Overall, Air Twister is a fine arcade title. It’s initially fun to play, and its trippy fantasy visuals do a decent job of drawing you in. However, once you’ve managed to topple the final boss and are treated to the end cutscene, there really isn’t much to keep you playing or cement the game in memory. The main story mode becomes just what you grind on to afford better butt dressings. I think the fallen swan deserved better.
I feel like RoboCop: Rogue City is a terrific game. To use the obvious reference: I’d buy that for a dollar. I can see myself playing through its 15-20 hours again, not necessarily to check out things I may have missed, but simply to re-experience the world it presents. I know that it almost looks like something that belongs in the scrap heap, but if you’re able to look past its rough exterior and exposed seams, you might see the heart that beats underneath. Teyon did a fantastic job with the resources they had, but they’re only human.
Truly, this is one for the fans. It’s a remaster for people who have fond memories of renting it for the Genesis back in the day. Fans of the cartoon might also find some value in it, as much as it tends to be an unfaithful adaptation. For everyone else, there are a lot of other games you can play before you need to reach the depths of Gargoyles. It’s not terrible, it just isn’t good. But at least it hasn’t been left sleeping for one thousand years.
World of Horror seems to hit all its goals. While its approach to horror is rather derivative of Junji Ito, it’s applied in a creative way and with a vision of its own. I can’t say I was blown away because it really is exactly the game that it claims to be. However, I was immensely satisfied. It’s a wonderfully modular experience, but if you’re deathly afraid of numbers, then that’s where you’ll find the real horror.
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
For me, Aftershock has simply proven that I’m not going to enjoy Ion Fury no matter how hard I try. My main issues with the game are hard to nail down, but the reality is that it’s just about everything. It’s a game of highs and lows, which just makes an aggravatingly coarse surface. That feeling carries over to the Aftershock expansion. The Build Engine just isn’t enough for me to completely overlook its flaws.
The actual gameplay of El Paso, Elsewhere didn’t really impress me. It’s an interesting twist on Max Payne, but it falls short in a lot of ways. Its story, though? Hoo, gosh. I’m going to be chewing on this for a while.
So, if you’re the type of person who thinks that “fun” is the only relevant criteria for what makes a good game, then have at it. I sincerely think you’ll find a lot to like, and that’s rad. However, if you’re someone who yearns to see growth and advancement within the medium, then this is going to just befuddle you. I think Neowiz shows off a great deal of talent with Lies of P. I just hope what they come up with next is something actually original.
Gunbrella is a rather easy recommendation. It’s a solid platformer with a lot of charm. I’m not sure it will be at the top of my mind when I think of my favorite games, and I don’t think I’m going to be eager to scoop up a physical copy sometime in the future, but I undoubtedly enjoyed my time with it. It’s worth keeping for a rainy day.
For that reason, however, it kind of bothers me. Part of my interest in independent titles involves viewing the art form without the overwhelming gloss. Eternights has that gloss, which is an accomplishment in its own right, but when you peel that away, you just find something that seems a bit bland and lifeless. Certainly, not a night you’ll remember. You’d probably be better off just keeping your hand.
Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with Taito Milestones 2. It has a few games I’m already well acquainted with, alongside a few other obscure titles that I might not have tried on their own. It gives me the comfort of familiarity and the thrill of exploration. Sure, some of the games aren’t very good, but they’re at least bad in an almost impressive way. It’s a lot like Taito and Hamster put together a mix tape specifically for me and left it in my locker.
The Making of Karateka feels like a huge step in documenting the history of video games. There have been plenty of titles that have packed in making of details, but I can’t really name another that has gone to this much effort of establishing context for the games it’s spotlighting. Aside from Atari 50, I mean. Digital Eclipse has put together a masterful formula that speaks to retro explorers such as myself, and this is the perfect test of it. It’s absolute gold, and I can’t wait to see what they dive into next.
Because of its brevity and whimsical apathy, it’s hard to really give a lot of feedback on Orbo’s Odyssey. It neither disappointed nor exceeded expectations. I doubt I’ll be doing an annual playthrough, but I’ll still be there for Feverdream Softworks’ next game. It’s not that expensive, and it’s maybe healthier for you than eating an entire bucket of ice cream by yourself. Hold on, I can do better.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Quantum: Recharged didn’t set my world on fire, nor do I think it was really expected to. It’s a revival of an old formula intended to sit alongside the rest of the Recharged series. If you’ve already been following the series, you probably already know you’ll enjoy it. Otherwise, you can skip over it and not really miss much, but it’s definitely worth trying out. You might find yourself getting sucked in, at least for a little while.
Vampire Survivors is well worth checking out, whether you’re playing it on Switch or any other platform. Its simple gameplay hides an irresistible depth. Just keep in mind that once you’re in its clutches, it can be a struggle to get free.
It’s an oppressively brown shooter, but it still carries the speedy, lightweight combat that makes older FPS games still pop today. The changes that Nightdive brought in for the remaster make it even more enjoyable and accessible.
Turbo Overkill loses itself in its constant push for escalation. It’s often not as clever as it thinks it is, and there’s a real sense of quantity over quality. Packing in more mechanics is certainly a type of progress, but a better focus on fewer concepts probably would have elevated the game as a whole. As it is, it’s still a perfectly fun time, and I’d be completely willing to revisit it in a sequel, but it just doesn’t quite climb to the lofty top of the retro-inspired scrap heap.
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.