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Although Pupperazzi’s length is far more impressive in dog hours, it’s worthy of any human’s attention. If you went into Pupperazzi expecting a cute dog photography game — congrats! You got exactly what you paid for. Pupperazzi wears its golden retriever heart on its sleeve; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if a golden retriever made this game, considering its sincere, fun, childish nature. Make no bones about it — Pupperazzi is a short but sweet dog photog romp that will leave players wagging their tails.
Unfortunately PopSlinger is a hard game to recommend to most gamers. If the developers can make a concerted effort to balance and streamline the camera and combat issues I pointed out, as well as helping the game provide clearer visual cues, I think this could be something special. As it is now, however, it’s just too much of a mess to recommend to anyone that isn’t willing to put a ton of effort into the experience. Hopefully Funky Can Creative learns from this game to make their next adventure one that lives up to the hype.
I really wanted to like Demoniaca: Everlasting Night. I fought hard to let the game prove itself to me. But it needs a lot more balancing and retooling before I can recommend it to anybody other than the most diehard Metroidvania fan. If you can somehow look past the game’s many flaws, it might be worth buying on a sale. Otherwise, I’d just pass on this disappointing Gothic adventure.
There isn’t too much to say about Dimension Tripper Neptune: Top Nep outside of what I’ve already said. It’s a short, and incredibly stylish, arcade-style rail shooter that plays almost identically to Space Harrier. I do think, however, that this might be one of the few Neptunia titles which could bring in a larger crowd than normal. It may be entirely rooted in a very fanbase-centered meme, but it’s legitimately a fun and addictive little game—and one which deserves the attention of both arcade shooter fans and Neptunia fans!
Windjammers 2 will more than satisfy fans of the original who are looking to take on their friends. The gameplay is tight, wonderfully balanced, and manages to add additional depth without compromising the series’ intuitive feel. A bit of balance on the roster could still help, and I do wish we had additional single-player content to keep those who prefer to play solo coming back, but this one is still well worth your time.
I was wrong about Rainbow Six Extraction. It’s good fun and feels like a meaningful extension of the Rainbow Six franchise. It’s also priced very competitively, starting at $39.99/£31.99 for the cost of admission. It’s actually got fairly decent background lore and story to it, which is a welcome and unexpected bonus. While I do have reservations about how long we’ll be playing this game for, as well as mechanics that got left behind, given Ubisoft’s commitment to Rainbow Six Siege, and how much they’ve continued to support and add to that game, I’ve no doubt that they’ll do the same with Rainbow Six Extraction. A year or two from now, I’m certain we’ll have a compelling reason to continue playing this game. Evaluating what we have right now, I think it’s a great price for a great game, so, as long as you’ve got two friends to play with, you’re going to have a blast. And if you’ve made it all the way down here, and want to know if Lord Tachanka’s mounted machine gun still chugga-chugga’s, well, comrade, it does, it most certainly does.
It’s rare that we get a game as strong as Nobody Saves the World so early in the year. With excellent combat, a huge overworld to explore, and a ton of personality, I don’t have a lot negative to say about it. Those who enjoy games like Hades and The Binding of Isaac have found their next fix. Even if you’re not generally a big fan of roguelikes, the game’s more linear overworld and forgiving checkpoints offer an inviting path to entry.
Expeditions: Rome is a profoundly in-depth RPG that manages to achieve much of its lofty ambitions with verve. There are a few potholes in this otherwise flawless Roman road, especially with how steep the learning curve is, but they should get smoothed out in time. For those who loved the tactical machinations of X-Com, but wanted a bit more character development and a personal story, Expeditions: Rome is more fun than visiting the Circus Maximus and Colosseum with a full amphora of wine.
Even after all these years, SNK VS. Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash mostly lives up to what I hoped it could be. A more in-depth single-player mode would have been great and online matches are a glaring omission, but you still have an incredibly deep, rewarding card game with a ton of flavor from series many of us have loved for a very long time. This one could steal a lot of hours from your life.
I’d highly recommend either of Super Mario 3D World or Bowser’s Fury, but when you put them together in the same package, you have a fantastic value. Players who missed Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U should run out and pick this one up. It’s one of the best games available on the Switch. Even those who played it many years ago will find a lot to like in Bowser’s Fury’s different take on the Mario formula. If you still haven’t checked this one out, there’s no time like the present.
If you’re a fan of ARPGs or are just curious about Hispanic and South American mythology, this is a great game to get started with.
Anagrams is casual yet strategic, chill yet vibrant, and really, really hard to quit. Who would have thought that mixing matching games with anagrams would work so well together? With 1,400+ levels spread across four different game modes, it doesn’t need to be spelled out that Anagrams will keep word nerds entertained for hours on end. Whether you play it in short spurts before bed or marathon it all day, Anagrams is the word game your brain deserves.
It Takes Two takes the tried and true action/adventure-puzzler genre and turns it into possibly the most collaborative split-screen co-op game ever created. Coupled with the presented marital issues between the main characters that make for fantastic springboards to discuss with your own Player 2, It Takes Two will strongly resonate with just about anyone who picks up a controller. Although character development was a bit lacking and the story somewhat sluggish, these issues do not diminish the incredibly imaginative level design and supremely enjoyable boss battles. If you’re looking for a case study in co-op puzzle games that deserves to define the genre going forward, grab a partner and pick up It Takes Two.
Tux and Fanny may have slipped under your radar in 2021 — I’m begging you to right that wrong and play it in 2022. If you find the joy in small things and believe that big, crazy things can be found even in the most mundane places, Tux and Fanny is the title for you. For such a lighthearted game, there’s a lot of soul in it; you’ll soon find yourself devouring every last ludicrous discovery, sad to leave the duo when you’ve completed their journey. As far as I’m concerned, Tux and Fanny is my pick for gAmE oF tHe YeAr 2021, the simple, silly, slice of life stories shared between friends a wonderful experience worth having.
As a whole, The Letter is an awesome visual novel. With a literal ton of dialogue, extremely well-developed characters, a deliciously creepy, slow-burning story, branching story paths, and an interesting relationship system, there’s quite a lot for horror fans and visual novel fans alike to enjoy. Unfortunately, the awesome story and stellar character writing is bogged down by the ceaseless grammar mistakes. Still, if you can get past it, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.
Staxel exemplifies the old saying, “jack of all trades, master of none.” With the stellar competition on offer, a game really needs to excel these days to make an impact in what is becoming a very crowded genre. Unfortunately, Staxel, with its frustrating systems and the uninteresting cast, makes it hard to want to stick around and enjoy the variety of gameplay loops on offer here, and it’s difficult to see anybody but the most dedicated fans of the genre feeling any different.
Ultimately it’s hard to give The Gunk a strong recommendation. It’s a very old-fashioned game, one that feels like it wouldn’t have truly stood out even in the era it feels like it belongs to. Despite likable characters, the story doesn’t really satisfy either. The core mechanics just plain work, though, and its short length doesn’t overstay its welcome. While it feels like the development team squandered the potential for more, those who can check it out without a significant investment will find a few fun hours. Perfect for Game Pass, indeed.
Danganronpa Decadence works well for several different reasons. Not only is it a great way for fans—both pre-existing and prospective alike—to dive into the three core titles that truly helped to sculpt the series into something spectacular, but the additional bonus title, Ultimate Summer Camp, is a neat, albeit very much noncanonical, way of celebrating the plethora of weird, wonderful, and wild characters that have graced our TV (or Switch) screens. Sure, three-fourths of the game, technically speaking, isn’t “new,” but that’s no reason for anyone to pretend that the decadent, 4-in-1 Danganronpa combo pack is nothing less than spectacular.
Nothing comes easy in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX. These are fairly poor ports of two pretty good games, with the best part of them stripped out. I still had fun revisiting these games after so many years, and players able to overlook the poor interface and lack of guidance can still definitely find a good time here, but you’ll need to work for it.
For those who want a brutally raw retro-styled shooter where constant carnage is the order of the day, Serious Sam 4 will sate the bloodlust of even the most maniacal gamers. Not only that, but it’s genuinely funny and well-written, and the trials and tragedies Sam experiences tugged at my jaded heartstrings far more than I expected them to. Many would not enjoy Serious Sam 4 because gunning down endless waves of slavering aliens and mutants becomes brutally relentless – but if you’re a hardcore shooter purist, that’s exactly what you’re looking for.