atmosphere and your connection to these characters. Linear gameplay and controls that don’t hold up well in intense moments lead to frequent frustration and a game which feels like it goes on longer than it needs to. If you know what you’re getting into, however, there’s still enough good in A Plague Tale: Innocence to be worth your time.
Despite at times significant performance issues, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox works well enough when it matters on the Switch. Players able to spend their time on Balduq on another platform will want to consider doing so, but if your only option is to play on the Switch or you really want to play on the go, Monstrum Nox is still at its core one of the best action-RPGs I’ve played in years.
Even with multiple goals to accomplish, secrets to uncover, and potential endings to see, Overboard! isn’t going to last you months. This is a relatively short game. You might run through it thirty times, but many of those will take ten to fifteen minutes. Others might take thirty minutes to an hour on the long end, but this is an appetizer, the sort of game to be savored over a long weekend rather than obsessed over for months. That’s not a slight. That weekend will be filled with fascinating twists, especially considering you know from the very start what actually happened. Overboard! is a wonderful voyage, well worth your time. Just make sure you don’t go over the rail yourself.
Curved Space tries new things in the twin-stick genre. I appreciate the attempt, but most of those new things don’t work out. Playing it is often uncomfortable, and too many of its weapons are duds. At times the fast-paced shooting can be enjoyable, but even that is too often broken up by pacing issues. I’m all for destroying spiders, but I’d rather do so without feeling sick to my stomach.
Everything about Space Jam: A New Legacy – The Game feels as cheap as its price. What’s here isn’t really bad, but it isn’t good either, and it’s over before you know it. If you’re desperate for something to play and need to kill a half-hour, you can do worse. Free is definitely a competitive enough price. Otherwise, if there’s anything in your library or on Game Pass for subscribers that you’ve been meaning to get to, you’ll do a lot better to spend your time playing that.
There’s room on the market for mindless action, especially when it can be played with friends. I’m glad a game like Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is on Game Pass because that’s the perfect way to get a group of friends playing together. I just wish that once they gathered, they had something better to play. Unfortunately, despite some parts of the game looking and sounding nice, there’s little else to recommend it. With awful AI, weightless combat, an unengaging story, and loot that feels inessential, the entire game is a slog. The biggest fans of Dungeons & Dragons may find a bit of fun with friends, but they deserve better than this.