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When it comes to sound design and visual style, Sable blew me away. I couldn’t help but smile and prepare to get lost in a beautiful world. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t take long to fade away. There’s definitely enough to keep you engaged and interested, but I just yearned to get more out of this game, especially as it has compelling elements within the groundwork.
Bloodrayne Betrayal Fresh Bites is a title that deserved this re-release to get it in front of new players. Combat is initially fun and easy to grasp, and the gorgeous art is enough to get anyone into the door. However, once you are there, the slightly inconsistent art style of the protagonist and easy trivialization of the combat; makes this title hard for me to recommend outside of players looking to give themselves a challenge intentionally.
Curiosity Expedition 2 is a roguelike that would probably be lots of fun to play on a video chat with friends, voting on actions as a group, and watching the chaos unfold. Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable exploration game with a host of unique features that lets you put your mind to the test without too much stress unless you want it to be.
Through its fun stages, weapon variety, and unique spell system, Flynn: Son of Crimson makes for a fun platformer to have in your catalog. There’s enough present to enjoy one time through, but added effort was provided to add a bit of replay value to the adventure. It may be tough to find a good indie platformer given the size of the genre, but there’s a genuine adventure waiting for you here.
Aragami 2 will surely scratch any itch that you’re looking for within the stealth action genre. Laying waste to unsuspecting enemies with your buddies and jumping from rooftop to rooftop provides a certain sense of satisfaction. Unfortunately, however, the other systems can’t keep up with this action, leaving the narrative, AI, and overall game loop to simply exist in hopes the play doesn’t get lost in the shadows.
Eastward will fulfill any action-adventure needs that have been missing in your life. The character writing is fantastic and enhances the more emotional moments as the killer Miasma rears its ugly head. This game is an investment, but you’ll be left with a genuinely standout gaming experience full of action, exploration, memorable characters, and a fantastic final chapter. So do yourself a favor and play Eastward.
It doesn’t seem random that Lost in Random is a great game. The developers put a lot of thought into crafting a fantastic gaming experience alongside a grim storybook adventure. It all works incredibly well with only a few dips of quality that will surely be fixed over time. I enjoyed this experience thoroughly as it delivers on its action-adventure and haphazard gameplay systems.
Olympia Soiree has the makings of a decent romance that puts a lot of effort into its main protagonist and has many different moving parts in terms of narrative beats. Sadly, there’s just no substance or world-building, and the few enjoyable character routes aren’t enough to compel you to complete the game, let alone fall in love. However enjoyable it may be to some, you won’t find anything remotely new about this setup.
Tails of Iron borrows inspiration from other challenging games, but its beautifully crafted world and thought-provoking narrative definitely deserve your attention. Every new area offers more to explore and tests your skills to see this rodent’s adventure through until the end. Tails of Iron is an under-rat-ed gem that will make a mighty fine addition to your indie game collection this year despite some rare bugs and needed updates to the combat systems.
SkateBIRD is a serene and meditative experience but relies a little too heavily on nostalgia with its design while removing any real challenge. Controls hindered the opportunity to get more out of this experience, and I found my bird spent more time rolling on the ground than around on the skateboard. The mission, dialogue, and overall narrative were fun to uncover but isn’t there enough to sustain your interest after completion, essentially clipping the wings of replayability.
Monster Harvest feels like it wants to set itself apart from its counterparts in the genre, and there is undeniable potential here. However, I felt like I was playing an early access game despite being fully released. So much of the world feels like fundamental revision and polish are missing, and I can’t see myself revisiting Planimal Point anytime soon.
Lost Judgment is yet another home run for RGG Studio. It boasts an engaging, jaw-dropping narrative with emotional mysteries connected within an immense web of interconnected conspiracies. Additionally, the game’s bold nature in tackling darker themes that can sharply resonate with young adult audiences is remarkably well done.
Metallic Child is a rogue-lite with a grand narrative of saving Earth through some truly addicting action systems. The fast-moving structure of dungeon exploration is complemented by engaging combat mechanics and ever-changing challenges. The challenge becomes easier to manage in the later hours. Still, the repetitive gameloop weighs on the experience if you aren’t in the mood for lengthy dialogue and cheesing your way through encounters using the same combos.
Espgaluda II is an acquired taste within a genre that was already an acquired taste, to begin with. It doesn’t take long to see why the love for the game is so divided. Its complicated play and scoring systems take some getting used to, but the Switch port is far from ideal despite being feature-packed. This is merely something to hold you over until Live Wire ports DoDonPachi Resurrection.
Toem is an enjoyable and charming game where you get to look at a beautifully hand-drawn world through multiple perspectives. There’s the right amount of challenge offered to keep players engaged in a chill experience that also tests their knack for capturing that perfect shot. This is a game to relax with, where the destination is as picture-perfect as the journey.
Deathloop is for detective nerds who just want to blow shit up. Each moment of this game offers some insane new plot twists and discoveries that further highlights how amazing the writing is. Players are rewarded through exploration, but at the cost that they could lose it all if they die in the process. It’s an experience that demands a keen eye and patience at times to unlock everything it has to offer, but at least the dumb enemies will rarely get in your way.
Ultra Age is a no-brainer for indie action game fans. The adventure features seamless gameplay, fun boss designs, a low price, and the potential to create a franchise. It challenges the player to pay attention to enemy movements, create new playstyles and understand the game mechanics to the fullest while keeping it fun and creative. While the story has its shortcomings, I am sure with some added detail in the future; it can become a hit of its own.
Tales of Arise is the grand adventure we’ve been waiting for, and more, for veteran players and new fans alike. Its addictive and satisfying combat design, breathtaking narrative, gorgeous presentation, and engaging cast make it the quintessential JRPG to play. The characters met in this entry add to the growing cast of memorable personalities this series has given us, solidifying it as a true Tales title.
I wanted to come away from The Artful Escape feeling inspired and changed, with a story to really mull over. I came into this four-to-five-hour experience with expectations set by early gameplay, and while some of them were met, I don’t know that it does enough to really justify its choice of medium. It has got more than enough in terms of eye candy and audio bliss, but I can’t confidently say that any of the other pieces manage to come together in this space oddity.
Life is Strange: True Colors presents a great adventure in this beloved series with significant choices and player-driven interactions. The result is a beautiful story of empathy and new beginnings where players have the freedom to shape the narrative the way they want and deal with the consequences along the way. The character animations and voiced dialogue only elevate it to new levels of quality, but long loading times and strange responses can hurt the pacing tremendously.