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Hanako: Honor & Blade has some interesting ideas, and the story behind its creation is wonderful. I genuinely like some of the choices the development team made, and I had fun at times. The core of the game, however, needs a lot of work. With poor balance, combat lacking any weight, and matches mostly featuring terrible AI opponents, there’s much the developer needs to do to make this one worth your time. If you get together with some friends and all pick it up, you might get a few entertaining afternoons out of it, but unless the development team keeps working to improve things, don’t expect much more.
WarioWare: Get It Together! isn’t the best game in the series, but the latest from Wario’s video game company is still a delight. With tons of variety, this is the sort of game I can see myself popping into for a quick session regularly for years to come. If you have friends to play with, this is an easy recommendation. Even without those, there’s plenty of variety to keep players coming back until Wario’s next creation is ready to go.
Tribes of Midgard is trying to do a lot and implements some new and interesting mechanics in the process; unfortunately, the balancing and day/night cycle could use a little ironing out before it’s worthy of Valhalla. Still, it deserves your time and attention now, especially if you’re a fan of swiftly getting a system down perfectly and don’t mind repeatedly dying in an effort to achieve that. Once Tribes of Midgard comes into its own — and it will — it’s safe to say it’ll be a pretty addicting experience. For those still on the fence, put this on your Wishlist — you’ll want to keep an eye on this one.
While it doesn’t end as well as it begins, Tales of Arise told a story I wanted to see through. Even when the plot dipped a bit in the back half, the wonderful cast of characters kept me engaged. Its combat never stopped being a blast either. This is the strongest Tales game in years and definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a new adventure.
Building upon its predecessor in every conceivable way, Lost Judgment is a superb sequel that tells a story that will leave you asking yourself what justice means to you. It’s a gripping thrill ride full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. And even after the credits roll, the city streets will call you back for more with their countless distractions.
Eastward pays homage to all things loved about SNES-era gaming, looking and feeling like the games of our childhood locked deep within our hearts. At times, I wondered if the experience would be enhanced playing Eastward sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of a giant CRT television, tethered way to close to the screen by a wired controller. For gamers of a certain age, Eastward feels an awful lot like home, and one I didn’t realize I missed so dearly.
If you’re thirsting for a difficult slash-’em-up platformer, Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites will most definitely satisfy. With increasingly difficult stages and combat, this is a game meant for hardcore fans of the genre. Combine that formidable challenge with eye-popping 2D visuals, quality sound, and fast-paced, addicting gameplay, and this 8-hour slashfest is a blast to play. It just lacks a truly engaging story.
Tender: Creature Comforts is suspiciously realistic to the point where I got that familiar feeling of exhaustion I get from talking to other people for too long. Featuring wildly creative art, clean UI, witty writing, and, perhaps most impressively, dozens of unique voices expressed through individual writing styles, Tender: Creature Comforts is a one of a kind dating sim that is surprisingly deep and downright addicting. I dare you not to try to swipe right on every alien in sight — perhaps you’ll find true love on Comfortix after all.
Dice Legacy leaves a lasting impression of something basic in concept but tremendous in possibilities. With bucolic aesthetics and a simply lovely soundtrack to match, Dice Legacy wants players to know that dice-based gameplay can be incredibly deep and immediately addicting. Would I recommend this survival city-builder on the Switch? Certainly, but only if PC isn’t an option; if you’ve got a Steam account, head there first for the far more intuitive gameplay both you and Dice Legacy deserve.
If you have friends to play with regularly, Cruis’n Blast can provide light arcade-style thrills. With over-the-top courses, a catchy soundtrack, and simple gameplay, there’s fun to be had. There’s just not enough content to justify it for anyone else, though, especially when basic features expected of the genre are missing.
If you’ve been waiting for the PlayStation 5’s first true killer app, this is it. Deathloop is an innovative and satisfying take on the shooter genre that you can’t afford to miss. Developer Arkane Studios has managed to take Dishonored‘s rock-solid foundation and hone it to a razor’s edge. With a rewarding progression system and a gameplay loop that encourages experimentation and exploration, you can’t help but wonder why Colt would ever want to break this cycle. Sprawling, cerebral, and consistently exciting, Deathloop deserves a spot in every shooter fan’s PS5 library.
NBA 2K22 offers the best on-court experience in the history of the series. That’s no small thing for a franchise long known for rock-solid gameplay. The problem is that so much around that experience feels incomplete or messy. NBA 2K22 provides such a wide range of experiences that many players will get what they need from it. The overall package, however, is a lot more uneven.
WRC 10 shines when it’s not trying to lure you in with a load of flashy bullshit. Instead, it’s best when it’s got you on the track, careering through chicanes or clinging on for dear life as you hoist yourself through a hairpin.
The Artful Escape is an unforgettable psychedelic journey. Its short length helps its simple mechanics stay fresh so you can focus on Francis’ journey and its stunning visuals. Perhaps fully embracing the medium could have made this something even more special, but it’s an experience all its own, and that’s okay. Much like the game tries to teach Francis, sometimes you can just have to be what you are.
These are minor issues ultimately. I might have liked more freedom to explore Haven Springs or a bit more mystery here and there, but none of that stops Alex’s journey from being an absolute joy. At times funny, exciting, mysterious, and heartbreaking, Life Is Strange: True Colors made me fall in love with this little town and all of those who live there. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Alex. A character this wonderful deserves many adventures to come.
T-Minus 30 has one of the most interesting concepts I’ve seen this year backed up by balanced, frenetic, and fun gameplay. It really is quite the experience to spend 30 minutes building up your city to the tune of tens or even hundreds of thousands of people, only to watch them all jettison themselves off into the cold and desolate vastness of space in the last ten seconds. If you’re looking for a completely different city-builder that will pose a uniquely fast-paced challenge, all T-Minus 30 asks for is ten bucks and half an hour of your time.
After three playthroughs, I’m still having fun trying to decide the proper choices for every situation. I’d say that’s a true testament to the quality of the game’s story. Hindsight 20/20: Wrath of The Raakshasa is fantastic, with fun mechanics and a surprisingly great narrative that’ll leave you questioning what you believe in.
Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG is finally emerging from its nearly two-year Early Access period and is all the better for its time spent in player-engaged development. Fans of Fallout 1 and 2 and Shadowrun are going to immediately fall in love with what Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG has to offer them, from its impressive character creation to vast world-building, from its ambient aesthetics to its divergent storytelling, and every nook and cranny worth exploring in between. You may be stuck underneath this Dome for the rest of your life, but rest assured you’ll be far too busy living your best post-apocalyptic life to care about anything outside of it anyway.
Monster Harvest is part of a growing genre that tries to combine farming sims like Harvest Moon with creature collecting like Pokemon. Unfortunately, by trying to cram as many different mechanics as possible into one tiny title, Monster Harvest pared them down to their basest level in an effort to offer a nibble of many things but never a filling feast. As for the bugs it launched with, those will soon be addressed with promised patches, but when it comes to gameplay, Monster Harvest still feels like it needs a little more time to grow. A lot more depth on all fronts will turn this garden variety game into a bumper crop; with enough time, I have faith the developers will find the balance Monster Harvest needs to achieve greatness.
Boyfriend Dungeon is a good example of a great, unique game that’s an awesome experience in spite of its flaws. It’s by no means a perfect game. Boyfriend Dungeon has incredible character development, tackles difficult subject matter, has absolutely gorgeous artwork and a killer soundtrack, and is more than addicting enough to get you going back for more and more. And that’s in spite of the lackluster, repetitive, and limited dungeon crawling options available to you. It’s quite unlike any game I’ve ever played, in the best of ways.