Worth Playing
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qomp2 is an interesting title that certainly isn't for everyone. The limited controls make for an equally frustrating yet rewarding experience once you master the mechanics. The difficulty starts off fine, but the quick ramp-up will throw people off guard. The infinite lives, generous checkpoints, and some of the more helpful options help mitigate the ramp-up, but don't be surprised if you get stumped often. If you have a high level of patience and a love for unusual concepts and controls, you're the perfect candidate to enjoy the qomp2 experience.
Balatro is excellent all around. The concept is simple, and while the various card types seem overly complicated, the game remains easy to understand no matter how many rules there are. It's utterly enjoyable to the point where you'll keep coming back no matter how many times you lose to a boss with a ridiculous modifier. For anyone who likes card games, Balatro is a must-have.
Crime Boss: Rockay City has done something that few other games have accomplished since the advent of patching. The team has taken what was a very bad game at launch and made it good enough to be enjoyable. The missions may be short, but the lack of lag and the presence of better-than-expected AI companions makes each encounter fun. The presence of the player XP system makes the tweaked campaign and online modes worth grinding through. Coming in at a cheaper base price than its Epic Games Store launch price, Rockay City is a decent purchase for those who were disappointed with Payday 3 and exhausted with Payday 2.
Overall, the Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece is a fantastic port of the games to Steam's ecosystem. Everything runs as well - if not better than - the Epic version, and the Steam Deck releases are some of the most fun I've had on the handheld. There's no reason to rush and purchase the Steam version if you already have the Epic Games Store version, since they're otherwise mostly identical, but otherwise, this is some of the biggest RPG bang for the buck on a PC. If you're unsure or hesitant, it's probably best to start with just the 1.5+2.5 collection to see if the franchise grabs you, but Kingdom Hearts remains one of the weirdest and most fun action-RPGs on the market.
Overall, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is a pleasant experience. The story may be disposable, but the levels feature some ingenuity that makes good use of the current physics system without feeling unfair. The number of levels will please fans who love the challenge. While the minigames aren't anything fresh, the presence of multiplayer just about everywhere marks a good step forward for the series. Hardcore fans won't see this as besting the original games from all those years ago, but they will still have a good time with this entry. We're hopeful that Banana Rumble marks the start of new games in the series.
#Blud is a delightful adventure game that oozes charm. The story is good, and it's helped by the absolutely hilarious dialogue. The gameplay is excellent, and the overall gameplay length is just right, even with the various side-quests. Despite the aforementioned issues, the title is highly recommended for anyone who's looking for a solid, under-the-radar title.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is everything one could want from an Elden Ring DLC: a huge new area to explore, new bosses to fight, new weapons to try, and new lore to unravel. It is a genuine joy to play and easily one of my favorite DLCs of all time. Its quality is high enough to even justify the $40 price tag. If you like Elden Ring, then Shadow of the Erdtree will give you everything you could want. If you're a newcomer, it's probably best to play through the game first before taking on the DLC. After all, Mohg, Lord of Blood is only the beginning.
Still Wakes the Deep is a good atmospheric horror game. Having it set on an oil rig is terrifying enough because of their innate labyrinthine structures, and the monster encounters provide the right amount of horror energy. The straightforward nature of the pacing and tale is refreshing, and even the presence of a few flaws doesn't hamper one's desire to play the game to the end. If you're a horror fan who favors exploration more than fighting, Still Wakes the Deep is definitely worth checking out.
Instruments of Destruction is a very simple idea that's been executed well. Breaking stuff is fun, and it's even more fun when every bit of that debris is fully reactive to physics. The different game modes offer completely different ways to play, and then there's a full Sandbox mode where you can use any vehicle on any level you want. While the game can certainly challenge you at times, it's always fun to wield your vehicle and decide that a building shouldn't exist anymore.
For something a little more lighthearted than what you'd get from the mainline series, Monster Hunter Stories is quite good. The change to a more Pokémon-style RPG system works, and the improvements over Nintendo's series makes it stand out in a positive way. The improvements in the presentation are very welcome, and while the story is fine, the pacing of the gameplay makes the game easy to pick up and understand without much fuss. It's a solid game that should be experienced by both light RPG and Monster Hunter fans alike.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is easily the definitive version of the game. Almost every gameplay change is an improvement that makes the game more fun to play, and the addition of the new storyline means that even returning players have plenty of fresh encounters to experience. At its core, it is still the same game but polished and improved enough that I found the entire experience to be a delight. It's a must-have for fans of the franchise, and even those who prefer the more plot-heavy Persona titles will find a lot to enjoy in Vengeance.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is everything it needs to be. The original game was such a delightful entry that it has overshadowed every Paper Mario game since, and the remake captures all of that charm without losing an iota of what made the original great. It's easily the definitive version of the game, and it's a fantastic experience for newcomers and nostalgic fans alike. It's a strong contender for the best Mario RPG of all time, and if you're looking for a fun adventure, it's one of the best experiences on the Switch.
Overall, Capes is just fun. If you like XCOM but wanted your heroes to have more power from the get-go, Capes scratches that itch incredibly well. The by-the-numbers plot and somewhat-thin characters hold it back slightly, but the title is engaging enough to keep you invested in the next fun stage or exciting boss fight. It's a great example of how the XCOM formula still has plenty of life in it, as long as you're willing to look at things from a different angle.
The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima is simply the definitive version of a game that was already stellar when it landed on the PlayStation 4. It can't help but be gorgeous at just about every turn, and gripes about the sameness aside, the gameplay is extremely well polished. Games like this only exist when absolutely everyone involved pour a lot of passion into it, and it continues to be one of my favorites with this excellent PC port. Whether you prefer a controller or a keyboard and mouse, and whether you like the idea of sneaking around or of shouting your challenge to any Mongol who dares to cross you, Ghost of Tsushima delivers a memorable experience.
Zet Zillions stands out from the roguelike deck builder crowd, and that's almost entirely due to its distinctive style. It also has some genuinely cool and interesting new mechanics that demand approaching the game differently from the standard deck builder. There are some concerns I have about balance, and the characters can sometimes be a lot, but there's a ton to like in this charming and quirky title.
You have to applaud Treasure Coast Games for trying something new with Hamster Scramble. The idea of catching the colors you have available and being able to have more influence on disrupting your opponent has real merit. If you're seasoned in the puzzle genre, the unnecessary platforming - combined with tiny characters, slow speed, and some functionality bugs - makes this game more of a slog than something enjoyable. Unless you're more forgiving of the game's flaws, you can safely pass.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a beautiful but ultimately hollow game. The fantastic presentation props up a story that is less personal and engaging than in the first game, and the gameplay feels like an afterthought. It was great to see Senua again and to see her outside of the grief-misery she was enveloped in during the first game, but beyond that, there's not much to Hellblade II. It's a short and less memorable experience that shows off Ninja Theory's visual craft to its fullest - but it achieves little else.
The latest incarnation of Haunted House is fine. The roguelike nature is done well enough, but the relentless enemies and your own fragility mean that some deaths can feel unfair. The same complaint can apply to your inconsistent weapons and tools, but when everything comes together right, the stealth approach can be rather satisfying. While Haunted House isn't exactly a top-tier roguelike, it is good enough that those who are curious about the title should give it a shot.
Braid, Anniversary Edition is a perfect example of how to both craft a worthy remake/remaster while also adding more to entice old players to revisit. The gameplay and puzzles still hold up almost 16 years later, while the graphical overhaul makes the game look more beautiful than ever, especially if you're playing in the highest definition possible. The collection of illustrations and commentary for every aspect of the game makes this the definitive version. If you have never tried Braid before, Anniversary Edition is the version to go with, and that also applies to those who have played the original game but wanted to get a deeper understanding of it.
Megaton Musashi W: Wired is a game that has a lot of flaws, and you need to have a genuine love of giant robots to get past them. The gameplay is fun but simplistic, and the story is disjointed enough to be distracting. Add to that the obvious legacy of F2P gameplay, and it is easy to get turned off by the game. However, Musashi can be a lot of fun if you understand the draw of creating a custom robot, hopping into a battle, and hearing an awesome attack name screamed while you shoot rainbow lasers at bad guys.