Even with [some questionable boss fight designs] I still had a blast playing more Horizon Forbidden West thanks to this Burning Shores DLC. And I would go back again to uncover the rest of the map and handle the rest of the sidequests in this, well, sidequest DLC. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores showcases more Aloy as she bonds with someone almost similar to her as well as her maturity given the past events in Forbidden West, features an awesome new territory to explore with more giant machines to take down and loot, and also teases what might come in the eventual Horizon 3.
[D]on't expect Coffee Talk: Episode 2 to be vastly different from the first game; it's more an expansion than a full-fledged sequel in case the title isn't a dead giveaway. You're still getting more stories, resolutions, and continuations from the first game.
The Mageseeker is an enjoyable action RPG experience if you're into 2D pixel art, fun-if-simple action mechanics where you take magic & sling it back, and everything in-between. The League of Legends lore expanding of Demacia and its cast are also a treat, but I'm honestly in it for the simple gameplay loop and the challenges it poses along the way. Keep at it with these spin-off bangers, Riot Forge!
If you like a Flashback or Another World throwback title that kindles your nostalgia, go ahead and jump into Lunark. It'll keep you sated for a few hours with its lush pixel artwork and quirky puzzle-and-platforming gameplay. However, I cannot recommend this title to anyone else looking for a standard and modern 2D gaming experience, because Lunark is purposely designed for that specific 90s mindset.
Terra Nil's aesthetics and calming ambience mean that you might be playing it wrong if you're stressing out over its message and its environmental education method via an easy-to-control simulation. I'm honestly glad that titles like Terra Nil exist to help combine the fun and challenges of a simulation together with an encyclopedia on how to grow your own tundra.
Octopath Traveler 2 is 40+ hours JRPGing well-spent that will keep you engrossed in the genre for the whole year, amplified by its HD-2D art style and its amazing music from composer Yasunori Nishiki.
Chances are you're playing Dead Cells because you are a fan of the search action genre, so it's only fitting you would appreciate the slice of love Motion Twin has made from this humble-sized DLC.
With a unique post-Cold War alternate sci-fi setting and some interesting-if-familiar gameplay mechanics, Mundfish has sure as heck made a memorable debut with Atomic Heart. It does need a bit more spit and shine to go full platinum though.
While Wanted: Dead has some charm and some interesting gameplay and minigames to break up the pace, the terrible shooting mechanics, and lack of checkpoints in crucial parts of the game mean you have to really take up the game with its own broken-as-heck terms. At the very least, it's a 10-hour-or-less thrill ride so it's not a complete slog and it has its heart in the right place design-wise. It will toughen you up, if you give it a chance.
[T]he enchanting world and context of being a student learning a ton of spells, exploring the vicinity with its many dangers and poachers armed to the teeth, coupled with the intuitive controls and gameplay mechanics from spellcasting to flying just make the Hogwarts Legacy experience better than most of its contemporaries.
Luminous Productions has quite a way to go to captivate people from the start. A shame, because there’s a lot of potential buried within Forspoken’s flaws.
Hi-Fi Rush is clearly one of 2023's most pleasant gaming surprises, as well as a respectful nod to the glorious 2000-era of action titles where you just want to have pure unadulterated fun with simple mechanics to comprehend.
Simply put: this Indonesian indie title is one for the ages (for 2023 anyway), despite that one problem which is honestly a genre issue. Hats off to the humble team at Mojiken Studios for finally releasing a huge passion project that puts a lot of big-budget narrative-driven video games to shame.
The only crime Moonrider has committed is that it left me wanting more of the action and genre. 90s action titles starring ninjas/samurais/hybrid-of-the-two have distinct controls and feel, and Moonrider captures that to a tee, especially with its speed and plethora of attacks and skills on tap.
Even if you somehow have access to a PSP in the year of our lord 2022, you might as well spend the extra money on this remaster as it makes the original version pretty obsolete.
[...] River City Girls 2 adds more positive changes and upgrades to make it the de facto 2D RPG beat 'em up that's fun with more people in tow. With some small-but-noteworthy 2D combat tweaks, a slew of minigames, and new fun characters to play as alongside new Megan McDuffee bangers, you'll be glad to spend 10+ hours in your River City holiday tour beating the crap out of everything and everyone.
I really hope we see more from Criterion and its take on the NFS franchise, because this just feels like the starting few laps rather than the full tour.
[Warhammer 40K Darktide] is clearly 2022's best feel-good multiplayer group game with dark humour, carnage, and accents aplenty, evolving from Vermintide in all the right and satisfying ways.
Swordship is quick and easy fun that takes away the shooting in a shmup and focuses on defense and dodging. It’s a good lesson to learn, so it’s fortunate to know that Swordship does this right albeit in a very quick but replayable structure. Don’t expect much more out of a game that’s purposely light on story, but more intricate with its scoring and dodging mechanic.
Simple and to the point with its yuri-flavoured storyline and trappings: That's Samurai Maiden in a nutshell. It's also quite a chore to play, as you can only get the best skills and powerups through grinding for relationship points with the three ninjas. And that means replaying the same levels over and over ad nauseam