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Even though some of the puzzles outstay their welcome and can throw the pace off a bit, MADiSON doesn’t linger too long overall and the horrific atmosphere makes it a haunted house ride more than worth the price of admission. There’s plenty of moments that had me screaming and then laughing, my heart racing and palms sweating as I dreaded turning another corner, knowing that something awful was likely waiting for me. The soundtrack is particularly effective in making you feel tense at all times, with loud noises blaring at just the right moments, as shadowy figures loom just out the corner of your eye and a puzzle solution lies just out of reach. While MADiSON doesn’t tread a lot of new ground, its creators clearly have a love of horror and know what makes the genre tick, resulting in a solid spook-fest that will haunt your thoughts.
Gravitar: Recharged is an arcade staple made fresh for a new generation of fans, re-capturing the essence of what made the original game such a classic. The pixel graphics have been given a modern overhaul that make it look like it fits in the modern gamescape. It’s a pity the controls do not follow this trend, as they are frustrating and feel out of place when compared with their more contemporary counterparts. It will take patience and time to master this game, and while it may not pay off for some, the rewards can definitely be worth your efforts as the accruing score and bonuses make you soar through each planet flawlessly.
Though Raft may lack content once you’ve reached its closing moments, the lead-up to that point is a surprisingly delightful and novel experience. The basic gameplay loop of collecting and crafting keeps you busy, whilst a set of on-foot areas to explore keeps the gameplay ever-evolving and gleefully varied. An absolute solid co-operative choice, there’s an ocean of content to be found on this humble raft.
Blasting through unbelievable tracks at sonic speeds, Redout 2 is one of the fastest racing games around. It shows off beautiful science-fiction races across an alternate Earth and galaxy. Yet, the track design is impractical, making it a challenge to play and that difficulty extends into the beastly AI, tiresome overheating mechanic, and time trials demanding precision and perfection. Multiplayer doesn’t hold up either, with network and matchmaking problems galore and a handful of bugs breaking races and visuals. However, there is still a fantastic amount of single-player content for the adrenaline junkie looking for extreme fun.
Disgaea 6 Complete is, overall, a stronger entry in the series than the original Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, yet still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to game balance, quality of life, and ease of use. The many game mechanics are simply too varied and plentiful, and while the game’s cast and plot are a fun ride, the best of them are left as afterthoughts as part of the pack-in DLC. The performance and stability fixes will be welcomed by those who struggled with the Switch port, as the powerful PS5 and PCs run the game with ease. I would say fans of SRPGs should definitely give Disgaea 6 Complete a spin, but expect a devilishly cheeky time that does not conform to the genre’s traditional values.
MX vs ATV Legends has a legacy behind it, but it doesn’t bring anything to the table to bring new concepts to the genre. While it’s fun enough to ride around on bikes and have the driver ragdoll their way down the hill, there are some persistent issues like vehicle performance and video quality. Subtitles are cut off mid-sentence so reading it is awkward, and there is a real lack of accessibility options for those who need it. Music choices are rad, as there’s some more modern-ish music in it, mixed with some older ones. Overall, MX vs ATV Legends is a fun racer to goof off with your friends, but nothing to seriously sink your teeth into.
Sonic Origins is a bit of a disappointment. As a massive Sonic fan, it kills me to say it but it’s true. Sure, the games collected here are undeniably great titles in their own right. But they are no better than the originals which can be found for little or no cost elsewhere already. Sonic 3 and Knuckles is considerably worse both in gameplay as well as its new soundtrack and most of the unlockable content in the Museum can be found easily via other means. For gamers that have never played Sonic and are averse to obtaining these titles on other platforms, you likely will not be as disappointed as I was, but I think SEGA and Sonic Team could have gone a little further and given these titles the proper Sonic Mania treatment. In fact, if you are new to Sonic go for the Mania instead.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is ultimately a very impressive release. It takes the best elements of the base game and finetunes them to incredible success. The marriage of tight gameplay and fun narrative animations in an impeccable and memorable aesthetic is undeniably powerful. The DLC may not be as long as some may want, but should your expectations remain in check, you’ll find a superb addition to an already phenomenal game.
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative can throw a lot of information at you, and it will take some time to digest the tutorials and the events of the game. But once you manage to find your footing, you will be investigating an intriguing mystery that crosses different timelines with powerful tools. It’s a story that requires patience, understanding, and some outside-the-box thinking, but it pays off with a fantastic resolution when you reach the real conclusion.
Between the extreme early game difficulty curve and then the lack of challenge late game, Out There: Oceans of Time is a hard game to place. It provides an intriguing story with a great initial resource management system, however, it at points turns into a chore just to finish the story. The game boasts over 40 hours of gameplay with the ‘choose your own adventure’ style of story allowing for multiple playthroughs. However, knowing that there is a lack of randomly generated content, players might opt to skip the replay. For those looking for a super chill story with an initial challenge, this game might just be for you. If you are looking for a well-rounded sci-fi adventure, maybe check elsewhere.
Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei has great world-building and complex characters that helps to deliver a powerful story. Being able to shape the personality of the main character and feel invested in their adventure immerses you into the story, and you are tempted to see how everything ties together. The visual novel helps to break up the story and makes it easier to follow along. Replaying for different routes can be difficult since it’s not always clear what your choices affect, and the intensity of the action scenes isn’t helped by the visual novel medium. Despite its flaws, the story remains excellent, and you will be interested in seeing how the characters determine their future.
Welcome to the sunny shores of High Isle, an idyllic zone and Chapter for The Elder Scrolls Online. The storyline is down to earth, with politics and conspiracy at the crux of a deep but a little less engrossing narrative. Companions Isobel and Ember are useful fighters with great character-building quests. While Volcanic Vents aren’t an amazing multiplayer activity, the Dreadsail Reef is a challenging but satisfying trail to grind impressive gear sets. However, the cherry on top is Tribes of Tribute, which you’ll spend too much time mastering the mechanics of the new in-game card tournament. If the lack of PvP doesn’t bother you, High Isle offers another year of excellent content for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes shines bright in the long lineage of games in the Musou formula. Miles better than its predecessor, this is one of the smoothest Warriors-style games yet. Barring a rare example, its mission and gameplay loop holds up. The narrative does the best it can in a genre not particularly known for stellar stories, but will still remain a little oddly paced from time to time. Provided is a joyous occasion to revisit some treasured familiar faces and engage in riotous combat and a smooth experience not too barred down by menus. If the series continues on this trajectory, it’s all smooth sailing ahead. For Fódlan!
With inspirations like Ultima, Dungeons and Dragons, and other deckbuilding and roguelike titles, Gordian Quest will feel familiar to any card game fan. However, if you’re a seasoned deckbuilder looking for a hardcore strategic gameplay experience, be warned: the in-game difficulty can vary wildly from battle to battle, and at times combat feels a tad too easy. On top of this, Gordian Quest’s extra features make the overall gameplay experience a little unwieldy. With that said, if you enjoy a casual card game and are keen for some variety, Gordian Quest will likely keep you entertained with a range of enemies to defeat and story maps to explore.
Neon White is a truly unique first-person action experience. With its clever level design and Soul Card system, chaining together demon-slaying and platforming to get to the goal the quickest is a breeze. The game’s compelling cast and setting draw you into its story, and the wealth of side content and drive to improve on one’s scores will keep you coming back. Even its sluggish boss fights and somewhat samey visual style doesn’t do much to hold the game back. If you are looking for a truly unique indie action title, you should definitely check out Neon White.
Sniper Elite 5 is a culmination of many years of gameplay systems and development processes being polished to a mirror sheen. Making tremendous strides in both technology and visuals, Sniper Elite 5 can stand amongst the likes of its AAA contemporaries with gorgeous, realistic environments and visuals. Character modelling and animation could still use some refinement and the narrative left something to be desired, though the story thread was enough to provide adequate pacing for the action on screen. If you’re a fan of the series or looking to finally see what all the fuss is about, Sniper Elite 5 is the best the series has ever been.
The Quarry proves to be a worthy successor and a notable release within Supermassive’s lineup of branching-path slasher games. A frightful narrative full of tense moments creates a satisfying experience for horror fans, made even better when played alongside others. An ambitious amount of choice proves to be a double-edged sword as the game teeters on the edge of quality and quantity, with one particularly egregious mechanic dampening the experience for those who don’t like to replay large chunks of a game. Though, despite its obvious shortcomings, there’s a level of campy fun that’s undeniable as the game engages from one freaky sequence to the next.
The core gameplay of Mario Strikers: Battle League is fast and frenetic, keeping your palms sweaty as you battle with your Nintendo favourites in an intense game of soccer. It’s flashy and well animated in all the best ways, with that trademark personality and charm carrying it a long way. It’s also a wonderful example of “easy to learn, difficult to master”, that starts simple but has some reasonable depth, even within the confines of its short matches. It’s a shame then that there just isn’t much more meat on the bone; with offline modes extremely limited with only quick play and tournaments, you’re going to have to truly love the mechanics to justify spending a lot of your time in competitive multiplayer. For those with a lot of mates to kick around with, that might be enough, but for everybody else, it’s a yellow card.
Souldiers is quite good, but doesn’t quite reach the peaks that it aims for. However, despite its unbalanced and restrictive class system and frequent difficulty spikes, there is a ton to recommend, from its detailed and varied world, beautiful animations, and engaging combat. Souldiers is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re prepared for its challenges and looking for a deep and engaging metroidvania platformer to get into, Souldiers is worth the recommendation.
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a fantastically paced game seemingly designed to be experienced in bite-sized chunks with challenging controls that could be mastered by those willing to put in the effort. With all the thought and care put into representing these beautiful creatures and their heartbreaking lives, the game’s issues appear to stem from a lack of resources, not passion. Despite the repetition and technical struggles, it’s a short, sweet experience whose positive elements are more memorable than its faults.