A strong narrative and well-crafted characters more than make up for any rough edges in this slick, fast-paced point-and-click adventure/RPG hybrid.
Thymesia offers an excellent combat system and some clever twists on old mechanics; it's a shame that the story and level design aren't nearly as strong. If combat is your thing, or you're in need of another action RPG, Thymesia fits the bill, but some players may find themselves losing interest after the tenth same-y corridor.
Although it doesn't offer much of a challenge, you'll hardly care; traipsing through BlueTwelve's lovingly-crafted cat adventure game on four feet is a pleasure, and the game's pacing, art design, and overall look and feel make it one of the best games to come out so far this year.
Fobia may tread familiar ground, but it does so confidently and effectively. The game manages to build tension and fear without relying too heavily on jump scares, and its excellent sound design only adds to the spook factor. Anyone who likes survival horror games should give this one a try.
Loot River's amazing atmosphere and striking story are not enough to make up for one crucial element: poor gameplay. This author will be hoping for patch notes in the future to see if this game rises to its potential.
Despite a steep learning curve, Monster Energy Supercross 5 manages to offer a satisfying experience even for players new to the genre. While some of the extras like the skill trees don't always stick the landing, it's a polished and well-crafted experience that's likely to please both hardcore and casual Supercross fans alike.
This stylish couch-co op beat-em-up actually plays better as a one-player game. The story’s pacing is a bit plodding, but the overall beats of the plot are solid and engaging. The combat feels much the same, in that it has the makings of greatness marred by issues with rhythm and timing. Young Souls shoots for the stars and lands somewhere in the moon’s orbit instead.
This 2D, NES-era-inspired action platformer features rock-solid gameplay and an excellent progression system. While it definitely isn't for everyone, it's not trying to be for everyone, it's trying to be for people who like demon fetuses, platforming, and pixel art -- and it's succeeding.
Sifu offers smooth Kung Fu combat that's easy on the ears and eyes. While it probably won't win any storytelling awards, who cares? We're here to punch.
Despite a handful of missteps, Chorus is a bold entry in the space combat genre and introduces mechanics other games would do well to imitate. Polished and fun, Chorus manages to offer a lot without ever overreaching and tells a compelling story while doing so.
An entertaining way to spend an evening with friends, with enough twists and turns to justify at least two or three playthroughs.
Inscryption boasts solid deck-builder-style gameplay supported by excellent writing, sound design, and overall atmosphere. While some puzzles were too easy, and the puzzle-like nature of the deckbuilding itself hurts replayability, it's still easy to recommend Inscryption to anyone who finds its aesthetics and tone appealing.
If you like Metroidvanias, and weird creepy stuff is your jam, this is the game for you. If you prefer your narratives easy to follow, and have a low tolerance for gross monsters and dying a bunch, you're better off skipping this one.
All the pieces are here for an engaging JRPG with real-time dungeon action, but weak writing and repetitive gameplay drag down what could have been an excellent game. If the aesthetic doesn't speak to the depths of your soul, you're better off skipping this one.
While it doesn't always captivate, Dice Legacy is unequivocally unique and enjoyable. It manages to capture the addictiveness of city builders, and somehow blends it with a roguelike to make something entirely new. Any fans of strategy gaming should give this one a try.
Nice to look at, only OK to play. If you can ignore all the broken promises, and the lack of any real RPG gameplay, there's a halfway-decent FPS game here. If, on the other hand, you buy this game expecting it to be the sweeping, branching-narrative RPG that was advertised, you're gonna be disappointed.
There's already a lot to like, and if future updates are well handled, Going Medieval could easily become one of the best Colony Simulators out there. The survival aspects are both realistic and fun, as are the construction and resource management portions of the game.
A lovingly crafted title that sets a new standard for narrative-driven adventures. A must buy for anyone who likes feeling smart and solving mysteries, fans of Groundhog Day, and Roman history buffs.
Sometimes greatness comes not from something new or groundbreaking, but from a fantastic iteration on what's come before. Besides Death Door's story and characters, it doesn't bring much that's new to the table... but it does everything so well that it's earned a permanent place on my shelf of games I bug everyone about until they play.
While there isn't a whole heck of a lot here, what is here is tight, polished, and fun. Even if you aren't someone who usually plays first-person platformer/shoot-em-up type games, Boomerang X is a great introduction to faster or more mechanically demanding shooters.