The striking art and sound of Saturnalia are definitely its strengths. The gameplay is a compelling mixture of ideas that mostly pay off due to the puzzle-like scenario. The storytelling may lead to confusion, but there is nothing else like Saturnalia.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is not a perfect action-RPG, but it does have a lot going for it that make it extremely enjoyable. It has top notch production values for the most part and it more than makes up for the utterly disappointing Integrity and Faithlessness. The the balance of awesome visuals, exciting combat and addictive exploration mark this entry as a series high point.
The gameplay in Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy was close to being interesting. Its scope is very limited and the various soft-locks encountered were frustrating and time-wasting. Some of the technical issues were ironed out, but risk of them happening still looms while navigating the confusing menus and esoteric UI.
What it lacks in visual appeal, it makes up for in depth and polish. It is too bad that Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo doesn’t excel in all aspects. If it did, it could rival some of the best shooters that Treasure is known for.
Fans of survival-horror will get a lot of enjoyment out of The Chant. Its gameplay is exciting and has a unique premise that is rarely explored. While the enemy design won’t make your blood run cold, the creepy performances from the actors will and it’s all tied up in a very slick and polished package for a fair price.
Anyone who enjoys the kind of games that Cyberdreams used to make will adore Scorn; bleak and surreal puzzle-driven adventure games that treat the player like an adult. It may cost a bit much (if you don’t have Game Pass), but it is the kind of game that stays with you, long after you play it.
Signalis barely has any weaknesses as far as being a complete experience. At worst, some impatient gamers might struggle with some of the puzzles in the game. For its price, with Signalis gamers will get a highly immersive, substantial horror game that lasts roughly eight hours or more depending on player skill.
Regretfully, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 came and went like a wet fart in a dark rainy night. It was the last new Castlevania game made, and its not hard to see why. It’s an expensive and bloated mess of ideas that don’t mesh well with trite gameplay.
Valkyrie Elysium has some pretty sad lows, but it does have a few highs that make it endearing. The developer clearly has a lot of talent at making stylish 3D action games on a shoe-string budget and they got the most important parts right.
Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is so frustrating because it is a great game that is buried underneath technical issues and glaring cuts. Its potential was wasted keeping it out of reach from being a perfect remake.
Ubisoft is understandably unpopular with a lot of gamers for their yearly approach to making games. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is an example of them proving they can make something wonderful if they take their time and to miss out on it would be a great tragedy for everyone. Just make sure to never go into the settings menu.
Not everything works as intended. MercurySteam would learn from their mistakes in later games and would eventually land a bull’s-eye with Metroid Dread. With Mirror of Fate, gamers can get an idea where the developer was heading and can see the beginnings of where their best ideas were coming from.
Anyone who enjoys relaxing or laid-back games will find a lot to like about Time On Frog Island. It has an intensely charming art style and animation, and it manages to capture the feeling of being stranded somewhere strange while it lasts.
Much of the game design in Pac-Man World Re-Pac is very standard and is what you would expect from a early 3D platformer from the PlayStation. What makes it unique and still interesting is the distinct Pac-Man-isms, stage gimmicks, and theming. Without that, this would be a plain 3D platformer.
Some features like improved legibility and pathfinding are coming, but these are all technical shortcomings that should have been addressed before released. Despite all these flaws, Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition is still worth playing and with Dightdive promising to continue support the game with updates, this version could live up to being the “enhanced” edition.
There aren’t too many 3D action games with fixed camera POVs being made anymore. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was the last of its kind and while it isn’t perfect, it is one of the better examples of its kind from a console generation that was hopelessly creatively bankrupt.
Anyone who enjoyed games like Blasphemous, Dark Devotion or thought that Symphony of the Night was bloated with extraneous RPG elements, will adore Moonscars. The core combat mechanics are deep enough to carry a determined player and the multitude of systems give less skilled gamers just enough wiggle room to tip the scales in their favor without it ever becoming an easy game.
Penko Park is a wonderful attempt at making a “snaplike”. It captures a sense of childlike wonder and the easy-on-the-eyes graphics make it an easy game for kids to understand and get engrossed in. It is fine as a game for adults who are children-at-heart, but it is even better for actual children too.
Fans of classic survival-horror must not miss White Day: A Labyrinth Named School. It may not look like much, but it uses its limitations to enhance the uncanny ambiance. The chilling scares make it the ultimate Halloween game.
It is convenient to have a bunch of these titles in one application and does add to the experience of having a variety of distinct platformers. Asha and Shion’s games are easily the highlight of the package, with the original arcade game being an amusing distraction with spicy challenge.