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It's disappointing to come up against a few too many flaws, but when Atlas Fallen is on form, its marriage of movement and fighting shines through.
Each level being self-contained allows the team to dabble with different tones, too. An early level dealing with an ancient Sarcophagus is particularly adept at splicing horror into the experience, while a level taking place in a church uses an organ to incorporate musical elements into the game. It’s all handled flawlessly, and greatly enhances the value of the product, by offering varied, distinctive experiences level-to-level.
As the end credits appeared on our screen it felt like we'd been on a generational journey — one that was both happy and sad, disappointing and hopeful, and above all, sincerely moving. We had a tear in our eye and everything. Four days later, writing this review and thinking about our experience playing Venba, we're smiling, and considering going back for a second helping.
Since it's confined to two player local co-op, it's not as exhilarating as the six player online chaos in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. It also lacks the consistently updated polish of Streets of Rage 4, yet Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons adds roguelite progression, which makes it a strikingly replayable contribution to the modern side-scrolling beat-'em-up resurgence.
There are some really uncomfortable themes throughout both of the LISA games, both opening with a reminder that the protagonists are over 18. This warning doesn’t make these feelings go away, and we found that there was a general sense of unease throughout the entire playthrough – but then, this is wholly intentional. Neither of these games are sunshine and rainbows, so it does its job perfectly. LISA: Definitive Edition will leave you thinking for days after completion about the complexities of the human condition. It’s a deep experience packaged in a grotesque and uncomfortable game.
Remnant II is better than its predecessor in basically every way imaginable, but an even bigger focus on procedural generation brings with it some baggage. Navigation is more difficult than it needs to be, while the UI leaves a lot to be desired. In the heat of the action, though, Remnant II is a great, satisfying shooter that allows for lots of different team compositions through deep character customisation. Get a few friends involved for some online co-op fun and you could have yourself an all-new obsession.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening streamlines the many complex systems and mechanics that have built up over the series' 40-year history, refining the strategic experience that is more approachable and all the better for it. While UI elements and precise control issues can frustrate at times, Awakening is a wonderful sandbox for samurai enthusiasts to play in.
A white-knuckle fusion of Overwatch 2 and Gears of War, the excellent Exoprimal is one of the best co-op shooters in quite some time. With a varied, entertaining roster of characters, all with unique playstyles and synergies, there's tactical depth to this third-person shooter which only serves to make its pulsating prehistoric battles all the more rewarding. While it is a little lightweight at launch, and there will be questions over whether it'll receive the post-release support required to ensure its longevity, there's the foundation for something truly special here.
Having said that, some of the puzzle design here is excellent, and the core idea is strong enough to easily keep you going throughout. Setting aside the narrative, which is pretty forgettable, this is a largely impressive, compelling puzzle game with a truly unique gameplay hook.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is a fairly safe sequel that allows its narrative and new cast of characters to do the heavy lifting. Through constant chit-chat between Riley and Jacob, gameplay remains enjoyable enough to keep you engaged, allowing the story to always be at the forefront of your mind. A few frustrating puzzles and frequent load screens aside, Night School Studio has put together a worthy follow-up that fans and newcomers can equally enjoy.
Trails into Reverie is an all-star excursion that feels like one big franchise festival; your more traditional Trails campaign being the spine of what can be a brilliantly robust RPG, complete with more than enough gameplay depth to keep even the most hardcore players happy. As an epilogue to the Crossbell and Cold Steel games, it can seem a little tired in terms of creativity, but its faults are easily overlooked when you're back in the saddle with all of your favourite heroes.
Tequila Works has definitely offered better experiences in the past, but Gylt is still a decent enough time.
Aliens: Dark Descent is easily one of the best video game adaptations of the legendary franchise to which it belongs, somehow managing to be an excellent tactical strategy game and genuinely terrifying at the same time. Tense, engaging, and extremely faithful, it stumbles only in technical execution, and even then, not enough to spoil the experience.
Rogue Legacy 2 is an excellent sequel that takes the compelling magic of the original and throws the kitchen sink at it. It more than lives up to its own legacy with smart additions to the formula and an incredible amount of variety. Unlocking meaningful upgrades and discovering the deep layers of gameplay keep it fresh dozens of hours in. Once you get past the tidal wave of mechanics and information thrown at you, it stands among the best rogue-likes and -lites available.
Mechanically, Synapse is incredible, but the breadth of content is another story. This feels like a proof of concept for a full experience, once the amount of content can match the level of gameplay.
AEW: Fight Forever is an incredibly faithful tribute to 90's wrestling gaming, and it's clear that a lot of love has gone in to ensure the presentation, gameplay, and atmosphere all harken back to that time with unyielding accuracy. But the world has moved on, and more importantly, wrestling games have moved on, and the dogged determination to honour what came before has resulted in a title that will ultimately prove incredibly divisive. Most egregiously the game feels decidedly budget while demanding a decidedly not-budget price tag, and while the product may improve with updates and time, in its current state, it's hard to recommend Fight Forever to anyone but the most hardcore of AEW's fans.
While the Game Gear games in Sonic Origins Plus don’t look, sound, or play great, the problem comes down to these games not being that good originally — not that they're bad ports. Buy Sonic Origins Plus for the Genesis games and to play as Amy, but don't expect the Game Gear games to run away with your heart.
After more than 10 years, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective resurrects on relevant platforms. Fortunately, it's always been a great game, with some intriguing puzzles, a unique premise, and a mystery that builds and builds right to the very end. Fans of point-n'-click adventures, visual novels, or both should absolutely give it a look, and if you've played it before, this is the definitive version. It's a cult hit that's been granted a second chance at life, and deservedly so.
The online multiplayer space is so competitive that it's tough to judge whether Crash Team Rumble will be able to carve out its own niche and warrant support beyond what Toys for Bob has already committed to. However, those who give the game a chance will find a really fun fight for Wumpa Fruit with varied classes and characters. Addictive just enough to look past the lack of local play and potentially long load times, Crash Team Rumble is worth trying - even if you wish Crash would just stick to what he's known best for: platforming.
Another double-edged sword is the brevity of the game. While we'd argue that a lot of visual novels pad out the running time and get a little long in the tooth, the eight hours we spent with Harmony weren't enough to effectively flesh out the world or the characters. That said, the story moves at brisk pace, and we never found ourselves bored even if we were sometimes a little confused.