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In some ways, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 feels more like a level pack than a sequel, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. These games are still great, and most of these stages are still incredibly well designed. I can’t recommend it quite as strongly as I would the series’ last entry, but if you’ve finished Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 and you’re still craving more, then you should just right into this release.
Despite some disharmony, overall, I really enjoyed Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson. Yes, it’s a short burn, and yes, some minor issues held it back. But it’s still a charming, retro, GuitaR-PG with a lot of heart. If you’re in the mood for an epic Battle of the Bands with a likeable hometown hero, look no further!
Throes of the Watchmaker is a wonderful addition to an already fantastic package. While I’m not one hundred percent sold on the complete reset of skills, it does at least make narrative sense and allow for an admittedly needed power reset going into the new content, given that the expansion cannot be accessed until you’ve bested the mandatory content from the base game. That minor gripe aside, Throes of the Watchmaker is an exceptional package that highlights and builds upon what was so enjoyable within the base game. The new dungeons and biome are a treat to explore, stuffed with puzzles and engaging combat encounters that rival, and in many cases surpass, the quality already established by the base game, and if this is to be the last we see of Sea of Stars until what is hopefully an inevitable sequel, then this is a hell of a way to bow out.
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster still plays really well, but the gameplay feels a little bit less special than it once did, if only because so many popular games have taken its innovations and run with them. The good news, though, is that it still plays well and its atmosphere still stands out even after all these years. System Shock 2 asks more from players than most modern shooters, and a few of its systems could have used a bit more of an overhaul to work better with a controller, but if you’re willing to explore and really dig into the mystery here, you’ll find an incredibly compelling experience.
I really wanted to love Section 13, and while I did enjoy it, it was held back by the incremental pace of the game as well as the brutal difficulty of enemy encounters. This is a very, very grindy game, and while I don’t mind spending time with an adventure, I do wish this particular game were on Switch 2. I find portable play is ideal for rogue adventures, and I feel I would have had much more success were that an option. That said, Section 13 is still a compelling game, it’s just one that regularly feels like a slog. Here’s hoping the next adventure from Ocean Drive Studio manages to capitalize on the rogue genre’s strengths better.
Union of Gnomes is one of the most unexpected treats I’ve had the pleasure of playing this year. It came onto my radar out of nowhere, and while it won’t replace Monster Train 2 as my primary deckbuilder, it’s got enough creativity and replayability that it’s something I’m confident will remain in my rotation for the foreseeable future at least. While it may not be the most visually appealing experience, and its leveling curve could use a little fine-tuning, its robust deckbuilding and focus on resource management in the form of weiners is strong enough to overcome those shortcomings overall. If you’re tired of the heavyweights of the genre and want something a little quirky that really understands the fundamentals of the genre, Union of Gnomes is a worthy addition to any deckbuilding fan’s collection.
Front Mission 3 Remake at its best is held back by a weak story and characters, but the best gameplay in the original trilogy means there is absolutely fun to be had by players more focused on the strategic battles and mech customization. The core game mostly holds up after all these years. The awful aesthetic choices, though, make this the sort of remake that is hard to recommend because it’s a worse experience in many ways than the version that came out over a quarter century ago.
I don’t begrudge a game the ability to make money. I want to see games succeed. Constantly being hit up to spend more and more just isn’t a good experience, though, at least for me. It feels predatory at times and makes me simply want to stop playing it. The game underneath all of those transactions is well-made, if very derivative of Persona 5, without hitting the highs of that title. Still, if they released a version paced like a regular RPG, I expect I’d want to see it all the way through. As is though, Persona 5: The Phantom X isn’t for me. Those who know what they’re getting into with gacha titles, I suspect, will have a good time, particularly if they love Persona, but it won’t change the mind of anyone who isn’t won over by the genre.
Combined with the lack of balance, overly complex mechanics, and brutal CPU opponents, ultimately, I found plenty of roadblocks to my enjoyment in Battle Train. I wanted the art, humor, and overall play experience to mesh better. But sadly, it’s just one deckbuilder that’s hard for this fan to recommend.
I’m not sure these games are quite up to carrying this package. Dragon Breed is still a fun game and worth playing, while Mr. Heli is an interesting time capsule that I’m glad I checked out, but neither of these is a lost classic that modern players desperately need to play. They range from fine to pretty good, but that’s only enough to recommend Irem Collection Volume 3 to big fans of the genre.
As a gamer who grew up when so many movies were relegated to shlocky video game adaptations, I can confidently say TRON: Catalyst is not that. But even though this is a faithful and creative game experience, it’s also one that’s not always well balanced and feels a bit too padded out for this gamer. That said, diehard fans of TRON will probably find plenty to enjoy in this neon-hued adventure.
Sunderfolk’s attempt at bringing the tabletop RPG experience to the living room TV screen is difficult to find fault with. Its clever use of mobile devices does a great job at capturing the tactile nature of true tabletop gaming, resulting in a surprisingly faithful adaptation of the full game night experience. The story may be a little generic, and the standard difficulty option may be a little undertuned, relative to how successful Sunderfolk is in achieving its vision elsewhere. For anyone, like me, who struggles to find the time or motivation to unpack their favourite tabletop behemoth and endure the inevitable setup and breaking down phase, Sunderfolk is a truly wonderful alternative that works better than it has any right to.
GEX Trilogy is ultimately a good collection of the main GEX games, but it’s not a very good game because none of the games it collects are very fun. Those with nostalgia for the character will surely find some enjoyment in revisiting his adventures after all these years, but anyone who didn’t enjoy the character twenty five years ago will be better served checking out the many better platformers available on modern platforms.
Despite some issues, it’s fantastic to see HITMAN World of Assassination available on the Switch 2. This release would simply not have been possible on the original Switch and is an excellent example of what its successor can offer. These are wonderful games and while this may not be the best version of them, their flaws are easily overlooked if this is the only way you have to play these games or if you really want to play them on a portable. That said, if the plan is to play mostly on your TV, I’d consider any of the other systems you can play these games on first.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army may not be a true classic, but it is a very solid action RPG with strong combat and an interesting story. Investigative work may not be a strength, but it gets to be less of a focus as the game goes on, mostly for the better. Shin Megami Tensei fans who missed this one late in the PS2’s life cycle will have a good time exploring an underplayed part of the franchise, but those who have already experienced this story won’t find a ton new to grab their interest.
So, will I be returning to Rainbow Six Siege X regularly? I’m not so sure. The wall to climb is steep, and it still doesn’t cater to the tactical, single-player-minded fan I’ve always been. Yet, I can’t deny that it’s a successful refresh. For current veterans or returning players who already know what they’re signing up for, this is the best version of Siege there has ever been. It’s a modern, polished, and brutally challenging tactical shooter. Just know that the fresh paint does little to soften the blows.
Mario Kart World makes some strange choices in leaving its open world a bit empty and the way it links tracks, but the core racing is better than ever and there’s a ton of content to keep players busy until Nintendo further expands the game. Knockout Tour is perhaps my favorite online mode a game has offered in years, even if I do wish it were easier to enjoy with friends. Ultimately, if you’re buying a Nintendo Switch 2 at the moment, you’ll want to buy this game.
While the minigames in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour are the highlight of the experience and do offer some brief fun, the rest of this package too often feels like busywork to give it a strong recommendation. It’s certainly a relatively cheap entry point, and in a vacuum, there’s enough content here to be worth the cost. If you really need to be convinced of the Switch 2’s unique features, it may even be worth your time. In an age where there are hundreds of excellent games available on the system at this same price due to backwards compatibility, however, it becomes harder to recommend picking this one up for most players.
Elden Ring Nightreign blends Soulslike combat with roguelike mechanics, resulting in a mostly dynamic cooperative adventure. However, the game’s lack of crossplay and duo support makes grouping inconvenient, and reuses too many assets while offering somewhat shallow progression.
On one hand, Starlight Legacy might not blow the world away with any huge innovation or captivating ideas. But everything here is rock solid and well made, and this is easily the best game I’ve played from eastasiasoft in years. I’m also happy to see there might be potential sequels in the works. If you’re a fan of retro JRPGs and want something fun and inexpensive, this is the game for you.