Leigh Price
Tedious dialogue, bland visuals and confusing combat make Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament a joyless experience.
Neptunia Riders vs Dogoos has a fun but strange concept, poorly executed thanks to muddied visuals and unsatisfying driving mechanics.
Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed has not aged well, but if you can put up with the game's issues, you can lose yourself in its absurdity
Players who enjoyed Scarlet Curiosity might find something to love here. However, the challenge isn't there to recommend it for fans of Touhou's difficulty and it's so under-designed as an action RPG that I can't recommend it to fans of the genre either.
Goblin Slayer Another Adventurer: Nightmare Feast has appeal for old school tactical RPG fans but does little to stand out.
Farmagia is an excellent story of rebellion that fails to reach its potential thanks to mediocre mechanics and repetitive combat.
In BIOMORPH, you must use your skills to explore a vast, varied world. Solve puzzles and platforming challenges, fight deadly monsters and take their shapes to use their powers. But beware – every conquered creature can come back with new and even more threatening powers. You will level-up your character, Harlo, as you fight through the vast areas around the city, collecting new abilities, mementos and blueprints. The journey will reveal surprising and alarming truths about our hero’s own origins. Steam version reviewed. Despite good visuals and a strong start, Biomorph eventually neglects its most interesting mechanic and becomes tedious. In the end, despite its best efforts, it ends up being just an average attempt at an already crowded genre.
Moonstone Island has the potential to be genuinely great, and it's a genuine shame that it ends up feeling lesser than its many influences.
If you’re a fan of the series, Fairy Tail 2 is a great time, although technical issues on Switch hinder the experience.
The presentation in Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus is immaculate and combat is satisfying, but inconsistent platforming sours the experience.
Foamstars is fun, but the bland aesthetics and aggressive monetization are huge turn-offs that prevent this from fully reaching its potential.
Goodbye Volcano High is an emotionally charged story tragically hindered by technical issues and pacing problems.
Process of Elimination is a decent murder mystery with a ton of interesting ideas that never quite get used to their full potential.
If a cyberpunk Metroidvania with a cool magical sword and an intriguing yokai-infested world sounds good to you, you need to play it. Has some occasional missteps but overall remains a great experience.
If you enjoy puzzle games, the works of Double Fine or Undertale, you’ll find a lot to love in Great God Grove.
While #BLUD does have some rough edges, this is a fun little adventure that’s worth looking into if you think you’d click with its tone.
While the visuals of RKGK could use some polish, its addictive movement mechanics are up there with some of the best.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a fun platformer mixed with a genuinely moving story of grief, all in a setting we rarely see in games.
Introducing a new entry in the legendary Contra series! Contra: Operation Galuga is a thorough reimagining of the classic run 'n' gun NES/arcade game from the 1980s, featuring timeless gameplay, iconic weapons, modern graphics and sound, new stages, new enemies and bosses, new play mechanics, and intense co-op combat for up to two players in Story Mode or four players in Arcade Mode! The true Contra legacy begins now! Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes. Contra: Operation Galuga is a satisfying retro revival. Fans of the series will have a blast, even if its visuals sometimes get in the way.
Pacific Drive is a unique twist on the survival genre that will make you fall in with a car, if you can handle its random difficulty spikes.