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Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim reinforces what makes the genre delightful. Its ingenuity is perfect for those who love looking through their Steam queue and finding a ridiculous-sounding title to sink a few hours into, and the price pretty much seals the deal. Although this casual, wholesome experience swings very, very far into the “casual” side of things, it is still a good time, especially for those who seek novelty. If you’re ready to look for love in all the tall places, Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim has a gigantic pink protagonist who gives monster hugs and kisses.
Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy is a solid entry-level tactical RPG that just needs…more. More enemies, more level variety, and a more compelling story. Newcomers to the genre will find a lot to like here; experts, your mileage may vary.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force admittedly has a number of issues. A poor interface, a main story which isn’t all that interesting, and certain character designs that just look bad. For me, however, its strengths more than overcame those issues, with a truly charming cast of characters, intense and enjoyable combat, and a novel twist in D.U.M.A. who makes moving around both in and out of combat a joy. It won’t be for everyone, but fans of the series or genre who have spent years waiting for a Star Ocean game worth their time will find this is exactly the sort of B game they don’t make enough of anymore.
It’s hard to recommend this de-mastered port of Alan Wake on the Nintendo Switch due to how inconsistent the frame rates are and how downgraded and blurry the graphics are. Considering this title is readily available and cheaper on so many different platforms, you are far better off enjoying this classic third-person horror shooter on a PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. If the Switch is your only option or you value portability, then I guess this version is somewhat viable, but just keep your expectations in line. At least it’s not a Cloud port, right?
Vampire Survivors is simple in so many ways. The graphics are basic, with many of the earlier versions’ assets are taken straight from other games and asset packs, but they have a look that reminds players of a beloved series and simply work. Gameplay is literally just moving a character around with some planning along the way. Yet somehow, it’s one of the most addicting games of 2022, the one I most consistently come back to, and one of my favorites of the year. If you have a spare thirty minutes now and then, absolutely check it out.
As a love letter to classic PS1 survival horror games, Signalis comes in crystal clear. Its core gameplay loop is tense and immensely satisfying, and the atmosphere and enemy designs make excellent use of the pixellated graphical style. While some errant hit detection and occasionally obtuse puzzles try to muddle this signal, this is one broadcast worth receiving.
With its numerous endings to uncover and pixel-perfect production values, Faith is one of the most unique and exciting games I’ve played in years. And now that the trilogy is available in one gloriously gory package, there’s never been a better time to take up the cross and see what all the shrieking incantations are about. Faith: The Unholy Trinity is a masterpiece in minimalist horror that no fan of the genre should miss.
No game is perfect, but A Plague Tale: Requiem is everything I could have asked for in a sequel. It refines and improves on all of the issues I had with Innocence, creating a game that doesn’t feel all that different, but simply feels far better. Instead of reinventing the wheel, the team at Asobo Studio evolved it instead, making a far better version of an already good game with a refined version of the same formula. Anyone who remotely enjoyed the original needs to check it out.
LEGO Bricktales cleverly combines familiar LEGO construction play patterns with an all-new exploratory experience. Although the exploration segments feel a bit too aged-down for this tired millennial’s tastes, the construction is delightfully challenging and exactly what I would have hoped to see in a LEGO game. If you want great LEGO prompts and don’t mind extremely linear (yet still charming) storytelling or are a literal child, LEGO Bricktales is here to unlock your wildest imaginations.
Potionomics is bubbling over with personality — in fact, this may just be the most charming game I’ve played all year. It has so many elements blended beautifully together that would make many different types of gamers happy. With some UI tweaks to highlight critical information to players when its desperately needed, Potionomics will undoutedly receive even more positive attention than it’s already getting (which is saying something). If you think you have what it takes to be the very best potioneer that ever was, Potionomics is ready to soul-bound itself to you.
While Serial Cleaners isn’t without its issues, this macabre mop-’em-up has its moments, but only the most patient custodians of carnage will likely want to see it through to the end. The writing is fantastic and the characters all bring something new and exciting to the table with their various talents. If you enjoyed the original game and can look beyond the grime and viscera that occasionally gunk up the experience, you might just find Serial Cleaners to be a dirty job worth undertaking. It’s not much, but it’s honest work.
Almost everything that’s currently present in Them’s Fightin’ Herds is excellent, with the exception of a few platforming sections in the story mode. The issue is that even two years after initially releasing on PC, it still doesn’t feel like a completed game, nor have the developers been clear about when that will change. If what’s here sounds like enough for you, though, or you’re a big My Little Pony fan, you should absolutely give Them’s Fightin’ Herds a chance.
There are some truly fun moments in Gotham Knights. Playing with a friend highlights the very best of what the developers set out to do, and I enjoyed both the story and getting to see Gotham’s protectors outside of Batman grab the spotlight. If the developers had built Gotham Knights around its strengths, it could have been an easy recommendation. As is, you spend so much time in its bland open world that only those who plan to explore it with friends should seriously consider it.
I was hoping for something special with Undungeon, but sadly was utterly disappointed.
Triangle Strategy is another resounding success by Square Enix in its quest to bring turn-based pixel art masterpieces into the realm of modern gaming. Its bigger mechanics force players to make tactical decisions on and off the battlefield, while its more nuanced ones give players a sense of joy in discovery at even the smallest turn. Each of Triangle Strategy’s components are elegantly refined down to the smallest detail, but when blended make for a slightly, yet strangely, imbalanced experience. If you don’t mind a tactics game that focuses more on story with battles largely used to further exposition, Triangle Strategy is an absolute must-play.
With so many options to customize your team and strategic battles that feel better than ever, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is exactly what a sequel is supposed to be, building on the foundation the first game laid down while not being afraid to shake things up. A general lack of polish feels wrong in a game starring Mario, but beyond those issues lies a fantastic strategy title for all ages.
At its core, PGA Tour 2K23 is the excellent golf game I’ve been missing in recent years. A new three-click swing system opens the game up for players who didn’t care for the analog swinging of old. I’ll be playing way too many hours of this one in the months to come, even if the series could still use some work on its presentation and a bit more variety.
Lost Eidolons is a truly impressive tactical RPG. It has solid and easy-to-grasp mechanics and manages to differentiate itself thanks to the weapon swapping and realistic visual style. While there’s still some room for improvement and some minor issues that require fixing, I can wholeheartedly recommend this to any fans of the genre. Here’s hoping this talented new team has many more exciting adventures to share in the future.
Sure, Super Alloy Ranger isn’t breaking the mold of 2D action platformers, but Alloy Mushroom manages to perfectly capture the essence of what made old-school classics feel, look, and play great. Not to mention how affordable and humble the asking price is at $9.99. There’s a ton of replayability here, with two characters to play and master, secrets and collectables to find, and plenty of stages to perfect. If you’re a fan of Mega Man games or someone who appreciates gorgeous pixel art, this is a no-brainer purchase for you.
Session: Skate Sim is a game of two halves at the moment. It presents a daunting, yet rewarding challenge that genuinely tries to move the genre forward through its dedication to being an authentic sim, but at the same time lacks the character and anarchy that the genre and skateboarding, in general, are synonymous with. Add onto that a healthy serving of jank and bugs, and Session: Skate Sim becomes a hard sell. However, if you can look past its flaws and are down for a challenge, it’s worth giving a shot as the innovations it does present are worth experiencing, and the highs you will receive from mastering the complex controls are unlike anything else the genre has to offer.