I am fully aware of my fanboy stance when it comes to Grasshopper Manufacture, and I believe that most people who are fans of their titles have the same stance as me: you either vibe with their titles or you don’t. I would go out on a limb and say Romeo is a Dead Man is one of their easier titles to jump into. Much like No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned, or Lollipop Chainsaw, it’s a title that cleverly uses addictive combat and gameplay while slowly indoctrinating the Grasshopper way onto the unsuspecting gamer. You’ll get the absolute most out of Romeo is a Dead Man if you’re a fan of Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51, but even if you are new to the "Sudaverse," you are still presented with an absolutely wild and refreshing AA-feeling title. If you were a gamer around the PlayStation 2, 3, and Xbox 360 era, it will absolutely ring that nostalgia bell. If you always wanted to know why a certain section of gamers go wild for the name Suda51, or you’re like me and have replayed the entire Kill the Past series in sheer anticipation for this one, Romeo is a Dead Man is a great game. It does a fantastic job of reminding gamers that there is a healthy middle ground between "Indie" and "AAA." Long live Suda and the cult of the quirky AA game.
Blood: Refreshed Supply was always a highly anticipated title by the boomer shooter crowd, and it was seemingly an impossible task due to some copyright issues. Now that the proper paperwork has been taken care of, it’s time to rejoice.
Sadly and not so shockingly, Ebola Village isn’t going to be the title that dethrones any of the kings of horror. And looking at it, did any of us really think it would be? There are flashes of good in the game, but for the most part, it just feels like a painfully phoned-in Resident Evil Village clone with a poor excuse for a story and some unintentionally shocking and funny things going on in the rather short run time. I knew I was in for a ride when the game gave me an option to watch a movie. I assumed it was the intro, so I chose to watch it, and the game just opened up my browser and started playing a bizarre live-action short film based on the game, which was oddly hosted on a Resident Evil fan channel on Youtube rather than implemented in the game itself. Whatever strange puzzle-coded apartment you live in, I wouldn’t recommend you leave to venture out to Ebola Village, not even to save your family. Instead, save your money and pick up literally any other bigger-name horror game, and you’ll have a better and more cohesive time. Now, excuse me while I go get hepatitis and try to immunize myself from this series.
I would highly recommend Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, just on PC. I’ve no idea how the other console versions perform but sadly the Switch 2 version takes what is an amazing game, charges full whack for it, doesn’t include any of the DLC (because of course why would they?!), and then riddles it full of poor performance and crashing issues.
Outlaws + Handful of Missions Remaster is yet again another fine Nightdive re-release with all the bells and whistles you would come to expect from them, another diamond in the rough put out for fans of the boomiest and shootiest to get to grips with and this is why we love them. The game wasn’t really on my radar up until release and I can honestly say I fell in love almost instantly with it.
If Terminator 2D: No Fate’s prime objective was to release into the world a game worthy of the legendary Terminator 2: Judgement Day in the style of the games out at the time the film was popular, then the mission was an absolute success. Terminator 2D: No Fate joins Terminator Resistance as games worthy of the first two films in the franchise. While it’s lacking a little too much Arnie and may not have the runtime some would want, I couldn’t have been happier with the title. Despite having finished it at least half a dozen times now, I still find myself being sent back in time and trying to stop Skynet over and over again
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond feels like a representation of where the franchise is in a way, stuck with one foot in the past and one in the present, without a clear direction of where it wants to go. It certainly has some great moments, is enjoyable overall, and is worthy of the franchise name, but several aspects of the game come off shallow. Waiting eight years since the initial announcement hasn't helped establish this title as the definitive next step for Samus either. While not a complete misstep, it isn’t the strongest action-adventure game or what I personally have come to expect from the same series that put out titles like Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime Remastered. It’s nice to have Samus back, but if there’s a follow-up, next time I’d like a little more Metroid in my Prime.
Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle is a fun though somewhat dated title that, above all else, serves more as a reminder or a history lesson regarding a small niche in the fighting game genre. It’s a fun title with decent quality of life enchancements, but when compared to its kin (be it more modern or from the same era), it feels more like a curiosity than your next fireball-throwing obsession.
It could just be a personal preference thing but I would have enjoyed the game a lot more if it was more of an arena shooter in the vein of Serious Sam rather than a Survivors-like style game, don’t get me wrong it is fun in small doses but lacks a serious bite to keep you invested for longer sessions, visuals and audio hit hard and the low asking price is enough to entice gamers in, you just need to know what you’re getting in to.
R-Type Delta: HD Boosted to me feels like a game laser-focused toward existing fans of the R-Type franchise who may have missed out on it when it first came out. While certainly enjoyable, it isn’t the title I would say would most appeal to newcomers; rather, the value comes from wanting the next challenge in an incredibly challenging series. With a slightly done-up lick of paint, a new soundtrack, and the chance to play this title on newer systems, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is going to be one for the Shmup masochists to sink their teeth into and for fans of retro to gush over while repeatedly hitting the walls of the stages. It’s good to know going in that this game will kick your teeth in and that progress is going to take time; once you do, you’ll find yourself with a rewarding and infuriating retro shmup that finally has its chance to shine outside of its original PlayStation prison.
It’s a tough title with lineage just oozing out of every pour, but as tough as it is, it feels rewarding every time you play it. You’ll discover new techniques and your preferred route through the game, and if all else fails, just hit up Pacifist Mode and learn to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge!
As a collection of iconic titles through the early years of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is a great package. It has some curious omissions such as Mortal Kombat Gold or Digital Eclipse’s own Gameboy Color port of Mortal Kombat 4, but all in all, there is enough here for any fan or curious fighter to get stuck into and find their new or old favorite death match. As an online competitive fighter, it’s an unacceptable release. The lack of basic features such as lobbies and crossplay really hampers what could have been the definitive way to play these titles. As it stands, it may be the only way to play most of these online with other people, but it’s a far cry from what fans of the franchise wanted. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection as a Kollection is great, well worth the asking price and time for any fans of the legendary tournament. With patches in the horizon, I can only hope this game ends up a true champion, but if you don’t have much of an interest in the history or preservation of the series, it comes off as a chump.
Double Dragon Revive will not be the return to form that it should have been for some. Others may look beyond the iffy art direction and new-yet-dated graphics and find a very competent and, dare I say, fun brawler with a healthy dose of combat. You’ll find me in the camp of the latter. It’s always welcome to see the Lee Brothers, and while it’s not quite as addictive or fun as Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons, it offers plenty for fans of the genre and the franchise. It’s one I’ll return to time and time again, and I would love to see a sequel to see how the developers would tackle a remake of Double Dragon II in this style.
I was incredibly curious to see if Bloober Team could make it 2-for-2 since 2024, especially considering that up until the Silent Hill 2 remake, they hadn’t dealt with combat before. I’m glad to say not only is Cronos: The New Dawn a success with its combat, but they also managed to really nail the tension of working with low resources and making key choices in the way you can only get from a survival horror. Cronos: the New Dawn offers a gripping tale, plenty of jump scares, more tension than the bottom of the ocean, and a world you'll just want to explore. It did a fantastic job of reminding me exactly what I love about the genre, and wasn’t afraid to humble me when I got too cocky. This is an essential title for horror fanatics and people looking for a unique way to spend their Halloween.
Mamorukun ReCurse! has so much in common with G.Rev’s other title Under Defeat HD+ in that initially it had enough to interest me but didn’t quite grip me. Switching to the twin stick controls sold the game to me more, and I found myself losing hours to just trying to get further up that scoreboard, engrossed by its visuals, unique aspects, the soundtrack. The game won’t be for everyone, it’s very much unabashed as a cute ‘em up and the timed nature of the arcade mode will put off some of the purists. But for those that can adapt or are happy enough to lean into the goofiness of the title, you’ve got a fantastic package full of content, and in my eyes, the definitive way to play the game. This is absolutely recommended for score chasers needing their next fix.
OFF is a quirky cult title, with this version giving non-PC gamers and new PC gamers the chance to play it for the first time. The enhancements might not quite be enough to bring back returning PC players to the new Steam version, but there is stuff here for super fans, and it comes at a modest price point to boot. This is one of the more conventional “not for everyone” indie RPG legends, but I think it has the capacity to bring in a whole new legion of fans to the niche subgenre. All in all, it was fantastic to re-experience the game again with a different soundtrack and some nifty new bonuses.
Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact felt like an experiment in a few ways. For me personally, it was a chance to just play a fighting game based on an anime I had no history with, going in just on the basis that it was in-part an Eighting jam. Unfortunately, I had a miserable time with this game. It’s an awkward to play, bland offering with poor netcode and a bare bones single-player experience. On the other side, it seems like the developers experimented to see if a low-budget fighting game could succeed using a popular IP and the growing popularity of tag fighters. In the end though, I feel like this game is liable to be almost instantly forgotten by both the fighting game community and Hunter x Hunter fans. Bushiroad Games have sadly added another stinker to Eighting’s inconsistent past, and certainly made this brawler think twice before I give the benefit of the doubt.
Ready or Not has quickly breached its way into one of my most played games of the year. I can see myself going back to it time and time again, trying to beat my scores and playing on higher difficulties. The range of options and the seemingly random generation on levels make each run a fresh and terrifying experience in equal amounts. Run-and-gun fans need not apply. But if you think you've got what it takes to command the situation and make the toughest decisions, I have but one thing to ask you: are you Ready or Not?
Sometimes it feels like I am banging the same drum when it comes to these Nightdive remasters. They almost always take great titles and make them even better. Seeing Nightdive take on System Shock 2 as a remaster after the fantastic remake of 1 might feel like a step back, but they have done enough to make a great experience a phenomenal one. And isn't quality why we are drawn to this kind of work? If you love immersion, horror, and sci-fi, System Shock 2 is still one of the greatest to ever do it, and System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is a great way to experience it nowadays. Now it's much more palatable by modern standards, and playable with a controller. Or in my experience, on the Switch 2 with the convenience of portability. Grab yourself a headset, turn the lights off, and step out of your cryopod, because the Von Braun and The Many await.
I really enjoyed the excuse to load up Lies of P again and consider it my favorite non-Fromsoft title of the genre. The new areas in the Overture DLC are fantastic and the boss fights are easily on par with the best ones from the base game with a fantastically emotional final boss fight. Admittedly, the playtime vs cost might not be for everyone in this post-Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree world, but for someone who loves the world of Krat, Pinocchio, and the Stalkers, I found it to be well worth the wait and the price.