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My favorite gaming experiences are the ones that elicit a pure and physical response from me. Whether it's a horror game making me clench my cheeks or a story-driven game dropping my jaw and pulling a tear from my eye, those kinds of experiences are the ones that stick with me the most. With Pikuniku, I was smiling and laughing throughout the entire thing, and too few games get that kind of response out of me. Pikuniku is a treasure of a game, and I can't wait to see more from this team.
In Ace Combat 7 dogfighting games have a new Top Gun. The VR sadly turned my stomach, but the series' trademark action is bigger and better than ever, with the spectacular weather effects introducing a level of realism and drama that will win over any wannabe Mavericks.
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal is a breath of fresh air after the fumbles of the last few games in the series. I got on board with this franchise for the unique characters and addictive combat, and this game has both of those things in spades. It's a treat to see the origins of the cast redone on home console, but if you've never played a single game in the series before, Burst Re:Newal is the best this franchise has to offer for you.
I would be genuinely angry if I had paid money for this RollerCoaster Tycoon game. There is none of the tycoon fun of the original game, the rollercoasters are overshadowed by the shooting and the VR is slapdash at best. The entire experience feels like an alpha build of a rail shooter that someone decided to slap the Tycoon name on to sell more copies. I cannot, in good faith, recommend this game under any circumstances.
If you love No More Heroes, or any work of Suda51's, then Travis Strikes Again is a must-play game.
For the relatively low asking price Onimusha Warlords is worth a look if you've ever been interested in the series or just want to slay demons in historical Japan. Just bewware you'll have to contend with some game design elements that belong in the early 2000s. It's not a terribly long game and you can get through it in a few hours, but it'll keep you entertained throughout.
It is safe to say that even after a dozens of hours of play, I only scratched the surface of what there is to do in My Time At Portia. Combine hunting, mining, building and romancing with a fascinating setting and an involved narrative, and I can see myself continuing to go back to play more. My Time at Portia is more than a worthy alternative to Stardew Valley and one of the first must have games of 2019. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more mining to do.
Just Deal With It! is a largely pointless virtual deck of cards that is more likely to annoy than to provide family or group entertainment. The small range of games, the overly wacky presentation and the non-existent online presence makes this an experiment that ultimately fails to improve on the simple pleasures of a deck of cards. I would recommend digging out a deck and buying a book of card games instead.
Octahedron was easily one of the standout indie games of 2018 – that it wasn’t featured in our Game of the Year voting was a real shame. It’s not quite on the same level as the blend between sound, music and player actions as the work of Tetsuya Mizuguchi, but it’s easy to immerse yourself in the neon lights and trance.
Battle Princess Madelyn has some lovely animated cut scenes to enjoy, the plot begins in a charming manner that brings to mind the Princess Bride, and its retro inspired pixelated graphics are on point. If only they were attached to fun and compelling gameplay, then Battle Princess Madelyn really could have been a contender to capture the crown of Ghost ‘n Goblins. As it stands, it's probably best to avoid this one and break out your SNES from storage instead.
London Detective Mysteria does a few things new within the genre of otome dating sims, but at the end of the day, it isn't anything revolutionary. If you've played an otome game before, then this one will be more of the same, for better or worse. The silly cast of characters and attempts at dramatic detective plotlines are interesting, but not executed entirely well. Fans of the genre will be able to happily add this one to your pile, but if you need convincing to try out a game like this, London Detective Mysteria isn't the one for you.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a huge amount of great 2D Mario (and Luigi) platforming and it's at its easiest to pick up and play on Switch, but even with the sheer volume of content this doesn't really feel like a ‘Deluxe' game. Toadette's easier gameplay comes at the cost of a regular difficulty fourth character, and makes for a token appearance of Peach as a playable character, while the best all round multiplayer fun has been left behind with the Wii U's GamePad.
It's a huge relief to find that Tales of Vesperia hasn't just aged well, but continues to prove itself to be amongst the best games in the Tales series. The enhancements made to the Definitive Edition tidy up and expand on an already enjoyable game, bringing the characters to life more effectively than ever before and making it more than capable of enthralling both returning players and newcomers alike.
Red Matter is the most immersive puzzle game I've played in a long time, thanks in no small part to how well it makes use of VR is utilised.
Kingdom Two Crowns feels more like an extensive update than a new entry to the series, but the base game is still so immensely enjoyable that it doesn't really matter. This is the perfect starting point for new players, and those who are returning might still be surprised by some of the secrets to be found.
Atari Flashback Collection is a wonderful way to experience gaming history for the first time, or reminisce over your favourites one more time.
While Atelier Meruru is my favorite of the trilogy, each of the games in this pack is cute and fun enough to warrant a purchase, especially if you’re an established fan of the franchise who hasn’t gotten a chance to try the Arland trilogy out yet.
I like Ashen, it's a good game, it would just be nice to see it building upon the foundation of its muse rather than almost copying and pasting it. The world of Ashen is its biggest attraction, the lore is deeply entrenched and really pulls everything together into something that is worth playing through. That being said, if you have played Dark Souls and don't want to replay Dark Souls, then you aren't going to get on with this. It is an odd one as I am a huge fan of this style of game, but we need games that build a more exciting game on top of the ideas that have been put down. It isn't enough to be the same but with a different look. Ashen is good, but nothing revolutionary.
Nippon Marathon is a game that is proud to be exactly what it is. There are no pretences or delusions of grandeur, just good clean fun. Playing with friends is sure to bring a fair few laughs as you rain watermelons down on your rivals. Just be prepared to be taken out by sudden barrels and hordes of cute dogs.
It’s tough to have to pick between sharp visuals or consistent performance, but when it comes to this kind of game, performance is key, and they nailed it with this port.