Despite its lack of refinement, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is entertaining and addictive. It has a sprawling story and world to explore with dozens of hours of content. Its combat is more effective and engaging than you might expect. It’s a bit messy to be sure, but fans of classic RPGs are almost certain to enjoy Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon’s take on Arthurian mythology and old-school roleplaying games.
Nightreign has a few limitations, like a somewhat unrewarding solo mode, no AI party members, and no duos. Still, while it may be a game that few Souls fans thought to consider essential, Nightreign is an unexpected gift that will no doubt be a new addiction for many.
I can’t say Brushes with Death is essential, but it does add an entertaining new side-story and character to an already richly imagined world. For its modest price, new players get even more KCD2 to discover. Returning players get an excuse to revisit Henry and his world, like playing catch-up with an old friend for a few hours. Brushes with Death definitely makes an already excellent game just a little more interesting.
Thanks to playing with others, it can easily be a nice little alternate reality that’s almost entirely free of conflict and violence, and that sounds pretty inviting. Palia might not be incredibly original, but it’s definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.
With a haunting open world to explore, a substantial narrative and excellent combat, Days Gone Remastered is a solid action adventure and easy to recommend for fans of the genre.
Someone coming to the remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered unaware of its history would no doubt think it was a retro-tribute to a long-ago age of RPGs. They’d think they were playing a good looking game with old-school level design, fantastic music, an interesting story and somewhat janky combat. They’d be drawn in by the world and its possibilities just as the original’s players were. That aspect of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion didn’t really need much improvement.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree doesn’t veer off well-traveled paths, but that doesn’t mean its familiar combination of mechanics isn’t fun. Though it doesn’t necessarily stand out in any one area, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is still a substantial, visually impressive and generally engaging experience.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strong debut title for Sandfall Interactive, with compelling characters and an original, unsettling story that’s part allegory, part surreal fantasy. Its turn-based/real-time hybrid combat is well thought out and grows more interesting as the game progresses. Some narrative pacing issues and repetitive enemy encounters pull Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from the brink of greatness. Still, it remains a unique and engaging take on both fantasy storytelling and JRPGs.
1999’s Amerzone was technically a product of its times, but it told a still-interesting and layered story, set in a fantastical world. Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy is a true remake, keeping the skeleton intact while bringing the graphics, sound, puzzle mechanics, and exploration up to contemporary standards. Players of the original will find Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy both a respectful and exciting new experience. Adventure puzzle game fans who missed it the first time are in for a treat.
Gorn 2 offers substantially more gameplay than the original Gorn. The arenas, enemies, and environments offer enhanced opportunities for creative mayhem. The first game’s way-over-the-top stylized violence and gore transfer intact, along with its goofy sense of satire. I
Tempest Rising comes at a great time, with few classic-type RTS games making an appearance. Tempest Rising easily recreates the fun of those early games and their addictive mechanics. At the same time, it looks and runs like a current title. Two impressive campaigns and the potential for endless enjoyment via skirmishes equals an impressive and exciting return to a regretfully absent genre.
The new version adds some quality-of-life features, new content, and an editor in concert with beautifully updated graphics. Enough time has passed to firmly assert that The Talos Principal is a genre classic, and The Talos Principal: Reawakened is simply the definitive version to own.
Unfortunately, South of Midnight is saddled with frustrating, unpolished combat and action sequences that become repetitive long before the game’s midpoint. Even with its glaring faults, South of Midnight is mostly worth playing just for the orc-free story and uniquely American characters.
Any PC gamer who doesn’t already own The Last of Us Part II on console should definitely pick this up.
Koira is a heartfelt and inspiring journey that explores the deep emotional bonds between people and animals, bonds that are dynamic and fulfilling for both.
In the absence of other and more impressive Soulslikes, AI Limit could definitely step in and fill a void. It gets the basics right and even iterates in some enjoyable ways.
Derivative though it most certainly is, The First Berserker: Khazan is still incredibly fun to play because combat is so satisfying. The gothic anime visuals look great, and the game manages to sneak a few new and smart mechanics into the formula.
The world is beautiful and thoroughly convincing, the characters are interesting but the combat lacks polish and finesse.
Shadows’ world and attention to Japanese history and culture are genuinely impressive. Naoe is not the ultimate assassin and Yesuke is not the most refined ARPG hero. However, their different strengths add creativity to combat and narrative complexity. I don’t think Assassin’s Creed Shadows will disappoint many fans, nor pull in the uninitiated in great numbers. It’s a solid AC game with just enough new ideas to make it stand apart from the recent titles.
PC players looking for an awe-inspiring graphical showcase might run into performance issues. Overall, Rise of the Ronin’s flashy combat and action sell the experience and make it worth playing, but not as convincingly as one might wish