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It's painfully obvious that the game was initially a mobile game, and the PC port doesn't do much to accommodate for the new platform. The quick-time events that pervade the combat turn the game into a chore, and there isn't really any part that makes the grind worth it.
A good port of a fun game, AuroraBound Deluxe is light on challenge but makes up for it with a fun and colorful design and an open-ended amount of puzzles, with the only major drawback being a lack of replaying or seeing previous puzzles.
Assassin's Creed Origins is exactly what the series needed. Changing up just enough elements to feel like a major difference in formula without ripping out the heart of the series, this is easily the best entry into the series in a long time.
Overgrowth might be a good game if it weren't under a layer of glitches, vacant characters, and ancient mechanics. It would be a good indie game if it traveled back in time to 2005. Unfortunately, it's just a glorified tech demo instead.
Fire Emblem Warriors feels just as fresh as Hyrule Warriors did in some ways, though it never quite reaches the same highs. That doesn't mean it's not a great game, as the title is still a great addition to any Switch owner's library.
Zen Studios haven't faltered yet, and their Pinball FX series continues to be a bright spot in the digital pinball landscape. Outside of licensing troubles and new tables featuring less than accurate presentation, there's a great game of skill to be had here.
Hand of Fate 2 manages to take everything praiseworthy about the previous installment and make it even better. The challenges players face never look alike and the improved combat system manages to elevate the weakest parts of the original.
X-Morph: Defense is what happens when you design and implement a modern arcade twin-stick shooter mixed with a tower defense from the ground up. The cheesy style of dialogue and story is mixed with a feeling of masterful power as you navigate a beautifully constructed game world. This is a highly recommended experience.
When Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back is at its best, the words I would use to describe it include "soulless", "mediocre", and "annoying". Somehow the game is rarely at its best, leading to a total disaster.
Super Mario Odyssey will easily rank as one of the best Mario games ever made. It's pure fun, plain and simple.
Wolfenstein II's combat is as intense as ever, and MachineGames can craft FPS story beats like few others, but something just feels askew about this sequel. Like a follow-up to a Hollywood blockbuster, everything is a little looser and the game suffers for it.
Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection might not be amazing like some other Falcom games I've played, but it's still more than worth checking out.
A solid vision is spoiled by shaky implementation. The visual and art team deserves awards, but the confusing interface, bad translations, missing parts, and bad bugs make this feel like an early access game. Fun weapons, few enemies, and a huge number of "side mission" style quests make the otherwise beautiful world feel like empty filler.
The Evil Within 2 combines a great open world with some fun gameplay and smart design to really improve upon the original game.
A rather flawed follow-up to a fantastic first episode. There's plenty here to like, but it loses its momentum due to some weak writing and stiff animation that felt as if the episode was released too early. The relationship between Rachel and Chloe is the most interesting thing in this episode and it makes it easier to stick with it even with the dialogue being sub par in places.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War like its predecessor is built upon the dynamic "Nemesis System." While the sequel offers an interesting story, it often becomes convoluted between the various arcs it wants to go in. Thankfully, the second by second gameplay has never felt better. With the addition of Shadow Wars, the best parts of the game will continue long after the story ends.
Megaton Rainfall is the first video game that genuinely made me feel like Superman. It just has a few rough edges to work out.
Age of Gladiators II is certainly not for everyone, but it will sooth the simulation itch by being a well-made, stat-heavy game with a strong thematic backdrop.
Charming until the end, Jettomero is a gorgeous, if short, experience. It may be entirely too easy to blow through in an afternoon, but that afternoon will be filled with soothing music and a lovely sense of style.
Raiden V is just as good on PlayStation 4, though this rerelease doesn't quite add enough to justify picking the game up a second time.