There is a lot to like about Disco Elysium. Its unorthodox and detailed world is beautifully rendered, and the characters are excellently voiced. There is a ton of style that makes it appealing, but none of it matters if the current build is broken and unplayable.
Toree 3D is the most fun that a dollar can buy. It is very brief, but it does have a lot of charm and the foundation of the mechanics are very satisfying. Level design is extremely tight; there is nothing wasted, and there is no filler. By the time it is over, expect to replay a few stages in order to feel that euphoric rush of adrenaline from the platforming.
The philosophy of the game design is firmly rooted in old arcade sensibilities. Some may be turned off but this, but for those who grew up in arcades in the 1990s will undoubtedly feel Battle Axe is like coming home.
Kenji Ito’s brain melting music certainly elevates the experience, and the brevity of each scenario prevents SaGa Frontier Remastered from ever overstaying its welcome. This is one of the most replayable and addictive JRPGs ever made, and it was overlooked for not embracing new technology. There is still nothing like SaGa Frontier, and there likely will never be.
The dream is realized, and is unbelievably polished and tight. Capcom made not only an incredible entry with Monster Hunter: Rise, they made one of the most must-own Nintendo Switch games ever produced. This is not the kind of game played for the story, it is played for the experience and immersion of the world.
Stubbs the Zombie Rebel Without A Pulse is a cult game incarnate. From the offbeat premise and crass sense of humor, to the low budget presentation and likable protagonist; it is the kind of game that is hard to dislike because of how quirky it is.
The overarching plot may be very standard for what long time JRPG fans are used to, but the thoughtful gameplay and the strong characters carry the experience. Bravely Default II is worthy to carry the torch left by Final Fantasy, and hopefully future installments will further refine itself and become even greater.
After years of being spoiled by so many stylish and creative takes on the genre, Cathedral has very little about it to stand out. Cathedral‘s lack of style or personality does not leave a lasting impact despite its rock solid foundation.
The simplistic gameplay could have carried the sloppy story if it was more polished. Animation breaks and the bugginess of the collision happen far too frequently in such a short game. If Sea of Solitude: The Director’s Cut was marketed as a satire of pretentious, arty, non-engagement style indie games, it would probably fool everyone.
There was never any doubt that Anodyne 2: Return to Dust would look and run exactly as the designer intended on Xbox Series S. It feels very tight and responsive at all times; the 2D action sequences especially have no noticeable input lag.
As time goes on, it is becoming less likely there will ever be a sequel to Metal Gear Rising: Revengenace. It does have some slight pacing issues towards the end, and useful abilities like the side-step shouldn’t be locked behind an ability store. As far as seventh gen action games go however; Metal Gear Rising: Revengenace was and still is one of the better options.
Dreams can be wonderful places to be in. Most people never want to wake from their drams. Little Nightmares II is a rare example of a horrible nightmare that draws you in deeper; and even though it is a terribly hostile place, you want stay because it is so fascinating.
Anyone who missed the original on Wii U, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is a must own for their Nintendo Switch library. It may not make a whole lot of sense, but the platforming action is so focused and confidently designed. It is a constant stream of creative ideas and stimulating gameplay that is very hard to put down.
Disregarding the retro appeal of the stylish aesthetics; Cyber Shadow is focused and carefully designed action that transcends the fact that it is a throw-back. A lot of flashy pixel art driven indie games rely on their style to carry their lack of substance. Cyber Shadow is an example of an excellent balance of everything.
Anyone who can stomach the tired minimalistic 2D pixel art will find that Olija has quite a bit going for it. The low difficulty may turn off most hardcore players, and the violence may be too much for kids, but this would be a fine game for much older people who want to get into video games.
The Medium is a tightly designed horror-puzzle game. There may not be much survival at all, but presentation of the spirit plane is captivating and the driving mystery of the story will leave enough bread crumbs to allow players to piece the answer themselves.
For $14.99, this is a worthy diversion for fans of Donkey Kong Country. Jet Kave Adventure may not have the memorable David Wise music; or any memorable music at all, but the fundamentals of what made the gameplay is present. On its own, Jet Kave Adventure is a perfect gateway game for kids who are interested in 2D action platformers.
There are not too many action games with RTS elements out there. Other than Overlord or Little King’s Story, the only other options are the Pikmin games. While it may not have the benefit of the Wii remote anymore, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is still an excellent experience and is a fine port of an overlooked Wii U classic.
If you have a tolerance for spotty frame rates, patience for load times, and enjoy being an army of one against a horde of idiotic mooks; then Age of Calamity is for you. This is a guilty please that comes at a steep price, but it also serves as a potential appetizer of things to come in the Breath of the Wild sequel.
It may not be the perfect sequel, but Bayonetta 2 is a satisfying one nonetheless. Some steps were taken forward and a couple backwards; resulting in a very polished and good looking game with some design choices that might annoy hardcore fans of the original. Hopefully, Bayonetta 3 only takes steps forward.