Worth Playing
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In the end, Lost in Harmony just doesn't deliver. The dual stories can be hit-and-miss for some players, but the music is good in both tales. However, the poor gameplay implementation sinks the experience, and the lackluster presentation doesn't help, either. The game is inexpensive at $6.99, but it can only be recommended if you've exhausted all other options and still want something to play that isn't terrible.
2064: Read Only Memories INTEGRAL is a charming and captivating visual novel. It's a title that fits seamlessly with the Switch and makes clever use of the console's functions. The added touch of HD Rumble and touch functionality offer deeper gameplay options exclusively for the console. Additional exclusive content makes this the best version of ROM for first-timers or veteran fans of the title. While the core game is untouched with its gameplay flaws, it still brings a lot of love and attention to detail to the visual novel genre.
This is the kind of game where you could wipe out days of time paying attention to one piece of the greater story, with the true joy coming when you get to take a step back and see the story you've built.
Although it's a short experience, Donut County is enjoyable. The base desire to see everything destroyed by a simple, ever-expanding hole overtakes the lack of complicated mechanics, and the story is fun, whether you want something with or without some meaning attached. At the very least, Donut County is an experience that will stick with you for some time.
Phantom Doctrine's biggest issue is that it compares unfavorably to X-COM. That doesn't make it a bad game, but it emphasizes X-COM's tight design. With Phantom Doctrine, you end up feeling like everything's a touch too unfocused. The metagame is interesting but messy. The combat is filled with interesting ideas but weaker execution. A lot of this may sound really negative, but I had fun with Phantom Doctrine. Fans of X-COM-style games will absolutely find it to be worth playing; it just has so much potential that it's easy to zero in on the little things that it does wrong. Hopefully, for a sequel, the developer can polish up the flaws to create a true competitor to Firaxis's sci-fi adventure.
Mega Man 11 is a solid entry in the franchise, but it's not an exceptional one. It's a well-made and enjoyable Mega Man game with a great variety of robot masters, fun levels, and interesting weapons. It suffers from some odd difficulty spikes and a disappointing finale, but nothing drags down the game too far. If anything, the game's biggest flaw is that it's too safe and too traditional, but after nearly a decade without a new Mega Man title, perhaps safer is better. All in all, Mega Man 11 is a safe and fun title that's a pleasant experience for fans and newcomers alike.
Yet, despite Secret of Mana's technical blunders, this new version is a faithful re-creation with a lot of reverence for its source material. For those who may have missed out on Secret of Mana the first time around, it also serves as a solid introduction to a classic from the Golden Age. At a time when local co-op is difficult to find on most current-gen consoles, it gives a fresh option for those wanting to play with others. Secret of Mana'sremasteroffers a magical, vivid tale for the current-gen library.
NHL 19 is vastly better than its predecessors in terms of value and pushing the franchise forward, but it still falls short of a significant upgrade in many areas. If you haven't purchased an NHL title in a while, this is a good year to jump back in and experience one of the better NHL games in recent memory.
Firewall Zero Hour needs more support from a pretty large community of PSVR owners. It's understandable that it may not be everyone's choice of gameplay. With dozens of small quirky titles and some fully fledged AAA games that don't rely on interpersonal competitiveness, some players may choose to pass on this shooter. It's way too early to tell if the game will take off and garner the praise and community that it arguably deserves. Firewall Zero Hour is a dream for any shooter fan.
Dark Souls Remastered doesn't make any dramatic changes to its original release several years ago. The struggle to progress is constant, but just as every moment could be another death, it could also be a moment of great triumph and self-accomplishment. Playing at 60fps makes me wonder how I ever managed to play at half of that rate several years ago. It's a beautiful remaster, even if it isn't a complete overhaul. It's a great entry for newcomers or a great walk down memory lane for fans of its original release.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is the true sequel that fans of the original Valkyria Chronicles have wanted. It's safe, by the book, predictable, and it does little to fix the flaws of the original game. However, that's not a bad thing.
Strange Brigade is a flawed but ultimately fun experience.
Much like its predecessors, Forza Horizon 4 is an excellent, all-around racing game. The addition of seasons adds variety to the racing conditions to greatly expand the functionality of the already-large map. The online play is done well, especially since it's smartly designed so players who want to play solo can do so. It's the core racing mechanics and plethora of events that make the game fun as they retain the solid handling and physics the series is known for while also providing near-limitless play on fun events. For racing fans, Forza Horizon 4 is a must-buy.
All in all, Okami HD on the Switch is a fantastic version of a fantastic game.
The Council: Episode 4 - Burning Bridges is the penultimate episode of the game, and it does a good job of making things interesting again, but it does so with quite a number of flaws intact. The unrealistic reactions to big events are the episode's biggest flaw, as all of those shocking things lose their impact when everyone else fails to make a big deal out of it. At the same time, those new revelations open up things just enough to make the final episode more intriguing. Here's hoping that the finale makes the journey worthwhile.
The tweaked gameplay mechanics, along with a bigger emphasis on platforming and puzzle-solving, make this a perfect ending chapter for the recent trilogy, and series fans will certainly be pleased with how Shadow turns out.
Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is one of the best entries in the franchise. It's the technically most advanced and includes many improvements that significantly enhance the experience while also telling a gripping and satisfying story. It's not perfect, with a sometimes slow progression system and a few hit-and-miss additions in the side content. Some fun additions from previous iterations could've made Kiwami 2 even more special.
Adventure Pals seeks to be the weird alternative game that your kids will love, and it looks attractive because it's reminiscent of a mix of different games and familiar shows. Unfortunately, its unashamed emulation of other works is both glaring and disappointing. What isn't disappointing, though, are the game mechanics, which may be similar to others, but can be framed as a teaching mechanism for game experiences to come. Combined with punchy controls, this makes for a wonderful skeleton of a game, although it's regrettably tightly draped in the likes of superstar media from yesteryear.
Destiny 2: Forsaken is a true lifesaver, as is the base game being free for PlayStation Plus owners during the month of September. The game started off strong, but the Year 1 expansions were underwhelming. Forsaken has shifted my interest into overdrive, and I'm having just as much fun as I did upon the game's initial release. Regardless how far you've traveled in the Destiny universe, taking on this continued adventure is one you won't regret. The raid, which releases shortly after the Forsaken expansion, will surely be another great experience, if for no other reason than the loot it offers. Even without the raid, the rest is well worth the time and energy. The only thing holding it back is how the Destiny expansions work, which require all prior DLC to be purchased, including Forsaken, which will understandably be a turnoff for some newcomers.
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is an easy recommendation for Life is Strange fans as well as for those who have never touched the series before. Clocking in at 90 minutes, the episode can easily be completed in a single sitting; the episode's characters, on the other hand, will stay with you long after you put down the controller. If you have a free afternoon and some space on your hard drive, you have no excuse: Give Captain Spirit a whirl. It's free.