I simply had to know everything about each each character and wanted to see just how different the endings were. I can attest that in each of my playthroughs, no run was ever the same. With so many games being essentially carbon copies of one another, a game like Road 96 is a remarkably refreshing surprise. Don’t let it escape your notice, it’s well worth your time.
It’s hard to recommend Frightence, mainly because there’s just so little of it. Clocking in at under an hour of playtime, with no replay value, it’s tough to make a case for it. The idea is great, but the game ends just as things start to pick up and become interesting. It leaves off with a “To be continued” message, which leaves me hopeful that there is a more solid game in the works. As it stands, Frightence feels more like a demo or prologue than an actual game.
Even though Syberia: The World Before was so different than the other entries in the franchise in some ways, it was also a return to form in others. The puzzles might not be as bizarre or outside the box as other games, but they also felt more natural to the story. Similarly, the other entries had more whimsical and fantastical elements to them, whereas this game is far more grounded in reality. Although, considering the laughably audacious directions Syberia 3 ventured into, I would definitely count this as a big plus.
This is a tough one to recommend because, while there are plenty of worthwhile aspects, there are just as many shortcomings. If you’re a diehard JRPG fan and like a more mellow experience, then you might enjoy The Cruel King and the Great Hero‘s charm. However, if you don’t like games with excess amounts of filler and an overally lack of strategic challenge, then you’ll more than likely find this game on the boring side.
It’s one of the very few games in recent memory that I couldn’t put down. The story started off a little hackneyed, but this was a purposeful design choice. It doesn’t take too long to before it lets you know that there’s more going on than might first think. There are plenty of twists, turns, and revelations along the journey that make for a delightfully complex and engaging experience. There are a lot of retro-themed RPGs on the market, but Rise of the Third Power is one you shouldn’t let pass you by.
I’ll be honest and admit that I wasn’t expecting much more than your typical run-of-the-mill point-and-click adventure, but it turned out to be much deeper than I was expecting. The plot was engaging all the way through, the characters were flawed yet likeable, the art design is far more beautiful than it initially appears, and the vocal performances sell each character. It might have a few flaws, but those are minor when compared to everything else the game does really well.
While it wasn’t the sequel I was hoping for, it does still have its own intriguing narrative. It does get off to a slow start, but things pick up once you hit the second act and gets really compelling in the third act. You don’t necessarily have had to have played the other entries before starting Impostor Factory, but you will certainly get a lot more out of the experience if you are familiar with them first.
On one hand, the story is interesting, at least interesting enough to have made me want to see it through to its conclusion. But on the other hand, it’s incredibly padded with unnecessary sections, rife with bugs and glitches, and has some distractingly bad lip syncing issues.
Aspire: Ina’s Tale was an engaging and delightful experience. That being said, don’t expect it to be a necessarily happy romp, as most of it is quite melancholy. The ending might not have been the biggest surprise, but the journey was well worth it. The characters, tone, atmosphere, and music made Aspire: Ina’s Tale a memorable adventure.
As someone who played the Sam & Max games back when they first released, I am really loving diving back into these wacky adventures with all of the new quality of life upgrades. I highly recommend Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Remastered for fans of the series. If you’ve never played them before, but like point-and-click adventures and have a twisted sense of humor, then I highly recommend them for you as well.
I truly cannot recommend A Short Hike enough. The trailer is both misleading and yet also tells you exactly what you can expect. The experience you have and what you’ll get out of it is up to you. If you skimp on the side stuff and only focus on getting to the top of the mountain, then you’ll probably feel disappointed, especially since you can do so in under an hour. If you take your time fully exploring the island and helping the locals, then you’ll discovery a surprisingly rich and rewarding experience. A Short Hike is a journey you won’t soon forget.
I will admit that were some truly frustrating times when I needed to do something that wasn’t explained well, but for the most part, that wasn’t an issue for too long. What kept me going was just how enthralling the cases and characters were. It’s been a while since I’ve been this engrossed by a detective series and its world, but Frogwares took notes from their other games and righted a lot of wrongs. It might not be a perfect game, but Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a great time in a rich world.
I really enjoyed my time with A Boy and His Blob. I definitely understand now why this adorable little game won the hearts of so many. It might not being the most challenging game on the market, but it’s still a lot of fun. The levels are all very brief, which makes it an ideal game for the Switch. It’s the perfect game to pick up and play on-the-go.
Psychonauts 2 is not just a rare example of a sequel that delivers an experience to rival or outperform its predecessor, it’s truly a masterpiece in its own right.
All in all, I loved Night Reverie. It’s an extremely accessible game, with its puzzles successfully walking that fine line of being clear enough to solve without getting frustrated and still providing just enough challenge to stay interesting. Their variety keeps the game feeling fresh the whole time as well. Underneath its adorable aesthetic and cute characters is a surprisingly deep story that I didn’t see coming. Night Reverie provides an experience that you won’t soon forget.
I highly recommend Happy Game, especially if you’re looking for something creepy to play around this time of year. As someone who really enjoyed Chuchel and loves the macabre, Happy Game feels like it was tailor-made for me. It might not be a very long game, only taking about two to three hours to complete, but it’s an inexpensive game and well worth your time. Happy Game is extremely creative, and somehow is equally grotesque and charming. I adored every second of it.
I was expecting Damn Dolls to be a bad game, but I wasn’t prepared for just how atrocious it would be. In a way though, it’s almost charming how terrible it is. I feel bad ripping on it because I know it was made by one person, but the scares fall flat in every conceivable way. I wouldn’t recommend Damn Dolls if you’re looking for a genuine horror experience, but if you want to play a game that’s entertaining in a “so bad it’s fun” sort of way, then feel free to check it out.
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.