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But when the core gameplay loop, the literal core of a roguelike is done in such a haphazard way, and the Xbox Series X upgrade didn’t even seem to happen at all and there are still moments of jank to be seen, this really is a weak entry in the genre and pales compared to the dozen of similar indie roguelikes you could pick from.
Ultimately, as a newcomer to the Tomb Raider series, I’m definitely a fan now, and the outstanding quality of these remasters is a big reason why. It got me into the first game with ease, and got me to try the others long enough to see their own individual merits and appreciate them. This may just be a simple drop into the game experience, but when the work to polish these up and look gorgeous was done as well as they could be, I still find these releases the best possible way I could have experienced these classics.
Still, when games like Top Racer or Stunt Race FX exist on the same system, it’s hard to argue that Rider’s Spirits tries to approach that high bar, because it just doesn’t. A truly middle of the road, fun obscurity for racer fans wanting to check add another one to their backlog.
Link’s Awakening, it is not, but Kudzu still stands out as a fun memorable romp I think fans of that game will still enjoy anyway, especially if you like the puzzles or exploratory aspects and want something more simple to kill an afternoon with, and don’t mind a little bit of jank here and there. All in all, a fun nostalgic throwback!
This truly is a love letter to the MSX2 just as much as Nigoro’s classic was, and one that I argue exceeds the original inspiration in quality just like Mulana did.
Definitely a solid way to spend an afternoon or two, but you’ll probably get more desire to keep coming back with friends and family around, than playing versus the computer opponents over and over again. A title where the silly premise is a lot more appealing than the actual game.
Still, Umbraclaw is a gorgeous experience that’s great to control, but not one you’re going to figure out without a lot of patience and repetitive playthroughs, and a game that really should have just been allowed to be a short fun game without needing to force artificial padding with repeat plays.
Of the Suika clones I’ve dabbled in, I ended up really liking PuzzMix the most, and that has to mostly come down to the music and core gameplay remaining great as ever. Still, with how much personality the Gunvolt series has to offer, I really wish it was bold enough to try some new mechanics.
Really when my biggest gripe with Fall is the lack of a quick restart feature, I don’t have much else to complain about. Yeah, the game will be short once you figure out the hang of it and clear all the levels, but with it being short and sweet, I don’t think that’s a bad thing, especially for the price. I’m already wishing for more of this fun puzzle adventure!
Still, if you’re looking to close out the Shockman series, love PC engine platformers, or just want a co-op action game to play through without much fuss, this is still a solid one that’ll serve a good half hour or so of your time. It’s just a shame, since aspects of the second game could have been greatly expanded here to make Shockman 3 the ultimate entry in the series, but as it stands, you just have an easygoing game that ends right before it can ramp up.
If you’re up for a challenge and some bullshit every now and then, this game will still keep you pretty busy for quite a while and still has moments of fun to be had; just be prepared to go “Oh for crying out loud!!!” several times while doing so until you get it right.
We have a game that does a better job of making the lander feel just weighty enough, than the original Arcade game it was based on, while still providing plenty of fun challenging tasks to complete for those who master the techniques of the Lander.
When the only complaint I really have is that the Ufouria version is completely unavailable to play here, that’s a pretty strong testament to the quality of this game and its port.
But with zero historical context, bonus features of any kind or even button mapping, this is a singular, fun NES platformer thrown in the most barebones wrapper imaginable, and pales in comparison to all of Konami’s other retro compilations.
Galuga may not live up to those first two NES/Arcade titles by a long shot, but the fact it manages to be just a bit better than Contra III and Hard Corps for me more than makes it worthy of being part of the 2D lineage.
It may be coming out in a sea of other ranking-based platformers, but Berserk Boy’s tight level design and outstanding music are enough to make it still worth a buy if you’re craving more.
Still, as a showcase of early UK computing and as a story of one of the earliest independent developers, The Jeff Minter Story excels in telling a fun, if slightly abridged tale while throwing in a ton of fun scorechasers in the process. If you’re a fan of retro UK computers, this is an absolute must-own.
Still, short experience or not, Ufouria 2 is an absolute joy for that playtime, and I’ll definitely be glad to revisit this gem for years to come just like I did with that original game.
Even when I initially thought of Shiren 6 as a very good Mystery Dungeon game that focused on gameplay over story, I was quickly blown away by just how much depth there was to this island, and the sheer amount of extra stuff there is to do after beating that main dungeon is just proof that addictive, well-balanced gameplay is the best quality a game can have.
Either you’re a big old school JRPG fan who won’t mind the tedious parts, or you’ll be annoyed by one game having too much grinding and difficult fights, and the other having too many boring encounters.