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CLeM is an enjoyable mystery adventure game that incorporates some metroidvania elements with great success. It would have benefitted if the game was a bit longer to flesh out some of the late story components and maybe a redesign of that tiresome firefly puzzle. At the very least, it has the easiest platinum trophy I acquired and I never actively seek any trophies/achievements.
Noreya simply doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself from other Metroidvanias and ends up feeling like a bad imitation of the genre. The game has some good ideas, especially pertaining to the map changing depending on what deity you decide to align yourself with, but it’s too little when compared to all that it does badly.
The developer understands what makes an enjoyable survival horror game and he made one that is very respectful of The Great War, while also showing just how terrifying the experience could be. It feels very authentic and the deftly executed story and atmosphere kept me drawn in every moment.
If you haven’t wishlist Anger Foot yet, then you probably should if you don’t buy it right away. With multiple levels to each act, you can get at least 4 to 8 hrs of gameplay depending on how you play. If you want to put on the stuff to make it easier, then yes it will be faster. The characters within are comical and in a way relatable. The game’s comedy was a nice blend of the corny moments from High on Life with the action-pact pacing of Doom Eternal or Bulletstorm.
The Y2K sensibilities of the game design hold up and there is a quaintness to the French cartoony aesthetics that crystalizes the moment in time this game came out. Beyond Good and Evil aged well; even without visual updates, it would still be a good-looking and fun game. Maybe it is setting things up for the next game Ubisoft has been cooking up for over a decade, or perhaps it’s bringing new players up to speed; either way I am curious about what comes next.
It may be described as Final Fantasy XIV meets Touhou quite frequently, but Rabbit and Steel manages to be a lot more than the sum of its parts, and it fully deserves the overwhelming praise it has received so far.
Ultimately, Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection is a $30 collection of three games with basic features. I’m sure it has meaning for collectors and fans of the original games, but I genuinely can’t imagine any non-fans picking this up and discovering Rocket Knight.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD‘s target audience is kids who grew up playing Luigi’s Mansion 3 but were born late to enjoy the past games on 3DS. It is the only explanation why it is utterly barebones and bereft of new features. Any kid who enjoyed Luigi’s Mansion 3 will still like Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, but god help the poor parent who pays full price for it.
If you enjoy timed challenges, kinetic movement, and games that do their best to polish and refine a single mechanic into perfection, then you will absolutely love Pepper Grinder. Anyone looking for something short to play on their Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck will also have a blast with this one.
Until Then made me cry multiple times. Some lines hit me like a ton of bricks and buried me under the weight of their emotional significance. The game allows you to continue after the end and even expedites things a bit. After your first loop, you’re going to want to go back. Remember, “you can always begin again, you just have to find that spark”.
Ultimately, Astral Gunners is a fantastic game which provides an easy-to-pick-up experience for casual bullet hell gamers, while also providing tools for hardcore score chasers to really get into the game. There are a few questionable graphical decisions that pull me out of it, but it’s nothing that can’t be overlooked after I got used to it.
For its price, Felvidek will get players their money’s worth, but RPG fans will feel how short it is and its lack of replay value. The story, writing, setting, and characters are so enjoyable that you’ll wish it kept going. Expect to complete Felvidek in about five and a half hours. In that time you’ll see all that it has to offer and feel the sting of having nothing left. It’s a good sign when a game leaves you wanting more and its price feels fair, and Felvidek is no exception.
As its own game, Samurai Warriors 4 is a really fun experience filled with absurd characters, impractical weapons, and lots of button mashing, but as an updated port, Samurai Warriors 4 DX is simply “fine”, which may not be enough to justify its price tag. It really is one of the better Koei Tecmo ports in recent memory, but then again the bar is not incredibly high.
The town of Orten is a character in itself. It has a thought-out history and everything in it feels like it has a purpose. The problems with Orten Was The Case is how it executes some of its 2D assets, the implementation of the 3D platforming, and the botched attempt at melee. The version on Switch is especially a little more rugged-looking than intended, but any adventure game fan who thinks they can deal with spotty playability will find there is a lot to appreciate with its deep Groundhog Day loop scenario.
Rauniot is also a short game. As far as point-and-click adventure games go, the length is brief even for the genre. Even when getting stuck a few times, I was able to negotiate this game in about five hours. For its price, Rauniot can feel a bit too lean, especially since the climax feels rushed and replay value is low. This is also not a fast-paced game, so the whiplash from the ending compounds on the brevity.
If you enjoyed prior Puppet Combo releases, The Glass Staircase will be as enjoyable. This is a very specific kind of horror adventure game that is like a very brief but hearty challenge. The story and lore are uninteresting and largely forgettable, but the few lines of dialogue there are for the characters are enough to figure out who they are. For its price, it’s a worthwhile cheap thrill that has a few good scares.
The content in Withering Rooms is comparable to what could be expected from a big AAA game. The various gimmicks and mechanics that affect how you play the game always make players consider what to do and how to overcome unbelievable odds. Countless outfits, weapons, enemies, and plenty of imposing boss battles will give gamers a lot of bang for their buck. If you ever thought Bloodborne needed to be 2D and about witchcraft, you have come home.
The Exit 8 is a unique and interesting experience, but not one of substance. The “hidden object” gameplay is very shallow and was designed to be picked up and played by anybody with eyes, thumbs, and index fingers. This is a novel and amusing distraction that works as intended and earns a few good chills when played in the dead of a silent night.
For a game that is about six hours, it is barren and wastes a lot of time by having players tediously walk through vast and empty environments or trudge through forced walking sequences. It is an unsatisfying experience that fails to live up to the original and you still can’t skip cutscenes.
It is a good sign when a tightly paced, dense horror game leaves players begging for more. It’s preferred than a game overstaying its welcome and feeling like you never want to play it again. Crow Country is compact, but I found myself feeling very cozy in its world, never wanting to leave.