Under Defeat is a fine example of how when a good port is produced it can make a world of difference. I had this game on PS3 and it made such a little impression that I was apprehensive to cover it, but I am so glad I did. Clear River Games have absolutely knocked this game out of the park with all the available content and the clean-up job they have done, turning what was originally a “meh” game in my eyes into a top-tier shmup. It’s a hardcore shmup through and through, but with various control schemes, outstanding soundtracks, and various ways to play it through I’m absolutely in love with this title and would feverishly suggest that any fans of the genre pick this version up. It’s not only the definitive way to play the game but in my mind, the only way the game should be played. Bravo Clear River Games and City Connection for bringing this once dull gem out as a blinding diamond in the shmup genre.
I loved replaying The Thing. You can tell what a labor of love this was for the team at Nightdive who have a fantastic track record for not just porting titles to modern but making them a much more enticing product for everyone. Yes, the game still feels like an older title but it's both easier on the eye and easier to play. This makes The Thing: Remastered the definitive way to experience The Thing. There are so many nods and cameos relating to the original film you'd be hard-pressed to find such an impassioned love letter to a source material anywhere else.
Having played other titles from Team Ladybug, I had a feeling that Blade Chimera was going to be good, but I wasn’t expecting it to forcibly inject its way into being one of my favorite Metroidvania titles of all time. A good (albeit rather clichéd) story perfectly carried by a bloody trio of fantastic combat, smooth and responsive controls, and some of the smoothest sprite work I’ve ever seen in my life creates an almost perfect storm for fans of the genre and those tempted to dip their toes in.
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou is a hardcore shmup title to its bones. If you’re new to the genre then this probably isn’t going to be the title that converts you; rather it’s a love letter to ship-flying, credit-popping, bomb dropping gamers who love to hit the wall of Level 3 over and over again, maximizing those scores and using the smallest of windows to avoid colorful death. The lack of an English translation beyond a few menus does a major disservice to this release, but as a whole, it is great to see such an obscure and highly sought title in a more convenient to purchase and play package. It’s a game I’ll be returning to night after night trying to push ever closer to the mythos that is the one-credit clear true last boss which, much like this title, has never been more attainable.
I have a lot of pure nostalgia for these games, but I also feel that maybe Soul Reaver 1 aging so damn well carries the package here. While not a flawless ride by any stretch of the imagination, the world-building, the writing, and the atmosphere are still unrivaled. Aspyr has developed the ideal way to play a stone-cold classic (and the sadly lacking follow-up).
Little Big Adventure – Twinsen's Quest was such a pleasant surprise when it got announced. The original game is one of those titles that I adored back on release but haven’t thought too much about aside from whenever Little Big Planet got mentioned. While I loved replaying Twinsen’s tale in Little Big Adventure – Twinsen's Quest, I can see the many flaws with the game for both newcomers and hardcore fans. But for someone like me? It’s still a great way for me to get my nostalgia fix in a slightly easier way to play it. It’s lacking that charm in places and it is distinctly old school in difficulty, puzzles, and pacing, but there is still quite the gem hidden under all the dirt. It’s an interesting oddity, one that you’ll likely either love or hate this one with little middle ground. It's left me looking forward to the remaster of Little Big Adventure 2 and hope it brings Twinsen and his wacky world into more gamers' hands.
Metal Slug Tactics is a game that caught me by surprise in a few ways at first. I wasn’t sure at first what to make of the roguelite aspects, and even fifteen hours down the line with the title I still feel it is one of the weaker aspects of the game. The game’s performance on the Nintendo Switch is damning for the title and the user interface being as intrusive as it was didn’t give me the best welcome to the game. I will say I did enjoy the game with the issues put aside. I just wouldn’t suggest picking it up on the Nintendo Switch and would rather opt for either the PC or Playstation/Xbox console versions, which hopefully alleviate the main issues I had with the game and give gamers a much more pleasurable Metal Slug experience with a heavy slice of roguelite tactics.
Arc System Works has once again provided a new, old-school experience with a unique twist on a familiar tale. I enjoyed my time with Kunio and friends in the world of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms once again. The original game had such a strong foundation which carries over to the sequel, but there isn’t much here that will seem new to those who played it. On top of that, some parts such as how dialogue is handled and the lack of the China Heroes mode are a step back for the Saga sub-series, as fun as it still is.
I absolutely love Killing Time: Resurrected and couldn't be more surprised, when I saw the fact this has similar origins to the horrendous PO'ED as a 3DO shooter. I went in expecting the worst and came out with a new game for my top 10 classic first-person shooters list. It's quirky, it's fun, and in my personal opinion, it pushed the envelope at the time. The game isn't going to be for everyone. It's almost punk in how janky and strange it looks and plays. But, if you can go in with an open mind and just allow yourself to get absorbed by the Water Clock and its mystery, you've got yet again another banger remaster by the kings and queens of remasters Nightdive Studios.
I cannot say enough positive things about Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. In my opinion, there hasn’t been a better representative for the product in the whole history of the franchise. It has more depth than a traditional arena fighter, and that goes such a long way to staving off the repetitive nature of the genre. While your mileage may vary somewhat depending on how much you like the source material, I feel it would still be very fun even if you didn’t know what was going on, and if you love Dragon Ball you’ll be hard-pushed to find a better celebration of this much-loved franchise than in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO.
For me, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster plays exactly how I remember Dead Rising, but without the annoyances that the original had. Almost all of the changes have been made for the better, and it's an absolute joy to play from start to finish, infinity and beyond. I can see some old school gamers being annoyed at the changes in the game but I feel what they changed would have been very problematic in today's climate. I highly suggest any fans of Dead Rising or even just zombie pop-culture in general pick this up. Even if you just fancy a fun sandbox that rewards experimentation and exploration with an enjoyable and sometimes tongue-in-cheek story with a unique sense of humor, you need to run down to your nearest store, fight off a zombie horde, down a smoothie and grab this game as soon as possible. Your 72 hours start now!
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is hands down my favorite EDF title of all those that I’ve played. I have already put so many hours into this title, even setting down Earth Defense Force 6 in its favor. The pick up and play nature and the unadulterated fun just keep me coming back. The art direction and way unlocks work won’t be for everyone, but if you’re already part of the EDF cult you’d be doing a massive disservice in missing out on this title over something like visual style. For parents, this is also a potentially fantastic way to introduce a younger teen audience to the series, and certainly converted my kaiju-loving child into the next generation of the Earth Defense Force.
MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a phenomenal package for both casual players and fans alike. There are several high-quality, coveted games here and plenty of bonus content for those of you who only dabble in fighting games, along with some of the strongest online options around. This collection will have you going for “one more match” long into the night.
The Karate Kid: Street Rumble plays exactly how people who don't like Beat 'Em Ups would describe the genre. It's bare bones, doesn't do anything original, and gets repetitive very quickly. As a fan product, the game covers the films well, has enough fan-favorite characters, and is somewhat carried by a fun art direction and a fantastic soundtrack. If you love the Karate Kid franchise I would suggest picking this up on a deep sale.
Hollowbody is exactly what I wanted as a fan of survival horror. I will fully admit the early section did rock me somewhat in terms of enjoyment, but by the end of the game, I was eager to jump back in with a higher difficulty to find what I had missed and earn even more bonuses. It's got a thought-provoking story, some genuine scares, and gorgeous visuals all nicely tied together in a short but sweet package. Hollowbody is a quick horror fix that'll no doubt stay with you a lot longer than you might initially think.
Aspyr’s remaster is the best way to play Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, an average but charming game, if just for the simple fact they fixed the horrid camera system. Outside of the great combat, the gameplay is nothing special, but the Star Wars atmosphere helps to carry the experience. You can choose to ignore the iffy bounty system too if you just want to plod on through this 7 to 10-hour romp as the original Mandalorian badass.
I have always had a love for SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, but it’s hard to turn around and say it is truly a “good” game due to its lack of polish. The difficult SNK style of gameplay along with the balancing and budget issues don’t give newcomers the smoothest of rides either, especially compared to the many alternatives on the market nowadays. Still, while it’s not comparable to the best modern fighters or even the beloved Capcom vs. SNK 2, you can still have a lot of fun with it. It’s a quirky look at a dark time for not only SNK but also fighting games in general, and it is interesting to see what SNK could do with such an eclectic pick of Capcom characters. Less-than-stellar presentation aside, this game is still a curiosity that has the potential for fun if you’re a little more invested in the fighting game genre than the casual gamer. The online netcode is smooth and the diverse roster carries the game. As long as you’re willing to wade through the more mediocre aspects of the game, you are treated with a great re-release of a quirky, curious, and budget fighting game time capsule.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is easily my favorite TMNT game in recent years, standing side by side with the mighty Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. Roguelikes aren’t for everyone by their very nature. Not everyone likes to lose and start again, but if you can look past that and embrace it, you’ll find a constantly rewarding challenge worthy of the moniker of master.
As a budget speedrunning title, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is perfectly fine, though it’s slim in terms of extra content. As this is the NES Edition, I can only hope we go into SNES, Game Boy, and even possibly Nintendo 64 territory in the future. The game is an incredibly addictive title if you fall into the niche of speedrun enjoyers. For those who are fans of stuff like Awesome Games Done Quick, this is well worth the asking price, and its addictive multiplayer features with Survival and Party mode will see you playing until the early hours trying to shave milliseconds off of your Metroid hi-scores. If on the other hand, you don’t see the appeal of being the fastest you can, you’ll not find much here to justify the price tag.
I recognize Nightdive Studios’ successful effort in porting PO'ed to modern platforms and I’m sure this game has a fanbase. Sadly, I am not part of that fanbase. I had frankly a miserable experience with the core game. Outside of its jetpack gameplay, the combat was horrid and the level design was headache-inducing. If you have a hankering for classic FPS you’d be wiser to pick up other Nightdive re-releases such as Rise of the Triad. PO'ed: Definitive Edition is the best way to play a game that I wouldn’t recommend anyone play.