I found very little to enjoy during my time with Lorena and the Land of Ruins. Through and through, it’s a very poorly made game that can’t really do any of the things it sets out to do well at all. Gunplay is poor because of an appalling lack of polish and bad game balance. Platforming is weightless, unsatisfying, and thoughtless. Then there’s the game’s moe aesthetic, which is completely ruined by incohesive, wooden, and massively dated visuals. The only thing I’d say is sort of a saving grace is the rather novel speedrunning element, but that’s only if you’re willing to put up with the many warts of gameplay. Lorena may be a treasure hunter, but all you’ll find in this game are duds.
If Detective Pikachu Returns’ goal was to make a mystery game that any kid could enjoy, then it’s almost a complete failure. This is most certainly no Professor Layton, nor is it anywhere close to that pedigree in any category. The mysteries are robbed of all of their catharsis because the game doesn’t ever trust the player’s intellect and intuition. Not that you may want to see the story to its end when the main narrative can’t make up its mind on what it wants to be. For only a very brief stint of time was I invested, but then I soon realized that I already saw everything that it had to offer. Its few bright spots in character interaction and charm couldn’t hide that. This isn’t a broken game, but it’s something I found worse: it’s boring.
The House of the Dead: Remake is utterly disappointing. While the addition of Horde Mode is a net positive, it’s brought down by ugly visuals, poor performance, and worse controls. In my entire time with the game, not once did I ever feel the heavy weight of the game’s faults lifted so I could enjoy myself. There is some brilliance to be seen here, but that’s courtesy of what the original game was, not what the remake mostly fails to uphold. The House of the Dead is better enjoyed elsewhere.
Gunvolt Records: Cychronicle is a rhythmic walk across memory lane. Because of the generally low amounts of content on offer, I would say that this game is best enjoyed by Gunvolt fans rather than general rhythm game players. With gratifying and intense rhythm gameplay coupled with a loving look into the series’ history up to this point, it can satisfy the cravings of diehard fans quite easily. At its best, it serves as a good reminder of why I liked the series to begin with. Meanwhile, at its worst, it's still a perfectly decent rhythm game that falls short on things to see and do. Inti Creates’ first foray into the rhythm game genre gets a thumbs up from me.
Sonic Origins Plus is an okay, but ultimately superfluous expansion to an already good collection. The addition of Amy is a net positive and a nice primer ahead of her playable appearance in the upcoming Sonic Superstars. Knuckles finally becoming playable in Sonic CD also feels like it fulfills an age-old promise, but in his case, it feels like too little too late. The Game Gear titles themselves are nice to see again, but many of them have little lingering novelty. Their shoddy sound emulation is also somewhat disappointing. If you don't own Sonic Origins, go with the Plus version. But if you do, this will really only appeal to the most diehard of Sonic fans.
It’s hard not to get the sense that Process of Elimination is a game that’s only ever content with punching below its own weight. In the moment of play, it can be a reasonably satisfying and fun visual novel that pays great respect to its contemporaries. However, it never becomes more than that because paying respects is all it seems interested in doing. Any genuinely interesting ideas it may have are buried under a cliched, predictable, and rote storyline filled with character archetypes you’ve almost assuredly seen executed better elsewhere. It just never lingers in the mind. This title may wear its heart on its sleeve, but it’s at the cost of any semblance of style or identity.
The few improvements made to Persona 3 Portable cannot begin to make up for how half-hearted this remastering effort feels otherwise. Shoddily redone audiovisual aspects compromise its atmosphere and painstakingly crafted emotional beats. Things that should have been improved simply weren’t. I implore you to play Persona 3 if you haven’t already, it’s one of the most fulfilling and characterful JRPGs ever made. However, don’t make this disappointing version your first experience.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is a game that wants to evolve the series, but is founded on the flawed principle of trying to fix what wasn’t broken to begin with. For each improvement it makes, there is a new problem present that holds it back from ever reaching its fullest potential. This game was a long time coming, which is why it’s disappointing for me to say that the wait wasn’t entirely worth it.
Splatoon 3: Side Order adds that cherry on top of an already sweet package. While I would not say that this is an essential purchase, it will do its job in satisfying those who crave a bit more from Splatoon 3. The roguelike elements of Side Order are somewhat undercooked and didn’t hold my interest as long as I would have liked. However, elements like the new boss battles, the writing, and the music made it worthwhile for at least the one playthrough. Splatoon addicts will also likely be satisfied with a mode that can be engaged with for as long as they feel like. Overall, this is a nice side dish, even if it falls short of being a great entree.
The big question heading into Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection was whether Atlus could successfully translate the series' one-of-a-kind gameplay onto more conventional hardware. To me, they’ve answered back with a resounding and confident yes. These are excellent remasters that show that Atlus has carefully considered what to bring over and what to ditch in the transition away from dual-screen hardware. They look sharper than ever, they sound nicer, and despite not having a second screen, they arguably even play smoother. If nothing else, this collection definitively proves that Etrian Odyssey’s future is not jeopardized by its lack of two screens. Having said that, this collection as a whole is still a tough sell. If it was just Etrian Odyssey III, I could recommend it in a heartbeat—it’s one of the best DRPGs around. The first two games, however, I do not hold the same charity for. They aren’t bad, but they are massively unrefined and unsophisticated compared to what came after. Despite being good remasters, you’re still better off playing their 3DS remakes. Their novelty just doesn’t linger for long, and with the eye-popping price tag attached to Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection, I’d want something more than that. If prospective buyers are willing to accept that, then they’ll have a solid time with the humble origins of one of the best DRPG franchises around.
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society satisfies with an engrossing story, great artwork, and compelling dungeon-crawling gameplay. It’s let down by not being much of an improvement over its predecessor and having many of the same problems. Poor yet constant tutorials drag down the pacing and battle mechanics never feel well-considered, although it’s never flat-out poor. If you played the previous Labyrinth game and didn’t like it, this will not convince you otherwise. That said, if you choose to stick with it in spite of its problems, you’ll find a clumsy game with a lot of heart.
While it hits a few snags, Sonic Origins is a compilation that runs with absolute confidence in itself. Smooth gameplay and smart new features make for the best ways to experience each of these games. Sonic might be 31 years old, but with this collection, it looks like he hasn’t aged a day.
I still recommend the game. Beneath all the baggage that the Ultimate version introduces, it’s still fantastic after so long. Despite having played the Switch version in particular, which is much worse off than the other versions, I still enjoyed the game enough to 100% in less than half a day. While I don’t regret my time doing so, by the end of it, I was slightly disheartened. Disheartened that, despite all the promises Sega made about ensuring more quality Sonic experiences, these promises end up coming out feeling like half-truths. I can only hope that future Sonic re-releases and remasters, including the upcoming Sonic Origins, have more time and care put into them, as the series truly does deserve better.
Sonic Superstars is a largely successful evolution of the classic formula. Although its multiplayer component doesn't really appeal to me, the addition of Emerald Powers when combined with more ambitious levels won me over and then some. It doesn't quite touch the peak that Sonic 3 & Knuckles still sits upon, but it makes a valiant effort to stand tall with its peers. What holds it back from claiming the throne for itself are inconsistencies in its visuals and music, but those are easy things to forgive with how much it ends up getting right. I'll likely be playing this one for years to come alongside the other classics, and that's all I really want at the end of the day.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is a sequel of higher highs and lower lows. I don’t think it’s as consistently enjoyable as its predecessor, but the game’s incredible emotional and gameplay highs bring it to something that I feel is on roughly even footing with Zero. I compared it to a roller coaster earlier, and I feel that’s an apt summation for the entire game. It’s bumpy and not all of it’s going to be enjoyable, but the thrills experienced make it absolutely worthwhile.
This game may yet be my favorite Inti Creates title of this era. A well-considered, refined, and lovingly realized tribute to Castlevania combined with the quirky, yet fully sincere personality of Gal*Gun makes for a one-of-a-kind platformer. Although I do have some grievances with the overall execution of parts of its level design and partner system, the smile I had on my face the majority of the time outweighs that many times over. Stylish, funny, and breezy all at once—Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is an easy recommendation.
As a longtime fan of the Blue Blur, I am overjoyed by Sonic Frontiers and what it represents for the series moving forward. With solid new gameplay ideas, an engaging and rewarding story, one of the best soundtracks in the series, and a good length, it’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had with a Sonic game. What holds it back are inconsistent visuals, a general lack of polish in some places, and not being particularly newcomer friendly. That being said, it’s a game I can still recommend with ease because of the sheer amount of heart it has, and how addicting it is when taken on its own terms. It’s a new frontier, and the air has never been so fresh.
My only complaint with Little Witch Nobeta is that I wish there was just more of it to enjoy. Even for a Souls-like game, it’s pretty short and I clocked in about 9 hours before the credits rolled. That said, within that time span, I was left consistently impressed by its razor-sharp level design, strong enemy and boss design, and smart application of its unique mechanics. Nobeta may be little, but she leaves a big impression.
Splatoon 3 is an incredible game that further evolves an awesome twist on the competitive shooter genre. Unfortunately, it’s let down by what is perhaps its most important component, the terrible and limiting online functionality. Luckily, the game is fun enough that I think legging through the exhausting online problems is worth it, and it has an excellent single-player mode to keep you occupied as well. Expressive, vibrant, and endlessly indulgent in its uniqueness, Splatoon 3 is very much a worthy follow-up to its predecessors.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is yet another solid game in Falcom’s rich legacy of RPGs. Issues like the lack of an English dub, slow game speed, and the strange sidequest system add up and do bring the experience down somewhat. Despite these issues, Trails from Zero is a game that manages to successfully and smartly craft an experience that stands out from its contemporaries.