Tyrant’s Blessing is one of the most interesting tactical RPGs in recent times. Everything throughout the game is looking to make this genre more interesting than it’s been before. There are blemishes in the game for sure, a lack of map variety for starters, or the sheer repetition in the mission variety, but they don’t make it any less enjoyable.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is a lot of fun. This is definitely a game that aged better than most, especially in this genre with so many games coming out at all times.
LOUD doesn’t feel like it was trying to copy the myriad of other rhythm-based games released over the years. It does feel like its own thing. The way the story is built feels much more like a personal story, making it feel more unique than other games in the genre. On top of that, it feels relatable, and anyone can understand whether it’s for the style of music, wanting to be a musician, or just having a passion for anything that you need inspiration for.
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II is literally the same game, since it’s a direct port. All the best parts, and all the flaws, all are still prevalent in this release. It does feel a touch better thanks to upgraded hardware, thankfully no areas have slow down, while some sections early on in the sewers felt a bit sluggish originally.
Battle League features a HUGE gap in content that Nintendo is promising to patch in with post-launch updates, but that really doesn’t help anyone who decided to buy the game at launch. Online play is just as you would expect from the Switch, replaying cups just isn’t enjoyable, and quickplay just kind of exists. If I wanted to turn on a game to play for 5 minutes, plus the time the game is paused for each goal (something that doesn’t happen in football), I would be much more likely to turn on something even like Super Mario 64 or Super Mario Sunshine, where you can knock out early levels that quickly. Yet another disappointing Mario sports outing on the Switch.
Dadish 3 genuinely is just more Dadish. And let me be clear, that is not a bad thing. On the contrary: it’s excellent. If you were a fan of the first two games, this one just continues to expand on their solid foundations, adding more challenging levels and puzzles to the mix. I’m willing to bet I’ve had more deaths in Dadish 3 than Dadish and Dadish 2 combined.
The Serpent Rogue is a fun experience the whole way through, a slow burn that’s well worth your time.
As a whole, Metal Tales: Overkill does feel like a very bare-bones version of The Binding of Isaac, just mixed with arguably a much better soundtrack, but a lot less item variety. It’s a good start, a solid foundation for better things to come, and if the game continues to get updated, it could really pull a lot of fans of the game genre, and music genre, into the game’s atmosphere. As it stands now, it’s a good start, but definitely not a huge amount of variety from run to run.
Do not be fooled by the source material. My Little Pony: A Maretime Bay Adventure may have been a pretty simple play and completion for an adult whose life is essentially playing video games, but it was still enjoyable. The lessons taught in the game are key and really important for a younger demographic, and it does look great as a whole. This should definitely be a pickup for most kids, and some adults should consider adding this to their library as well. If nothing else, it’s a pretty easy achievement/trophy list without ever feeling completely condescending, so why not?
Souldiers is an all-around joyful experience; its three classes being unique enough from each other, warranting different playthroughs. The use of different elemental types to fight enemies and gain an advantage, plus using them to traverse the world, is a great implementation. Characters feel unique, enemies are distinguished and not just reskins throughout, and the ambient sounds are all great. A genuinely memorable game all metroidvania fans should check out.
Anuchard is fast-paced and is pretty satisfying. This is definitely a game for anyone who enjoys dungeon crawling indie games like Boyfriend Dungeon or even Hades . Honestly though, just about anyone could get into it pretty easily.
Revita is a great indie roguelite, dungeon crawler that can genuinely hit the same levels that something like Exit the Gungeon can provide. If its developer can continue to provide players with content and updates here and there for the game, then all it takes is a little bit of word of mouth to get Revita flying the way it should. This base game is definitely a great starting point, and with so much to do in every run, and so much to collect, it’s a nifty little title that people will stick with if they know there will be more to come.
Roguebook certainly needs some adjustments, between long wait times on cards being played and scaling of difficulty in the later chapters. Those issues aside, however, there’s a lot to love in here. It has some great ideas, beautiful art design, and some fun gameplay… when it decides to run properly. Roguebook has the potential to replace Slay the Spire in this style of game, it just needs some tweaks.
Imp of the Sun was a pretty enjoyable little play from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the fact it didn’t even remotely try to hold my hand, telling me to figure my path out right from the getgo. I also really enjoyed its postgame offerings, with a pretty decent (and challenging) NG+ mode which made things a lot more tense on my second run.
Unbound: Worlds Apart is an adorably charming indie game that really shows the strength of Alien Pixel Studios’ craft. Throughout the 6+ hours I spent with it, I’ve encounter various puzzles, a bunch of sneaky enemies I couldn’t fight back against, and even some bosses I had to survive in order to solve the problems that face the world. A total package, Unbound: Worlds Apart is an absolutely adorable indie title. It hits the ground running and doesn’t stop from beginning to end.
Rune Factory 5 has been a lot of fun and has a ton to offer regardless of how you plan to tackle the game. Hopefully it doesn’t take Xseed another eight years to make the next game in the series, or maybe we get some big updates or DLC, but if it does, then I’m more than certain that this game has enough to do to keep people coming back and tackling more and more, even if it’s just exploring different love interests, or only wanting to be a potato farmer.
This game might have been hyped beyond belief by streamers, but this is one game you should avoid.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a huge step forward for what is achievable in the Pokémon series as a whole. This is a defining step in the franchise that shows just how much gas is still in the tank. The staleness of the mainline series and the need to remake the older generations is being shown it’s not needed any longer. New gameplay mechanics show just how far this series can be pushed, and still feel like a Pokémon game.
Beat Souls does genuinely deserve the –Souls title. This game’s Hell Mode is genuine hell and I challenge anyone to see what kind of a level they can achieve in it.
Pokémon Shining Pearl was a nice way to revisit the Sinnoh region, and would be a great introduction to anyone new to the Pokémon series. For any returning players, the lack of what could be considered a “Legacy Mode,” letting players turn off the full party XP share, can take away from the “challenge” of the game. All around it was plenty enjoyable and definitely made more for fans who want to continue their adventure post-game and hunt shiny Pokémon.