Fading Afternoon is a sprawling masterpiece that has been meticulously and carefully crafted by some of the greatest artists in the indie space.
My Time at Sandrock is an exceptionally content-rich game with a satisfying gameplay loop, exciting narrative, and a mostly compelling cast of characters. Unfortunately, it is let down by the Nintendo Switch port, which is so fundamentally flawed that it ruins the entire experience.
The MW3 campaign gets by on Call of Duty's expertly refined gunplay and little else. Its nonsensical narrative comes across as pitiful and dull, further hindered by the uninspired mission design that never extends beyond "go here and shoot them." Purchasing MW3 for its campaign is a massive waste of money, let alone time.
Persona 5 Tactica's deep turn-based mechanics and intriguing story are great, but it fails to live up to the very game it is based on.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden falls short of its potential. Its central protagonists lack the chemistry and development to make meaningful choices feel impactful. Its combat and exploration feel like they've been lifted from better games, barely iterating on established formulas and, in some cases, making them worse. While there are some enjoyable side quests and the occasional glimmer of hope in the main subplot, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden never reaches the heights it should.
Please, Touch the Artwork 2 is a gorgeous, meaningful, and terrifically fun hidden object game that explores both the phenomenal art of James Ensor as well as the world of art itself in an educational and thoroughly entertaining way.
Persona 3 Reload is a remarkable remake, one that improves the majority of the original game while remaining entirely faithful to the source material.
Minami Lane is a remarkable management sim that manages to perfectly balance its cozy atmosphere with its complex gameplay.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is a masterclass in open-world innovation, a game that strives to truly shake up the genre and prove that there's plenty left still to say. Its gorgeous environments, coupled with its varied and exhilarating combat, rewarding exploration, and richly detailed worldbuilding, make for a truly engrossing experience backed by emergent gameplay that makes it feel as if absolutely anything could happen. Despite some minor shortcomings, Dragon's Dogma 2 is a remarkable game, one clearly made with so much love, passion, and reverence for the original that it makes for a wonderfully special experience unlike anything else.