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That makes Death's Gambit worth seeing past through its more frustrating moments. It may not quite have the finesse of its inspirations, but it delivers a world that's no less fascinating to explore and bleak (though also hopeful, somehow) story that deserves to be uncovered.
Punch Line is a effective as a satire and parody. It's obviously only going to appeal to people that are that immersed in Japanese culture that their sense of hyperbole comes across as amusing and surreal, rather than just silly, but then this is very much an insider's parody of a type of anime that only the most dedicated (and therefore, likely aware) fans of anime in the first place. For that niche Punch Line is pitch-perfect.
There's still plenty of fanservice in Nekopara; the girls have good taste in underwear, that's for sure, and there's plenty of flirtatious dialogue and risqué implications, but it all comes across as playful, and reinforces the rest of the game's silly tone. And for that, it's absolutely delightful.
The racing market is a crowded one, but F1 is pure racing, and the sport doesn't get much more exciting, or strategic, than this one
As a first effort out it's genuinely impressive, offering a clean and enjoyable combat system that can also be used to introduce new players to the joy of modern 2D fighters. I firmly believe there's a role for fighters like that in the market, and Blade Strangers is a very fine first effort indeed.
Dragon Quest XI is, from end to end, an iconic example of everything that Dragon Quest has stood for since way back in the 80's. It's charming and has a colourful energy that makes it very hard to put down.
Warhammer Inquisitor: Martyr succeeds in giving players an action RPG experience that manages to combine the action of a 'Diablo clone' with the Warhammer 40K license.
Not once has SEGA let me down, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 is no different. It's a bloody brilliant game.
Even if puzzle games aren't your thing, it's worth fighting through its obstacles and frustrations—or using a guide to carry you through, which I ended up resorting to—in order to experience Flood of Light's beautiful, melancholic yet hopeful vision of a post-climate change world.
Guacamelee! 2 takes everything from the original game and makes it even more enjoyable.
If nothing else, the simple reality that Shenmue is again a living franchise is, all by itself, something truly amazing.
It's a rare example of where the randomisation of the roguelike structure doesn't feel like a lazy excuse to ignore level design. Rather, it provides a canvas to allow some of the cleanest and engaging tactical action that we've seen in quite some time play out.
God Wars is too Japanese in tone, aesthetic and design to ever have much of a hope of reaching a mainstream audience, but as a culturally relevant artifact, anyone who is interested in seeing how a game can explore ancient folk tales and spirituality in an interesting and engaging manner should not pass up this opportunity
If only the rest of the game could live up to those visuals. Crossing Souls works just fine as a vessel for rose-tinted '80s nostalgia, but shallow storytelling and gameplay that shifts from uninteresting to outright frustrating ensures that it never gets to be anything more than that.
There's not much wrong with We Happy Few that can't be fixed with some patches, and regardless of what happens there, the game has a narrative that is brave, intelligently crafted, and so incredibly poignant.
Phantom Doctrine did come out of nowhere to become a truly enjoyable and memorable experience.
It's a great fit for Switch, where you can idly grind while watching TV or riding the train, or set the console up in tabletop mode for some co-op action wherever you may be (so long as you have another controller handy). Just be ready to fight through a lot of bugs to get to the enjoyment underneath.
We might not have any of the real classics just yet, but The Amazing Shinsengumi is a perfectly good stand-in while we wait.
Ōkami is to video games what something like Spirited Away is to film; it's not only beautiful and powerful, but it speaks to the very core of the Japanese soul, and because of that it's hugely educational to anyone that has an interest in the country and its culture.
For those who decry the annual release cycle as nothing but a roster update, they are not giving enough credit to the locomotion improvements and continuing Longshot story.