Overall, I think Stitch is an ultra quaint title that oozes warmth and welcome in gameplay and visual presentation, and is just such a decompression tool after a long day doing literally anything. It gives me such joy and relaxation to bring together the numbers and colors until I’ve made a bicycle or a nutcracker or whatever. I’ll do Christmas puzzles in April, it’s fine and the game doesn’t judge me. Unlock more and more pieces, don’t wait for power ups or villains because there are none, and just keep making yourself happy.
It’s a clever little title, handles well on the Switch and comes in at the same price as a Happy Meal. While it won’t blow away critics at the end of the year, The Exit 8 is memorable and serves as a good proof of concept, like how P.T. once captivated players across the world with unspeakable dread.
It’s not a terrifically long title, but it’s got heart and a proud showing of individuality in both concept and execution. But having the game become so difficult, not because it’s intended to be, but because it’s performing poorly, reminded me less of Goodboy Galaxy and more of Faceball 2000. If there becomes a more economic way to get the straight Gameboy version, I highly recommend that and think it could be exciting for retro enthusiasts and modern players.
While not a game that I can play for an exceptionally long time, Freedom Planet 2 has a charm and appeal that cannot be denied, and makes for a fantastic sequel to an ambitious original. Excessive exposition moments drag down the momentum, but you can jump right back in with surprising vigor.
Perhaps that’s one of the grand takeaways from Sakramazuzu: there are many questions that both the living and the dead harbor about the Great Beyond. In a tale about existence and meaning with its own quirky styling and approach, it’s natural that we all find something that sits uncomfortably in our own minds. It could be that I, myself, am beset with an awkward position when a conversation lulls and thus need to talk, and I see that reflected in Zuzu and am unhappy with that lens. Or, perhaps, I just need a game to do something other than talk AT me in the middle of trying to discover a bigger purpose.
The Gap doesn’t drop breadcrumbs to lead players to the end, it uses megaphones to scream answers at you while also keeping you completely in the dark. It’s like if Verbal had started his conversation with “I’m Keyser Soze” but then been frustratingly vague about what he was doing on the day in question. The result is something that’s an interesting and big swing in the world of game storytelling, but it only gets a piece of the ball: it doesn’t connect enough for a homerun.
For decades, I’ve chased the high that games of my childhood delivered, but I could never quite scratch the itch. But the combination of elements – the discovery, the combat, the upgrades and the world itself – made me excited to dive into Minishoot’ Adventures each and every time. It hits upon all that I love and does it with grace and aplomb, and I cannot recommend this game enough. A treasure in a modern world of titles, it doesn’t do retro through pixel graphics or bananas difficulty: it’s retro because it makes you feel like a kid again.
When it comes to Match Village, here’s what I can say: it’s here, it’s cheap, it’s decent enough as an engagement piece and you can suggest it to anyone without the risk of offending them. Looking for something else to occupy your thumbs while you and a friend/loved one/forced roommate move through the latest season of Survivor? Then come make some cozy pairings with Match Village, and see how far you can move your island along before you decide to get up and move on from it.
So come dive in if you’re looking for a new and sometimes hilarious way to kill people, because that was the majority of my enjoyment of Bio Inc. Redemption. It’s creative, the execution is decent, and it’s certainly a title that stands out on the Switch. However, if you have any interest in actually helping people, I recommend to avoid this title, simply because it will aid in making you cynical of how much someone is willing to help themselves before asking others for help.
If you can parse down the file size significantly, change the interface so you aren’t using a floating mouse cursor, lower the unlock price tags and polish the performance overall, this could be a fun little title regardless of your familiarity with Warmhammer 40,000. As it stands, Dakka Squadron is boring, repetitive, painful and a waste of time, especially if you aren’t out here just to screech a line from a game while others hoot in acknowledgement.
Of the Red, The Light and the Ayakashi Tsuzuri isn’t a well known visual novel, but it’s a unique one, and something that really captivated both my attention and my imagination. Full of disembodied moments of curiosity and philosophy, you'll find yourself sleepwalking along with Yue along his journey.
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties: Definitive Edition is a brave, admirable release, and I implore Limited Run Games to continue to do the diligence of not simplifying video game history. Some are good, some are bad, and some are ugly. This one just happens to be as bad as they come, and that’s amazing. Don’t pretend to like it, it won’t win you any awards. But you can appreciate it and the mission to keep it known, and that, in and of itself, is worth investing in.
There’s nothing wrong with having a fun time for the sake of itself, and Cricket Through the Ages is classic and proud in this position. Go ahead and learn things wrong. Build quantum computers with a hammer. Drink beer better than your fellow football hooligan. Knock down a wicket with a bow and arrow. Deliver a killer bowl as a T-Rex. It’s all possible here, and it’s as fun to watch as it is to play. Don’t ask for a deeper meaning or an unlockable secret ending: just go play cricket, or whatever the hell this is.
For an indie game that has so many ideas and potential, A Void Hope delivers a short, neat package that doesn’t invite replay or inquest. I can’t even tell if it has some kind of apolitical stance on diseases and vaccines because the dialogue is very dramatic and then just gets resolved without consequence. It’s got its moments, but there isn’t anything here that drives me to demand people play it.
Geometry Survivor is a rather simple title that could go one of two ways. Either it stays the way it is and just fades into obscurity, or it continues to build and becomes something great. The potential is there: the groundwork has been laid and the concept is solid. But there needs to be more in terms of every direction, from more areas to more weapons and more excitement. Make some fake achievements, create a daily scoreboard, add a massive time speedup, just do SOMETHING so this isn’t as small and shallow as a cloudburst puddle.
While I can’t recommend stopping and starting this game, it’s best to approach it as you would any NES game. Get fully immersed in the darkness and the frustration and just enjoy that momentum that comes from singularly reliving a time where gaming was simpler. Just rock out to the violence and know that not every game has to be a sixty hour long campaign. For just a handful of hours, be Vengeance, and then go back to your spreadsheets. It’s worth it.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore could have just been a solid joke title with everyone in on the punchline and then the developers would have laughed all the way to the bank. Instead, we have a banger of a title that is both artistically wonderful and plays like Shantae meets Rygar. It’s not just buffaloing ahead to watch the cutscenes: it’s getting better and finding satisfaction in exploration, response and style.
If, like me, you have a curiosity and fondness for games from back in the day, then Cosmic Fantasy Collection is something that merits a bit more investigation, but I sadly can’t recommend it strongly. Besides the manual and the sound/movie viewers, the QOL improvements that other straight JRPG ports have received are nonexistent, and, without the ability to speed up encounters or exploration, the time takes its toll on your patience. Physical collectors would do well to grab their copies quickly, and, should the second Cosmic Fantasy Collection come calling, it definitely has my interest: it can only get better from here.
Anomaly Agent brings the satisfying action of Streets of Rage, crosses it with the driving heart of Katana Zero and leaves you with just the right level of humor, story and personalization. It’s amazing in short bursts or long form play, and pick up players will have no difficulty remembering where they were or what they were doing.
If you had any love for Konosuba!, then you’re going to want to pick up this game. If you’re looking for a hilarious tale that is as lewd as it is self-aware, you’ll want this game. If you were wondering if there was an anime quartet that splits the difference between Three’s Company, It’s Always Sunny, and Seinfeld, then this is your game. Love For These Clothes Of Desire might be just an excuse to create more fan service, but they created it in a damn fine way, and, in the process, have created a brand new Konosuba fan.