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Dirt 5 provides a more approachable racer that acts as a decent successor to Dirt 4 and Dirt Rally while taking on the series in a few different ways. Diehard series fans might miss some of the more simulation aspects from the series, but Codemasters definitely found a healthy balance of the two offerings. Sure, you might not be blown away by the graphics, but you won’t go wrong adding this fun racer to you next-gen launch catalog.
Watch Dogs: Legion is an interesting game in that it doesn’t feature a real main protagonist outside of the comical AI, Bagley. You may not care about each individual character, but their collective goal makes the narrative worth seeing through. The way you can take on missions any way you wish rings truest in this title, and what better set piece to do it all in than a fully realized London. Looking past some of the open-world janks may be required, but Watch Dogs: Legion is a hacking great time.
The Angry Video Game Nerd: I & II Deluxe is the definitive version of these challenging platformers. There’s more to love about the game for fans of the Nerd, which might make some of the jokes and references go over some heads. Although you also have some throwaway stages and unmemorable boss battles, this makes for a pleasant way to spend a weekend. Just try not to break your controller.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope is a terrifying adventure game that utilizes the atmosphere and setting to deliver the scares. As the player shapes the adventure, the game reacts in unique ways to the choices made. The upgraded UI and improved multiplayer mode show just how far this developer has come in terms of game-making and storytelling. Some endings can feel a bit anticlimactic or rushed, but that’s just all the more reason to play again.
Mad Rat Dead is a quality rhythm-based platformer that you may not have been expecting. If you can get past the problematic jump attack, you get to experience a blissful and upbeat soundtrack across an addictive gameplay loop and surprisingly unique story.
Horace is a challenging platformer with strong core mechanics and inventive design, all of which gradually build up into something truly amazing and satisfying as a video game. Its homage to the heart and soul of video games as an art form and its deep insight into human nature all come together to make it an experience that is both memorable and important.
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is a great adventure platformer that is now accessible on Switch. It’s definitely showing its age in terms of controls and design, but it still holds up all these years later. Nothing has changed in this release, so it might not be worth playing through again if you already have, but if you haven’t, this is the best time to join Abe and make your escape.
Disc Room is a straightforward arcade game that is fun to sink a few hours in as you reach a heightened sense of being. Weaving in and out of blades that are inches from you and pulling off some split-second dodges is panic-inducing but also pretty rewarding to your gaming ego. Even with a repetitive gameloop and some not-so-useful abilities, I had a great time maneuvering through this daring adventure while solving puzzles and facing death head-on.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a product of a studio maturing into their skills. They’ve mastered the sense of narrative storytelling by crafting beautiful atmospheric environments instead of relying on straight horror. While the pacing can come to a crawl at certain moments, there’s no denying this is a terrifying game that fits well within the developer’s catalog.
In the end, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is an epic conclusion to the series, but I’m partially glad that it’s over. There are many reasons to play through Trails of Cold Steel IV, from an engaging gameplay loop to an epic story. It takes some of the best elements of the series and combines it for one last hurrah aimed at those who stuck with it for this long.
Iwaihime plays the long con with its narrative and convinces readers that it’s not the unique horror thriller they were promised. However, that all changes when it shows its hand, and you are taken through some gripping story scenarios that will send several chills up your spine. This worked well with the game’s presentation, aesthetic, and blend of romance and horror. I couldn’t recommend this more.
Uppers was almost the game that got away, but now that’s it’s here, I can’t say that I’m completely excited about it. What’s important is that it features a robust battle system and a zany story that will satisfy the developer’s fans. Furthermore, as perverted as they are, the game mechanics can be an insanely fun distraction as you button mash your way through each level. Thankfully, this PC port is clearly the best way to experience this four-year-old brawler for those who waited.
Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is a relatively harmless licensed anime arena fighter. Superfans may enjoy its presentation, but nothing is here to rewards them for their time. The fighting system lacks any real depth of engagement, which boils down to a mindless button-masher until there’s a winner. Like the franchise, for me at least, Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is just forgettable.
Scourgebringer offers a challenging and chaotic roguelite experience that manages to be as addicting as it is frustrating. The mechanics are sound with a responsive combat system and intense battles, even with the limited enemy variety. You may suffer many deaths, but Scourgebringer is just one of those games that you can’t help accept the punishment and then jump back in for revenge.
Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing is a great experience for fans of the series as it doesn’t over-promise what it is, a Broom Racing VR game with Little Witch Academia characters. You know exactly what you’re getting yourself into, and there’s a decent customization system added for good measure. It’s a simple experience that doesn’t push itself too hard but does enough to be fun for a few laps around Luna Nova Magical Academy.
My experience with Remothered: Broken Porcelain was brought to a halt several times after I had to restart my game and figure out a way to progress without soft locking it. On the surface, this is a beautiful, moody horror game, but once you look deeper, you’ll see that the real horror is the game’s mechanics, pacing, and plot. I had such high hopes for this game, but after a few hours, I was looking to check out of the Ashmann Inn early.
Tears of Avia attempted to present a larger-than-life indie SRPG but bit off way more than it could chew. Creating a world that players don’t care about and a battle system that is broken after the first hour is a huge misstep for any title in this genre. There are some great ideas here, though. Character designs, animations, and writing make for some of the best moments, but all at the cost of an unmemorable adventure. Score:
Though 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a faithful recreation of 70s kung-fu films, it doesn’t contain the same fun factor that its influences provide. There are some aspects that fans of beat em’ ups may enjoy, but it definitely doesn’t move the genre in any unique direction.
Re:Turn: One Way Trip is a standout indie horror adventure that absolutely understands atmosphere and pacing. The narrative gets a bit flimsy in some areas due to a lacking supporting cast, but it ends up nailing important gameplay systems that will make you swear to never ever aboard a ghost train in your life.
Hatsune Miku VR is an experience for diehard fans, but those who can’t play it aren’t missing out on anything of real substance. The rhythm gameplay provides a decent arm workout but gets old and repetitive right around the time your arms feel like they will fall off. If you have the Oculus and want to hang out with Miku for a personal concert, then don’t let the score of this review keep you from doing that.