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A blistering, brutal battle from start to finish, Astalon: Tears of the Earth is not for the fainthearted. It rewards talent and curiosity as frequently as it punishes inability and complacency. It will test your patience, abilities, and resolve, but the journey through the Tower of Serpents is so worth it.
I think that Sludge Life is a great example of video games as art.
If you have PlayStation Plus, there’s no reason not to check out Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown. Even if it fails to hook you, free is a good price. If you don’t have Plus, there’s very little reason to get it, however. This is especially true since Plus is required to play online, and there’s almost nothing to do if you aren’t playing online. While it is a shame that so much content from past games isn’t here, this is still one of the best playing fighting games ever made. That’s no small accomplishment. For those who don’t love facing live opponents over and over, though, this may be more of a curiosity than a new passion. Still, I’m just glad to see Virtua Fighter back in the fight. Hopefully, the next time the series makes a return, it will be with a new title.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World does a wonderful job of rekindling my love of the Monster World franchise and reminding me exactly why I fell in love with it in the first place. While the remaster doesn’t bring any new ideas to the table, it does put a wonderfully charming new coat of paint onto a game that deserves to be seen and enjoyed by a new audience. Old fans of this game should be pleased with the treatment it received, while newcomers can expect a classically crafted platformer adventure that’s short in duration but massive in charm. And I’m going to add in here that if you play this game and enjoy it, I beseech you to check out the other games in the Monster World line and Monster Boy in the Cursed Kingdom. You’ll thank me, and yourself, for having done so!
I enjoyed my time with Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir. It tells an interesting story that puts surprising twists on some expected tropes. While there were elements of the UI that showed their age, once I got used to them and played the game on its terms, I was able to work through it without much issue. With the story taking its time to get interesting, though and being fairly short at that, it is hard to call this a must-play. Still, for fans who have been interested for many years, finally getting to play this in English is a treat.
Long Ago: A Puzzle Tale is an accessible, inviting puzzler with a wonderful variety of mechanics that will absolutely test your puzzling skills. It’s a no-brainer for puzzle aficionados, even if everything doesn’t quite come together in the end.
I refuse to spoil Before Your Eyes for you by telling you anything more about the story. All you really need to know is that it’s got an underutilized mechanic integrated perfectly into a heartbreakingly beautiful tale of a life well lived, no matter how short it was. Ludonarrative harmony has been so uniquely and tightly achieved in Before Your Eyes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this sweep plenty of awards. This is absolutely my game of the year for 2021 thus far, and for only $9.99, there’s no reason Before Your Eyes shouldn’t be in your Steam library. Get this game.
If you enjoyed Crypt of the Necrodancer to any capacity, then you’ll definitely find a tune to dance to here. For those less inclined to bustin’ a move while you’re bustin’ heads, approach with caution. Boy Beats World won’t hesitate to put you in your place and expects you to get a grip on the groove right from the get-go. The dancefloor isn’t for everyone, but if you still got a taste for that sweet oscillating bitpop, waltz your way over to a walkthrough, ’cause this one could sell on its music alone. The beat drops on May 28th, 2021, so tune in for the mix on Steam!
Sumire’s themes are deep and challenging. While the gameplay itself is casual, the story and content are anything but. If you need a game that will tug at your heartstrings and that doesn’t shy away from making you consider difficult subjects, give this surprising little gem a chance.
I just wish they had taken a bit more time to think about how all the elements fit together. The actual design of Returnal is problematic. While I was willing to push through that most of the time, I wish I didn’t have to. This game is going to be a home run for many players. The core gameplay is stunning, and if you can sit back and enjoy the ride, you may love it. Just prepare yourself for what you’re getting into. The quality of Returnal makes me enormously excited for what Housemarque can do with higher budgets and modern games. I just hope they learn some lessons here to make their next title even better. Arcade is dead. Long live arcade.
If you enjoy dark, edgy roguelikes with a rocking heavy metal soundtrack, you definitely need to pick Rising Hell up.
As a game developer, I find Essays on Empathy to be a rare, insightful look on the evolution of an indie game studio — from finding its voice to offering a helping hand to others still cultivating their own. As a gamer, I genuinely felt hit by a train when it came to some of the incredibly powerful and even relatable emotions encapsulated in such short experiences. Deconstructeam achieved their goals and did so in such a unique way that I feel better off for having played Essays on Empathy; most importantly, however, I simply feel, and although that’s the point of this collection, understanding exactly what I feel will take some unpacking. There isn’t another game like Essays on Empathy, but I genuinely hope these post mortem vignettes become a trend. Game developers, take note!
Maneater was worth the wait on Nintendo Switch. It’s not a perfect game, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun. It’s the murderous Ecco the Dolphin I didn’t realize I always needed. If you’re a stickler for graphics, you might prefer playing it on another console. But for playing a hungry shark on the run, there’s nothing better. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last we see from Tripwire in this delightfully demented new IP.
This dark depiction of Beauty and the Beast works, but only if you recognize what you’re getting into: a musical experience focusing on an abused psyche desperately trying to break free from known shackles, only to fly right into a cage that represents both prison and freedom.
Despite the few aforementioned hiccups, Biomutant is an expansive and thoroughly engaging open-world exploration game that fans of Fallout might recognize and enjoy. The game may have some rough edges, but it is especially impressive for an outing by an indie developer with much less resources and manpower than a major studio. Don’t miss this title!
Kaze and the Wild Masks is definitely derivative and could have used a bit more originality to stand out. Still, I can’t imagine players who love the Donkey Kong Country series not taking to it. With excellent controls, tons of character, and a great look, it’s just a great play from start to finish. It’s almost like this is the fourth Super Nintendo Donkey Kong game we never got, only with a modern coat of paint and just enough updates to feel like it belongs in 2021. If that sounds like it’s down your burrow, then Kaze has an adventure for you.
Is a fairly solid beat ’em up paying homage to the greatest of Kevin Smith’s greatest gags worth a full fifteen dollars? While the enjoyment of it seems a bit situational, if you’re a fan of Smith’s comedy hijinks and want a playable museum of his best, I’d say that fifteen’s worth it. While the challenge is there and the combat satisfies, it doesn’t strive to make any new ground in the genre, other than a couple of tricky levels inspired by games of the era it aims to imitate. This is perfectly fine because it does all that it needs to with what it is, a simple NES throwback with some 90’s movie flair that thrives for nostalgia in more ways than one. Even if you don’t know much about the movies, if you catch this on sale, give it a try. Who knows, you might find yourself with some movies to watch for the weekend.
Every now and then, a game comes along that just absolutely blows up your expectations. There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is one such game. Superb design, excellent voice acting, with a surprisingly moving story, it’s an undeniably endearing and unique experience. Honestly, it’s hard to find anything to criticize with this game. If I had to be really nitpicky, I suppose that the game is perhaps a little on the short side, and maybe a couple of the puzzles were a little too esoteric for my brain to readily solve. If you’re looking for a unique point-and-click to take a break from your usual genre, I honestly couldn’t recommend this game more.
I wouldn’t immediately recommend Lost Ruins in the way that I might with other Metroidvanias, but it’s still a fun time overall. If you’re looking for a different kind of Metroidvania and don’t mind intentionally awkward controls, then give Lost Ruins a try. It’s honestly a nice feeling when you get all the way through it.
It’s decidedly short but irrefutably sweet.