Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is an excellent life sim I can’t put down. Nintendo clearly listened to criticism and feedback since the last Tomodachi Life and offers plenty of variety to keep people coming back. Each day brings its own challenges, thanks to the personalities you’ll cultivate and watch grow on your island, so it’s enlightening to help each Mii find what they want and pursue it. There’s quite a bit to do, too, so be ready to pull out your island design tools. Once you catch the remodel bug, all you want to do is make the perfect destination for your Miis.”
Mouse: P.I. For Hire features a gumshoe worth his salt. Every time I'd sit down to play it, I'd have a huge smile on my face, just like it was waking up to watch cartoons on Saturday morning (albeit a lot more violent). This game is an elite boomer shooter with witty writing, wonderful characters, and an affinity for the rubber-band style that's, sadly, been left behind by today's animation houses.
As far as I'm concerned, Capcom's developers hit a stride so few achieve. Pragmata clicks from beginning, delivering an incredible campaign with stellar mechanics, held together by Hugh and Diana's relationship.
People of Note is a surprisingly fun and adept RPG. Between the excellent use of music, the endearing cast, flexible battle system, and memorable locations, it's a surprise hit that I didn't expect to love as nearly as much as I did. It's pretty clear Iridium Studios knows what it wants to make with People of Note, and it's got a lot of clever, music-themed levels, catchy tunes, and fun battles to offer. However, it's a lean RPG with little to do outside the main story, which is a surprise given that it mimics many familiar RPGs in many ways. Don't let that deter you, though. People of Note is the real deal.
Life is Strange: Reunion closes the book on Max and Chloe's story, but is it handled well? While it's nice seeing Max and Chloe again, it comes at a cost. The series has lost what makes it unique, and by retreading old territory, Life is Strange fails to evolve. Instead, uneven writing and plot holes combine to make a story that's hard to care about. Max and Chloe are still the same as they were before, just a little bit older. Deck Nine says this is it for Max and Chloe, and honestly, it's about time.
Darwin's Paradox is cartoonishly great, with enough fun to satisfy anyone looking for an engaging platformer. It sometimes works against itself when exploring or dealing with enemies, but at times it comes together to be pretty coherent and exciting. However, sometimes, the controls fight against you, and you even have situations where you have to attempt sections a few times to get past them. Overall, this is a short affair, but it's got some great platforming sections despite some control shortfalls.
Mr. Sleepy Man is a wonderfully weird platformer filled with incredibly fun moments. It won't overstay its welcome, but it'll keep you entertained and engaged through the handful of hours it takes to get through credits. For a solo-developer joint, it's filled with creativity, unencumbered by studio oversight, and wears its heart on its sleeve.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is a fine offering from Nintendo, but it's another Switch 2 title offering an upgrade with not enough substance.
The Mega Man Star Force trilogy is worth the time sink, but I'm curious if it would've been worth the development time to craft a definitive three-game scenario which combines the content of the other games. As it stands, I don't see a reason to play through each game unless you're really keen on more Blue Bomber shenanigans.
Coming in fast and furious, Milestone's Screamer is an excellent arcade racer. It's a successful reimagining of a beloved '90s series, and it looks, plays, and feels incredible. It is a competent racer, providing enough challenge to test all skill levels around every bend. As far as arcade racers go, Screamer is technical, stylish, and immensely capable of offering thrills at breakneck speeds.
Etrange Overlord is fun and short, a perfect palette cleanser for those who are looking for a shorter experience.
The content Pokopia hides rewards those who dive in, something that is naturally reinforced by its history, giving the series, currently celebrating its 30th birthday this year, another, almost essential dimension.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake mostly succeeds as a remake and understands what made the original tick.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection continues the spin-off series' success with style, brutal battles, and tons of monster hunts.
Tales of Berseria Remastered is a bizarre pick for Bandai Namco to update, but it is uniquely the most adult title the series has put out.
God of War: Sons of Sparta might bring fans back to Greece, but it isn't the way you expected to return. Ghost of Sparta did a fine job of filling in Kratos' backstory before his reign of chaos. Sons of Sparta muddies the past while revisiting a time in Kratos' life that few fans care about.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse might not be the scariest follow-up, but it doubles down on effective storytelling, better writing, and better characters. What you end up experiencing is a crafted story that will linger in your thoughts as you play. My mind would drift to The Mermaid's Curse when I was in public, getting groceries or in the car on the way home, and it was because of the incredible writing that I'd scramble home to pick up and continue uncovering clues to learn the truth.
High on Life 2 might be bigger, but does that make it better? In a few ways, yes, it is fun because it has some new mechanics, like a skateboard to explore and lots of charming guns to use. Those come at the cost of clear technical mishaps, including slowdowns and glitches that often rear their ugly heads.
Reanimal is both beautiful and horrifying, carving out a unique identity. The blend of co-op mechanics and atmospheric storytelling mixed with nightmarish creature design creates an experience you won't soon forget. Despite playing solo, I enjoyed my time with Reanimal but felt I would've appreciated the gameplay much more with someone I know to help me navigate the island. Ultimately, Tarsier's penchant for telling bone-chilling horror stories is why they continue to make a lasting impression.
Mario Tennis Fever is easily Nintendo's best Mario-themed tennis game in ages. Filled with tons of racket types and characters to unlock, the fun you have playing online or against the CPU never falters or feels stale. I've had such a great time diving into the pretty solid Adventure mode and Trial Towers. The strategic layers the game adds through various racket types go a long way and mesh well with the fast pace of tennis.