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Herdling tells a poignant tale using simple mechanics, alternating light environmental puzzles with more treacherous gameplay. Some players may find the potential for animal harm in the game upsetting, but the emotional core of its story would ring hollow without adversity.
Regardless of the multiplayer woes I faced, having a small group that played together regularly kept the game fun and fresh. If you have a reliable friend or friends who can play with you, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a very fun game. If not, it can still be fun for a solo player, but a lot of the magic from co-op, one of the major draws to the game, is completely lost.Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a lot of fun despite the massively overlooked quality-of-life features that are missing from the game. A few small updates could really put a shine on this otherwise flawed gem.
All in all, my time with Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Definitive Edition was nothing less than spectacular. I understand now why a larger portion of the Warhammer community praises this game. It has a lot of heart and offers a lot to both the RTS and Warhammer communities. Each expansion provides something different and unique; the supported multiplayer is a nice cherry on top. If you've ever been curious about Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, I couldn't think of a better way to play it than with the Definitive Edition.
The saving grace of Mafia: The Old Country is its linear focus. There is not a single point in this game where I was asked to explore the large open map or search for some resource to get arbitrary upgrades. This linear focus and a 10-hour run time kept me from ever getting frustrated or annoyed with my experience, even if I never felt particularly engaged throughout. I’m not mad that I spent my time with Mafia: The Old Country, but for such a focused experience to feel so bland is ultimately disappointing.
Those looking for experimental games made with minimal budgets and offering deep human stories and experiences, Camille and Laura is the game for you. Camille and Laura is short and sweet.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is an incredibly stylish follow-up to an already solid 3D fighter. There’s a wide range of neat characters, a satisfying combat system, exceptional presentation, and a good range of modes. If you’re into Demon Slayer, you’ll be into The Hinokami Chronicles 2.
Ra Ra BOOM is a beat ‘em up and a short experience that doesn’t ask too much of you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t draw interest beyond the great introduction to what could’ve been a group of characters that people started to cosplay as and look forward to wherever they showed up next. The game even has an odd moment where it pokes fun at itself, which feels entirely unearned. The game also has a number of moments that feel like a cutscene or animation of a boss terrorizing the ladies or lurking in the environment are missing, breaking the rule of “show, don’t tell”. As a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mark, I should’ve been ecstatic when I encountered what was effectively an entire level devoted to the franchise, only to feel nothing upon completing the level.
Abyssus is another roguelite that could be balanced much, much better. While I’m sure a friend group could have fun as is, the sheer amount of gameplay-related things (weapons, mods) that must be unlocked could lose players’ interest before they even get to them. There is also an enhanced difficulty setting, which I’m not sure how players will tackle unless there are some extremely powerful hidden charms. The awesome aesthetic (minus the player characters) would’ve made for a great adventure into the depths, provided there were fewer jokes, but maybe a game about colonizing an ancient Aztec/Mesoamerican-inspired civilization shouldn’t think too hard about what it’s actually saying.
Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact is a bit of a mess, despite some fun being present throughout. If there were better visuals, more content, and less exploitable gameplay, it would be a blast to play casually, but what’s present is simply a bit too busted to really get into.
Atmospheric but not scary or interesting.
Donkey Kong Bananza is a near-perfect 3D platformer, delivering groundbreaking mechanics, rewarding puzzles, and incredible creativity—only minor technical issues hold it back from absolute perfection.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an absolute blast through-and-through. The visual style is top-notch, the gameplay is tight and exciting, and the game is perfectly paced with plenty to do for those who wish to push themselves. Outside of a couple of minor bugs, this is one of the sharpest games of the year, and worth playing whether you’ve got any experience with the Ninja Gaiden series or not.
Killing Floor 3 provides a great FPS experience for people looking for a horde shooter to play with friends. It has deep, fulfilling customization for the genre, great feeling gunplay, surprisingly good melee combat, and fun perks to choose from. You might be quick to exhaust the content with only 8 maps to choose from if you don’t want to dive deep into multiple perks. I think Killing Floor 3 is one to watch if you aren’t sold yet. I think the fine folk at Tripwire are cooking something up that is only going to get better from here, despite feeling a little bare on release.
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game offers a very fun gameplay loop and a great year living in Middle-earth, but fades out a bit too quickly and should offer more to keep the player going beyond the main story.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a faithful and fantastic remake by Iron Galaxy, but a gutted soundtrack and changes to THPS4’s structure slightly hold it back.
Wheel World is one of the few games to feature arcade bicycle racing and manages to keep it light and fun while offering depth of play and a lovely collection-based gameplay structure.
Shadow Labyrinth takes Pac-Man in a bold new direction in a way that feels natural in a weird way. It still maintains much of the original charm we’ve all adored. Even though the game is challenging and asks a lot of you, the rewards make it well worth it. The usage of the UGSF can often be hit or miss.
You’ve heard the story of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers dozens of times before, and ultimately, though she is the protagonist, you’ll discover she may not even be a good person (if the “pirate” bit didn’t clue you in). This is a gorgeous game, and not just because of its graphical fidelity. Much of the environment is so strong and distinct, it tells a story and is clearly authored very carefully. However, the gameplay is punishing and seems more focused on imitating a PlayStation 3 era tech demo than an enjoyable experience for the player.
The Drifter is an exciting game with puzzles that are tricky yet logical and a compelling storyline. If you enjoy point-and-click adventure gameplay and are looking for a thriller, you can't go wrong with this one.
No Sleep for Kaname Date - From AI: The Somnium Files brings back the Investigation and Somnium gameplay from the first two entries while adding puzzle-based Escape gameplay as well. Tricky puzzles will keep escape game fans busy, while the story tells a smaller-scale but still enjoyable mystery.