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Momodora: Moonlit Farewell kicks off the year with a great metroidvania title. The fantastic level design and art style make it easy to recommend to fans of the genre, despite some shortcomings. It provides a fantastic entry point for franchise newcomers, and what I’m confident in saying is a great sendoff for long time fans. Anyone looking for a solid metroidvania will have a good time here.
I feel like this is a visual novel anyone, and I mean anyone, can get behind. It’s broken into bite-sized pieces with animations, game mechanics and QTEs that keep you from just clicking through. It’s almost more like a Lucasarts adventure title, if Bobbin Threadbare had to drink just enough to not expose himself as a narc. It’s compelling, it’s raw, and it plays itself as seriously as possible while still having some of the most maddening ideas for a storyline.
The core of what made this game such a legend still exists and thrills me to no end. I wish it was a bit better handled with some extra flair, but I can’t complain that it feels exactly how I want it to be.
Yes, it’s completely filled with silliness, often times taking clear inspiration from games like Return to Monkey Island, but there’s a lot more to it than just zany humor. At times it has real heart, especially when it comes to the relationship between Lil and her father. Not every sinister looking monster is truly a villain, some are just poor, misunderstood creatures looking for some compassion. Lil’ Guardsman is absolutely delightful to play, and you should allow it entry into your life.
In terms of atmosphere and creativity, this game is going places. The mixture of retro first-person shooting and RPG elements is excellent, and the presentation was pretty good. When the combat clicked, it made for a fun time. Sadly, the game was also hampered by a ton of framerate issues, random freezes, a completely pointless and forgettable plot, and a lot of questionable design choices.
Even though I wasn’t blown away by Her Story or Telling Lies, Immortality has proven itself to be Sam Barlow’s best work to date, by a landslide. On paper, this game might sound pretentious, but it is truly a piece of art. Immortality has captivated me in a way that few games in recent memory have. Even though I unlocked the “True Ending”, I still keep finding myself going back for more, and with each revisit, I do indeed find more secrets. Immortality won’t be to everyone’s liking, but for those of us who love a good mystery and narrative adventure, this game will get under your skin and have you thinking about it for a long time.
Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter is excessively detailed and specific to the point that it feels less like a pasttime or a piece of entertainment, and more like something which should only be recommended or played by people who actually want to join the Navy.
Those games, just like other Ace Attorney titles, are more than simply excellent visual novels. They are absolutely ridiculous stories, almost always engaging, and often times thought-provoking. They are still the best examples of what the genre can achieve, and how easily accessible and entertaining they can be, even for people who aren’t exactly into static, story-based games with little in terms of interactivity.
Sadly, even though there was some potential in its premise, Witch Rise is the kind of the game that will attract players based on how easy it is to get some trophies, not its actual features.
Bem Feito tries to be one of those games that want to subvert your notions on following rules and whatnot, but it’s not subtle at all, nor scary, and even less thought-provoking. I appreciate the attempt, but this game needed some extra time in the oven, as well as more meat in its bones in order to actually become memorable and engaging.
Nephenthesys is a painfully by-the-books bullet hell shooter that might not do anything wrong, but fails spectacularly to innovate in any single front, to the point that any memories of playing it would immediately vanish upon turning the PS5 off, the game’s name included.
If it wasn’t clear already, I love Turnip Boy Robs A Bank. I already thought Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion was an outstanding game, so being able to build on that with a fast-paced roguelite adventure, with an excellent gameplay loop which also pokes fun on the horrible depths of capitalism, who would have thought it would be so much fun?
Whilst some setpieces were still pretty enjoyable, and the game as a whole is still pretty good, I can’t help but think that Bulletstorm is still best enjoyed elsewhere, be it on PC or console, with or without Duke Nukem’s nonsensical presence, or on a more powerful VR headset.
The floaty controls and repetitive music aside, I thought this was a decent dip in the metroidvania arena. Fearmonium is a creepy little romp that’s worth a few days of amusement and some further discussion, but it lives and dies by its very notion. If you seek greater meaning of the trauma and horrors, then you’ll remember it far longer. While it might disturb and captivate you in the moment, it could fade when you walk away from your console.
I had high hopes for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, but it still managed to surpass them. More than just a risky, experimental revival of a dormant franchise, it basically showcases that Prince of Persia works magnificently well as a metroidvania, almost in a "why haven't you done this before" kind of way.
The addition of touchscreen functionality doesn’t exactly mitigate all of the various setbacks and issues which needed to occur in order to make such a game run on such underpowered hardware. With that being said, it’s a lot less worse than anticipated. If you can put up with the reduced visual fidelity and long loading times, this is a neat companion piece for the beefier current-gen ports, but only truly worth it if you’re a massive Harry Potter fan, and if you can find this at a discount.
The Spy Who Shot Me is an unpolished and unfunny take on Nintendo 64 shooters, but behind its boring puns and ultra-limited gameplay ideas, lies a cheap and harmless little game which can be enjoyed for a few hours on a single evening to satiate our never-ending hunger for retro-styled shooting action. Just make sure not to expect a lot from its level design or any revolutionary take on the source material.
Arizona Sunshine 2 is a fun game that I would recommend to anyone who wants a good campaign driven zombie game. Sure, the new additions may not be revolutionary, but they are certainly a step up from the first game.
The biggest problem with Micro Machines: Mini Challenge Mayhem is that, despite featuring some interesting ideas, it feels incredibly tame, limited, and dated. It could have been the VR equivalent to Hot Wheels Unleashed or Re-Volt, but it ended up being nothing more than a slot car racing simulator with simplistic visuals and an overall lack of excitement.
Pinball M is a fantastic package for the price, and the amount of detail that’s gone into the design and care is truly exciting. While I personally don’t care to unlock all the different cosmetics, I appreciate the offerings. The upcoming tournaments and events will keep players engaged for longer times, and I imagine that the cold and dark of the winter will bring in the broodier fans who want something upsettingly fun till the world thaws.