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This is the best the franchise has been in a long time, with more stage variety than ever because of the time-travelling gimmick of Once Upon A KATAMARI. While it can be hard to follow the talking while playing and the loading during the middle of the stage can be a tad annoying, overall it is an absolute delight to be rolling up everything in sight! If you’ve ever been curious about the franchise, this is the best way to start your journey of pure chaotic fun that’ll have you smiling the whole time.
Aside from the art, there’s nothing particularly memorable about Winter Burrow. Whenever I came across something new, I would think to myself, “Oh, it’s like this game… but on a surface level”. It brings nothing to the survival genre, and if it wasn’t for its art, I don’t think we’d be talking about it as much as people are.
Two Point Museum is a great game and probably the best of the Two Point series to date. Its variety, sense of humour and fine-tuned management sim gameplay would usually mean a higher score here, but the performance issues, particularly in handheld mode, mean it will need a patch or two before a wholehearted recommendation.
I said it before and I’ll say it again: my hat goes off to the teams behind this remake, considering the source material they had to work with. It’s a remake done right in almost every sense of the word, staying true to the original but bringing it to modern audiences with modern expectations. But just because the remake aspect is pulled off with such perfection and grace, that doesn’t necessarily fix all of the issues that came with design sentiments almost four decades ago. For those looking to get into the series but who are less familiar with old-school RPG fundamentals, you may be left wondering what’s so special about these games; but if you’re curious about their roots (warts and all), then Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is truly a superb remake.
This is the definitive way to play Yooka-Laylee and it's such a nostalgic dream experience for 90s 3D platformers fans. Starting each world off on their expanded edition, while adding more to do, has made Yooka-Replaylee flow significantly better. With more high-quality competition in the genre, I feel like Playtonic has done a lot to improve on what was already there; just maybe a new entry will build upon their work and place Yooka and Laylee on equal footing with the giants.
Persona 3 Reload is a remake that respects the original. While I personally prefer the original Persona 3, you are totally valid if you prefer this one. It wasn’t until I started writing this review that I realised I’m probably not the right person to review this game because I’m too close to the franchise to look at it objectively for its own merits but at the end of the day, it's still Persona 3, one of the greatest RPGs in the genre; you don’t need me to tell you it's good.
Super World War is a good, but not great, turn-based strategy game. It ticks all the gameplay boxes and covers it all in an amusingly silly layer, but some rough edges and repetitive gameplay hold it back. Fans of this specific genre will have fun, but others may wish to find better examples.
Spindle is a fun action RPG, which will keep you entertained for a weekend or a few days. The story is refreshing and meaningful, which ultimately elevates it above being labelled as ‘just another Zelda-like’.
If you're a Pokémon fan, you're probably already playing Legends: Z-A, but if you're not, I can't help but recommend jumping in now, even if you're only able to play on the Switch. You've just got to get through the slow start and keep yourself entertained without voice acting. The best Pokémon game in recent years and hopefully a sign of overall improvements in the years to come.
Already a stone-cold classic of the genre, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is now the definitive version of Final Fantasy Tactics. The quality of life improvements and modernisations make it accessible for modern-day newcomers while not compromising the deep, tactical gameplay the series is known for. A loving and reverential remaster, fans of the original won’t find much new, but it’s better to play than ever.
A genuinely strong competitor in the party game genre, LEGO Party! has made a splash for players to cause chaos together. While there are a few things that could be worked on, like more content and slightly turning down the chance aspects, there was a fun night spent collecting golden bricks and building on the worlds. Grab some friends and family, customise your minifig, and strap in because you’ll end the night with a smile on your face.
While I did enjoy my time with BALL x PIT, I honestly don’t think I’ll be revisiting it anytime soon. It's a cool idea executed well, but with the vast amount of games in the roguelike genre, it doesn’t do enough to make itself stand out amongst the crowd.
I won’t lie, when Nicktoons & the Dice of Destiny was first announced, I didn’t expect much from it. While there are things here I think were done well, ultimately the game falls flat and is pretty unremarkable. Nicktoons & the Dice of Destiny may not have rolled a Nat 1 but its proficiency score wasn’t high enough to pass the Difficulty Check. That may be the nerdiest thing I’ve ever written…
God, this game is awesome. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance felt like the dream mixture of a Devil May Cry game with a beloved Saturday morning cartoon’s theatrical movie. The story and characters are so over the top, covering ninjas, private armies, yokai, death itself and all sorts of crazy shenanigans and ... it just gets the blood pumping! It’s not perfect, but it’s awesome. In some ways I feel like it could have been ambitious enough for an even higher score – a little more time given to the story and characters in between the incredible gameplay may have pushed it further, but it didn’t truly have to. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is as awesome as kids in the 90s thought ninjas were, and more. Sega may be old, but between this and Crosswords… they proved that they still got it!
If you and a friend are Little Nightmares fans, then this entry will revolutionise your world. The co-op mode is superb and it fits into the series like a glove. However, if you’re likely to be playing this single player, then perhaps basking in the first two games is a better way to spend your time. That being said, Little Nightmares remains the best in the business at what it does, and its hardcore fans will be rewarded regardless.
It's Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 with more; how can you not sing its praises to the stars above? Sure, the price tag hurts and not all control methods are optimal, but it's Super Mario Galaxy 1+2! These games are museum-worthy and will likely go down in history as some of the greatest games ever made, so there's no way I could give this collection any less than a perfect 10.
Strange Antiquities will delight fans of puzzles and dark, cosy games alike. The puzzles are challenging and varied, and you will certainly enjoy your time as shopkeeper. Some eventual repetition and lack of agency on your part does, however, mean it is probably best enjoyed in bite-sized sessions.
I’m not going to lie, being able to just rush to the end did irk me a bit but Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac plays so well that I kept playing just for the fun of it. I can really see why this is considered a fan favourite. If you’ve never played the original, I suggest giving this a shot, especially if you’re a fan of collectathons because, boy, does this game put all of its eggs in one basket.
I could gush about Sonic Racing: Crossworlds for hours; heck, this review was originally six pages long! This game is truly something special, not just for Sonic fans but for fans of kart racing as a whole. Of course people are going to ask me, “Is this better than Mario Kart World?” And if you are one of those people that is reading this review just for that, then let me make it clear: Sonic Racing: Crossworlds blows Mario Kart World out of the water. It is night and day; Sonic finally beat Mario at his own game. While Mario Kart may have fumbled slightly trying to reinvent the wheel, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds understood what they wanted to do: they wanted to take everything fans love about Sonic, stick it in a car and polish it to a mirror shine.
Honestly, I feel like I'm nitpicking details with my negatives, because I genuinely found myself having so much fun exploring and living life in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar! The Story of Seasons franchise is an icon in the genre for a reason and you can absolutely see why it is beloved here, respecting the past release while modernising the title for a vastly expanded audience. Anyone who is a fan of cosy games that you can take at your own pace and play your own way, this is a must-buy for you.