If you are wowed by grimy and disgusting but beautifully realized cyberpunk aesthetics, then Observer: System Redux is worth your time since that is all it has to offer. This is a horror game for tourists, since there are no actual stakes, and if you die there is almost no progress lost. It is made to make you feel smart; you don’t have to actually be smart to solve the mystery or the puzzles.
No More Heroes still stands tall as one of the great cult games of its day. It has aged very well in an era where experimental indie games are more common, and players are more open to unconventional design. It never has a dull moment, and has so much variety packed into a game that has such simple combat.
Earth Defense Force 5 is an immensely generous package that is bursting at the seams with content. Fans of the series will be undoubtedly satisfied with the all-you-can-eat-buffet approach to the range of options and playability. Newcomers will also find this latest entry the best place to start, as it is the best representation of what the series has to offer.
The first game is borderline generic, but the second game does improve on many things like level design and pacing. It is worth a play for Assimilimation if you do not enjoy the first game. If Angry Video Game Nerd 1 & 2 Deluxe does teach us anything, is that there is an angry nerd inside all of us; and this game will bring it out of you, screaming and cursing all the way through.
Pumpkin Jack is ultimately a shallow game that fails to live up to the kind of 3D action platformers it was influenced by. It may be impressive for a one-man effort, but it still feels like it was made by one man. Games are complicated to make, and having more people involved can spark creativity where ideas can bounce off each other.
OneeChanbara Origin‘s gameplay is very enjoyable, but if it was longer than five hours, it would have worn out its welcome. It is highly replayable, and has a variation of the “Bloody Palace” survival mode and a secret third playable character to make things interesting long after beating the story.
Upon first glance, it could be easy to mistake Ghost of a Tale as a mid-level developed game from a small company. It isn’t until the closing moments of the game where SeithCG’s limitations reveal themselves. It may not be best played on Nintendo Switch, but Ghost of a Tale is definitely worth a look on other platforms.
Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ is not the pretty, zombified sweetheart one would hope for. She is a plain Jane, who wears sloppily applied Hot-Topic make-up and masquerades as a zombie. Spending a lot of time with her yields boring conversation, unfunny jokes, and tired movie references.
Romancing SaGa 3 is still best played on original hardware. This new version’s updates are not worth the outrageous asking price from Square Enix. Despite the shortcomings of this “enhanced port,” this is still a highly recommended JRPG; so long as you are willing to take the time to understand how it works.
Alan Wake is not the most scary horror game, but it is highly entertaining and engrossing. The ambiance and attention to detail make it an impressive production, over ten years later. The surreal and metaphysical narrative makes it an unconventional, yet fitting game to play during the fall and Halloween season.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 has the most minor shortcomings for an incredibly generous and enjoyable package. The core game is an incredible rush, and the density of modes and unlockables constantly beckons for replaying. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is highly recommended and is a perfect example of doing a definitive remake that replaces the original.
Replay value is high if you have the guts and stamina to earn almost 30 skins, and to acquire all the relics. It’s About Time might run a bit steep for what is effectively a meaty PlayStation 1 game with Pixar graphics, but this is the core ethos of Crash Bandicoot. If you enjoyed the N. Sane Trilogy, you will adore this.
This was the chance for these three titles to get definitive versions, but instead these are mostly alternatives to the originals. In spite of Nintendo’s low-efforts, the quality of the games themselves are high enough that make them worth your time. Super Mario Sunshine especially is noteworthy since used copies are usually cost-prohibitive and Gamecube controllers are getting harder to find.
Crystal Chronicles is fundamentally broken in its current state. The overall package feels rough and unfinished for a remaster and patching in local co-op won’t fix the dull and boring gameplay or the anemic story.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is absolutely a must-play for fans of story-driven adventure games. This one especially has some legs to it; getting immersed in the mystery is easy to do thanks to the writing, and beautiful art and animation.
There is some enjoyment to get out of Marvel’s Avengers. The single player campaign has some enjoyable sequences. Unfortunately, the constant barrage of cues to grind or buy in-game currency is extremely alienating and off-putting. At its highest highs, Avengers is generic.
Despite limited resources, Bombservice is able to deliver a worthy entry in the catalog of indie Metroidvanias.
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure is an extremely esoteric game that won’t be for everyone. Despite its quirkiness and unconventional design, it flawlessly execute’s the designer’s intentions. Everything is seemingly very deliberate and confident in its design. It may not be an RPG, but it is almost as long as one.
Battletoads 2020 is for fans of Rick and Morty, and for those who enjoy insufferable hipster humor. The joke is that Rash and the boys are outdated, and the writers constantly reinforce this agenda of theirs; robbing Battletoads of its identity and making it indistinguishable from the endless dreck that oozes from Adult Swim’s sewer.
The gameplay is functional. It isn’t grossly offensive, it just is the bare minimum to get by. It does suffer greatly from the obtrusive narrative and forced walking sequences which are far too long, frequent and unskippable. There is new game plus, but the experience just fails to hold attention after the first time.