Breakers may not be the most original fighting game franchise around, but it is an extremely solid one that offers some fun spins on its inspirations. If you're willing to give it a break, the Breakers Collection is well worth playing.
Gungrave lives by the simple principle of "kick their ass." If that premise fails to hook you, nothing G.O.R.E. does will change your mind. If anything, its minor missteps may dissuade you from sticking with it at all. For those who love Gungrave for the kind of game it is, however, G.O.R.E. offers plenty more of it while intelligently expanding the core mechanics. This is one for all the true Gungravers out there howling at the night for more things to shoot.
Despite some translation woes, Digimon Survive's narrative still shines brightly. As cruel and dark as its narrative can be, neither you or the characters should ever give up completely. That's the key to survival, and that message is apparent in the character relationships, the battles, and the developments of the story as a whole. Digimon Survive expresses the power that can come from your bonds with others, and how supporting each other can keep hope alive. That's a message worth sharing, and Digimon Survive is a messenger worth experiencing.
Mario is known for surprising you with new ideas and strong game design. Super Mario Bros. Wonder contains both in spades. Although it executes on the element of surprise in a way I hesitate to call an outright innovation, it always supports the strengths of both the expected and unexpected.
Frontiers boldly plants one foot into the future with its "open zone" structure while keeping the other stuck in the past with mechanics and level ideas that are over a decade old. This approach results in a satisfying game even if it does not push the series into as many new frontiers as it could. It still hits many of the right notes that long-time fans will appreciate and works especially hard to satisfy those who have felt like the past few Sonic games have been missing some personality.
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.
Tekken 8 blew us away with its excellent, engaging features that are fine-tuned to fit every fighting game fan's preference. It also offers a battle system that new and veteran players can enjoy...as long as you can take the Heat.
Humanity is vast, clever, inventive, and eclectic. It constantly proposes new ideas that redefine the basic experience into a grand design of puzzle mechanics that are just as fun to experiment with as they are to think about. While its best-laid plans have some faults, it all works out in the end. You couldn't ask for a better reflection of humanity than Humanity.
Symphonia regenerated the traditional RPG structure with smartly designed battle mechanics and well-fleshed out cast of characters. It remains a favorite of mine to this day and I'm glad to get the opportunity to experience it again, even if this re-release can never truly recapture the original effect it had on me. The remaster translates the regenerative nature of Symphonia competently, but this is the kind of game that deserves a remaster that goes the extra mile.
Valkyrie Profile uses the conventions of a dungeon crawler to highlight an aspect of games, and really humanity itself, that often goes understated. The path to our true calling is vague, confusing, and full of trial and error. If you're willing to persevere and think beyond the immediate path before you, however, you reach your full potential. You might like Valkyrie Profile, too!
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.
Street Fighter 6 takes the series to the next stage with a wildly fun fighting system that emphasizes personal choice. Each mainline Street Fighter tends to define its era of fighting games in some way, and Street Fighter 6 confidently steps forward to that next era. From its battle system to its bevvy of modes such as World Tour, it dives deep into everything that makes fighting games great.