The Master Collection is just about as barebones as you can get, yet can still be recommended due to the inclusion of two of the best games ever made. Like most players, I was excited when the collection was first announced because I thought it would be a full blown remake or, at the very least, a remaster. Still, I had hours of fun replaying the first two entries, and would wholeheartedly recommend this collection to anybody that has not played the games before or does not own another means of playing them.
Knight Squad 2 is a fun, competent, and chaotic multiplayer game great for parties, but features little to keep players interested beyond the few hours it will take to tackle all the game modes and unlock all the Knights. The addition of cross-platform play is certainly nice and a feature I hope more games implement in the future. A few more unlockables or even a leveling system for the Knights would have been nice, but as it stands I enjoyed my time with Knight Squad 2.
Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl does a great job recreating the look and feel of an original NES release, but takes its retro inspired roots a bit too far and becomes a game which few but the most dedicated will finish. That said, I did enjoy my time with the game and catching the references to other Kevin Smith movies.
Having multiple Lords to hunt and take down, each with their own unique territory and play style, greatly helps Village stand out from previous entries. Bringing back a merchant, giving hunting and fishing options, an upgraded inventory system, allowing the story to go absolutely off the rails, and switching the gameplay to be more action focused, even though I understand that may upset some players, all combined to help Village stand out from previous entries while still feeling unique. Upon completion I immediately spent my CP and hopped back into the campaign, the greatest compliment I can give any game. Village may very well be my new favorite entry in the series.
Thunderflash is a highly competent, if uninspired release. While I enjoyed my hour long playthrough and a round or two of Survival mode, I couldn't help but feel that the release as a whole was a missed opportunity to not only bring back the Run 'n Gun genre, but to innovate and create something more complex. Still, as a co-op experience, it is well worth playing but unfortunately will be forgotten soon after completion.
Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrection is a wonderful re-imagining of the brutally difficult iconic series. Featuring incredible hand-drawn animation and multiple difficulty levels to ensure that players of all skill levels can complete the game, this release will win over both old fans of the series as well as new players eager for a challenge.
Nitpicks aside, I don't think that Dreaming Sarah is a bad game, just that it is a great proof of concept that could use more polish. But for an average list price of around $5, I may be asking for too much. Head into the game with an open mind and prepare to think outside the box and you may be pleasantly surprised. Overall it was an ok, if not great, experience and worth taking a look at.