In its current state though, it doesn’t feel like it’s worth its $20 (USD) price tag. Unless you’re ok with the extra work of digging through its file folders to import your own music that is, because as the game is right now, you can burn through all of its 10-track base game content in less than an hour. And there's nothing much else to it beyond that.
Burning Shores really is a must-buy, must-play experience for Horizon fans. While this review is unscored, take this as my strongest of recommendations to pick up and play Burning Shores. I promise you’ll be able to finish it before the release of Tears of the Kingdom, and I promise that if you love Horizon, you'll find Burning Shores to be well worth your time.
With a little more polish, God of Rock may prove itself to be a worthwhile rhythm game title yet. Unfortunately, in its current state, it feels like more of a swing and a miss than a headbanging hit.
Nevertheless, the game is undeniably gorgeous and clever, and easy to drop in and out of. The stories and characters are fun to experiment with as well, and Storyteller ultimately does a great job at establishing itself as something wholly unique within the puzzle game space. It’s worth experiencing for the chance to get to see everything that could ever happen in a story — from what goes right, to what goes terribly, terribly wrong.
Overall, I highly recommend Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, so long as you approach it as it is. Not a mainline Bayonetta game, but as a largely optional (yet still incredibly delightful) spin-off, standalone title.
Kirby has really been on a roll lately, and it seems like he isn't likely to stop anytime soon. If Return to Dream Land Deluxe does anything, it shows us that the era of Kirby is firmly upon us, and it leaves me eager to see what else Nintendo and HAL Labaratory has planned for everyone’s favorite pink puffball in the future.
The only negative that really stands out to me is if you want access to absolutely everything song wise you may find yourself compelled to spend a bit more money on things like the game’s Digital Deluxe edition as it has 27 exclusive songs. That said, the standard version should still have more than enough content to satiate most Theatrhyhm, Final Fantasy, and rhythm game fans.
Nitpicks aside, Rhythm Sprout serves as a brilliantly executed delight in the rhythm game genre that delivers an experience as polished as its AAA competitors despite being a debut title from a small indie team. Developer SURT should be incredibly proud of what they've accomplished here, and I can't wait to see even more from them in the future.
The game shows that not only can Purple Lamb Studios give games the proper remake treatment, they can also follow them up with something refreshingly new, and I can’t wait to see what else the studio cooks up in the future. Especially if it’s another SpongeBob game, because if Cosmic Shake is any indication, Purple Lamb Studios clearly “gets it” concept wise, and are fully able to execute that concept to the fullest.
There’s combat and light puzzle-solving, but at its core, High on Life is a narrative sandbox adventure that requires little more than your time and attention. As someone who’s been feeling a little stressed and seasonally depressed lately, I sincerely appreciated that (and the ability to watch Tammy and the T-Rex, that’s also pretty rad).
If you’re looking for a game to kick back and play race after race with a sizable campaign and other options including an online mode, Need for Speed Unbound has plenty to keep you busy and entertained.
Even if you’ve set high expectations for Sonic Frontiers, I feel like the game should have no trouble meeting them. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that Sonic Frontiers serves as one of the most refreshing entries the franchise has seen in years. If you’re on the fence, let this serve as an encouragement to check out the game. It’s well worth it, and then some.
Saturnalia excels at delivering a unique horror experience rich in creepy atmosphere and sinister themes.
The third entry in the series is not only the best Bayonetta game, but also one of the best offerings from PlatinumGames thus far.
All in all, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway isn’t the worst kart racer I’ve ever played, but again, it’s also not the best especially when compared to previous entries in the series. As previously mentioned, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is a middle of the road racer in almost every aspect save for its character roster, graphics, and elements like picking three characters to be part of your pit crew.
If you love H.R. Giger, unsettling body horror such as those seen in the works of Junji Ito, or creepy alien experimentation scenes from films like Fire in the Sky, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate Scorn’s overarching concept. Sadly the execution leaves much to be desired, which is a shame as I feel like Scorn could have been a real standout as far as atmospheric horror games go.
In particular, it’d be nice if the game did more in the way of teaching you the ropes, offered different control schemes, and provided a wider array of accessibility options. In general as well, it’d be nice if the game offered more in the way of incentives, excitement, and action to keep you coming back for more, regardless of its punishing difficulty.
Doom comparisons aside in style and tone, Metal: Hellsinger is one of the most unique, refreshing video game offerings I’ve seen in a while thanks to how it caters to fans of metal music, and its approach to rhythm mechanics. We could use more heavy metal-focused rhythm games, and I hope to not only see more games like Metal: Hellsinger in the future, but to see more from the talented developers of Metal: Hellsinger, The Outsiders, as well.
Rebooting the series, Saints Row tries to modernize its approach and themes but struggles at times to stick the landing.
I really enjoyed the Lost-esque flashbacks that Peter has throughout the game, and how beautifully the game transitions between them. I also loved how natural the romance between Peter and Clara felt in developing slowly, over time, and how well the two work together. If you’re looking for a stellar story experience, South of the Circle has it in spades.