Caught in a struggle between being a definitive casual game while also being a hardcore competitive experience, Sparking! Zero makes the best of its numerous limitations. The core game is fun enough, it looks great, and it contains an impressive collection of Dragon Ball fan service. Sparking! Zero pushes limits in all of the ways a Dragon Ball game should. Unfortunately, various limitations push back just as much, resulting in a game that still has plenty of training to do in order to reach its full potential.
Ys X boldly sails into uncharted waters. It's a sturdy vessel of combat, exploration, and heart, even if some of its individual parts could use further refinement. Ys X may not be my favorite Ys, but it does an excellent job of reminding me why Ys is my favorite.
Sonic x Shadow Generations ties past, present, and future together for a comprehensive view of Sonic's appeal. If Sonic Generations signaled a conservative era for Sonic stuck in the past, Shadow Generation signals an exciting future of new ideas and stories that matter.
Overall, Metaphor plays like a dream from start to finish. There's less downtime than Persona and fewer frustrating moments than Shin Megami Tensei, with the whole game feeling like a high-stakes road trip with your best friends. The road to the throne is a tough one, but it's one well worth walking.
Khaos Reigns doesn't shake up Mortal Kombat 1 as much as a chaotic regime implies. Instead, it sticks to what works, or at least what it thinks will work. More story mode, more ninjas, and more guest characters. For me, the ninjas steal the show over a weak story and an unexciting (although yet to be released) guest ensemble.
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is a welcome change of plans, pushing an NES classic into fascinating new territory. With katana in hand, Reborn carves out its own niche with its meticulous, plan-based platforming. Its strong design combined with a high amount of replayability invites its science-based community of ninjas to keep experimenting long after their first playthrough.
Dead Rising's Deluxe Remaster makes changes big and small to an all-time classic. Some changes work, some don't, and ultimately none of them feel essential. Dead Rising remains a great game with or without this particular reconditioning. This Deluxe Remaster works best as an interesting thought experiment: what if Dead Rising released in 2024? It would be shinier, have autosaves, and noticeably fear its potential audience.
Astro Bot captures all of the strong points of a brand new puppy. It's cute, playful, and doggedly loyal to PlayStation's history. While it still has room to grow into its legs and sharpen its teeth, most missteps are easily forgiven. I mean, just look at it!
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder looks and plays the part of a competent action game. However, its heart lies more in its narrative. While I admire the ambition, Gestalt left me asking, both as a game and as a story, one simple question: "so what?".
Splintered Fate transparently aims to munch your time. All of its combat and replayability ideas give the appearance of a sturdy shell, yet the cracks in its execution undermine what is otherwise a lovingly crafted representation of the TMNT.
Kunitsu-Gami is a striking game both conceptually and visually, exactly the kind of experimental game that I wish we got more often. I just also wish it pushed itself a little further than it does. Offense runs the show in Kunitsu-Gami, which unfortunately undermines some of its potential strengths. Still, the game keeps itself engaging with its hybrid of action and strategy, as well as the courage to change up its structure.
Banana Rumble shows the value of adding a new spin on a tried-and-true formula. This series has wallowed in its past for a long time, so I'm glad to see the new Spin Dash mechanic propel it into new and exciting places. As far as Super Monkey Ball sequels go, this one is easily the top banana.
TMNT: Wrath of the Mutants puts you on a roller coaster ride through the world of the 2012 cartoon. The ride proves amusing, but digging any deeper into its game design reveals the game to be a rather sloppy bout of sewer surfin'.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU rests on a solid foundation, yet prioritizes its narrative at the expense of its game design. Rather than allowing its gameplay and narrative to support each other, it discards some of the medium's unique strengths for a competent if bland experience that fails to give full weight to its subject matter.
Pepper Grinder offers plenty of fun during a surface level playthrough. Once you drill into the depths of its game mechanics, however, you'll find an overly forgiving "casual" game and a relatively frustrating "time attack" game. That said, you can collect stickers and that's pretty cool.
Dragon's Dogma II is a masterfully refined take on the original game. It's easy to get lost in its massive world for hours on end and truly immerse yourself into the role of the Arisen. There are a ton of technical problems and oddities throughout the game, but somehow those didn't stop us from having a blast. In an age where the limitations of video games are a known quantity, Dragon's Dogma II transcends them to become a game that truly feels real.
Berserk Boy bursts onto a crowded market of platformers in a strong flash of inspiration. With its literally game-changing form system, energetic soundtrack, and impactful visual design, it's a game well worth playing to the end. It just doesn't make as strong of an argument for you to stick around after the credits in its current state.
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell displays a quiet confidence that's easy to appreciate. It executes on its straightforward design sense effectively and without deviation. As a finale that goal may come across as a little complacent, but it still makes for a perfectly pleasant Spring day.
Ultros sows some fascinating seeds into a familiar framework. Although those seeds bloomed into a visually striking game, some poor soil hinders its ability to fully develop.
Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes] does not reinvent the wheel so much as it refines it to its most effective form yet. That takes more effort than you'd expect – UNI2 is the culmination of a decade's worth of thoughtful design and carefully considered changes. Despite this, it effortlessly demonstrates why it's one of the strongest competitors on the fighting game market right now.