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There is a simplicity to the core gameplay of Hardspace: Shipbreaker. Movement and momentum add an element of skill to every action. The difficulty ramps over time but treats you well to ease you into the escalators. Combining the strategy of breaking the ship with the skill of positioning yourself in place to do so, Shipbreaker wraps it up well with a clever main story to maximize - well, reduction of debt. But most of all, it's calming and fun, set in a world that feels similar to the many wonderful other sci-fi stories that have captured us over the years. Hardspace: Shipbreaker nets you a unique opportunity to inhabit a small corner of those worlds a shift at a time, for a job well done. "Live, Laugh, Salvage."
You begin with nothing; what you make is up to you. Let's build a Zoo allows players to be as creative, or not, as they want. Design a layout that feels more like a theme park, or tourist trap if you want. Be the leading zoo breeder in the world if that's more your thing. The vast array of in-game options allows the imagination to make your zoo whatever you want it to be. The game's controls make it a little harder to bring your vision to life. Let's Build a Zoo does a poor job of showing you all the possibilities, but if you can get through the semi-steep learning curve, it's easy to zone out for hours building your zoo.
Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate moves MyDearest's living-anime games forward several steps by adding a greater degree of interactivity to the already excellent storytelling. Though the slow burn may put some players off, those with patients will find an intriguing mystery in a fabulously built sci-fi world. Well worth a look for anime fans; Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate hints at some great things to come, both from this series and this developer.
Shovel Knight Dig is a fun little rogue-lite. While it took me over ten hours to beat, I know better, more rogue-lite skilled players will not need as much time. I did not encounter bugs or errors with my time; but more than a few of what felt like unfair deaths. The chaotic gameplay of Dig makes it hard to see how great the pixel art is at times, but being able to literally slow down the gameplay or adjust my health and damage output makes it easier to appreciate the visuals. I can see myself returning to Shovel Knight Dig in a few months just to give it another spin, but the overall replay did not entice me back immediately.
Gunslingers & Zombies gameplay and visuals are better than this score would suggest. It's just let down by awkward controls, worse camera angles, and other evidence of a generally uninterested PC port. There's a better game out there on PC that might be more fun than paying more for a Switch version that really didn't care enough to take advantage of anything that makes the Switch good.
The fact that this charming game was created by a single person is astounding. Tunic delightfully combines what we loved about games from our childhood with modern day influences. With tons of challenging enemies to encounter, cryptic puzzles to solve, and secrets to uncover, this game will ensure you won't regret embarking on the adventure of this cute little fox. There's simply no better way to play this game than on the PlayStation 5, with the intuitive Game Help feature and flawless performance.
If there's one game that I would go back and play over again as if it were the first time, it would be Outer Wilds. It's a fantastic space exploration experience that rewards your curiosity to explore and desire for knowledge. The Echoes of the Eye expansion further enhances your journey by introducing horror twists to the classic formula. Now that Mobius Digital has released a 4K60FPS patch on next-gen consoles, there's no reason not to blast off on your spaceship and start your adventure.
Potion Permit has you go from unwelcomed guest to belle of the ball. This doesn't feel like other life-sim game in a couple of ways. The handful of mini-games, the romancing, and the gifting feel different, in some good - and sometimes only decent - ways. The pixel art looks great, and load times on the Switch were a breeze. I would have liked more of an overall challenge; the game never feels hard or very difficult. Potion Permit works best when throwing on some headphones and listening to a podcast.
Soulstice is a solid, albeit unnecessarily dragged out, hack-and-slash action role playing game that features a great cast of characters and an engaging narrative. There's a ton of replayability and a high skill ceiling to achieve, but the lack of variety in gameplay elements and wonky camera angles keep it from being truly amazing.
Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden hits with just enough originality to distinguish itself from the other games in the Voice of Cards series. This game is all about story and mechanics over presentation, though what is there will feel familiar and welcoming to long-time JRPG fans. With a great narrative, The Beasts of Burden is a great place to jump into this series and learn it's not-too-complicated ropes.
Metal Hellsinger is a refreshing take on traditional demon killing, Doom shooting, and rhythm based heavy death metal music. It features some truly immersive and satisfying gameplay mechanics, especially when you click with the beat and blow off demon heads while rocking out to the beat of System of a Down. However, the game's difficult learning curve and lack of variety may be off putting to some.
Isonzo is an honorable attempt at creating the historical events of the battles between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies. The multiplayer-only component with concern for long-term player base sustainability, alongside a multitude of user experience gripes make it an unremarkable experience.
Jack Move is an abbreviated JRPG that feels as satisfying as some of the longest classics in the genre. With a great, nuanced battle system and a well-developed cyberpunk world, Jack Move shows that you don't need 50 hours to deliver a great story with memorable characters. This is a game for fans of the 16-bit era of JRPGs, who should not hesitate to pull the trigger.
Circus Electrique is complex and daunting at first glance. But when approached with an unhurried mindset, this RPG/management hybrid can be deeply rewarding. While the steampunk story elements are a bit light, the game more than makes up for it with strategic gameplay mechanics that I simply haven't encountered elsewhere. If you can settle in for the long haul, you will find yourself swept up in this rich and unique experience.
Steelrising is a beginner friendly entry into the Soulsborne genre with its fairly easy learning curve and enticing alternate history French Revolution premise. The art and visual direction are unparalleled with Spiders' amazing depiction and design of steampunk automata, but the game is ultimately bottled down by unpolished combat, inconsistent performance, and too many quality of life issues.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a great experience for those looking for nostalgic old school survival horror. What it lacks in modern day graphics and mechanics it makes up for with a plethora of lore and swimsuit DLCs. Still, many questionable and outdated design choices hold it back from being truly amazing.
Nine Noir Lives reminds me of childhood Point & Click titles with a grown-up edge. The cat detective and his misadventures with his voice recorder held my attention the whole time. If I were more into the genre, my detective skills might be better. Some puzzles that slowed me down probably won't stump others, but I found them challenging. A story that required my attention throughout made Nine Noir Lives worth my time.
Knights and Guns takes arcade-style shooters like Buster Brothers and adds a few things to make it unique. I can understand some people getting bored by the repetitiveness of the game and if you're looking for something that majorly shakes up the genre, you likely won't find it here. What you will find is a simple always-firing-upward shooter that lets you shoot monsters with several types of weapons, a campaign where you can take multiple paths to get to your final destination, and the ability to bring a friend along for the ride. For ten dollars, I'd say that's a pretty solid deal.
We now live in a world where we have a brand new TMNT game, and the granddaddy of them all, with 12 of his other children. Between the Gallery, the enhancements, the different types of games, and online play, you can't beat the $40 price tag. These games will keep you busy and give you a history lesson at the same time. There's no reason to skip this collection. Konami did us proud, so go get it and play it with everyone. Your childhood deserves it.
Naughty Dog delivers again with its timeless masterclass narrative experience, this time rebuilt from the ground up following contemporary gaming standards. With modern graphics and unparalleled performance, The Last of Us Part I is the definitive way to enjoy the multilayered and complex story of Joel and Ellie. It remains a genre-bending action survival game that challenges the status-quo by weaving together multiple elements. An expanded array of accessibility options, gameplay modifiers, and extra modes allows this remake to be experienced by anyone from any background and that's not an easy feat.