Good, not great. Fun yet frustrating. Scratching the itch while giving me athlete's foot. The new modes feel rushed and not completely thought out to be much more than a stunt. The game feels balanced when choosing which character to play, and the adventure mode will easily fill in the void of playing by yourself, just don't go looking for a gripping story. Mario Golf: Super Rush tees it off, but has the ball landing in the rough.
Story is a little generic, and combat is mediocre and frustrating at times. But Weaving Tides is about puzzles, and they have it in spades. Most of the issues, like linear gameplay, can easily be overlooked when thinking about this relaxing puzzler.
Chivalry 2 shines in the combat department. Combat is fast, and the high ceiling of learning it all helps keep players invested. There may not be a ton of maps, but they are full, the movement of gameplay is refreshingly fun, and the promise of more post-launch content keeps me hopeful.
Call of the Sea has plenty to offer puzzle and walking sim fans alike. The story kept me going even when the puzzles felt difficult and excessive. The puzzles can be tough and seem unfair at times, but overall feel very solid in how they were crafted. The conclusion to the story of Nora, her illness, the previous expedition, and the true nature of the island left a satisfying feeling once I had completed it.
Iron Harvest: Operation Eagle is a challenging DLC to a fun RTS game. Even though it can be played as a stand alone title Iron Harvest: Operation Eagle works best when accompanied by the main title Iron Harvest. The introduction of Ursonia and their campaign is a solid addition, even if adding aerial units to the game hurts its overall gameplay. The campaign story alone is worth the price of entry.
Simply put Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards is your typical action adventure RPG. Zones are fun and unique enough to satisfy. But the frame rate dips so low at times that it's easy to become frustrated. There's nothing eccentric here, and that's ok, not every game about saving the world has to be, I guess.
Skjoldur Story doesn't have a long tale to tell, but it is packed full of puzzles galore, and put into a colorful world that is fun to explore. It can be frustrating when you have to repeat yourself when you die. Skjoldur Story can feel like a nostalgic trip, so fill up the tank, grab some snacks, and buckle up for the journey.
A touch of paint was added to Star Wars: Republic Commando, but the brush was small. Gameplay feels just like it did in 2005, which is great because of the solid foundation, but this enhanced port can feel like it runs slow at the worst times. By not changing much players might be better off remembering the past with rose colored glasses.
They say to shoot for the moon and if you miss you'll be among the stars. Gallic Wars: Battle Simulator shoots for the moon but you quickly realize you're not in a rocket ship but a bicycle with training wheels. Trying to fly a bicycle to the moon has a lot of issues, in this case it's the gameplay elements, the obscure camera angles, and the repetitiveness that has Gallic Wars landing in the grass five feet from takeoff.
Cozy Grove is great to look at, and only having to spend 20 minutes a day doing so doesn't make it feel like a chore. Gameplay can eventually feel repetitive, alas, such is the struggle with life sim games, and this one does it better than most.
Curious Expedition 2's gorgeous backgrounds and good-looking characters improve on the first title, but don't do enough to make the management part of the game sparkle. Expeditions become a trudge, especially when your party robs you of all your alcohol; and combat can be fun, but not much fun to look at.