There are a ton of games in the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, but because the six titles have so little to differentiate them from each other, it’s hard to see anyone but the most hardcore of fans wanting to run through the entire series. I enjoyed revisiting these games from my youth but came away ready to leave them in the past. For those who just want to dip their toes in, Capcom has provided the option to purchase only the first or second half of the series separately instead of buying the entire larger collection. While it’s not quite as good of a deal on a per-game basis, for those who just want a quick nostalgia hit, that may be the way to go.
EA Sports PGA Tour lays the foundation for what could be a really strong golf game, with a lot of content, deep mechanics, and excellent presentation. Its UI issues, though, are a significant problem that shouldn’t have made it into the final release, and its swing mechanics, while easy to pick up, never feel particularly comfortable. In future years there’s definitely potential to win the tour, but for the moment, I still think the competition offers a more compelling experience.
Despite gorgeous visuals, a strong soundtrack, and solid combat, Helvetii stumbles on basic game design. With this little variety within each area, the choice to make it a roguelite was a mistake and quickly left me wanting to move on to a different title. There’s certainly fun to be had here, but whether you’re looking for a great roguelite or action game, better options exist to meet your needs.
Despite not feeling good about the way this collection has released, and the collection itself feeling like a cash-in more than a celebration of Wonder Boy, there are some excellent games present in Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection. While the two best games in the package have excellent modern remakes, playing the rest of these games is worthwhile, as is seeing the original versions of these classics. This isn’t a release for every player, certainly, but if you’ve yet to check out the series, Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection offers a thorough introduction.
Perhaps it’s time I stopped rewarding 2K every year for simply putting out another game. While I still have fun with the same modes I’ve been playing for twenty years, I don’t need a new version of this game to do so, and neither do you. The core gameplay is still very good, albeit stuck several years in the past, but everything around it is awful. The modes I still enjoy feel like they’re buried further in the menus every year. It feels like the only way to enjoy NBA 2K23 in a nonexploitive way is to avoid all the parts of it that its creators want you to play. I don’t see this strange dynamic ending soon, so players will continue to have to decide if being the only basketball game around is enough reason to pick it up each year.
River City Girls 2 does a lot right. With fantastic presentation, an incredibly exciting soundtrack, and tons of creativity and variety, all of the elements are here for a classic beat ‘em up. Poor performance, though, really brings the experience down, being an almost constant thorn in your side. It’s by no means unplayable, and I still had a fair amount of fun along the way, but this feels like a game that wasn’t ready to release yet. Hopefully, after a few patches, we’ll be talking about it being the great game it could be, but for now, know what you’re getting yourself into.
While playing EDENGATE: The Edge of Life has plenty of issues, I still enjoyed my couple of hours with it. Mia is an interesting protagonist, the atmosphere is strong, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. This is a case where a game being short plays to its advantage. Considering the game’s low price, I’d recommend anyone interested in it give it a try.
A lot of Sonic Frontiers is still a mess, actually, and Sonic himself still doesn’t feel great. Those two things alone will keep a lot of players away, and I can’t blame them. Still, there’s something about Frontiers that no recent Sonic game can match. It’s ambitious, and its core gameplay loop actually works. It’s downright engaging. I spent a lot of my time with Sonic Frontiers having a ton of fun, even if there were just as many moments where I was frustrated and ready to be done with it. This isn’t a great game, but it’s one that should satisfy Sonic fans desperate for an interesting game starring their favorite blue blur, and for the first time in a long time, it feels like the series may have a sense of direction. There’s still work to be done to make it more than that, but this is a big step in the right direction.
Despite its issues, Somerville manages to offer a mostly enjoyable experience. The family bond forged in an opening scene, which is easily the highlight of Somerville, simply works and drove me through the game. I wanted to figure out what happened to my character’s family and see them together again, and that kept me going through a relatively short game. The strong atmosphere, which kept things visually interesting, and a soundtrack worthy of praise don’t hurt either. Unfortunately, with actual storytelling that doesn’t really work, busy areas which are hard to navigate, gameplay that doesn’t stand apart, and glitches that further weaken the experience, Somerville is hard to fully recommend. While fans of Playdead titles who can check it out on Game Pass or for a good price may find it worth the rather small-time commitment, other players should perhaps consider checking into the many similar games which simply execute this formula better.
There are some truly fun moments in Gotham Knights. Playing with a friend highlights the very best of what the developers set out to do, and I enjoyed both the story and getting to see Gotham’s protectors outside of Batman grab the spotlight. If the developers had built Gotham Knights around its strengths, it could have been an easy recommendation. As is, you spend so much time in its bland open world that only those who plan to explore it with friends should seriously consider it.
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms offers solid brawler gameplay and an open world that you can get around conveniently. Combat feels impactful, and the story even has its moments. Unnecessary complexity, slippery platforming, and a tone that never quite hits make this a game primarily for the series’ faithful and big-time brawler fans who have played most of the genre’s more successful recent releases.
Most of Rune Factory 5 is fine. There are minor issues with everything from the story to the graphics to the gameplay, but only a few of these issues will negatively impact the experience in a meaningful way. The bigger problem is simply that so little about Rune Factory 5 stands out. So many of the minor issues present here could have been overlooked if the core experience was exceptional and really moved the series forward, but instead, the development team spent nine years making a new Rune Factory, only to put out a game that feels like a minor step forward at best and in some ways feels like a step back. If you’re a massive fan of the series and need more of it, you’ll have a fun enough time with Rune Factory 5, but everyone else should proceed with caution.
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia offers an intriguing point of entry with a story told from many different perspectives, a ton of gameplay over its many campaigns, and a ton of options to strategize and plan out your upcoming attacks. I may wish the attacks themselves were more exciting or that the story had more payoff but those who are fans of both traditional strategy RPGs and more PC style strategy titles will still find this interesting hybrid worth a look.
Big Bang Pro Wrestling looks great, and parts of it hold up really well, even 22 years after its initial release. Its gameplay is a somewhat odd mix of simple mechanics, which require a bit too precise of timing and positioning, but get some friends together who loved wrestling in the era it was originally made, and I’m confident you’ll have some fun.
The Life is Strange Remastered Collection offers you an excellent game and another, which is a lot of fun if you’re invested in its characters. They’re well worth playing. The question is more about whether this collection is the way you want to do so. Despite the improved visuals and animations not quite making this the definitive version in every way, things are solid enough that if given any way to do so, I’d probably choose these versions. Despite that, this is a great example of titles that simply didn’t need to be remastered. For fans of the series, it offers nothing that makes them worth revisiting, or even upgrading from the versions that are already out there. If you have another way to check out Max and Chloe’s stories, just play those instead.
Nothing comes easy in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX. These are fairly poor ports of two pretty good games, with the best part of them stripped out. I still had fun revisiting these games after so many years, and players able to overlook the poor interface and lack of guidance can still definitely find a good time here, but you’ll need to work for it.
Backbone gets off to a great start and it definitely has a lot to say. Great visuals and a stunning soundtrack made me want to give it the benefit of the doubt, to ignore its issues. As it goes on though, Backbone loses everything that made it interesting in its early hours. What replaces it is so different that its hardly even the same game. Different doesn’t have to mean bad, but the changes and ideas thrown around in the second half are too underdeveloped to overlook. Perhaps a sequel can allow the development team to further delve into its many themes. I liked enough of Backbone that for most of its running time I was enjoying myself. In its current state though, it’s hard to enthusiastically recommend.
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.
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.
Spending time with the citizens of Shelmerston is incredibly charming and makes I Am Dead worth a look. With an unsatisfying conclusion and gameplay, which quickly grows a bit one-note, however, this won’t be a game for everyone. Still, if you want a charming little game to spend a quiet afternoon with, you could do far worse.