Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos attempts to deliver a Katamari-like gameplay experience with a comedic premise, starring fan-favorite Uzume Tennouboshi. However, the game falls flat with its rushed narrative, shallow mechanics, and lack of meaningful content, making it feel more like a cash grab than a worthy entry in the Neptunia series.
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai is not an experience I recommend to anyone. Regardless of your familiarity with the series, I can promise you that this is not worth the time. Even fans who love the source material will get nothing positive from this title, as the miserable gameplay loop and surface-level storytelling will do nothing to initiate or enhance anybody’s love for the IP. What is here is more representative of a mobile game’s structure, with a console coating that’s mostly deceitful above all else.
Star Overdrive delivers bursts of brilliance with its exhilarating hoverboard traversal and momentum-based platforming, but ultimately gets bogged down by repetitive combat, underwhelming upgrades, and an overly ambitious design that fails to come together cohesively.
Hellboy Web of Wyrd takes a notable step forward into the roguelike genre but fails to find its footing. While it successfully implements its gameplay loop and progression mechanics, it offers only a baseline level of satisfaction as a package. The distinctive comic-style presentation and impressive voice work contribute to the game’s appeal but fall short of igniting a strong desire for replayability. Fans of the Hellboy franchise may find deeper enjoyment due to their attachment to the source material.
Wandering Sword is a bit of a mixed bag that uses its brilliant presentation and vast player freedom to partially offset its dull storytelling, the lacking script translation, and dialogue structuring. Unfortunately, the pros weren’t enough to really stick the landing, as I had to force myself to get through a fair bit of the experience. The intrigue this cast and narrative carry doesn’t manage to reach anything meaningfully gripping or memorable, and that made much of this title an unfortunate slog. Still, it can be an addictive and enjoyable time for those who become compelled by its systems.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership brings a nostalgic return to the beloved RPG series with engaging combat, charming presentation, and heartfelt sibling dynamics. However, its lackluster story, forgettable characters, and technical hiccups hold it back from being a true masterpiece. While it has moments of fun and familiarity, it struggles to stand out in a year brimming with excellent Mario RPG releases.
SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is a heartfelt visual novel blending emotional character dynamics with an intriguing mystery. While its standalone accessibility and nostalgic presentation shine, inconsistent heroine routes, localization errors, and awkward voice acting hold it back from true greatness. A solid entry point for newcomers to the Memories Off series.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a standout superhero adventure with terrific character writing that, at least in my experience, is heavily bogged down by unsatisfactory performance. Bugs and crashes drastically ruined segments of progression, even in story-heavy scenarios. If I only faced the occasional softlock or crash, I wouldn’t really care, but these issues being such a constant made them impossible to overlook, doubly so with the launch patch installed.
Sonic Superstars is an adequate 2D Sonic adventure boasting great character control and stage theming alongside significantly improved boss battles. However, the peculiar implementation of the Chaos Emeralds and the only decent level design prevent this outing from really establishing itself as a must-play for veterans of the franchise or genre. At the very least, there’s a reasonable offering of supplemental content packed in replays and bonus modes to satisfy the fans awaiting an original 2D Sonic game.
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster revives two beloved JRPG classics with enhanced visuals and quality-of-life improvements. While Suikoden I offers a solid, if rushed, introduction, Suikoden II stands out as a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and emotional depth. With strategic combat, 108 recruitable characters, and new difficulty options, this remaster reintroduces a long-lost gem to a modern audience—flaws and all.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II is an ambitious sequel that builds on its predecessor with deeper worldbuilding, refined combat mechanics, and engaging character dynamics. However, inconsistent writing, a rushed third act, and underwhelming new features prevent it from reaching its full potential. While longtime fans will appreciate the expanded lore and combat improvements, the uneven storytelling may leave some players frustrated.
Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is mostly the same on PlayStation 5 as on PC, except in a better launch state. If you’ve already played the game on PC, you have practically no reason to get this version unless you’re a diehard fan. On the other hand, newcomers to this entry don’t have anything significant to worry about.
Rusty Rabbit blends heartfelt storytelling and platforming action in a post-human world ruled by rabbits. While its mech controls require patience, the emotional core and worldbuilding shine through, delivering a charming experience that lingers longer than expected.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is an Unreal Engine 5 revival of Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma that arrives unexpectedly yet brings back the series’ legendary fast-paced action. While some missing features from the original Ninja Gaiden 2 and random performance stumbles keep it from being the perfect return, its wildly satisfying combat and varied arsenal make it a worthwhile visit for fans craving that classic Ninja Gaiden rush.
Symphonia is a visually stunning 2D platformer where music and gameplay intertwine in a harmonious adventure. With its unique momentum-based mechanics, orchestral soundtrack, and challenging optional areas, the game delivers a short yet satisfying experience for fans of the genre. However, minor bugs, an underdeveloped story, and some confusing mechanics hold it back from reaching its full potential. A must-play for platforming enthusiasts seeking something fresh.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake gives this classic a fresh coat of paint with a gorgeous HD-2D look and smart gameplay tweaks that make revisiting it feel worthwhile. With quality-of-life improvements and a flexible job system, it sticks close to its roots but doesn’t shy away from modern touches. While the high encounter rate and straightforward story might feel like holdovers from the past, it’s a satisfying trip back to a genre staple for those who don’t mind a little grind along the way.
Farmagia is an experience that has revealed itself as 2024’s most pleasant video game surprise. Between the strong cast, gratifying combat, and approachable yet fulfilling farming and raising mechanics, all of my boxes were checked. Of course, I have no idea how this title performs on Switch, so it may not match the relative smoothness of the PC version’s framerate, and the narrative writing has its fair share of noticeable stumbles. I also may be in the vast minority upon this release’s reception, seeing as I’m a fan of less-than-liked recent outings such as Soul Hackers 2.
I had no idea what to expect from Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, but it will undeniably be another hit under Capcom's growing catalog of critically acclaimed successes. On a personal level, this title echoes some portion of the developer's past that I've missed dearly, and sincerely hope it sticks around and grows. The gameplay shortcomings here may fail at encourgaing the incentivized repaly value enough, but they don't detract from the quality present here.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is an ambitious mainline outing that doesn't quite check all the right boxes, but definitley attempts to do so with a ton of heart. The gameplay variety, improved combat system, and excellent character dynamics make this an adventure for the ages with standout setting distinction. However, the poor narrative pacing, questionable ending scenes, and noticeably lacking difficulty stand out in an otherwise addictive experience.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a worthy resurgence for this beloved spinoff series. While the messy narrative pacing and poor framerate bring the adventure down a few notches, the addictive and rewarding gameplay loop with player freedom at its core more than offsets those flaws. You can spend countless hours making your ideal team to your heart's content and engaging with the post-game content after clearing the main story. Further, Dragon Quest IV fans will get more out of this journey than most, but newcomers who exhibit patience can still find themselves invested and enthralled. Ultimately, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince proves that this series can prosper, and with the promise that they'll continue, we're excited to see where it goes from here.