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I enjoyed a lot of my time with The Foundation, but I'm left wondering how much of a lasting impact it'll have on the Control universe as a whole. It felt more like an entertaining distraction than a large step forward, but I had no problem eating up all the lore, info and strange encounters I could find. If you're a fan of the game and thought it was one of the best games of 2019, you'll see that poking around in the underbelly of the Oldest House is well worth the time.
Trials of Mana is pretty much everything you could want from a remake of the original game.
With situations like that, there's certainly fun to be had in Bleeding Edge. The gameplay is solid, and I enjoyed my time with the title. It just needs more of ... everything: characters, game modes, maps, and skins. Microsoft and/or Ninja Theory certainly seem to be aware of this shortcoming, if the game's price tag is any indication. That doesn't change the fact that the game desperately needs more content if it wants to keep its audience; otherwise, Bleeding Edge's matches might not be so bloody in the very near future.
Depixtion is the nice middle ground between the simple Picross games and the more complicated ones that try to throw different genres into the mix. Veteran Picross players should be able to quickly pick up the concept of using different shades of color and different color layers, and it won't be too daunting for newcomers either. The puzzle selection in Depixtion can seem low compared to its contemporaries, but it will take some time to get through them all due to their layout. Overall, Depixtion is a solid puzzle game that fans will appreciate having in their libraries.
All in all, despite Might & Magic: Chess Royale being free to play, I have a hard time recommending the game as anything other than an introduction to auto-battlers or a very casual experience to distract a few minutes while waiting in line. It's overly simplified and displays little in the way of character. With several games of this nature on the market, it's difficult to see how Chess Royale could compete.
Exit the Gungeon is a lot of fun to play, especially if you liked Enter the Gungeon.
At the end of the day, Arc of Alchemist delivers a decent gaming experience. The characters' personalities are fun, and their antics are worthy spectacles. The building mechanics are a fun respite from the otherwise ho-hum aspects of the game. Those who are interested in the genre may find this to be worth their time, but the music, art, and significant chunks of the gameplay are too blasé to talk up.
Battle Planet: Judgement Day is a shooter that's best played in short bursts with a friend in tow. The lack of objective variety can quickly dull your excitement, and the phantom attacks from enemies can be frustrating. The shooting is good enough that you can suffer through some terrible guns now and then, and the level design is enjoyable enough to merit a break from more involved titles.
If Contra: Rogue Corps were known by any other name, it wouldn't be so bad. The idea of a twin-stick looter shooter is intriguing, and the shooting can be decent even if the level flow isn't exciting. However, that reliance on the franchise name comes with certain expectations. The overheating guns, restricted co-op, and missing weapon sets run counter to what fans have come to expect from the series that's been around for over 30 years. If you aren't too discerning, this may be worth a look if it's in the bargain bin. If fans of the series pick up Rogue Corps, they will be disappointed.
There's nothing wrong with ArtPulse being more of a toy than anything substantial. Sometimes it's fun to just goof off. There's not enough here to make the title realize its potential. The creation tools are woefully limited, and the game's ability to instantly delete things stifles one's creativity even more than the limited toolset does. The inability to share your creations or save them also hurts, but anyone hunting for some easy high-level trophies will be happy. For everyone else, ArtPulse would've been a perfect demo disc experience, but it shouldn't be something that you purchase for real money.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a love letter to the original game. With likeable characters, engaging gameplay, and clever twists and turns, FF7R does everything that it needs to. An over-reliance on pre-existing knowledge of FF7 may make it a tough introduction for new players. The strong writing and excellent gameplay should carry newcomers over the finish line, even if they're confused by things by the end. The ending might be a little controversial, but the rest of the game sets up such a strong base that I can't wait for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2.
No matter how frustrating the combat became or how broken the environments turned out to be, I loved doing case work and figuring out obscure deaths or uncovering secret organizations within this peculiar game world. Given all the downsides, this is a game that is difficult to recommend, especially at full price.
In the end, I felt that Luna: The Shadow Dust ebbed and flowed more like a beautifully soundtracked picture book than an actual video game, which is admittedly a refreshing change of direction for this genre. If you're looking for something a little more out of the box than a typical point-and-click experience, then Luna: The Shadow Dust might be the game for you.
There's barely anything salvageable in Down to Hell. The backgrounds look nice enough, and the music is decent if you aren't too picky about your metal. Everything else is a cautionary example of the kinds of sins that game developers should avoid. Even if you were to find the title for less than $1, there are a plethora of similar games on the Switch that do a much better job, so there's no reason to look in the direction of Down to Hell.
Code Vein should be applauded for doing something different with the Dark Souls formula. It's great to be able to switch out your classes at will and combine them, and the almost-constant presence of co-op is a real selling point for those who may not want to jump into the deep end of this emerging subset of the genre. The rest of the game, from the story to the level design, feels bland, and the combat falls apart when you suddenly have no AI companion by your side. If you don't mind a heavy dose of anime in your action game, Code Vein may be worth checking out.
Despite everything you just read, Last Encounter is not a bad game. It looks decent, it plays decently, and it sounds decent. That's all it is, though: a relatively inoffensive twin-stick shooter. Since it glosses over the woes concerning design, perspective, and heck even gameplay, but this title is pretty functional. If "functional" is the kindest word that can be mustered for this flat and frustrating game, then I wouldn't necessarily call it good, either.
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is a mess of a game.
Persona 5 Royal does what it set out to do: Make Persona 5 a better and more rounded experience with more content.
Overall, Two Point Hospital is a treat on consoles and is not to be missed, especially given the inclusion of the DLC and almost all of the features from the PC. It's a funny, addictive and engaging experience that is great if you have fond memories of Theme Hospital or Theme Park.
Resident Evil 3 Remake is slightly disappointing after the stellar Resident Evil 2 Remake. It's still a good game, but its short length and lack of ambition mean that it will constantly be seen as the lesser sibling. The addition of the REsistance online mode should add some value for those who enjoy competitive online play, but the lack of single-player options is disappointing. All in all, it's a good follow-up to an amazing game, and as long as you're willing to forgive its foibles, RE3 Remake should be a fun return to Raccoon City for franchise faithfuls.