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Mr. Saitou is a short but sweet romp through the universe of Rakuen, a silly little homecoming to a wonderfully whimsical world. Although it’s not as emotional as the first game, it’s not trying to be; with that being said, I still shed a few tears during the two hours I spent with it. If you listen to Mr. Saitou and set your expectations accordingly, you’ll emotionally relate to the realistic struggles of adult life while feeling healed by the cheerful innocence childhood has to offer. In the very least, Mr. Saitou offers a brief return to the world of Rakuen and the feeling of being hugged by a game.
These are minor critiques, however, when we’re talking about an excellent remake of one of the best games ever made. Resident Evil 4 remains a must-play title in 2023, and while it may not be better in every possible way, this is overall the best way to experience it. Those who have enjoyed it in the past will find enough updates to keep things fresh, while new players won’t miss the few changes I might have skipped. So don’t make a horrific mistake and miss out on this one.
Blanc is certainly cozy, cute, and charming, and it deserves high marks for its aesthetics and ideas, but I can’t deny how frustrated I felt while playing it. There were some high moments where cub and fawn flew through the frozen fields, delicately criss-crossing darkened paths in an otherwise blinding white spendor, but they were often followed by whiplashed lows of missing actionable cues and odd technical difficulties. If Blanc speaks to you, I think you’ll enjoy it, but if you’re on the fence, give the dev team some time to address the issues. Until then, Blanc remains the perfect example of a snow day — enjoyable in theory as long as you don’t have to travel.
Storyteller is filled with charm and offers interesting mechanics, which really do make it feel like you’re telling a story. Unfortunately, it just takes too long to get going for a game that ends so soon. I completed every level in the game, including the alternate challenges, in about two hours. For the right price, this is definitely a story worth telling, though, and those in need of a new take on the puzzle genre should have a good time.
Overall, I still feel Omen of Sorrow was worth the wait on Nintendo Switch. While admittedly, this version of the game boasts the worst graphics and long load times, the game is a lot of fun once you get past those barriers. Featuring a diverse roster of monstrous creatures, an expansive Story Mode, and various unlockable achievements, this is still a fighting game I can recommend to fans of the genre, even those that don’t take them all that seriously. It may not be a genre-changing game, but it’s a very solid and enjoyable fighter.
I can’t pretend the glitches I encountered in 9 Years of Shadows weren’t frustrating, especially as a backer. I can only hope that Halberd Studios and Freedom Games take my complaints to heart and does everything they can to patch these problems as quickly as possible. Because underneath all the glitches, there’s a truly fantastic adventure, and one I still really enjoyed. If you’re a fan of Metroidvanias, definitely put this one on your wishlist. Just maybe wait on pulling the trigger until the developers have had a chance to make some necessary fixes.
Overall, The Last Spell is an incredibly fresh and satisfying entry to the strategy RPG genre. Its learning curve may be brutal, but that’s part of its charm as you slowly chip away at its many progression systems and start catching glimpses of light at the end of the demon-infested tunnel. If you can learn to live with the clunky controls and don’t mind a slow grind that rewards the patient, you’ll uncover some of the best, most frantic combat to grace the genre in some time, and it’s a sandbox of satisfying systems and enemy density that will have you returning over and over again. If you’re looking for something a little different and don’t mind being repeatedly humbled, then The Last Spell is totally worth your time.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is a well-earned conclusion to Reisalin “Ryza” Stout’s story, with its improvements upon the previous titles and systems that provide endless amounts of customization. It’s still a bit difficult to recommend this to newcomers, but this is a must-play for any fans of thighs, I mean this series. It’s a bittersweet farewell to Reisalin “Ryza” Stout and her eye-catching assets, and I look forward to Gust’s next entry in the Atelier series and whatever character design Toridamono comes up with next.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection was a weird pick to re-release, but if it was going to be done, it should have been done properly. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Portable Adventure brings up the grade ever so slightly by being a passable title considering its era, but the ball was dropped when it came to Bill & Ted’s Excellent Video Game Adventure. The simple inclusion of the instruction manuals complete with level maps would have elevated the entire experience to make this original LJN release genuinely playable; unfortunately, this necessary information was left out, and players are yet again left to fumble around in the bushes, trees, and fences. I hate to say it, but as it currently stands, this is not a worthwhile purchase — I can’t even recommend this to fans of the original movie because it’s still just as unplayable as it was all those years ago. I can only recommend Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection to those who, like me, were haunted by Bill & Ted’s Excellent Video Game Adventure and want to utilize the newly implemented save states to finally have a shot at finishing the game. But if Limited Run Games releases an update later with the maps? It might be a little less bogus then.
Looking back on my time with Tchia, there’s no one game-changing element that I can point to and say this is why you need to play it. The animal possession is the closest thing, but even then, what stands out about the mechanic is how solidly it works in so many different ways rather than any one of those ways being amazing. Yet despite this, I think many players will have a fantastic time exploring these islands. With a ton of personality, solid mechanics, and a unique vibe helping to keep the whole experience compelling, players should absolutely check Tchia out.
As long as you don’t let POST VOID short out your synapses, this really is one of the truest forms of FPS gameplay. If you long for a true drop-in, drop-out FPS game and don’t mind the wavey corridors and searing color palette, there’s so much fun to be had with just a semi-procedurally generated corridor maze, some wickedly warped baddies to kill as fast as you can, and a few RNG buffs here and there. POST VOID definitely won’t be a feasible trip for everyone, but if you can stomach the demanding gameplay and get a grip on the PS4 controls, you’ll probably wind up pretty hooked on this digital drug.
There are some real fault lines running through Redemption Reapers that are hard to look past. The story and characters just aren’t given enough history to make anything feel particularly meaningful; there’s no real driving force. Early difficulty spikes are extreme and frustrating, and poor stat growth, coupled with extremely low hit points for many characters, makes it feel like the odds just grow increasingly insurmountable – at least until you can go back and grind to obtain experience points, which you won’t be able to do for the first part of the game. While the dark atmosphere, gorgeous visuals, and haunting soundtrack are promising, and while the combat mechanics have some real potential, the balancing issues, difficulty spikes, poor AI, and flat storytelling simply bog Redemption Reapers down too much.
For better or worse, Digimon World: Next Order has all of Bandai’s best ideas mixed together into one complex title. As a game, this can be huge and intimidating, but it can also be someone’s comfort game to melt into at the end of a long day. As a port, Digimon World: Next Order should be praised for its continuous improvement as it jumps from one platform to the next, but its pricetag hasn’t improved in its 7 year run, which can put off some players who have become accustomed to purchasing ports at a lower pricepoint. Digimon World: Next Order was an overwhelming first foray into Digimon, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was blown away by the complexity, nuance, and depth the series has to offer. Perhaps Digimon truly are the champions after all!
Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix is welcome return to a genre long thought dead. And though this is still merely the first stepping stone, it’s going in the right direction, it just needs some room to grow and cultivate. The gameplay loop is quick but ever so fierce and memorable in design, and while not every one of the game’s playable Actresses is a star, there are more than enough for just about everyone to be able to sink their teeth into. So if you can forgive the game’s steep learning curve and are looking for the closest thing to Virtual ON to release in recent years, then look no further. Alice Gear Aegis CS will scratch that itch.
There are times when I really did start to feel like I was getting Akka Arrh, that I was so close to slipping into that state of bliss the best arcade games can provide. Inevitably though, some new mechanic would show up and knock me right out of it. That’s not to say I didn’t have fun with Akka Arrh, it’s an incredibly interesting game worth a look from fans of classic arcade games and fans of Jeff Minter, but the same issues that kept that original prototype from the 80s from seeing the light of day are still present and stop it from being a must-play.
The PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack is a brillant example of how different games can collaborate in a fun and cohesive manner. Fans of Final Fantasy VII Remake can further immerse themselves in the environments and lore of one of their favorite games, while PowerWash Simulator aficionados receive even more levels to quickly gobble up. Although the somewhat confusing naming-system of certain parts in specific levels made for some moments of frustration, the fact that this is completely free DLC certainly softens the blow. If you’re ready for a brand new adventure in this mechanical metropolis, the PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack invites you to get your hands dirty (and then clean again).
Intruders: Hide and Seek is a decent addition to the growing library of indie horror games available on Nintendo’s hybrid machine. Mechanically, the sluggishness of the movement does begin to wear thin, which is exacerbated further by the frustratingly implemented checkpoint system, but overall, the tension and tone set in those first couple of hours make it worth stepping into Ben’s shoes for a few hours and helping him save his family from a desperate situation. If you’re a horror fan itching for an Outlast-style experience, then Intruders: Hide and Seek is a nightmare worth experiencing.
While some will no doubt question whether returning to an annualized release schedule was wise given the jump in quality Visual Concepts was able to deliver by taking a year off prior to WWE 2k22, WWE 2k23 makes enough refinements to its in-ring action and improves its core modes to such an extent that this is absolutely a must-buy for wrestling fans. With two chunky career modes to get stuck into, Universe and MyGM modes offering more control than ever before, and Showcase mode changing up the formula to great effect, there’s a ton of fantastic content here that’s sure to keep players busy over the next year. If you’re itching for some satisfying wrestling action that has never looked as good as it does here, then don’t hesitate to pick up WWE 2k23, as it truly is championship material.
Little Witch Nobeta isn’t a Souls-like in the traditional sense, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Like a cunning crone, developer Pupuya Games have skillfully combined seemingly disparate ingredients to create something magical. Still, genre veterans may find themselves put off by the lack of challenge to be found in the title’s beginning hours, and the stark contrast between its whimsical protagonist and the grim world she inhabits can admittedly, at times, be a bit jarring. If these things don’t bother you and you’re a fan of Souls-likes who’s looking for something more forgiving, or perhaps a bit cuter than what you’d usually expect from the genre, Little Witch Nobeta is sure to leave you under its spell.
Painting Werther is a gorgeous deep dive on a classic novel depicting the dangerously obsessive emotion that is limerence. It stays true to Goethe’s message while enhancing the immersion with beautiful paintings and stunning music. Although it may be on the shorter side, the experience should not be measured in hours, but impact — and Painting Werther makes a powerful impact. If you’ve ever wanted to feel well-read while still getting your gaming in, Painting Werther compells you to show it some love.