If you’re looking for a proverbial nostalgia shot in the arm, Accolade Sports Collection is a great way to go. All five games’ gameplay mechanics hold up surprisingly well by today’s standards. Sure, there are a few events that in both Olympic games that require a bit of adapting, but other than that, this is an addictive collection. Sure, I wish there would’ve been a bit more variety, but whether it be solo or with friends, this guarantees a few hours of fun. Highly recommended.
For a remaster of a 30+ year old game, the developer did a surprisingly good job with X-Out: Resurfaced. The controls and overall gameplay is solid and holds up pretty well. Being able to customize one of the four submarines to tailor your playstyle is a nice twist. But it doesn’t make it any easier. Lack of continues and extra lives (unless you have enough to buy additional(s) subs) makes for a frustrating and repetitive experience as dying boots you back to the main menu. If you’re looking for a hard as nail shmup experience, this is one of the best. If you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, this ain’t it.
System Shock is another remastered hit from NightDive Studios. They did an overall great job bringing back this classic from the dead. While they did an impressive job in terms of visuals and presentation, unfortunately, under the hood, i.e. the core gameplay, is still incredibly archaic and might put off the Call of Duty crowds. If you can tolerate the confusing navigation and lack of handholding, System Shock is an enjoyable experience. However, if you enjoy a more streamlined experience, System Shock might irritate you more than anything else.
Cycle Chaster H-5 is one of the most enjoyable, easy to pick up and fairly challenging shmup I’ve had the chance to play in quite sometime. It’s simple and there’s nothing to complicated; you have all weapons at your disposal from the get-go, controls are solid and it has a distinct unique style. While this is a great shmup for those looking to dip their toes in the often overly challenging genre, it might be a too easy for those looking for something more substantial to chew on. Definitely worth your time.
Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a great mix of action, platforming and exploration. Each level almost feel like a mini-Metroidvania like game where players are encouraged to explore every inch of every level to find all gems, treasures and collect as many (if not all) fruits. But Luna’s twin-stick shooting mechanic takes a while to get used to in a 2D environments and the “forced” exploration can feel like a chore. However, if you can get past these quirks, you’ll discover an addictive little gem and one of the best games of the last 12 months. Highly recommended.
Turbo Overkill starts off great. The fast paced movement, shooting, exploration works well as a whole, but the deeper you get in the game, the more platforming rear its ugly head and ruins the complete experience. I had flashbacks of DOOM Eternal’s overabundance of platforming, except worst because if you don’t position yourself perfectly on the walls to wall run, you’re screwed. Missing the wall jump augment? Well expect to be screwed later in the game. It starts off well, but the platforming killed it for me. Great shooter where its paced is ruined by monotonous platforming. Unless you’re a die hard FPS fan or looking to experience a new “old school” type experience, I cannot recommend Turbo Overkill.
Dreamcore is one of the best, most unique gaming experiences in this still early year. The unneasyness and creepyness relies on atmosphere instead of cheap and predictable scares. While you do know that nothing will jump up out of nowhere, your mind still thinks something is coming. But as you’d expect, it’s very light on gameplay, this is all about the overall experience and it does feel cheap to have only two levels out of the box. If you’re looking for something different than the typical horror games, Dreamcore is absolute must play.
Dynasty Warriors Origins is one of the best gaming experiences of this very young year. The combat is surprisingly deep, there’s an enjoyable variety of weapon where you’re sure to find a favorite, yet the game still encourages you to mix and match a bit. The special attacks are fun to use and the amount of enemies on screen is very impressive; despite some generic features. While it can get repetitve during long play sessions, it remains one of the more enjoyable games to play after a long day of work or school. If you’ve been hesitant to jump into the series, unironically, Dynasty Warriors Origins is great entry point. Highly recommended.
Sniper Elite Resistance is another worthy entry in the franchise. While the game engine is starting to show its age, it still plays very well and the gameplay is solid; aside from slightly wobbly controls when requiring precise positioning. If you’re played any previous entry in the series, you know what to expect whereas if you never played a Sniper Elite game, Resistance is as a good as any to jump into the series. Fans of shooters should definitely pick up Sniper Elite Resistance; it’s a consistent entry in a solid franchise of shooters.
Unfortunately, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is the prime example why not every game should be remastered, let alone considered for the remaster treatment. The combat is archaic and clunky. While I can understand that back in 2000, this was passable and borderline revolutionary, this doesn’t cut it in 2025. This game is clearly for those who hold a fond place in their heart for it. If like me, this would be your first attempt at this game, highly recommend skipping it. There are a bevvy of better beat’em ups available. Never thought playing as Darth Maul would make him such a pathetic weakling.
Swords & Bones 2 is fun and nice diversion from more complex gaming experiences. All you have to do is run through simplistic 50 bite sized levels, earn coins and level up your character. Nothing really complex here. If you played the first game, it’s just more of the same, except level design is slightly less irritating. If you haven’t and looking for a short time killer for some quick Achievements, Swords & Bones 2 is worth the investment.
Candle Knight is a decent Metroidvania style game. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, the unique combat adds a unique layer of strategy, albeit it does feel like it holds the game back and it’s a lazy way to avoid opting for a deeper combat system. If you’re a fan of the genre, I’d definitely recommend Candle Knight. If you’re looking to dabble in the genre however, I wouldn’t recommend this as your first experience.
Stunt Paradise is a fun, easy to pick up and play and addictive racer. Races get progressively harder as you progress and some of them even require a bit of back and forth in order to complete the track. My only complaint is that unlockable vehicles feel the same. Other than, if you’re looking for some variety and an easy 3000Gs(!), Stunt Paradise is a must play.
Even if you’re a die hard fan of the genre or classic RE-like experiences, do not waste your money or time with Outbreak: Contagious Memories. While I can certainly appreciate the effort because I’m still a huge fan of the classic survival horror games (the Resident Evils, the Silent Hills and any other similar one offs), but Outbreak: Contagious Memories is borderline unplayable. I’m baffled anyone would find this appropriate to release in this state; it feels like an alpha version. Lots of potential wasted. Easy pass.
While I’m personally getting bored with the remaster/remake fad, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is how a remaster should be done. Aspyr did a great job giving these games a beautiful visual update while keeping the core of the game intact. The combat is solid, the realms navigation adds a unique layer of gameplay. But despite Aspyr’s visual work, lots of areas still remain way too dark; making these levels unplayable if there’s light in the room. Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is highly recommended for some 3D action good time. But newcomers, be warned, a guide (if you can find it online) or an online walkthrough is borderline necessary to progress.
New Star GP is a surprisingly deep, incredibly addictive racing game that offers a reasonable mix between arcade and simulation style. Upgrading your ride and maintaining your relationship with your crew offers some interesting gameplay mechanic. However, as with a lot of racing games, it does require a bit of practice given that A.I. racers are out for blood. New Star GP is a must play for all racing fans; new or old.
Rocket Rumble is a decent, varied take on the Super Mario Kart recipe, but it feels pretty shallow as a whole. Solo play is useless and multiplayer matches are fun and incredibly chaotic… and that’s it. Great game for the younger gamer in the family or good for a few multiplayer rounds with friends, but the lack of depth is a disappointment. There’s some potential here but it feels more like a demo than a full game.
Don’t Let Him In is an enjoyable, if not short, psychological horror gaming experience. There’s a lot of potential; loved the PS1 style visuals. This could’ve made a great AAA/grander scale game. It gave me The Chant vibes, but if you ordered from Wish (and a more twisted storyline). It’s hard to recommend due to the bugs and shortness of it, but if you see it on sale, there are worst ways to spend 30 minutes.
The game looks fine. It’s overall very bright and colorful; there’s a decent variety of enemies you’ll encounter throughout the levels. Given it’s an arcade game ported to consoles, it fits the bill. The arcade-y pixels might bring back some nostalgia factor to older gamers. The soundtrack is an enjoyable chiptune, arcade-y soundtrack, however it’s not as classic as the original Bubble Bobble game. Again, annoyingly enough, given it’s a Ratalaika published game, you’ll constantly have to “identify” yourself on your way to reach the game. Once more, Achievements are being restrained behind Arcade Mode; while in all fairness, this isn’t a very difficult game, it’s still annoying and unnecessary. Nothing really wrong with Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III. It’s a cute, simplistic, easy to pick up action platformer and a “by the numbers” arcade game. Also means the gameplay variety is quite limited and unless you like score-based game where you try to beat your personal best each time, there’s not much here. That being said, there are worst ways to spend a few hours and it’s fun little co-op game.
Romancelvania is easily one of the best Metroidvania style games of the last decade. It feels a bit like Castlevania with a dash of humor with its reality TV setting. Thankfully you’re able to explore outside the castle and each area is uniquely designed. While it is annoying not being able to see enemies more often than not, but it doesn’t deter the complete experience. Romancelvania is a must play.