Jonathan Leo
While not exactly as action-packed and detailed as the last two Riot Forge games, Song of Nunu deserves some accolade for being a little different in its 3D platforming and all-ages approach. Familiar? Yes, but not unwelcome in the slightest. Even the most icy of hearts will start melting and feel warm and fuzzy inside if they persevere in this affordable and solidly put-together adventure starring a boy and his magic four-armed yeti.
Don't expect a huge leap in innovation and surprises, but a boatload of fun for both your friends and family. This Mario entry is basically comfort food that barely sates, but doesn't enthrall, inspire, or enervate.
Ghostrunner 2 is tough, and aggravatingly so by design. But it's never unfair. [...] Even with some of its unnecessary extras, it doesn't pollute the entire experience and still excels at what it delivers: parkour ninja action in the first-person degree.
Sonic Superstars retains the same 2D nostalgic joy thanks to its fun levels and challenges, though we advise playing the game solo if you actually want to finish it. You'll still find a lot to love from the game's levels, though they aren't as strongly designed as the ones in Sonic Mania. Sonic Superstars does enough and a bit more with its charm, especially for completionists. Though I could do without Knuckles' recovery frame when he sticks onto ledges, or Tails' flying method being the way it is (sins of past games and adherence to tradition for ill), the overall game is a solid 2D jaunt for all ages. The co-op really needs work though and is nothing more than a party favour.
After many years of fixing, it's great to see the trials of V and his/her adventure in Night City -seediness & all- now in its final Super Saiyan God form. The Phantom Liberty expansion is a helluva adventure as well featuring the best talent for its narrative, lovely structure and levels, and all-around captivating spy motif and cloak-and-dagger who-can-we-trust package.
Mortal Kombat 1 is a solid 2d fighting game offering with lovely assist-based Kameo gameplay that allows for fun competitive expression and kreativity. While it's not up to snuff to past titles like MKX and MK11 in terms of packed single-player kontent, it could have been much more paltry and barebones.
I was really left wanting more of Gunbrella's levels and gameplay, to the point where I feel that 6 hours wasn't enough. Perhaps it could benefit from more stages that mix challenge and creativity. As it stands, it is still a great indie action platformer to pick up. Gunbrella really delivers where it counts: an action-packed 2D run-and-gun search action offering with a quirky-yet-serious presentation and a badass weapon.
Goodbye Volcano High just feels like a very tryhard Life Is Strange with furries and full of hodge-podge maudlin writing. I'm very sure this game will satiate its niche audience, but I can't say this is going to change anybody else's mind about visual novels made by Western developers.
There's no other way to put this: Sea Of Stars is sublime from start to finish. It's a love letter to the best era of JRPGs -the late 90s to 2000s- made to look like the past but comes with a lot of newfangled modern-day features to duplicate the spirit and joy it emanates. And despite its obvious inspiration, it stands tall and proud on its own two feet, sword in one hand and Solar/Moon powers to blast away all doubt of JRPGs existing in proper and fun form in 2023.
Blasphemous 2 is a lovely search action game made for anyone who wants a challenge, an R-rated experience, and a good mix of combat and exploration. For veterans, this sequel fixes a few of the problems from the first game so that it seems less cheap and buggy.
Batterystaple Games took up the responsibility to create a loving tribute to the Mega Man X series and adds a new spin on things to make the game challenging and highly replayable for hardcore fans of the genre. Fans of the archetype 2D run-and-gun power-up filled charged Mega Buster action title can stop praying for a Mega Man X follow-up. 30XX is essentially that and a bag of Nuts.
For the low price of US$14.99, you could do worst [than this indie mecha title] and it'll at least sate your jollies if for a few hours.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons' roguelike structure might take a while to get used to, and the game can get absurdly tough in Mission 3 and onward. And it'll take you a while to get used to each character's recovery animations as it's purposely made like this to make you think twice before you button mash. Still, you won't find a worthy remake and beat-em-up revitalization project like this "side story" filled with so many deep cuts that will make beat-em-up fans of the Technos era smile.
Dlala Studios aims to recapture that [90s 2D platforming] magic with its new Nintendo Switch-exclusive title, and succeeds on all fronts. Disney's Illusion Island is a feel-good all-ages search action fare that four people (or less) can really enjoy. From its pleasing aesthetics and whimsical music to its fun-if-familiar platforming and lovely controls, along with some post-game replayability and challenges, it's safe to say that this title might start a possible return of 90s Disney game platforming and action.
If you love imaginative brainteasers involving photographs and optical illusions but in immersive first-person video game form, you'll have a picture-perfect time with Viewfinder.
Final Fantasy 16 is a stellar and noteworthy entry in the series that's just as impactful as Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 7's debut back in their respective heydays. And that is not a statement I make lightly.
It really goes without saying that Street Fighter 6 launch edition is a million times better than Street Fighter 5's, but that's way too low a bar to surpass. [Y]ou're looking at the best version of the 2D fighting series that made the genre exist in the first place that's also going to keep you busy whether you're offline or online.
[Diablo 4] looks and feels great to play, it's full of content without being way too overburdened with systems and age-old mechanics, it's accessible but also gets really hard and challenging for action RPG standards, and it's really great with more people in your party, with a good amount of classes to play around with and tailor to your playstyle. A highly-polished loot-filled gateway drug for newbies and veterans alike; not terribly innovative but incredibly fun to get into.
[Convergence is] fast, frenetic, fun, well thought-out, and has slick controls. Apart from some screen positional & focal point issues (along with some default difficulty issues), everything else about publisher Riot Forge's first foray into segmented 2D platforming with time-bending mechanics is golden.
It's honestly a miracle that a title like Humanity is published in the current gaming landscape. It's got enough of a budget not to be classified as an indie title, yet it isn't a triple-A type title. At the end of the day though, we do need titles like Humanity to let us chill and solve its many, MANY puzzles and visual abstractness while the off-kilter croonings of composer Jemapur enthralls you. It's not for everyone, but you will not forget most of what Humanity has to offer.