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If you have never played a Yakuza game, Yakuza 0 makes for the perfect entry point. It introduces a host of wacky characters and starts the journey of Kiryu that certainly doesn't end here. Beyond that, though, Yakuza 0 is just a damn good game, and that's rad.
Moons of Madness plays more like a cinematic experience than an actual game. Its immersion visually is sublime, and though objects are intuitively interactive, the story lacks the emotional pull needed to match the tone and mood set forth. You will undoubtedly feel as if you are on an alien planet, but that's it. The imbalance of story, gameplay, and interactivity with the enemy becomes apparent the more you play. And with much of the story being told through accessing terminals and listening to banter dialogue, I often felt as if I was no longer interested in what was occurring around me.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends fails to bust a move and find any justification for its high price point. It lacks in length, it lacks in features, and even lacks a leaderboard, an oversight for this kind of game. While it is an enjoyable title with a few friends, there are plenty more affordable multiplayer arcade-style games available for even a quarter of the price.
Saints Row: IV Re-elected on the Switch is a much-welcomed game as it runs amazing in handheld and docked mode, brings a beloved franchise to millions of gamers, and almost feels a bit naughty to have next to my Mario games. With its smooth gunplay, game mechanics that mesh well with the control scheme of the Switch, and ability to cram all of its explosive, expansive, and destructive gameplay into your hand, you cannot pass this game up.
Iron Danger is an interesting story of a young woman who obtains magical powers from a shard impaling her. The tactical combat and ARPG mechanics make for clever gameplay and a lack of grinding, although some fights are frustrating. The story itself is good, but the ending drags it down a lot by leaving you unsatisfied and wanting more.
With all the different battle royale games on the market, all seeming to offer the same experiences, Warzone might give the most realistic, precise, and investing performance of them all, but it will need to stay innovative. Sounds of ricocheting bullets, footsteps of the enemy, and a highly detailed world keep it a cut above its competition. I easily found this to be one of my favorite battle royale games to date.
Those expecting the quality and polish of its predecessor will be disappointed with Exit the Gungeon. It's too visually clustered and the new mechanics can be more frustrating than fun. Still, for a short burst of rogue-like goodness, you could do worse.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, from its drastically improved combat system to its use of NPCs and side quests. Like Ori and the Blind Forest before it, Will of the Wisps is held back by intermittent technical hitches that can result in some frustrating moments, but it hardly keeps this incredible sequel from shining through.
Skellboy is a lovely looking game with an addictive soundtrack and lighthearted story. However, its main gameplay loop is unremarkable, and there isn't much to differentiate itself from the competition.
MLB The Show 20 is clearly the culmination of all the hard work that went into the previous iterations, and then some. The updated and added game mechanics such as First Step and Perfect-Perfect batting add a sense of realism to a game where instincts and being quick on your feet is important. With a plethora of game modes, it's almost overwhelming at times because you don't know where to start. But once you begin, this game is hard to put down.
Warlords of New York is easily the best expansion for the game to date. With fresh foes, a new portion of New York to explore, great gear, and some brand new reasons to care about loot, it delivers on its lofty promises. Now, we just need Massive to settle in and swat some of these bugs…
Persona 5 Royal is the crown jewel of the series. It expands and improves upon everything that made the original a powerhouse title in the first place. The new activities and confidants staggeringly stand out, and the numerous minor improvements subtly propel the game into a masterful league of its own. Roll out a scarlet carpet and hail the king of JRPGs.
Dandara is an excellent game and I can't believe I haven't heard people talking about it. Its unique movement is accompanied by an equally unique world, soundtrack, and symbolic story that will fascinate lore nerds. While it's controls may not support the precision combat asks of you, the Salt is definitely a world worth saving.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a delightful update to a classic, and just the kick in the pants the series needed. It's a return to what made the spinoff so beloved in the first place, from the emotional story to the difficult resource management and boss fights. With a gorgeous watercolor art style, the world of Pokémon has never looked better.
Afterparty unfortunately doesn't come close to the standard its predecessor set. While it has great ideas and actors, the rest of the game collapses under the weight of its own ambitions.
Nioh 2 does a lot right and fixes many of my issues with the first one. Much like the first one, however, it is a flawed experience. It's still incredibly enjoyable and certainly worth a playthrough, I just wish it was a little less tedious in areas.
Likening this game to the movie Up, Arise: A Simple Story is much more than what its title lets on. It forces us to take a step back and analyze life. With its time control mechanics that manipulate the world in so many ways, platforming style of play, and its ability to tell a narrative story without dialogue, Arise is one of those games that makes you question whether small titles like this are becoming the status quo.
As the west's first peek into the Granblue universe's gaming side, Granblue Fantasy Versus is a fighter that can stand alongside its peers in terms of depth, but in addition offers a simplistic control scheme that even those less familiar to the genre can get to grips with quickly and easily. RPG mode is a unique way to to learn the basics of fighting, even if this and other modes could have been a bit more fleshed out.
A little too short to be wholly delectable, Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is still a lighthearted visual novel that's worth its asking price.
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! is an ode to its Dreamcast roots. While it is as short as the original, it translates perfectly to the PSVR. The game's got style, and it's great to see the shiny world of Ulala come to life once again. If only it was priced a little more reasonably.