In some ways, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 feels more like a level pack than a sequel, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. These games are still great, and most of these stages are still incredibly well designed. I can’t recommend it quite as strongly as I would the series’ last entry, but if you’ve finished Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 and you’re still craving more, then you should just right into this release.
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster still plays really well, but the gameplay feels a little bit less special than it once did, if only because so many popular games have taken its innovations and run with them. The good news, though, is that it still plays well and its atmosphere still stands out even after all these years. System Shock 2 asks more from players than most modern shooters, and a few of its systems could have used a bit more of an overhaul to work better with a controller, but if you’re willing to explore and really dig into the mystery here, you’ll find an incredibly compelling experience.
Front Mission 3 Remake at its best is held back by a weak story and characters, but the best gameplay in the original trilogy means there is absolutely fun to be had by players more focused on the strategic battles and mech customization. The core game mostly holds up after all these years. The awful aesthetic choices, though, make this the sort of remake that is hard to recommend because it’s a worse experience in many ways than the version that came out over a quarter century ago.
I don’t begrudge a game the ability to make money. I want to see games succeed. Constantly being hit up to spend more and more just isn’t a good experience, though, at least for me. It feels predatory at times and makes me simply want to stop playing it. The game underneath all of those transactions is well-made, if very derivative of Persona 5, without hitting the highs of that title. Still, if they released a version paced like a regular RPG, I expect I’d want to see it all the way through. As is though, Persona 5: The Phantom X isn’t for me. Those who know what they’re getting into with gacha titles, I suspect, will have a good time, particularly if they love Persona, but it won’t change the mind of anyone who isn’t won over by the genre.
I’m not sure these games are quite up to carrying this package. Dragon Breed is still a fun game and worth playing, while Mr. Heli is an interesting time capsule that I’m glad I checked out, but neither of these is a lost classic that modern players desperately need to play. They range from fine to pretty good, but that’s only enough to recommend Irem Collection Volume 3 to big fans of the genre.
GEX Trilogy is ultimately a good collection of the main GEX games, but it’s not a very good game because none of the games it collects are very fun. Those with nostalgia for the character will surely find some enjoyment in revisiting his adventures after all these years, but anyone who didn’t enjoy the character twenty five years ago will be better served checking out the many better platformers available on modern platforms.
Despite some issues, it’s fantastic to see HITMAN World of Assassination available on the Switch 2. This release would simply not have been possible on the original Switch and is an excellent example of what its successor can offer. These are wonderful games and while this may not be the best version of them, their flaws are easily overlooked if this is the only way you have to play these games or if you really want to play them on a portable. That said, if the plan is to play mostly on your TV, I’d consider any of the other systems you can play these games on first.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army may not be a true classic, but it is a very solid action RPG with strong combat and an interesting story. Investigative work may not be a strength, but it gets to be less of a focus as the game goes on, mostly for the better. Shin Megami Tensei fans who missed this one late in the PS2’s life cycle will have a good time exploring an underplayed part of the franchise, but those who have already experienced this story won’t find a ton new to grab their interest.
Mario Kart World makes some strange choices in leaving its open world a bit empty and the way it links tracks, but the core racing is better than ever and there’s a ton of content to keep players busy until Nintendo further expands the game. Knockout Tour is perhaps my favorite online mode a game has offered in years, even if I do wish it were easier to enjoy with friends. Ultimately, if you’re buying a Nintendo Switch 2 at the moment, you’ll want to buy this game.
While the minigames in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour are the highlight of the experience and do offer some brief fun, the rest of this package too often feels like busywork to give it a strong recommendation. It’s certainly a relatively cheap entry point, and in a vacuum, there’s enough content here to be worth the cost. If you really need to be convinced of the Switch 2’s unique features, it may even be worth your time. In an age where there are hundreds of excellent games available on the system at this same price due to backwards compatibility, however, it becomes harder to recommend picking this one up for most players.
Despite that, Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is easy to recommend to fans of the genre. It offers an excellent story that ties back to the original game while expanding Kathy’s world a great deal. There are definitely elements here which feel like they could have supported additional exploration, but what’s here is well-made and slickly presented. Just make sure you play the original game first.
The best parts of Spray Paint Simulator may be derivative, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent. Painting here still feels really good, even if some of the things around it can’t quite keep up with the game’s core mechanic. It’s ultimately held back most by its lack of content, but there is enough here to keep players busy for about ten to fifteen hours. If you really love PowerWash Simulator and need more of that to hold you over until its sequel comes out, then Spray Paint Simulator may be worth a look, especially if you can explore it on Game Pass. If you haven’t explored everything PowerWash Simulator has to offer yet, however, then Spray Paint Simulator gets a lot harder to recommend.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a somewhat strange collection. There are six legitimately great games here, and the other two are at least mildly interesting, but they don’t necessarily feel like they’re targeting the same audience and it’s easy to see how a Power Stone fan or a Capcom vs. SNK fan might look at this collection and only see two games that are really for them. The extras here, like artwork and soundtracks, are standard fare, and while they’re not unwelcome, they aren’t going to excite many fans. Despite some strange omissions, however, there’s enough quality here that anyone interested in the genre as a whole and not just one specific title will find plenty to excite them.
Bionic Bay succeeds at being about as pure a platformer as players could ask for. With plenty of challenge, but a wise decision to not make that challenge punishing, this is the sort of game that helps players get better at platformers while having a great time as well. While its atmosphere may not offer the transcendent experience that could have taken Bionic Bay to the next level, any fan of the genre should have a great time with it.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may not be perfect, but for a first game from the team at Sandfall Interactive, it’s a remarkable achievement that tells a wonderful story while offering incredibly engaging combat and worldbuilding. This is an RPG I won’t soon forget and one that lapsed fans of the genre should absolutely check out.
Old Skies isn’t a transformative work for its genre. It does an excellent job of streamlining the genre and keeping the parts that matter while making it easy to enjoy for modern players, but ultimately, what makes it work so well is its fascinating story and intriguing characters. With the notable exception of one chapter, it has a strong sense of momentum that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Fans of the genre absolutely should check out Old Skies.
The more I dug into Amerzone, the less the awkwardness of playing it on a controller bothered me, and the more I was able to focus on the moments of beauty contained within it. That awkwardness never went away, but I find myself torn because while I would have preferred to play this one on PC, I don’t regret playing it, and I think those who don’t have the option to play it with a mouse should still consider this beautiful adventure. Maybe some of those genres that were once considered a mistake on console are worth playing there, but you’re still better off checking them out on a PC if you have the option to do so.
I don’t want to be too negative, because South of Midnight plays fine. I never found myself hating its mechanics. It’s easy to keep playing once you get into a groove, and I always found the story and characters worth the time investment to reach them. There are a few excellent moments scattered across its approximately eight hours, particularly its boss fights. It all comes back to your investment, though. If you can play this game on Game Pass, it feels like an easy decision. There’s plenty here for me to recommend you do just that. If you’re dropping money specifically on this experience, though, it feels like you deserve to expect a little bit more. That some part of actually playing this game feels truly interesting instead of just fine. I very rarely got that during my time with South of Midnight. Still, with a solid enough foundation, I’d love to see the team at Compulsion Games try for a sequel that builds on its strengths and does more to provide a great overall experience.
Look Outside is a wonderfully eerie adventure with some of the most unique scenarios and sights I’ve seen in a horror game in years. While it makes a strong first impression, though, as time went on, I sometimes wondered if I’d be better off just looking outside. However, there are still enough strong moments to make it worth checking out for those who love horror games and RPGs.
Once again, I enjoyed my time with Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and would recommend fans of Don’t Nod’s other work give it a try when they get a chance, but know that some of the questions you’ll likely have throughout this story won’t be meaningfully paid off. I’m glad to say that at least the character stories are paid off well in an ending which I found moving and satisfying at times, even as I thought about my other questions, which were largely ignored. That’s what this game does best anyway, and that doesn’t change in Tape 2.