Checkpoint Gaming
HomepageCheckpoint Gaming's Reviews
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is a modern rendition of a certified classic survival horror game, and while I believe it should be praised for building a solid atmosphere with superb sound design, the game itself, as it is on console, is a tough task to recommend. In many ways, this remake is a distant departure from what made the original game so breathtakingly horrifying, sacrificing all the subtlety that made you feel at unease and replacing it with cheap tricks. But ultimately, it undermines the oppressiveness of its story with a repetitive gameplay loop filled with constant backtracking and a lack of challenge in either combat or puzzle solving.
Lost and Found Co. displays exactly what makes hidden-object games compelling. What starts as almost overwhelming density slowly, almost meditatively, becomes parsable with a bit of effort. Though the hints and juju points can cause frustration, Bit Egg Inc.’s passion still manages to shine through in every space you explore. There’s just so much care in the chaos and clutter. Even when finishing levels, I found myself lingering and still finding details I’d missed. Combined with an endearing story and a fun decorating system to spend many hours in, it all comes together in a great experience that’s hard not to enjoy.
Scott Pilgrim EX is nothing more than satisfactory. Brawling through dozens of adversaries can be quite enticing, especially with a friend. However, every other element falls flat with areas, enemies, bosses and levelling ending up a big regression from other contemporary beat ’em ups. Likewise, fans of Scott Pilgrim will be pleased by the plethora of visual tributes. But the narrative and dialogue of EX come across as purely referential and lack a heart of their own.
Resident Evil Requiem is a confident and well-crafted mix of horror and action that continues the series’ modern era quality. Its back-and-forth between survival and power feels deliberate and satisfying, giving both Grace and Leon moments to shine. While a few decisions slightly dull the late-game tension, the environments, audio, and gameplay are crafted with care, making this one of the franchise’s strongest and proving Resident Evil can still reinvent itself while honouring legacy.
Lovish is a cute and sweet 8-Bit retro-inspired action game that parodies the hero-saves-the-princess trope. Each puzzle room is filled with challenging obstacles and enemies that are constantly changing and evolving throughout your playthrough. Though there are some issues, such as the game’s stores stocking useless items, there being no way to pause the game and boring boss fights, Lovish makes up for this by including a lot of secret levels to find and explore, meaning that there is a lot for players to discover and experience after the base game is beaten.
There’s a lot to love about Demon Tides. Maybe it takes some time for the uninitiated to grasp Beebz’s moveset and, sure, it’s a little lacking in its combat department, but when you’re locked into exploring, jumping around and performing sick moves, it’s a treat. It’s so easy to enter some sort of platforming flow state when Ragnar’s Rock is built like a playground for expressive movement. Lean into the chaos, chase the schmovment, and you will absolutely get swept up in the joy of styling your way across Ragnar’s Rock as the little Beebz.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse may not quite be as strong as its predecessor due to a less eerie atmosphere and slower narrative burn, but it’s a quality return that’s worth celebrating nevertheless.
Romeo is a Dead Man is a loud and inventive action game that prioritises style and spectacle. Its combat may be basic by today’s standards, and its systems occasionally bloated, but the confidence behind its strangeness may carry it for some. It can feel very dated, but it’s unapologetic and unmistakably Suda51, and for the right player (you know who you are), that’s more than enough.
Relooted turns a fantastic premise into a fun heist game. Putting its weaknesses in writing and plot aside, repatriating African artifacts is fun, swift and captures the emotional spikes and troughs of the heist genre nicely. Relooted also never loses sight of why these artifacts should be repatriated, treating them not as empty collectibles but instead as a way to help players understand their cultural significance and why they should be returned.
RIDE 6 is still the yardstick for motorbike racing simulation. This new entry takes all of the aspects that defined the previous title, but fleshes it out with an improved career with branching paths and challenges. Not only that, it features additional options that will make it easier for newcomers to get to grips with a game of this nature, such as the new ‘arcade’ style of play. Coupled with an improved range of rides and tonnes of tracks, for fans of RIDE 5, it definitely makes sense to move on to RIDE 6.
The remake treatment of one of Yakuza’s more underrated entries gets marks for its story, world and fan service to the great Kazuma Kiryu, but all of that praise and credit only comes from the original Yakuza 3. What’s within Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a regression in the timeline, as it resets and retcons crucial parts of the world and greater with its new story. Additionally, unoriginal and reskinned minigames that become a bore, along with the messy politics of disastrous recastings, simply make this an inferior version. The dark horse of the series didn’t get its time in the sun here, and that’s a damn shame.
There’s never a dull moment with Mewgenics. This wild title surprises and delights in equal parts, never resting on its laurels or hiding amongst the crowd. It stands out from the pack for all of the right reasons, with sharp wit, attention-grabbing visual designs, and music that absolutely slaps. More than the sum of its parts, Mewgenics intelligently introduces new ideas into a cohesive package that will keep you coming back time and time again.
Perfect Tides: Station to Station is a superb second chapter to an incredibly underrated point-and-click adventure, taking advantage of real-life stories and struggles to paint a beautifully moving and engaging story about a creative trying to make it big while making sense of the world. It too is a perfect time-capsule game of the early 2000s, filled with laser-sharp wit and references. Within is profound prose that uses an unconventional approach to game narrative to tell a divine coming-of-age tale that’ll be relatable to many. Bolstered by gorgeous pixel work, striking on-two’s animation and unique mechanics for the genre, Mara’s tales of love and loss as a creative in New York are quintessential storytelling for those who value game narratives. Come on in, the water’s damn fine.
Nioh 3 has thrilling combat, character specialisation and spectacle that are the tried and true staples for both a Team Ninja game and a Nioh game in and of itself. Boss fights are grandiose, and you’ve got plenty of neat kit to feel like a ninja/samurai hybrid badass. You’re not going to be utterly disappointed with the series’ return, but thanks to its open world-ish trappings and overabundance of systems and loot that stops you from getting attached to any one thing, you’re likely not going to be over the moon about it either. It’s Soulslike junk food. It goes down well while you’re in it, but it’s not going to sit or stay well with you for long.
It’s wonderful to play Dragon Quest VII Reimagined today, knowing the importance of the original in JRPG history more than 25 years ago. It also does exactly what it says on the tin; this is a reimagining of the original, removing some parts entirely and vastly improving its pacing and story flow. Its combat is still as fun as ever, with dual vocations allowing for more experimentation, and the puppet and diorama art style pops. Purists may struggle with or question some of the bolder changes here, but this version feels like a solid entry point and is far easier to recommend than its clunky, long-winded original, even if it may feel just a little bit less epic.
Don’t Stop, Girlypop! is a unique take on a genre that has, for decades, appealed to a predominantly masculine audience. By coating everything in a thick layer of pink paint and throwing some glitter on top, Funny Fintan Softworks has taken this title from a simple movement shooter to a critique of the idea of masculinity and femininity as a whole. With easy-to-learn but challenging-to-master movement mechanics that feel as fluid and fun, plus a totally original and incredibly catchy hyperpop soundtrack, Don’t Stop, Girlypop! feels like a much-needed re-tint of a tired genre.
Cairn is The Game Bakers’ magnum opus. The climb is filled with superb, big and small picture character writing and themes with protagonist Aava. Every facet of the game is touched with the same level of masterful care and magical design. Each crack and pore or clearing to explore in Mount Kami feels purposeful and is designed to be equal parts challenging and restful, depending on the context. With these come these moments of beauty, both scripted and unscripted, minor or major, that stick with you. Even with its obscene difficulty and harsh challenges and teachings along the way, it’s a game that’s essential food for the soul. I’m not making a mountain out of a molehill here. When we talk about games as art, Cairn is the shining example, grabbing you, taking hold of you and changing you.
Omi Oh My AI has admirable intentions, but none of that makes up for how unfinished it feels. The CAPTCHA gimmick wears thin quickly, and constant technical issues make it impossible to tell when the game is being clever or simply broken. While it’s easy to respect the ambition behind the project, ambition alone isn’t enough.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Code Vein II, and fans of the first Code Vein and first-time players of the series will have a lot to look forward to in this fantastic start to Souls-likes in 2026. While the tumultuous woes of its performance and camera deeply hinder the experience, the exquisite charm of the game’s anime art style, its cast of compelling characters, deep character customisation, and a riveting story that sees you traverse the very fabric of time make this a remarkable sequel.
TR-49 is a strong start to 2026 and continues an unbroken chain of extremely well-crafted packages by developer inkle. It’s smart, it’s thoughtful, and it’s filled with those investigative moments that make you feel smart just for making an educated guess. Its playtime manages to cram in a lot in a short amount of time, and is especially meaningful for today’s world, where written works can be generated — and overwritten — by machines.