Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed my time with Xuan-Yuan Sword 7. Being able to play a game set in ancient China was a breath of fresh air. There’s so much rich lore and mythology surrounding that culture, which has been largely underrepresented in the West.
It seems to be at odds with itself as to what kind of game it wants to be. There are calm moments of catharsis and reflection, but this is undercut by enemy encounters and poor flying mechanics. Even the brief sections where you are allowed to walk around are frustrating because Mei moves like she’s wading through honey. There’s an interesting concept in here, but it’s lost under the shortcomings of the rest of the gameplay. There’s simply nothing memorable about JETT: The Far Shore.
All of the twists you can see coming from a mile away. The deduction system is atrocious and offers nothing aside from an aggravating experience. On top of that, there’s absolutely no challenge, which makes playing it feel almost worthless, especially since you know how the story will end long before it actually does. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if you’re looking for a Hercule Poirot game, you should play Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders instead. At least that game has fun puzzles and an actual level of challenge.
Cruis’n Blast is a triumphant return to the franchise after a very long wait in between games.
I’m fairly disappointed Blair Witch: VR Edition. Yes, it is definitely more immersive than Blair Witch, but a lot of that immersion is frequently broken by the horrendous pop-ins, clunky controls, and ridiculously short chapters. Regardless of playing it on hardware that is definitely showing its age, that still doesn’t stop the game from being boring most of the time.
I’ve been a fan of Myst my whole life. I was already impressed with realMyst released last year, but playing this version in VR is a whole different experience entirely. It looks better, sounds clearer, and plays smoother. If you’ve never played Myst before, then you need to check it out. If you have played Myst before, then you need to check it out in VR to experience it in a whole new way.
There’s absolutely no challenge in I Am Dead, aside from the easily missable riddles. I understand that some games are about the journey and not the challenge, but most of I Am Dead is a bore.
Dreamscaper is an amazing indie gem and is an easy recommendation for fans of roguelikes/lites. Much like with Hades, the combat is fun with an addictive gameplay loop, plus the fact that the story gets deeper and more is revealed as you play will keep you wanting to come back for more. Each time I dive in I have a hard time putting the game down.
I really enjoyed my time with Omno. I didn’t realize at first that it was a purely combat-free adventure when I started it, but the mild disappointment I felt from that revelation quickly disappeared as I got lost within its world’s secrets. It’s a mellow time, full of discovery and wonder.
Honestly, despite its flaws, I still enjoyed my time with Cris Tales. There are seeds of a fantastic game in here, but sadly none of them were able to fully blossom. I would really love to see a sequel where they expand upon what they’ve built already, because the idea of defeating your enemies using time magic along with other spells is wonderful. It lends itself to a lot of creative battles if explored in more depth.
I enjoyed my time with Black Book, but it’s definitely held back by some of its shortcomings. This isn’t necessarily due to lack of skill from the developers, but more an issue with such a small budget. However, I think they would have benefited from a different art style, perhaps like the one found in their other game, The Mooseman.
The Forgotten City is a game unlike any I’ve ever experienced before. I wasn’t kidding when I said I couldn’t put it down. Then I went back and played it again with a different character. I am truly shocked that this game was developed by only three people! The creative concept, smooth controls, clever time-looping mechanic, and stunning graphics are on par with the quality of work of some major studios.
The De Vespe Conspiracy turned out to be an expansion I didn’t know I wanted until I had it. It’s a true-to-form addition to a game I already loved. Any excuse to revisit Teer Fradee is a welcome journey, even if it’s quite short, only taking about three to four hours to complete. Still, it gave me more insight into a few characters I thought I knew fairly well.
As a whole, I can’t recommend Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. If you’re attempting to play it on a last gen system, it’s almost impossible to get through. Even if you’re playing it on a current gen system, it’s still not worth your time. It’s simply not fun. It’s so bland and generic that it’s a slog to get through. There are many other co-op action adventure games out there are much more entertaining, such as Diablo III or Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. And the latter isn’t even that good to begin with.
The Corruption Within might have its flaws, but I’d still recommend it to anyone who likes classic point-and-click adventure games. It is short, only taking about two hours to beat while getting all the achievements, but it’s an engaging ride while it lasts.
I enjoyed this remaster of Legend of Mana. It kept the same feel of the original (almost to a fault), so any fans of this classic adventure will undoubtedly love this remaster. It’s gorgeous to look at and listen to while you enjoy the journey. I really wish there had been quality of life improvements to the combat and better explanations of how to set up the map, though.
The main reason it’s hard to recommend Backbone is that so much is left unanswered. I truly hope there will be more games in the franchise, because the world building and character development are outstanding. If they could bring back the puzzles and stealth elements from the prologue into future titles, then I have no doubt EggNut could have a classic on their hands.
I was expecting to get a fun yet mediocre game that would be an enjoyable way to pass the time for a coupe of hours. However, what I got was a charming, addicting, tightly controlled experience with some lovable characters in a fantastic setting. It’s not the most punishing puzzle/platformer out there, so veterans and more casual gamers alike can enjoy themselves in this Celtic adventure.
I had an unexpectedly good time with Mutazione. I thought it was going to be more of a quirky point-and-click adventure, but it turned out to be something very different. Not that that’s a bad thing! Quite the contrary, in fact. Mutazione proved to be an unbelievably zen experience that I haven’t enjoyed since I last played Spiritfarer, which, considering how much I loved that game, is pretty high praise.
Streamlining it to be more of an immersive walking sim with various morality choices would have fit the flow of the game better. I appreciate what they were going for, I really do. I adore this concept. However, sometimes a great idea doesn’t translate well to a video game.