Undoubtedly, System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the best way to play this classic open-world survival horror FPS CRPG.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is an excellent sequel. It has the smooth skateboard gameplay we all know and love, with tons of features and modes.
Front Mission 3 Remake is a fantastic strategy JRPG. It has excellent combat, and deep mech customization, led by an engrossing story. It’s easy to get sucked into the conflict of the Front Mission world. And that early choice leading to different narratives truly shocked me. I had no idea! The game does have some visual oddities and too much framerate stutter in its cutscenes, but I would still say Front Mission 3 Remake is a must-play for fans of strategy JRPGs.
I loved Chronicles of the Wolf. It’s rare to find a game inspired by proto-Metroidvania NES adventure games. It’s also rare to find a game that looks like a Sega Genesis action platformer.
Star Overdrive is a gorgeous and ambitious indie third-person adventure game. It has lofty dreams of being Breath of the Wild with SSX-style hoverboard traversal. The exploration and board riding feel great. I loved the gameplay loop of travelling to new areas and gaining powers from dungeons. But the combat is way too simple, and obviously masked by a way too forgiving difficulty. A lot of the RPG mechanics are light and work well, but the hoverboard crafting system is an unexpected, overly complicated mess. There are a lot of interesting ideas in Star Overdrive. Even though they’re not all well-executed, I urge anyone curious to give it a try.
I would recommend Gex Trilogy to fans of retro platformers, who’ve played all the classics. These games aren’t must-play, but are a great option for someone wanting more platforming titles in their library.
This would make a great game for a parent to introduce a young child how to play platformers and Metroidvanias. I can’t imagine an adult playing this and not getting bored after a couple hours though. And if young kids can figure out Minecraft, they can just play a classic Metroidvania instead. A co-op Metroidvania is an enticing idea, but this one is only for newbees.
The Fuga games have continually improved, while keeping the same core mechanics. This final game is the best of the trilogy, just don’t play it until you’ve beaten the other two.
Like its title, Blades of Fire suffers from aspects that are kind of generic. The visual design and musical score emulate Hollywood fantasy to a fault, and the gameplay is excellent. Fans of action RPGs can safely ignore the Souslike label and enjoy this very accessible game.
Despite the sometimes frustrating fixed camera angles, goofy voice acting, and rushed second half, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is one of my favorite games I’ve played this year.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is incredibly polished and option-filled. It’s a must-own collection for retro fighting game fans. Lots of these games have been trapped in arcade and Sega Dreamcast exclusivity.
As a lifelong Family Feud fan, I loved The Jackbox Survey Scramble. It was fun to play, and a treat to be a part of the surveys. I do wish that answers didn’t need to be kept at one word. And Bounce isn’t as strong as the other three games. I also wish there was a way to play online with random players. There are a lot of minor issues with The Jackbox Survey Scramble, but the core gameplay is extremely fun and simple. These problems really didn’t get in the way of the great experience I had, which is why it still scores well. And the price of The Jackbox Survey Scramble is only $12.99 CAD, so probably $9.99 USD. That’s a very low cost for a party game that’ll I’ll be playing for a long time. The Jackbox Survey Scramble is a must-own for Family Feud fans.
If you’ve never played an Earth Defense Force game before, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 would be a great place to start. If you’re already a diehard EDF fan, then this is a quality entry. I just wish the series staggered its releases more.
If you’ve got every Jackbox Party Pack, then The Jackbox Naughty Pack really has only one new game for you. But if you’ve never played one, this offering has 3 games, one of which is the most perfect party game ever. The humor really connected with my group. And although there were some bugs, and frustration connecting our phones, they were never game breaking. For $20 The Jackbox Naughty Pack is a fantastic party game purchase.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is an excellent remaster of two great visual novels. If you’re a fan of the Ace Attorney series, then these are must-play. If you’re new to the Ace Attorney series, then I recommend starting with the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. My only complaint about these games is that they’re really similar to other games in the series, gameplay-wise. And they don’t have the series’ best stories. There are also only two games in this collection, when other series collections have three. But the price is right at $54.99 CAD, and they’re great games, despite not being the series’ best. The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is a loving remaster of two fun visual novels, one of which hasn’t been available until now.
Before playing Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, I was intrigued by a new Capcom IP, but had no desire to play a tower defense game. I ended up being pleasantly surprised with the creative way Capcom fused tower defense with third person action. The combat itself wasn’t a highlight, but the unique way the gameplay was structured really pulled me in. If you’re at all curious about Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, definitely give it a try. It completely exceeded my expectations.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is a fantastic expansion to the best single player MMO today. There were some hiccups during the game’s prerelease, but since launch, everything’s gone very smoothly. Even on launch day, when traffic was at its height, it only took me 30 minutes to log on, which is a vast improvement from Endwalker’s launch. If you’re curious about playing Final Fantasy XIV, you’ve got hundreds of hours ahead of you, before you make it to Dawntrail’s content. But if you’re at all curious, Final Fantasy XIV is a great introductory MMO, and one that puts its story first. I happily recommend Final Fantast XIV: Dawntrail to all JRPG fans.
I thought I was going to love Hi-Fi Rush, but I didn’t. There is the kernel of something interesting here. Maybe if they used house music and had the player blending tracks during attacks it might have been more musically engaging. It’s a game that would have worked much better for me in arcade-y, short bursts, because playing through the levels was a slog. The gameplay is so simple that it actually might work well as an intro action game for someone new to the genre. But there are way better rhythm games, and way better third person action games out there. I know a lot of people love Hi-Fi Rush, so if you’re curious I would still give it a chance, but my experience was underwhelming.
All of my complaints about the Grandia HD Collection are nitpicks. These are two great, classic JRPGs, with a lighthearted tone, and unique combat system that makes them stand out amongst their contemporaries. They’re both long JRPGs, and almost cost half the price of a new release. The Grandia HD Collection is an excellent value for anyone who’s a fan of the genre. And it’s a great entry point for anyone curious about retro JRPGs.
I loved Contra: Operation Galuga. The run-and-gun gameplay is perfect, and all the new levels, characters, modes, and gameplay additions add lots of depth. I just wish there were some options with the graphics. And I wish there was online co-op in addition to the classic couch co-op. But what’s here is great. I hope WayForward makes a Contra: Operation Galuga sequel, or maybe gives Super C similar treatment in the near future.