Even if its competitors do what it does better, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is still a rollicking good time that no one will regret experiencing.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered lacks the impact of Suda51 and Mikami’s Killer7, the mechanical depth of Mikami's RE4 and Vanquish, and the uncompromised vision of Kurayami Dance. However, getting lost in what SotD isn't also means losing sight of what it is. Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a delightful B-movie romp that can be knocked off in a weekend, and there's still value in that. Diving into hordes of enemies with Garcia's upgraded abilities and assorted takedowns can be very fun, even if extra details like headshots feel like they could be tightened up. If it sparks some good word-of-mouth, perhaps today’s leaner shooter landscape will do Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered some good.
It has some rough spots, but as a love letter to this franchise's heyday, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero hits hard where it counts.
Although its framework is similar to Capcom's last fighting bundle, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection's contents shine too brightly to care.
It's not going to be the next Soulslike hit, but Deathbound has unique ideas and solid execution that genre fans can appreciate.
While the Soulslike genre is no stranger to cute indie entries or a sense of humor, there's nothing quite like Another Crab's Treasure on the market. It affectionately parodies many Souls games in its Sands Between, while executing their tropes with all the passion of a hardcore fan. Another Crab’s Treasure's family-friendly face hides surprising savagery, but doesn't neglect anyone who wants the relaxed experience it teases. Even its mechanics are often recycled from other Soulsbornes, but used in novel ways, even if there's some polish missing here and there. Delving into Another Crab's Treasure will unearth a mixture of the familiar and the unknown, the perfect accomplice to its quirky journey through the deep, blue sea.
With plenty of quests, collectibles, bosses, cutscenes, and more, there's never a dull moment across Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s 20+ hours of play time. Relink effectively sells itself to casual and hardcore gamers alike, and saturates even its towns and menus with extra details. All the animations, ambient dialogue, Easter eggs, and the sheer energy of the whole package demonstrate how Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s extended development served its eventual release. Cygames has finally delivered the promises Granblue Fantasy: Relink made a long time ago, and it should join its RPG and fighting game counterparts in pleasing fans for years to come.
Street Fighter 6 just raised the bar for AAA fighting games midway through 2023, and its long-time 3D rival Tekken has already matched it. Tekken 8's story mode is a breath of fresh air after T7's, and its abundance of single-player modes will give casual fans plenty to do afterward. Veterans can enjoy Tekken 8's new characters and mechanics without the game’s fundamentals being compromised, and a top-notch presentation will impress without technical hiccups. No one could have expected Tekken 8 to improve this much after Tekken 7 was already so strong, but it's clear that the new game won’t settle for anything less than being the series’ best.
All together, Mortal Kombat 1 is an impressive package, changing things up while showing reverence for even the most obscure parts of its franchise. With that said, nothing in MK1, from gameplay to narrative, is any more than a strict evolution of MK11. Mortal Kombat 1 contributes little new to the fighting game space, and the nearby Street Fighter 6 harshly contrasts it by claiming the custom fighters and open world Konquest mode Mortal Kombat left behind. Still, Liu Kang's new timeline shows great promise, and Mortal Kombat 1 should keep its community satisfied until the next Mortal Kombat begins.
But that's the risk Street Fighter 6 took when it merged three game-sized modes. World Tour is the accessible and content-rich single-player attraction that the genre has been waiting for and has fully gamified the process of learning a fighting game. Battle Hub is one of the most enticing fighting game lobbies ever, introducing variety in the name of fun. Fighting Ground fills any gaps left by the other modes, while also emphasizing traditional gameplay and SF6's new mechanics like the Drive System. These modes easily hook their intended audience, and it seems Street Fighter 6 has reclaimed its spot at the top of the fighting game world.