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As it is now, it's difficult to recommend Jurassic World Evolution 2 because, despite some great new ideas, the execution feels potentially alienating for its target audience.
The modern dance visuals and the addition of popular songs in Just Dance 2022 will likely appeal to longtime fans of the game; however, those who are new to the series may want to opt for a version a few years older, and purchase the Just Dance Unlimited subscription instead, to save money and learn gameplay with songs that have easier dance moves. While unlikely at this time, the option to permanently purchase past songs as DLC would be a big benefit for Just Dance 2022, allowing players to pay a one-time fee for their favorite songs, rather than a monthly steep monthly cost for songs that may not get played.
In spite of its issues, Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is a video game mystery done right. Its main plot is well-written and its characters expertly performed, while its gameplay genuinely makes the player feel like a detective. It's not perfect, but Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is a successful, small-scale head-scratcher done right.
My Singing Monsters Playground is fun but short.
Blue Reflection: Second Light might not break any molds when it comes to JRPGs, but it does a solid job blending different gameplay mechanics with an emotional tale of reconnecting to old friends and making peace with the past. Players who enjoyed the social interactions and teen drama of modern Persona games should feel right at home here, as Blue Reflection: Second Light has all the ingredients of a decent anime-style high school adventure.
Once players complete every milestone in their career, they can continue to update facilities, remodel homes, and offer new designs to visiting clients. This gives players a lot of content to discover and play through. When combined with the 2.0 update, the Happy Home Paradise DLC offers players a variety of new mechanics to unlock and use both at the resort and on their own island. Each new feature in Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2.0 and Happy Home Paradise adds to the players' overall experience by creating new customization options and different areas to explore.
Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best entries in the series to date, thanks to its massive and beautiful open world, which is full of exciting races.
Shin Megami Tensei V revels in JRPG traditions and, while it does mark a leap forward for the franchise, its excellence is at odds with its approach.
Despite a few shortcomings, over the course of a playthrough, Time Loader proves itself to be a game worth trying out for those interested in its concept. The story is smart and, in true time travel fashion, has multiple ways in which it can come to a close. All of this is presented alongside a solid gameplay core which makes for a fun, if short, jaunt through a sci-fi tale.
Demon Turf feels like a missed opportunity for its engaging, interesting new world to be catered to such a niche audience. Perhaps these lost levels can give way to an adventure with Beebz that's more up to speed with the general public, but for now, Demon Turf is well worth a try for hardcore platforming fans and difficult to recommend for those less fond of the genre.
Overall, though, Bloodshore is still one of the better examples of the FMV revolution. It's a lot of fun to experience, and leans into the cheese that both successfully works with a lot of FMV games, and for examples of the stories it is emulating. The game has its issues, but as a hokey piece of B-movie fun it's worth replaying to find its various story strands.
From the tiniest details in each item to the massive story told through simple gameplay, Unpacking is a fantastic indie game. The relaxing gameplay and chill music create a nice getaway experience. It's easy to disappear into Unpacking and complete the entire game in one playthrough, but the experience is so satisfying that players will want to do it again and again.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water would be improved with a tighter pace, quicker battles, and more clarity when it comes to objectives in missions. As it stands, the game is often frustrating on both a gameplay and a technical level, but more importantly, it fails as a horror game, as its reuse of the same handful of scares quickly grows tiresome, with attempts to build tension falling flat.
Overall, Riders Republic is an incredibly fun game that's held back by its controls and the Ubisoft fanfare of microtransactions and content bloating. These issues can be fixed though and with players already being turned off by these issues, Ubisoft will likely take steps to address them - even if it's just tightening up the controls. Though Riders Republic is a thoroughly good time, some players will rightfully feel that its current issues may not justify the price tag.
Moonglow Bay is a good game for those who want a fishing-heavy simulation game with a cute story. That said, the game would benefit from some large updates to improve minigame controls and shopkeeping mechanics, creating a more intuitive experience for players. As it stands now, it's difficult to recommend outside of the very niche audience described, and while it has good ideas, its execution makes broader appeal an impossibility.
Overall, Mario Party Superstars does exactly what it set out to do: Make the best of the best in the series. It takes two decades worth of Mario Party minigames and combines them into a perfect little party package. There's really nothing new in Mario Party Superstars, but what is here is pure nostalgia and the perfect entry for any player new to the series.
While Voice of Cards does stumble in spots, it shines as a brilliantly told story that successfully replicates the feeling of the best tabletop gaming sessions, with a game master whose engaging voice carries much of the emotion and tension required to make the setup work. While it certainly won't be for everyone, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a beautiful title well worth a look from any roleplaying fan, and an example of how excellent design can breathe life into any game with enough to say about its world and its heroes.
As such B.A.T.S. is a bit of a mixed bag. Its presentation is fantastic, with well-devised sprite work and a strong sense of humor throughout, and when the game does flow at the speed it needs it is an awful lot of fun for its short run time. However, those awkward design choices and more difficult technical issues do hold it back from reaching its full potential.
While Star Dynasties has a lot to live up to, its unique gameplay features, interesting setting, and wonderful UI make it an excellent addition to the world of Grand Strategy games. There is really no better way to fight a shadow war between a player's own Atreides and a rival Harkonnen than in Star Dynasties.
It's hard to recommend NASCAR 21: Ignition in its current state, and it will probably play best a little bit down the road after Motorsports Games gets all of the technical issues worked out. There definitely are some good elements to make for a fun experience, and when the game cooperates enough to allow players to experience them, the driving and overall presentation of a NASCAR race are enjoyable. While there's potential to be a good game, the frustrating amount of bugs combined with a scaled-back amount of content makes NASCAR 21: Ignition a disappointing racing simulator in its current state, with a caveat that future patches may help improve its standing somewhat.