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It’s not hard to recommend TOHU — if you love busy, hand-drawn environments and puzzles that will really make you rack your brain for solutions, this is absolutely up your alley. It may have elevated my blood pressure for the few hours I spent with it, but I don’t regret the shortening of my lifespan in the slightest. If you gave this short but sweet little gem one glance and immediately thought fondly of Machinarium, I don’t have to tell you twice that TOHU was made for you. Be sure to pick it up on your puzzle platform of choice as soon as possible.
Skul: The Hero Slayer is a fun little title whose cute graphics belie the tough challenges and grinds that lie within. Dying is all part of the appeal, and never once is it frustrating or unfair. You’ll want to keep returning again and again in order to get just a little bit further, or to perhaps secure a new type of outfit or skill. It deserves a place on your playlist if you have any sort of affection for old 16-bit RPG-brawlers.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout was a great start, and Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy does an excellent job, for the most part, of building on what was already there. Is it perfect? No, it’s not. But that’s okay. Looking past the fact that this, plain and simple, is a fun game, Atelier Ryza 2 once again keeps my faith alive in GUST being on the mend. I don’t know if there’s going to be an Atelier Ryza 3, but I hope that there will be. And if there is, then I know that it will be even better than the two wonderful games that have made up the trilogy so far.
While I’ve spent a lot of time covering what Cyber Shadow does right, there’s a lot more I could talk about. But since that would cross into spoiler territory, I’ll let you discover for yourselves why this is one of the best games of the new year. There’s a lot of replay value here, too, thanks to Yacht Club implementing a whole host of achievements, regardless of whether you play the game on Steam or consoles. Though it can get more than a bit challenging at times, I’d heartily recommend this to any fan of the classics. Even if you don’t appreciate NES games of yore, this is still a tremendous adventure full of mystery and danger. Kudos to Mechanical Head Games on developing Cyber Shadow, and many thanks to Yacht Club for helping it reach its full potential.
After playing Orwell’s Animal Farm, I found myself gobbling up every analysis I could find on the original work and ultimately settling into bed with a copy of the book found online. From the subversion of politics through the subversion of language and logic to reducing complex ideals to meaningless catchphrases, it was truly eye-opening just how Orwellian the past few years have been — although not the way in which the word has been thrown around after January 6th. The team’s unique history with totalitarianism made them competent candidates for the game version of this compelling allegorical tale, and I find myself still trying to wrap my head around the experience with these additional layers of context. If you’re looking for an incredibly memorable and surprisingly emotional refresher on this all-too important story, look no further than Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Golden Force is an enjoyable romp, but its steep difficulty and straightforward design prevent it from rising above the trappings of the games that inspired it. It’s definitely worth a look for anyone who enjoys the run ‘n’ gun style of the games of yore, even if it can be controller-throwingly difficult.
The Space in Between can be completed in less than an hour, but it’s the quality of the writing, the beauty of the aesthetics, and the importance of its message that make it feel like a much longer experience. How the team managed to condense two lifetimes of pain and trauma found within the Asian-American community into a 30-minute experience is beyond me. If you’re looking for a wonderfully sweet depiction of a healthy relationship or want to play more games exploring the Asian-American experience, look no further than The Space in Between — the only cost is 30 minutes of your time (and maybe some tissues).
I still think that there’s more than Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne could have done to help itself stand out a bit more from the original Re:ZERO timeline, but, at the end of the day, it’s still a solid spinoff, and I think that fans of the series will like it. I know that, as a reviewer, I kind of have to review games, but, as someone who genuinely enjoys their time with video games and anime, I’ll say that I honestly had a lovely experience with Re:ZERO as a whole. It was great finally being able to sit down with the show, playing through the game was enjoyable, and I very much look forward to what the series has in store for us all in the future.
Honestly, and I don’t say this often, if ever, I have almost no criticism for this game. My single criticism is that I wish it was longer, and that’s just me being greedy. I want more to immerse myself in, more music to just get lost in. With everything the world has been through in the last year, Tadpole Treble Encore is the game we need. It’s nothing but feel-good, charming, moving fun. I cannot recommend this game enough for any music lovers out there. I’ll certainly be revisiting this game a lot in the near future. In fact, you can probably find me spending an inordinate amount of time trying to recreate the bassoon music from Turtle Pipes.
Fatal Fury: First Contact isn’t a bad game by any stretch. However, when you compare it to SNK’s more recent NGPC ports to the Switch, its lack of content is hard to ignore. It really shows its age with its slower pace (and frequent slowdown). And with only one single-player mode to experience and a pair of characters to unlock, you’ll likely find yourself burning through everything it has to offer in a single afternoon. Of course, the ability to play against a friend adds a bit of replay value to the package. But given that you can buy the superior Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 for the same price on the eShop, it makes this entry a little tough to recommend to all but the most ardent SNK fans. At the end of the day, Fatal Fury: First Contact isn’t wildly ambitious. But if you’re looking for a quick and dirty 8-bit fighter to add to your Switch library, it gets the job done.
Despite my issues with several elements here, I can’t help but feel a fondness for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World – Complete Edition. I absolutely never expected this game to make a comeback. And even though there are issues that still need addressing and fixing, I feel this is a game fans will still enjoy. Hopefully, Ubisoft takes the time to make some positive changes. If they do, this will go from an average game with amazing ideas to a truly great game. And honestly, I feel that’s what fans deserve after so very long.
With all-around fantastic gameplay, graphics, design, and just overall fun, I’d argue that under different circumstances, this could have even been considered a game of the year contender. I never realized just how much the Sony PlayStation had influenced my life until I played this game.
Overall, I was left a bit perplexed by my time with Sense. I don’t regret playing it, but I also don’t know that I would go out of my way to play it again. With the story largely told through journal entries and letters that you pick up along the way, and with so many references to folklore I simply had no knowledge of, I was left without a particularly satisfying conclusion.
Legends of Ethernal is a starting point for an even grander game. All the pieces are in place. The compelling narrative, captivating visuals, and engaging soundtrack all help to create a vivid and living world that’s enjoyable to experience. While the gameplay can lag at times, the aforementioned elements admirably make up for these small deficits. A cliffhanger ending all but ensures the developers have something else planned. Wilfred’s journey has really just begun as the game ends, if that historian in the opening is any indication.
My genuine review take of Drunken Fist is it’s funny for sure, but it does get old fast. It gave me quite a few quality laughs and I think its proclamation of being a ‘totally accurate beat’em up while drunk’ is genuinely honest. For a $3 dollar price tag on Steam, I absolutely think that’s exactly what this game is worth, but I wouldn’t pay 7.99 for the base PS4 version.
In the Space Invaders Forever collection, Space Invaders Extreme is obviously the star of the show. If you haven’t played it yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders is a fun inclusion, but its handheld-mode only gameplay isn’t entirely ideal. And while Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE is an interesting idea on paper, its player requirement and simplistic gameplay make it more appropriate as an occasional party game. You’re unlikely to play this collection forever, but there’s a fair amount of high-quality shooting fun to be had while it lasts.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Synthetik: Ultimate. The gameplay kept drawing me in again and again, the customization options kept me playing, and the difficulty, while brutal, was adjustable and made the game feel more rewarding overall. I really think there’s a little something for everybody in this game with the insane customization options. If you’re looking for something difficult that you can pick up and play whenever, definitely give Synthetik: Ultimate a shot. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Overall, if you’re a fan of old point-and-click adventure games, I definitely recommend Captain Disaster in: Death Has A Million Stomping Boots. The nostalgia factor is huge, the story is a delightful bit of comedic relief from the real world, and the puzzles will give your brain a decent workout.
Despite my problems with it, I still enjoyed my time with The Wind and Wilting Blossom. It’s very much a mixed experience, but my irritation is softened somewhat by the knowledge that Picklefeet is constantly working on improving the game. I know they’re a small team, which makes their dedication all the more admirable. So if you’re willing to wait for the game to reach its ideal version, it’s not asking too much to buy the game now. Just don’t expect to win very often as you face off against Takiyasha’s monstrous hordes.
If games like Tiny Metal and Wargroove are a step away from Advance Wars, then Möbius Front ’83 is a step away from those two. It’s fine in that it’s functional and (mostly) competent, but there are, for lack of a better term, better tactical war games out there. As cheap and easily accessible as this game is, you’re not going to be hurting yourself if you get it. It’s fun in its own way, and the extras that it offers—like mini-games and actual US Military documents and literature (yes, really)—are honestly pretty cool. However, as a tactical war game, it’s not going to be coming out on top any time soon.