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Persona 5 Royal makes the leap to PC with aplomb. There's a decent suite of options including rebindable controls and resolution scaling, but it's not quite perfect. Keyboard and mouse leave a small amount to be desired and the UI looks awful at resolutions below 1080. Still, if you're looking to play one of the most stylish and fun JRPGs around, PC is the perfect way to experience it.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope launches with a spark of life. There are improvements and expansion of the gameplay and performance of the first game. Three new heroes to the game including an original (non-Mushroom Kingdom related) Rabbid character named Edge. There are brand new unique weapons and special abilities for each character. Oh, and Sparks galore. This game is pumped full of "new tactical possibilities" for every kind of gamer.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is one of the most emotionally satisfying games I have ever played. I was stunned by the emotionally charged, beautifully presented, and impeccably acted story which is brought to life by incredible technical feats which showcase the power of the PS5. Time and again I was surprised by the sheer bleakness that the story was brave enough to dive into and the thrill of watching hope attempt - and often fail - to overcome those seemingly insurmountable odds. Requiem is a story which both uplifts and decimates your emotions at the same time; a story about characters that feel real and that you grow to care and root for. By the end you too will be shouting, "I am Amicia de Rune and I kneel to no one."
Aesthetically disgusting, Scorn touches on several deep-seated phobias all at once, ensnaring you with its alien and disgusting universe. While the worldbuilding shines, the combat can be pure frustration. Come for the visceral stomach churn, and stick around for one of the stranger stories you'll ever see. While the combat will frustrate, the setting is worth the fight.
Ultimately Triangle Strategy gets an excellent port, albeit one with fewer frills than we'd like. Still, that's nothing the modding community can't fix in very short order. Performance is fantastic on PC, and equally as good on Steam Deck. While the long-winded story might need work, there's no denying the tactical combat.
The DioField Chronicle mixes the complexity of a slow-burn political thriller with a deceptively straightforward strategy game. I was pleasantly surprised with where my investment in the world of DioField led me, but pay-off off the battle mechanics does not match the narrative destination.
NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition takes one of the best games ever made and turns it into a miraculous, portable experience. While 30 fps may seem like a downgrade, you won't even feel the difference after a few minutes and the sacrifice is more than worth it. The new costumes are a great way to freshen up the game, but this version does lack some of the older cosmetics still exclusive to other versions.
The next generation edition of Biomutant may not have been necessary, but it doesn't hurt anything either. Overall, the game is very smooth, never dropping a frame no matter how crowded it may become, and the world is as beautiful and colorful as ever. My biggest gripe with the game is pretty universally mentioned: there was a lot more going on in the game than could be given proper attention, such as the upgrade and crafting systems, but it makes up for it in my opinion with a story and a world that is fun to explore.
While my major issues with the game's writing, tone, and design remain unchanged, the PC port of No More Heroes 3 shines without the constraints of the Switch. The open world is very unoptimized, but if you have enough hardware to throw at it performance is far more acceptable. The game works great on Steam Deck too, letting you experience the alien murder fest wherever you go in gorgeous quality.
While the second half of Beat Saber's Lizzo Pack is clunky, the first half more than makes up for it with incredibly catchy tunes that will have you (sword) dancing to the beat in a gorgeous new stage. Consider me a fan of Lizzo now, because these songs are definitely going to be the highlight of my daily workout.
Cute and fun for a period of time, Lemon Cake is a familiar comfort food. Small slices taste good, but consuming the whole cake in a few bites is just going to give your stomach the rumblies.
Overwatch 2 is so damn good. 5v5 has breathed life into the game, Junkerqueen, Sojourn, and Kiriko are a breath of fresh air, and the game's new high pace suits its competitive nature perfectly. The new maps are insanely fun to play, albeit with some needing tweaking, and the new Push gamemode only enhances Overwatch 2's core experience. The only downside comes from its cosmetic-locked, 9-week battle pass system, which will be costly to continually purchase.
Serial Cleaners is a unique entry into the stealth genre, featuring fun gameplay mechanics, a quirky cast of characters, and increasingly complex missions. Sneaking past guards, disposing of evidence, tackling innocent bystanders, and coming up with increasingly chaotic ways of dealing with tough situations never became dull, rather I was constantly excited for what came next. While there were a few sound issues and the on-screen text can be a bit small, I still found myself greatly enjoying my time as a cleaner for a mob boss.
Valkyrie Elysium has an incredibly fun combat system at its base along with some light platforming and RPG elements, however it doesn't go too far beyond that. The rote story is held up by good twists and likable characters, but I can't help but see massive potential just beyond what the game presents. Still, if you're an action game junkie like me, this is well worth your time and more.
Tunic on PS5 is fantastic. Charming level design, creative puzzles, surprising challenges, along with a lush world to explore and decipher all merge to create one of the best adventure games in recent memory. There's so much to uncover, including multiple endings, optional side quests, and collectible trophies, along with a New Game + mode that adds further challenges, that most players will find countless hours of entertainment.
The games contained in the Arcadia Bay Collection are still excellent, but the updates made here make these the objectively worse versions. The motion capture updates to Life is Strange look fantastic, but are hard to see through more realistic textures that look out of place compared to the water color style of the original. If you can, stick with the original games on PC, but if you're a console player this is an acceptable way to experience these incredible stories if you can look past the issues.
Both Sam & Max Save the World and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space remain great games after all these years. These remasters honor what made the originals special, while simultaneously modernizing the games. Updated graphics, audio, and accessibility features are just a few of the quality-of-life improvements found in these charmingly bizarre yet well-crafted adventures. New players and old fans alike will find plenty to love.
Both Sam & Max Save the World and Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space remain great games after all these years. These remasters honor what made the originals special, while simultaneously modernizing the games. Updated graphics, audio, and accessibility features are just a few of the quality-of-life improvements found in these charmingly bizarre yet well-crafted adventures. New players and old fans alike will find plenty to love.
Grounded provides a survival experience unlike any other within its genre. Carving out a place to survive within the tiny realm of the backyard is rewarding, and exploring the world from a new perspective is amusing. With the release of the full game, Grounded now feels like a complete experience worthy of its fans' expectations.
Video Game Fables is a solid if simple RPG that suffers from the baggage of its meta nature. The lighthearted dialogue will make you smile and there are glimpses of compelling RPG design strewn about the experience. The game just never truly rises above the height of the conventions it seeks to overthrow, which given the subject matter, is a distracting misstep that weakens the overall experience.