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They say to shoot for the moon and if you miss you'll be among the stars. Gallic Wars: Battle Simulator shoots for the moon but you quickly realize you're not in a rocket ship but a bicycle with training wheels. Trying to fly a bicycle to the moon has a lot of issues, in this case it's the gameplay elements, the obscure camera angles, and the repetitiveness that has Gallic Wars landing in the grass five feet from takeoff.
Dragonborne brings a new entry to the Game Boy lineup, but unfortunately seems to have regressed on some major quality of life components rather than bringing them to today's standards.
Cozy Grove is great to look at, and only having to spend 20 minutes a day doing so doesn't make it feel like a chore. Gameplay can eventually feel repetitive, alas, such is the struggle with life sim games, and this one does it better than most.
Monster Hunter Rise pulls the best features from past games to create an experience that feels particularly tuned for a handheld system. With plenty of quality-of-life improvements and several fun new mechanics, Rise pushes the franchise forward while retaining all of the depth and fun that fans expect. Another stellar release from Capcom.
Sword of the Necromancer is by no means a perfect game, but it's still enjoyable with a few issues here and there. Tama never feels like she's getting stronger and the monsters you summon are hit and miss as to whether they'll actually be effective in a fight or just randomly run around the room going nowhere near where you want them to. The bosses are also hit and miss when it comes to those that require strategy and those that just have you run away for a bit before getting in one or two hits and repeating. However, the story is great and well voice-acted and the soundtrack has a lot of nice tracks to listen to.
Though technically something of a wreck, I still enjoyed I Saw Black Clouds' narrative audacity. The choices the game makes aren't necessarily good, but they are often bold. Even through the rough editing and sound issues, the game still delivers some surprises and suspense. Holler at the screen and throw popcorn with your buddies, and you just might enjoy this one.
Spacebase Startopia is a reasonably fun management/strategy game, slightly too complex to play with a controller. Though genre veterans will not find much challenge here, Spacebase Startopia is unique and cheerful enough to make it worth a look.
Curious Expedition 2's gorgeous backgrounds and good-looking characters improve on the first title, but don't do enough to make the management part of the game sparkle. Expeditions become a trudge, especially when your party robs you of all your alcohol; and combat can be fun, but not much fun to look at.
Curse of the Dead Gods is a finely polished roguelike that embodies the best elements of the genre. It has a battle scheme that is simple to grasp but requires skill to master. It balances the progression of each run with penalties to maintain a steady, yet shifting, challenge. It brings a few elements over that a roguelike purist might scoff at, but does so purely to the benefit of the game, and aids a progression system that feels meaningful while not demeaning the overall challenge. It nails that hallmark of the roguelike where you always feel like maybe dipping in for one more run.
Revita is a two-stick roguelike shooter with a great retro style but modern feel. The skill curve in balancing your health and power may be a bit much for those not already familiar with the play style.
I've tried roguelikes. Tried deck builders. Tried auto-battlers and tile-placers. But Loop Hero makes me wonder what all those others were missing.
Pine has a lot of interesting systems and mechanics, but those individual pieces do not add up to a completely satisfying whole. While there is fun to be had with Pine's interesting exploration, many of the mechanics feel disjointed, with too much reliance on the game's collection-based economy. While Pine was clearly made with a lot of love, every good feature in is balanced by a mechanic that doesn't feel so great.
An excellent puzzler that is let down only by a mediocre port onto a screen that it is doing no favors for. The game plays fine when docked onto a bigger screen, but then the controls let you down that much more when you lose the touchscreen to doodle on. There is a rhythmic, difficult challenge unlocked behind the awkward interface played across a level design that beautifully weaves the very canvas of each problem into the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Solas 128, if only I could shake the feeling I would have loved it more were I playing it on a PC.
Bravely Default II is a throwback to the Final Fantasy games of the '80s, in all the best ways. Some modern quality-of-life enhancements smooth the road a bit, but all the good stuff you remember is here for the taking. If grinding monsters for levels, unlocking new skills, and hunting for missing crystals is your idea of a good time, then Bravely Default is your video game nirvana.
Cathedral is a pretty good Metroidvania-style game that can be difficult at times, though that tends to come with the genre. That said though, the game looks great and for fifteen dollars, I'd say its definitely worth picking up. As for me, I'll definitely be taking another trip through the game down the road.
Maquette has a great puzzle mechanic as its central hook, though it sometimes struggles with obtuse implementation and fussy controls. Nonetheless, the narrative arc of the young relationship at the center of the game is well worth a bit of frustration to experience. Some lovely visuals and music make playing Maquette that much more rewarding.
PixelJunk Raiders is one of the most beautiful, moody, and tough games I've ever played. But it is the potential of the Stadia community crowdsourcing the game that makes it such a fascinating and unique experience. A unique experience on its own, PixelJunk Raiders has capacity to become a gamechanger if the gaming public choses to adopt it. Either way, this is a fascinating piece of video game history in the making. Attention should be paid.
Little Nightmares II is a must-play for any fans of indie sensations Limbo and Inside. If you've yet to play the first game, it's not necessary, per se, but is wholly recommended. Having played the first game, one can appreciate how much Little Nightmares II builds upon its predecessor. It's gloomy, gruesome, ghastly, but downright intoxicating.
First time you're hearing about The Nioh Collection? It's a great pick up for your PS5 and one of the best franchises of the last generation! But if you've been grinding away on the PS4 version? Maybe wait for a sale.
Voyage is a very good 2D cinematic puzzler that is a must have for anyone in love with the genre. It's even good enough to pull in some new fans as well.