Enotria: The Last Song’s delightful setting, theatre-infused narrative, and mechanical depth help it stand out from the very crowded Soulslike landscape. On the flip side, that depth translates to sometimes poorly explained, unnecessary-feeling complications. Strip all that away, and Enotria: The Last Song is still an enjoyable action RPG that should appeal to almost every fan of the genre.
Frostpunk 2 broadens the scope and deepens the mechanics of the first game, adding even greater complexity to puzzle-like city building that remains addictive and unique in the genre.
Puzzle-platformers are nothing new, but Squirrel with a Gun’s sandbox approach and jumping-shooting mechanics help it transcend the absurdist title. The game squirrels away a lot of fun and engaging gameplay that will surprise players not expecting the game’s variety and depth. All I know is, I’ll never look at our neighborhood squirrels quite the same way again.
Thirteen years is a long time in video game history and technology. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 obviously looks and plays much better than the 2011 original. Fans of the first game will appreciate the continuing saga of the main character and the seamless integration of Warhammer lore. Action gamers without a moment of prior Warhammer experience will enjoy it, too. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is operatic, visceral, violent and unrelenting. It can be repetitive, too, but that’s best balanced by the creativity and camaraderie of human players blasting bugs by your side.
The Casting of Frank Stone takes a more measured approach to storytelling than The Dark Pictures Anthology, Until Dawn or The Quarry. It spends a long time getting to know its relatively small cast. When the scares and horror really kick in, they pack a punch because we’ve come to care about the characters. Excellent cinematic visual direction, an engaging mystery and top-notch voice acting are the stars of a game-slash-movie easily worth the price of a ticket.
In its day, Age of Mythology introduced some compelling new ideas into the real time strategy genre. While I think it’s overdue for a complete remake, Age of Mythology: Retold is an excellent way to reacquaint players with a genuine classic, and a perfect introduction for gamers new to the title.
For fans of the franchise, Gundam Breaker 4 is a successful reward for the patient faithful. For casual Gundam players not deeply invested in the series, Gundam Breaker 4 is a surprisingly good introduction to the experience. After a few hours in its virtual battles, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll want to start building a collection of Gunpla. Clear your shelves and enjoy.
Thanks to its art direction and genuinely creative use of Sims-like mechanics, Closer the Distance gets your attention. What keeps you enthralled, emotionally engaged, and frequently discomforted is its pitch-perfect exploration of some very difficult subject matter. It’s a heavy game but absolutely worth your time.
Cat Quest 3’s style is its calling card, but the surprise comes from its addictive and unexpectedly deep gameplay systems and mechanics. It’s a full-fledged ARPG with cat and pirate trappings. Fans of felines and suckers for swashbucklers of any age should enjoy the adventure. Cat Quest 3 releases on August 8–International Cat Day.
In the end, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has a lot of good ideas and the potential to be a standout ARPG. The problem is, that all those strengths are counterbalanced by issues that chip away at its quality. Good writing and acting, some interesting character dynamics, and fluid movement compete with bad sound mixing, janky combat, and inelegant level design. I think that in the end, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is worth playing, especially for casual RPG fans. Hardcore Soulslike players will find it harder to ignore the game’s missteps and flaws.
Like the best genre fiction, Nobody Wants to Die uses its narrative, character, and world to express some deeper concerns. In this case, the allegory is about the downside of immortality and the specters of power and wealth. Some of the game parts don’t work as effectively as the writing and acting, but Nobody Wants to Die leaves a strong, lasting impression. It’s one of the most original and striking games I’ve played this year.
Anger Foot seems like it could be a one-trick-pony game, with shallow gameplay and gimmick. In fact, it’s a clever and fast-paced shooter with excellent pacing, surprising depth, and a lot of humor. It doesn’t outstay its welcome and it’s reasonably replayable. If you’re looking for a bit of foot-fueled adrenaline, Anger Foot fits the bill.
In recent years, therapy, meditation, and other mental health practices have gone from being stigmatized to being accepted as routine or even necessary. That said, the techniques of therapy are still often misunderstood or shrouded in mystery. In addition to being an engaging and thoroughly entertaining — if sometimes emotionally challenging — game, Vampire Therapist casts light on several widely used CBT techniques. Players are almost guaranteed to walk away with insights into their behavior and thinking and hopefully be more open to seeking guidance from a living, probably non-vampire therapist.
There’s a lot to enjoy in Dungeons of Hinterberg. The premise is original and the combat ticks all the expected ARPG elements. Like in real life, I’m not fond of forced social interaction, and sometimes the game is a bit more gated than it appears. The puzzles are satisfying, and while movement and spell-casting can be janky, there’s quite a bit of content to explore. Fans of family-friendly ARPGs and the blend of magic and everyday life should definitely plan a staycation in Hinterberg.
Especially on the Nintendo Switch, Hot Lap Racing definitely fills a neglected niche. The selection of cars, tracks, and modes is certainly adequate, especially for fans of Euro-centric motorsport. On PC, though, it’s hard not to compare Hot Lap Racing to the scores of better and more refined games already parked in the garage.
Overall, Once Human’s blend of action, survival/crafting, and MMORPG-like mission design kept me entertained and happily occupied. While some of the more challenging enemies are designed around multiplayer teamwork, the majority of the game’s content is solo player-friendly. Once Human can be approached and enjoyed in lots of ways. It needs some further refinement, but Once Human’s hybrid genre approach pays off.
My feelings about Until Then evolved the longer I played. What at first seemed like a slow-paced visual novel with retro graphics gradually began to reveal itself as something much more sophisticated. Excellent character development and a surprising, emotionally varied narrative are at the heart of Until Then, but its storytelling mechanics are fresh and contemporary, too. Mark and his gang have interesting stories to tell, and so does Until Then.
Everything that made Warhammer 40K: Boltgun a refreshing return to Doom-era shooter vibes is there in Forces of Corruption as well. The new weapons, enemies, and environments are seamless additions to the base game. A year later, a bit of the novelty has disappeared but like the base game, Forces of Corruption reminds us of simpler times when games had modest ambitions and a focus on fun above all.
Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a great introduction to the Soulslike mechanics that dominate ARPGs right now. I can see it appealing to younger or novice gamers. It’s family-friendly, colorful, and pretty satisfying to play. More hardcore action fans will probably find it too familiar and not quite as polished as their favorites. Overall, Astor: Blade of the Monolith brings together a collection of tried-and-true mechanics in a pretty satisfying way.
Overall, fans of King Arthur: Knight’s Tale will enjoy this DLC expansion. Newcomers starting with Legion IX will need some onboarding. The game’s core combat remains challenging, interesting, and fun, even if the narrative and writing are disappointing. As a fan of Arthurian legends and history — and more importantly, tactical turn-based RPGs — I had a good time on the battlefields of Avalon.