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The Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is an excellent grouping of Yu-Gi-Oh! games that fans of the series should check out. The care and attention put into this by Digital Eclipse is palpable, making this a masterstroke collection of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s early days. Here’s hoping the console games and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX titles get this treatment, as this is the best way to play these classics.
Monster Hunter Wilds does an incredible job of balancing quality-of-life improvements and a streamlined system with the by design grind-focused gameplay loop. Newcomers will find this entry more approachable than previously, and veterans will find the new combat additions and combos offer plenty of depth to justify a new entry. The constantly changing environments make the world feel alive, and it creates a seamless connection between preparing and initiating a hunt. It's a tad easier than some will like, and the story is bland as hell, but the hunting is great, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is perhaps the goofiest Like a Dragon game to date, filled to the brim with thrills and laughs in equal measure. From the ridiculous and moving story to the seemingly endless amount of side content to take on, this is another example of just how excellent the Like a Dragon series so frequently is.
I'm happy to report that Avowed has the sauce, and this is perhaps Obsidian Entertainment at its absolute best. Every time I stepped away from the game to do something else, all I could think about was how much I wanted to step back into this world and find new things. The more I thought about the game, the more I enjoyed it. Avowed is a game that asks a lot of its players but delivers on it, too. It creates a unique sense of exploration while covering intense topics such as imperialism and nature preservation with a fun combat system that encourages you to try new things.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center is one of the great modern adventure games. Though there’s a severe lack of freedom and simplicity in deduction, the ride was still very exciting. With a 15-hour play time, Urban Myth Dissolution Center doesn’t overstay its welcome. Anyone interested in adventure games, narrative-driven games, and mysteries owes it to themselves to play Urban Myth Dissolution Center.
Snezhinka is an arcade-style 2D shooter, focused on anime girls defending against waves of mechs on behalf of their authoritarian government. It's a strange game, but the atmosphere succeeds in its oppressiveness and the fast-paced gameplay keeps its simplicity from becoming tedium. It's a small package, but it offers a ton of fun for a few hours, knowing it's just as important to leave a good final impression as it is to have a strong first impression.
The Stone of Madness offers a unique blend of tactical stealth and psychological survival, set in an eerie Spanish monastery. While its mechanics create engaging tension, the game’s difficulty, trial-and-error structure, and technical issues might frustrate some players.
While Waiting is a cute, fun, and simple pick-up and play style game. A perfect title for handheld gaming that offers some replayability. The art style is very cute and the objectives are usually pretty interesting. While Waiting is most assuredly a well-crafted game I think most people would find enjoyable.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a delightful life sim that suffers from performance issues on the Nintendo Switch. The breadth of content to take part in is impressive, and the characters and dialogue are filled with charm. It’s a shame the technical performance is so all over the place because the game itself is a blast all around.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn't have enough improvements from previous versions to justify its price tag, and areas like the cumbersome control scheme feel like they should have been improved for this version. The core platforming suffers from imprecise controls and a process of learning level layouts that feel frustrating thanks to long restart times. Mine cart and rocket barrel levels are a ton of fun, but tedious boss fights make this feel far from a definitive version of the game.
Ultimately, Cuisineer is a cozy experience that offers some simple roguelike combat and management gameplay. Neither is particularly great on their own, but together they do create an engaging, if ultimately shallow, experience. I can't recommend this to anyone who loves a challenging and deep roguelike, but if you enjoy cozy experiences and don't mind some slightly tougher combat, Cuisineer is a good enough time.
Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles stands on the rougher side of Star Wars games from decades gone by. Though the new additions are a fun idea and the additional behind-the-scenes content is enlightening, the clunky gameplay makes this one harder to recommend than other recent Star Wars rereleases.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a strong sequel to what was perhaps Nippon Ichi’s most unique title. The characters are charming, the gameplay is robust and tactical, and while the unlockable methods of powering up may be slightly overwhelming, newcomers should manage just fine playing through.
Tales of Graces f Remastered is the best this game has looked and the definitive experience. While I think delisting the original was unnecessary, I think it’s great that Tales of games are being brought to all modern consoles and no longer locked to single platforms. Though a bit pricey, Tales of Graces f Remastered takes a fan favorite into the modern era and makes it available for more people than ever with some quality-of-life functionality that the original sorely needed.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an enjoyable hack-and-slash title that features an exciting story, pleasant characters, and delightfully over-the-top action gameplay. You likely know what to expect with a musou game, but this is certainly one of the better ones, even if it’s best played with some breaks in between sessions.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a no nonsense port that allows you to play through this masterpiece on modern consoles.
Alien: Rogue Incursion is a frighteningly impressive game that nails the tone of the series and is the title that could push the common perception of VR forward. The save system is a bit harsh, but the sheer immersion and fear that the game specializes in makes this a VR must-play.
Ballionaire is a peculiar little gem that deftly mixes pachinko with roguelike elements to keep you playing run after run. It can be a bit frustrating when you’re hit with bad luck given the nature of Pachinko, but the good playthroughs make up for this with their unique and addictive fun.
Fairy Tail 2 throws you right into the action of the final chapter of the Alvarez Empire Arc but does little to help out anyone who might be unfamiliar with the series outside of the games. Along with several bugs, performance issues, and strange UI decisions, unless you’re a fan of the series, Fairy Tail 2 can be skipped.
Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Storybook Vale is a pleasant expansion for the Animal Crossing-like title. Catching Snippets and crafting new objects and meals with characters like Hades makes for a good time, even if it takes a while to complete certain quests. If this continues to be the quality of DLC going forward, then I’m excited to see what else is added in future updates. (Dare I dream of a Tron expansion?)