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Overall, the game is engaging and fun, and with it taking less than five hours for 100% completion, it also offers a great choice for those looking to get a quick PlayStation Platinum trophy. It can leave players with a pensive feeling at the games end, pondering many of the questions that are left unanswered at the conclusion of A Tale of Paper, but not necessarily in a negative way - other than, perhaps, the need to reevaluate having a Roomba.
Despite its romance mechanic shortcomings and the fact the main character can sometimes feel a bit bland, the game still does a great job at being an engaging visual novel. The first Sucker for Love was more like a looser exploration of a silly idea, but Date to Die For has really taken those concepts and run with them to make something much more defined and worthwhile. Though largely leaning into raunchy humor and horror, the title still manages to raise a few poignant questions about just what love and death mean in its roughly five-hour runtime.
Shift Up’s Stellar Blade stands tall as a stellar debut for the PS5 and is undoubtedly going to be a staple for many action RPG fans. Its main strength lies in its combat mechanics and boss designs, which often steal the show. With a familiar setting inspired by its source material, Stellar Blade can still be quite an enamoring and challenging game that will test your skills and patience with pulse-pounding encounters.
Overall, despite the few tweaks that could make Another Crab’s Treasure that much more enjoyable, it's a solid and innovative Soulslike option. Another Crab’s Treasure is a welcome addition to a genre that often doesn't feel the most accessible. The changes Kril will go through will have players reflecting on their own lives in a way they never expected, as one tiny hermit crab proves that sometimes it's worth evaluating the world around you and wondering, are you really okay with things as they are?
As a result, Manor Lords has earned its stripes. It may take some more time until Manor Lords reaches its full potential, but even in its current state, it's every bit as detailed, immersive, and fascinating as a strategy game needs to be.
Overall, the genre-bending elements of Sand Land and its lovable cast of misfits all work in its favor. The story is engaging, and the ancillary content like developing Spino and taking down bounties is quite enjoyable. Vehicle combat and customization are highlights, but the real standout is how the game captures not just Akira Toriyama's art style, but also the spirit and humor of the manga and its characters. It may not be an instant classic, but Sand Land is some of the most fun you'll have this year.
TMNT Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants wears its age as a nearly-decade-old port, and some of that is to be expected. It’s still hard to understand why any of its elements weren’t modernized to keep in line with beat ‘em ups released over the past five years, let alone the recent Shredder’s Revenge, which remains the conspicuous elephant of comparison in the room.
I'll be honest - as a fan of Suikoden, I really wanted Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes to be good and perhaps serve as something of a renaissance for a forgotten branch of JRPG design. At times, it still feels like it could be that, with a great story, remarkable cast of characters that is impressively deep, and flirtation with pixel art greatness in some of its designs. Unfortunately, those qualities are drowned out by a frankly anachronistic approach to RPG mechanics, a glacial pace, and some serious performance issues, at least on Nintendo Switch.
Not that it isn’t a complete product; it would have been nice, though, to spend more time within the game and its universe. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is just that inviting even with its heavy subject matter, such that players want to continue to experience heartfelt and responsible stories enveloped by a beautiful world design, memorable soundtrack, and delectable gameplay.
TopSpin 2K25 has the core elements of a good tennis game, and its actual moment-to-moment gameplay has sufficient improvements over anything else on the market to keep tennis fans happy, especially the complexity of options for players with every swing of the racket. Structurally, the game has a few hiccups, with a fluctuation when it comes to just how enjoyable certain parts of the career mode are combined with awkward pacing that seems deliberately structured with potential in-game transactions in mind, although there's still plenty there to enjoy.
With all of the unique mechanics and a large variety of cast members, Gigantic: Rampage Edition proves it was worth bringing back. However, the cast and their incredible designs beg to be more fleshed out with a story mode that could have also introduced players to its characters and mechanics in a more interesting way than the highly recommended tutorials provide. Clash and Rush's modes indeed offer a unique MOBA experience, but more game modes and story would help Gigantic: Rampage Edition stand taller in a multiplayer market currently devoid of compelling characters with captivating storylines attached to them.
Life Eater provides something quite different from anything else available, and will likely live long in the memory. For that reason, even in spite of its faults, it's probably worth a try for anyone with even a cursory interest in horror or new ways for games to tell their stories.
The Planet Crafter truly captures the roleplay feeling of terraforming a strange new planet and offers a rewarding and immersive terraforming experience. It is well-paced, and multiplayer makes it an even better experience, with groups of friends being able to work on solo projects side by side or enjoy focusing together on completing goals. Though it would be nice to be able to have more direct interactions with other players and a chance to customize looks to distinguish one another, the multiplayer is well done in its execution of being able to feel like a team working on common goals.
Anyone who loves spatial puzzles or novelty action games should feel catered to here, and score-chasers will be battling over the leaderboards and sharing video clips of their best clears in the days to come. Overall, Children of the Sun is a great video game idea done well, a darkly beautiful assassin simulator with a worthy and fulfilling hook.
Rise of the Ronin is an immersive open-world title that does a lot of work to value the time of its players, making for a rewarding journey.
No Umbrellas Allowed ports well to the Switch, though some clunkiness in the interface makes for a less-than-perfect experience.
Acolyte of the Altar is a creative deckbuilder.
Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection is the latest addition to Aspyr's lineup of remastered classics, but nostalgia may be all it has to offer.
Alone in the Dark is a fun horror romp with a great cast and a visible love for the original, but the action is stiff and the puzzles are quite easy.
Open Roads has a strong emotional core and great performances from its leads, but simplistic gameplay and some clumsy writing hold it back.