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Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is another laid-back and charming title like its predecessor and the Boku no Natsuyasumi series before it. There’s lots to do and no pressure to get anything done, making for a bountiful title that lets you do what you want, when you want, as much as you want. It’s a great game to relax with, and worth grabbing if you need a break between bigger and more fast-paced games.
I am so genuinely happy to see the SaGa series get a well deserved new starting point for new fans, and doubly so for the fact that series vets will love this as well. If you have ever had a vested interest in the SaGa franchise, there probably won’t be a better time than now, with Romancing SaGa2: Revenge of the Seven. I am thoroughly impressed and have a new top 3 SaGa game.
Silent Hill 2 has more than enough modern features to make experiencing it in 2024 hit just as hard as it was praised for doing in 2001. The story still feels unmatched in the genre and the horror is upsetting in ways that feel quite different from some other modern horror titles. Its depiction of real-life horror is handled with incredible skill, using awful realities to benefit its horror without exploiting them or shying away from the realness of them. Combat doesn't have the depth you might hope for and its opening is stretched a bit too far, but it's still an excellent horror experience.
RetroRealms takes two of the most beloved horror series and adapts them into enjoyable platformers with excellent pixel art. The difficulty can be a little bit mean at times, but both titles are a blast overall – especially for fans of each respective series. I can’t wait to see what other movies get the RetroRealms treatment, though I’ve got my fingers crossed for Alien.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 offers a brand new story, and lots of new brothers and enemies. While the online community leaves a lot to be desired, World Brothers 2’s improvements over the first game remain significant enough to recommend.
Visions of Mana is a competent, visually beautiful, and fun game that might have stood out were it released any other year but this one.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an incredible comeback for the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The roster is packed, the gameplay is satisfying, and the breadth of content is impressive, to say the least. This is the Dragon Ball game so many have been waiting for, and I can’t wait to see what content we get throughout the game’s assuredly long life.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is an exciting new take on the series formula that takes some big swings and largely succeeds.
What the Car is perfect in small doses, especially if you’re looking for something to pick your mood up with a few laughs.
I think if you even have an inkling that Bloomtown: A Different Story is your jam, you owe it to yourself to try it out.
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns is a pleasant enough expansion to the latest Mortal Kombat game. The new characters are a blast to use and the story, while somewhat all over the place, has enough fun moments to be worth a go. If you didn’t dig Mortal Kombat 1 already, this expansion won’t change your mind, but it’s a good time for those who are already into the title.
Athena Crisis is a solid tactical RPG that takes some of the best parts of Advance Wars and brings them to PC and Steam Deck. There are some rough edges, but the map editor and general gameplay make this one title worth keeping an eye on.
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed fixes many of the issues the original game had to craft a much-improved version of the hidden gem. A few irritating issues persist, but for the most part, this is the way Epic Mickey was always meant to be experienced.
Have squirrel, have gun, will travel
Funko Fusion is a slog to play. The puzzles are uninteresting, and the third-person shooting is tedious. It uses its mature movie franchises in strange ways, adding glood and violence to old-school slapstick comedy, creating a tonal mess.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is, for the most part, a strong revisit of one of Capcom’s classic titles. The new improvements are excellent, and the small problems aren’t enough to derail the experience. The original game is still widely accessible on current consoles regardless, but I recommend checking out Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster if you’re fond of the original or looking for a unique new experience, as there’s nothing quite like it.
The Plucky Squire is a fun & fresh take on a classic game style, full of heart with a great message for all ages. Just because a story seems simple, doesn't mean it doesn't matter.
Although Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club has some strange pacing choices that lead to a lack of excitement in early chapters and a lessened emphasis on solving the case through detective work, it makes up for it with an excellent presentation, fun attention to detail, and a dark, emotional story that answers all its questions in the end.
Wild Bastards adds strategic depth to the roguelite game but sacrifices depth in its shooting to do so. The result is a game that has fun characters and great strategy, but the shooting sections become stale over the course of the campaign.
Astro Bot is nothing short of magic, applying fun and fluid platforming to a creative love letter to video games. The quality of detail in Astro Bot is only rivaled by the passion its developers so clearly have for video games.