Noisy Pixel
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Boomerang X is a speedrunner’s delight, but it seems to forget casual action fans. After the first playthrough, you’re free to refine your skills, but there’s not much to do thereafter. The beautiful environments beg to be explored but offer no reward or discovery, which is a missed opportunity. There’s little denying how fun this game is, but I couldn’t help but want more.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an amazing JRPG that offers an exceptional monster collecting experience combined with a great story. The added narrative doesn’t lose focus on what makes the Monster Hunter series so addictive and only enhances the experience. This game successfully built on the systems present in the original and improved them for a brand new adventure. While the performance can be questionable, I enjoyed every second of my time exploring the world with my Monsties by my side.
Suzukuri Dungeon offers an unexpectedly light-hearted narrative with a charming cast of villain characters who are each memorable in their own way. The gameplay sections of strategic dungeon customization kept me engaged for multiple playthroughs to access the additional routes. It’s this blend of gameplay and decent scenario writing that makes it an easy recommendation from me.
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is an awesome entry in the series that brings forth new characters and 3D graphics. The battle animations and tactical systems are as prominent as ever, with a cast that carries the story campaign from beginning to end. There are some moments of growing pains found in this updated graphical direction and added auto systems, but I still found plenty of enjoyment taking down the God of Destruction and showing my SRPG skills. Too bad so many Prinnies had to die along the way.
If you’re looking for a narrative that has more than its fair share of drama and tension without being overly dramatic or angsty, 7 Years From Now has just what you need. Its minimalist designs become the highlight of the emotional plot as each end guides you to new truths and realizations. I can’t say I’m proud that I was brought to tears by Duplo character models, but it added to this memorable experience.
Scarlet Nexus could have easily become a new IP used to test a few systems as the studio focuses on larger projects. However, there’s an awesome battle system here that evolves throughout the entire campaign. Each fight has a brilliant rhythm to it as you take advantage of enemy weaknesses and use the environments to your advantage. The team introduces a large cast of characters but still manages to provide insight into their goals to make it worth seeing through to the end. Sadly, not everything works, but you might forget about floaty controls and convoluted narrative as you ride atop a bus into the battlefield.
Out of Line doesn’t break the mold of adventure games but still manages to offer a straightforward puzzle experience through a gorgeous hand-painted world. There’s fun to found during each movement of gameplay, but the lack of challenge and the minimalistic narrative doesn’t make for an engaging time. It’s a low-impact puzzle adventure that could easily be enjoyed for a nice afternoon game session.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Official Video Game is a functional and serviceable sports video game at best. While it features various events, the play mechanics and controls are too basic, so there isn’t much long-term replay value. The biggest problem here is that the experience sits somewhere between a sports simulator and an arcade game, and it doesn’t succeed with either approach. If you own a Nintendo Switch, pick up Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 instead.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX does a fantastic job of taking an already good game and adding a gorgeous fresh modern coat to it. The art design is beautifully done, and the option to switch between the redesign and 8-bit graphics adds to the nostalgic experience. While this remake is faithful for better or worse, there’s no denying that the quirky and challenging world of Alex Kidd is a side-scrolling experience unlike any other.
Legend of Mana is all about the memories you make from the moment you start playing to the credits. Every new area created is a new adventure waiting, and every character met provides a unique perspective on storytelling. Its non-linearity allows it to stand out in the series, but it comes at the expense of a few confusing quest lines. The remastered backgrounds, improved loading and attack animations, and additional options make it such a charming RPG to play over and over.
The Wild at Heart has a satisfying gameplay loop of resource management and exploration. The puzzles aren’t challenging, but they serve as an acceptable means to an end of pointing players where to go. The colors and tones of Fall present a cute, yet somber accent to the bittersweet plot of running away to a hopefully better place. Wake is provided with actions that are unique to him, such as his vacuum ability, but it doesn’t quite elevate the game to surpassing genre conventions. Potential buyers should focus on whether the mysterious environments and curious characters entice them, rather than the simply adequate puzzle elements.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a standout experience. From its speedy combat to its breathtaking visuals, there’s something for any action love fan. The minimal challenge may not mesh well with hardcore players, but exploring this dreary world is rewarding enough. The influences of this adventure only supplement its unique action systems, and very little stands in the way of its beauty.
Mushihimesama is a long overdue and welcome release on Nintendo Switch, serving as an exemplar of its developer’s signature shmup style. The Switch version comes with all modes and features intact, and so whether you are a returning veteran or a complete newcomer, players can approach the experience however they like. However, regardless of who you are, Mushihimesama is the quintessential bullet-hell shooter that is especially a blast to play in handheld mode.
Chicory provides an earnest and genuine adventure full of fun puzzles, charming characters, and cute aesthetics. With a surprisingly deep and impactful storyline, the game delves into realistic themes that may hit more than you think. Though controls are clunky and there’s a level of monotony to the painting, Chicory seamlessly weaves comfort and emotions into a strong narrative adventure.
Song of Horror tries its best to be a swan song of survival horror and acts as a return to form. However, frustrating puzzles and random deaths cause unexpected hang-ups on the experience. Yes, I remember when saving was limited to Ink Ribbons, but at least there was a choice in that feature. Still, there’s a lot to enjoy about this episodic nightmare.
Chivalry 2 brings out the hero in all of us as we race towards death with our friends by our side. There’s something about the chaos and immersion that draws you in for hours. Thankfully the servers held up across matches full of battle cries and deaths at the hands of my allies. There’s never a dull moment, no matter your skill level.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ushers in a new generation of adventure games headed by this charming heroic duo. Sadly, Rivet is a strong setpiece in the narrative but doesn’t differentiate enough in combat. Still, this doesn’t affect the sheer amount of fun you’ll be having during every moment of gameplay. There is so much packed in this adventure complemented by competent level design, amazing weapons, and strong platforming. This is Ratchet & Clank for the new generation, and I hope it’s not too long before we see them again.
Edge of Eternity is a beautiful game that is held back by the ambition of the developers. There are just too many moving parts here, and nothing seems to be fully executed. It’s by no means a waste of time, though, and provides hours of fantasy adventures in a new world, but it lacks focus and implementation due to the numerous features and broken narrative.
Void Terrarium++ is a fun dungeon crawler RPG that doesn’t need to be exclusive to PS5, but it is. Fans of last-gen versions shouldn’t feel required to upgrade because this is the same adventure with a few added diseases to cure and emotes to obtain. Still, it’s a low-tension and overly charming title and one that I feel is worth it for new players. The game loop is addictive, and the reward of making Toriko safe and happy is enough to push on to the next dungeon floor.
Ninja Gaiden Master Collection is a must-play for action fans, especially those seeking titles demanding on-the-fly reactions and arduous trials of failing and learning. The first two entries are as masterclass as you can get, and the third, while questionable in several areas, also proves to be more than an adequate investment of time. With a steal of a price, you really can’t go wrong with purchasing this compilation and diving into dozens of hours of high-octane ninja fun and busty babes.