Nothing in Elsie makes it seem very original. It’s borrowing heavily from games that are decades-old without putting any real spin on any of it. If you just miss Mega Man and want a slightly more modern take on that game, you’ll get that here, but you won’t see anything new.
I don’t know exactly how faithful Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is to the original version, but I know that it shows that beneath the waggle controls, it turns out there was a pretty enjoyable 3D platformer waiting to be found.
It would be nice if there was more content (and you have to be okay with a little straying from the source material), but as it stands, the game is a chaotic – if all-too-brief – good time.
I can’t help but wish that Evotinction had been made by a studio with more experience and a bigger budget. It’s got interesting bits and pieces to go with some intriguing ideas, but overall it feels like a slightly missed opportunity.
Everything about Gori: Cuddly Carnage is simply amazing. It delivers absurd, over-the-top action in a package that’s tailor-made for anyone who holds a soft spot for ‘00s gaming, and as far as I’m concerned it’s one of the best games of the year so far.
Akimbot may evoke a golden era of 3D platformers, but that’s pretty much all it’s good for. Taken on its own merits, at best it’s thoroughly mediocre.
It was clearly influenced by Studio Ghibli and Kiki’s Delivery Service, and it’s solid enough that you can see that influence come shining through, but at the end of the day, all the game really has to say is, “Hey, remember Kiki’s Delivery Service? Yeah, that was pretty cool.”
It’s a strange game that’s probably not going to appeal to everyone’s sensibilities – but if it appeals to your sensibilities and sense of humour, there’s a good chance it might be your game of the year.
Arranger has enough flaws that I can’t say I love it, either. There are good ideas, and occasionally very good execution, but on the whole none of it feels like it ever clicks into a coherent, must-play whole.
Star Wars Outlaws is a perfect example of a good game that could’ve been a great one if only its developers had played to its strengths.
If you just want a game you don’t need to think about, Love, Ghostie will deliver. It’s every bit as shallow as the dating shows that inspired it, so if that’s the kind of game you’re after – and the continued popularity of the genre shows some people are – then this may be right up your alley.
Creatures of Ava is one of the rare wholesome games that adds enjoyable gameplay to its cozy atmosphere. It brings together ideas you’ve seen elsewhere, but does so in a way that makes them more or less its own.
Guayota is a good example of a game that tries to do way too much. It has ideas, but it doesn’t know how to moderate them or reign them in, and the end result is a lot messier than it needs to or should be.
I’d say that Black Myth: Wukong pretty much delivers on what it always promised: a gorgeous world where you get to battle crazy monsters and demons. It would be nice if there was a little more to do between the craziest monsters and demons, but if you want a game that will test you while giving you some nice scenery to look at, you’ll find it here.
Cat Quest III is simply fantastic. It’s got a vibrant world, fun action, a solid story, and, of course, pirate cats, all wrapped together in a package that should entice anyone.
I’m sure that if you loved Star Wars: Bounty Hunter back when it first came out 20+ years ago, you’ll probably still have a soft spot for it. And it’s certainly far from a bad game – as shooters go, it’s definitely competent. But that doesn’t make it some long-lost hidden gem. It was a so-so game back then, and it’s still a so-so game today.
If you’re just looking for a Zelda-like, you may find yourself a little disappointed by Weko The Mask Gatherer: it’s that, but it’s a lot more than that. It’ll challenge you far more than you might expect at first glance, but the end result is definitely worth it.
The main problem with EDF6 is that there’s simply too much of it. The base game includes 147 levels, each with five difficulty levels if you really want to be a completist. While it’s undeniably fun to blast away at aliens, bugs, and robots, at a certain point it all feels a little repetitive. The game starts to feel like a slog of explosions, no matter what the setting is.
Obviously, the big draw in Kitsune Tails isn’t meant to be the gameplay – you don’t make the focus of your game a lesbian love triangle between two mythical creatures and a sorceress if you aren’t hoping to draw in fans who want a meaty narrative at the core of their games. But while that may be fine for a visual novel, if you’re trying to sell a 2D platformer you need good gameplay too. And even if Kitsune Tails borrows liberally from one of the best of those ever made, it doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to its inspiration.
Pine Hearts is one of those rare wholesome, cozy games that doesn’t try to use an emotional overlay to hide gameplay that’s not very fun when you get down to it – it’s got an emotional core underneath a game that’s fun to play.