With the source material being so well known for its quality, it’s a shame Bluey: The Videogame is nowhere near as good in writing, gameplay, animation, or anything for that matter. Even with the target audience being young gamers or parents wanting their kids to try something they are familiar with, it’s hard to see many people finding joy here.
Music Racer Ultimate is all flash and no fun. For a music game, the music is okay, but the game itself is not satisfying to play. The rewards aren’t rewarding, the levels are aggravating, and the menus and layout are confusing. This port needed way more time in the oven to ensure that its trip to Xbox would actually feel right at home, not a mobile game that feels like it’s just on a bigger screen.
Trinity Trigger had so much promise. It had great talent associated with it. It looked like it could be a fun and grand adventure. But everything just fell flat on its face. From the story to just about every gameplay mechanic felt more tedious than enjoyable.
For some, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is exactly what those who love the GBA release are looking for. For everyone else, this puzzle platformer is full of rough edges that are a deterrent.
Layers of Fear (2023) has new gameplay elements that breathe life into the older games, but the new story additions just feel tacked on.
With more refinement, Ravenlok could’ve been an interesting twist on a beloved tale. In its current state, though, it’s just simply okay.
The Callisto Protocol is my biggest disappointment this year. While it nails the aesthetic and is one of the most beautiful games I’ve played this year, it misses the mark in almost every other department. I think it can be refined to at least be more fun, but in its current state, the story and gameplay weigh down this new entry to the survival horror genre from the potential it so obviously has.
Moonscars is a deep, dark tale about what makes us human in our darkest times and how we persevere. When it works, it really works and was some of the most fun I had playing 2-D souls-like in recent memory. But it is riddled with balancing issues and loses touch on what makes Souls-likes fun in the name of difficulty.
Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed shows this cult classic did not age well. Beyond dialogue, updates to gameplay and graphics feel hollow when game-breaking bugs are still prevalent…That isn’t to say you won’t find fun here. But that fun may just be restricted to a 10-12 hour jaunt through memory lane.
Regardless of your feelings about the Justice League, you can fun in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. Rocksteady did well with creating a story that can hit the heartstrings. Playing as each member of the squad brings their own unique forms of entertainment, where you’ll enjoy switching between each member as needed. But the writing and character growth can only do so much when the full package feels soulless.
Immortals of Aveum at its core is a fun take on the shooter genre. Yet it quickly bogs itself down with an over-complicated story and an unnecessary gearing system. Set in a new world that’s fun to explore, Aveum has the potential to be a great universe to revisit in the future.
The Crew Motorfest definitely brings the heat, but in the end, it’s sitting at a distant second until it learns what exactly it wants out of itself.
For a collection, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is one heck of a deal. Ten games, each being 10+ hours long, in one package?! That can’t be beaten. Plus, from a preservation perspective, this collection is great at making old GBA classics and one of my favorite series from Capcom, playable on modern consoles.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered does what it set out to do—allow a classic JRPG to be playable on modern hardware. However, even then, this remaster falls short.
Outriders Worldslayer, while introducing some fun new additions, just ended up being more Outriders for better or worse…There is no revolutionary overhaul of systems. They built on what was already there or just retooled to fit in theming-wise (looking at you, Apocalypse levels). One thing is for sure—People Can Fly can make a fun game even more fun, regardless of whether it ends up being good.
Ghostwire: Tokyo offers a lot of good but it’s hidden behind even more tedium. I'm left wishing that the team had more time to polish their ideas. It's hard for me to recommend Ghostwire: Tokyo. That isn’t to say I didn’t have fun with what's made well. What doesn’t, though, feels like it patches and ultimately bogged down my experience.
While not perfect, The Gunk is a fun game that carries a great and important message. We need to save our environment. A compelling story, relaxing yet sometimes boring gameplay, and stunning visuals.
Another Crab’s Treasure is a fantastic soulslike for those looking for an entry into soulslikes.
Thirsty Suitors’s main story is deep and really aims right at the heart, even if it feels disjointed at times. Regardless of your relationship with your parents, loved ones, and past friends, you will find ways to connect with Jala’s troubles. Beyond that, the game feels quite simplistic, for better or worse. The combat is stylish and fun but quickly gets repetitive.
Trek to Yomi raises the bar high for historical accuracy. It’s clear how hard the developers worked to make this game feel like an act of love and admiration for the Edo period of Japan. However, the well-written story, great voice acting, and beautiful setpieces are held back by the combat. For a substantial part of the game, swordfights feel stale. Especially with little use for combos which are given a big emphasis via unlocks. If the combat was given the attention that every other facet of this game got, Trek to Yomi would have been a big contender for my Game of the Year.