I don’t understand the power of K-Pop, and K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut did nothing to entice me down that road. It’s a complex and interesting simulation game, sure, but it feels like it’s full of broken glass and really confusing notions that you can only justify/make peace with if you’re eyeballs deep in stanning. If you really want to know what it’s like to have a group of women gradually sell their souls and pretend you’re not the Devil incarnate, then definitely pick up this game, pretend you’re one of the good ones and go make fleeting stars out of strangers you may be grooming.
Look, if you’re all in on the whole Angel Engine thing and you want to be a part of the jumpscare universe, alright, get the game. But everything in me screams to get it on PC where the mouse and keyboard controls for all these twitchy little movements probably makes more sense. The bindings on a controller are whack and the hiccups of competent gameplay make it so very, very unenjoyable. And honestly, if your kid wants to giggle while they pee their pants, there are better games that do this and have storylines that aren’t brazenly for shock value.
For me, Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights is a light read on a day off: it’s fun, not memorable, and inoffensively entertaining. Good, but not great.
I firmly believe that this is the best Splatoon title since the very first. It’s got degrees of complexity and madness that the most hardened minmaxer can appreciate, but it’s also crazy approachable in presentation, explanation and fun. It lets you focus on what you want: what weapons, how your base looks, your fashion and your burgeoning relationship with Shiver. This becomes your game. And, as such, it’s easily one of my favorites of the year.
I liked it well enough. There’s nothing about Deathbulge that would lean me towards discouraging players from enjoying the game. The music is great, the animation is brilliant, and the storyline, believe it or not, goes a lot of places that I didn’t expect in a positive way. The humor is great when it works, and it gives the player a brief moment of eyeroll when it doesn’t. It stands well enough on its own, and, I imagine, long time readers of the comic will really vibe and enjoy the references and drop ins from the rogue’s gallery.
Be Missed and Remembered: The Letter from Mayoiga is a beautiful tale of memory, longing and endurance. It reminds us of our own humanity, of the long reach of the past and what it means to the presence. It’s rather short in comparison to some mammoth titles of the day, but it’s incredibly cozy and enjoyable in a sad, sweet way.
Rhythm Heaven Groove is the sequel I waited patiently for over all these years. It’s light and fun and feeds into my nature of sometimes only having a minute to play, sometimes having twenty. Sometimes I can play alone, sometimes I can bring my kids in on the fun. Sometimes I’m hyperfocused on doing great, precise work…and sometimes I’m goofing off and bouncing puffer fish on my tennis racket. Stop into the cafe, chat a bit and learn about the game. Read the comics you’ve unlocked from perfect level completion. And just groove.
The Drifter is unflinching in its brazen pain, and it’s the player, not the developer, who might look away first. One of the best modern point and click adventures, The Drifter can ride the rails of the Nintendo Switch safely, at least until the morning comes.
It hooked me hard from the very beginning. It’s so strange, so offputting, but does so in an elegant, almost surgical manner. If you like dating sims, it’s a hot take. If you don’t like dating sims, it takes the piss in a big way. If you’re not sure, you should give it a try.
Don’t Let It Starve is a roguelike buffet of skill, chance and ghoulishly grand odds. It’s simple to understand, satisfying to accomplish, and truly challenging to succeed in.
This is not a game for animal lovers. This isn’t even a game for casual animal acquaintances. This is for people who genuinely hate dogs, humans, life and the thought of Heaven being any kind of relief. It simultaneously justifies the suffering that we have on Earth by alluding to a better hereafter while also promising that the Afterlife is also painful, dangerous and full of grief. Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact, and maybe everything that dies someday comes back, but not like this and not in this way.
It’s a weird one, to be sure, but The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time is an artistic treasure, and one well worth exploring for fans of game creation, storytelling and challenges to your perception. Go in as blind as possible, put aside an afternoon and enjoy the tale. Just be patient and ready to try something different, and you’ll always be pleasantly surprised.
The momentum was just all off. Every time I started to get sucked in, a demand that I examine my notebook and work out details to continue progressing would eject me from being enthralled. It just wasn’t for me.
I sincerely, truly want to like this game, and it’s easier for me to do that when I only have it for a moment at a time. But if you’re determined to sit down and bang this out over a couple of days, be warned: there will come a time where you simply run out of gas.
While there are plenty of epic RPGs on the market, there’s never been one that has the bones of a campaign with the meat of a moron. You’ve never seen a game hilariously punishing you, in real time, for being a dink, while simultaneously urging you forward with your stupidity. It’s simultaneously serious and satirical, and both are completely genuine. The tonality, the flow and the atmosphere make this a phenomenal marathon game.
Underling Uprising is good, clean, goofy fun for everyone involved. It’s simple to learn, has a decent length to the game without being too much, and finishing the arcade version will unlock plenty more shorter, more intense game modes. Hardcore fans of the genre won’t find that Streets of Rage or Shredder’s Revenge is being usurped, but it’s an enjoyable title that’s certainly worth the price tag. It’s refreshing to see a great game made with some new, original characters, and Dummy Dojo has done a fine job with crafting a world and characters that are both quirky and relatable in the same silly breath.
While it’s not my favorite of all time, Homura: The Crimson Warriors was a fun bit of escapism from everything else that surprised me with plenty of action and excitement that I wasn’t ready for. We have a good female lead, a compelling story, and a solid addition that reminds me why I really enjoy Idea Factory 90% of the time. The carnage, the historical information and, of course, the lovely bits of affection that get your pulse racing. If you’re interested in your quest for romance to get a bit bloody, I’d say Homura is a fantastic “slice” of life.
At the end of it all, there isn’t a lot of replay value to Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch. I didn’t expect them to change gears and make an epic RPG, but players have been waiting for ten very long years for this game to arrive. Now that it’s finally here, it looks fantastic and that’s it. It handles pretty poorly and can be wildly frustrating.
Total Chaos will land well with the crowd who devours the single player survival aspect and want a challenging twist on the formula. It’s got bones for something great, but it lacks the execution to push it into a realm where it appeals to me or gets me to notice it. It runs well on the Switch 2, so fans who’ve been waiting to play this in handheld are finally given the opportunity. But it’s just not a fun game if you’re not already in a very accepting mindset for what the game can and can’t do, and what it needs of you.
OPUS: Prism Peak is an awakening disguised as a game. This is SIGONO’s finest creation yet. I implore you to come experience the Dusklands for yourself. Follow the embershine petals: the path ahead awaits.