Astlibra Revision is an epic that would make Tolkien blush. At the tail end of the marathon, it throws a curveball that’d leave a Major League pitcher whimpering. It’s like Astlibra has got an infinite well of weirdness, constantly bubbling up with fresh insanity just when you think you’ve seen it all.
Armikrog is a very short game, its price reflecting its brevity. However, the repeated puzzles are a regrettable misstep, and the spartan sound design woefully undercuts the impressive claymation visuals. The most impactful visuals are frontloaded, leaving no sense of narrative crescendo. Sadly, the game feels like it loses steam much too quickly.
It’s a game that will stay with you long after you’ve put down the controller, a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the encroaching darkness that lurks just beyond the edge of our perception.
Ghostrunner 2‘s action is an acquired taste. It is extremely risky since players have to be both reckless and careful at the same time. The battles are cruel, yet retrying is painless. It may resemble most first-person action games you may have seen before, but it has more in common with the heedless gameplay in Katana Zero or Hotline Miami.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R stands out as one of Square Enix’s most accomplished remakes. While the original game had its shortcomings, this remake effectively addresses those issues and elevates the overall experience to new heights. Gemdrops has transformed a solid RPG into an exceptional one, establishing a new benchmark for remakes in the gaming industry.
Super Mario RPG was never a deep RPG and it still isn’t, but it is a very entertaining one that manages to have some striking imagery and plenty of funny moments. The gameplay and scenarios are varied to never have a dull moment. Despite what the 3D graphics suggest, this is still an SNES RPG.
Despite all the limitations of 2000s-era specs, Max Payne is still a righteous action game that is enjoyable for its pacing and entertaining scenarios. Some parts late in the game are a bit cheap with how enemies are placed around corners, but retrying is painless. At worst, the lack of nuance in the movement may turn off some modern gamers.
Prison City is a very solid retro throwback action platformer. It lacks originality and the main character is boring because he barely says anything more complex than one-word sentences. The challenge is hearty and gamers will find the references endearing… if they can survive long enough to see them.
Air Twister is a very engrossing rail shooter that keeps luring gamers back for more. The steady stream of bonus content is a satisfying beckoning mechanism that makes replays rewarding. On top of the intrinsic rewards, it is gratifying to improve and master the levels with Valensia’s soaring music as the backdrop.
The best and most notable Jurassic Park games tend to be management sims since they lean heavily on the core ideas of films and novels. Adapting the movie as generic action platformers was limiting since there was no shortage of them in the 90s. Gamers who are interested in more enjoyable dinosaur-themed retro action games would be better off with Dino Crisis or the Turok titles.
This game has the potential to become an enjoyable video game for kids, with substantial updates such as adding offline modes for a more casual experience and dropping the battle pass scam, like how Chocobo Racing GP did less than a year after it came out. As it stands now, it is merely streamer bait.
There is no shortage of metroidvania games with cute anime girl protagonists. Inti Creates has made a few good ones, but Yohane the Parhelion: BLAZE in the DEEPBLUE is not among them. It is a joyless and mediocre effort on their part.
With a bit more time, perhaps a better translation will get patched in and maybe a port for the more powerful consoles will iron out its technical shortcomings. Anyone who desires a demanding and complex strategy mecha game with political intrigue and a plot that predicts the dangers of globalism will get their money’s worth with Front Mission 2: Remake.
Compounded with its impeccable craftsmanship, The Talos Principle 2 puts AAA games to shame with its value. This is an enormous and long puzzle game that is lengthier than most RPGs and can easily breach the 50-hour range. All of this for a paltry $29.99. Engrossing, epic, and vast intelligently written video games apparently don’t have to cost $69.99.
RoboCop: Rogue City is a methodical FPS with some lite roleplaying and adventure game elements. It’s sardonic with a satirical scenario and has very obscure fan service that only die-hard RoboCop fans would catch. Gamers who can accept this are going to have an enormously fun time.
Detective Pikachu Returns‘ biggest failure isn’t its basic gameplay or sterile presentation; its most heinous blunder is how agonizingly boring it is. Playing this game with children (the target audience) only alienated them. The lack of grit or edge didn’t lure them in and the sorry writing didn’t keep them hooked either.
Night At the Gates of Hell is a mediocre guilty pleasure for desperate horror fans. If you squint your eyes, it kind of resembles something scary, but it’s mostly just absurd and low-effort.
If you are new or curious about the series, this is the best place to start.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is bursting at the seams with personality and details. Small touches like the facial expressions of enemies are gratuitous and don’t enhance the gameplay, but they enhance the experience. It’s because of these details that make Super Mario Bros. Wonder more meaningful and enjoyable than any of the last 2D Super Mario games since Yoshi’s Island on Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Gargoyles Remastered is not recommended for retro enthusiasts or fans of the cartoon show. There is nothing here to appreciate except the original 16-bit pixel art and animation. Go play Demon’s Crest instead.