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Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island certainly succeeds at providing just enough clues of what’s possibly at the other end of the wall to make the arduous journey to climb it one that you’d want to partake in. It’s the sort of game where your investment won’t necessarily equal a tangible result no matter how much to kick and scream at it. Instead, it’s something that feeds our curiosity, and in that, there’s something to be said about having this be your entryway into this, one of gaming’s obscure and at the same time most influential of series.
Skull and Bones isn’t the absolute shipwreck that many expected it to be. However, after such a long period of time waiting for this come out, never truly knowing whether or not Ubisoft had actually cancelled it, it’s hard not to be disappointed with this corporate and generic end result. This is a shallow, empty, lifeless experience, where its admittedly solid core gameplay cannot carry the rest of its disappointing elements on its own. There is still some fun to be had, sure, but this isn’t worth the current pricetag, especially with other, much better pirate-themed games available in basically every modern system you can imagine.
Food Truck Simulator is incredibly, unbelievably janky. It doesn’t feel good to play with a controller, and I can’t speak on how it might feel to play with a mouse and keyboard since I played on Xbox (yes, yes, PC master race). Though, looking at the reviews of it on Steam, I don’t think I was missing out on a much better experience.
While I can’t recommend stopping and starting this game, it’s best to approach it as you would any NES game. Get fully immersed in the darkness and the frustration and just enjoy that momentum that comes from singularly reliving a time where gaming was simpler. Just rock out to the violence and know that not every game has to be a sixty hour long campaign. For just a handful of hours, be Vengeance, and then go back to your spreadsheets. It’s worth it.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore could have just been a solid joke title with everyone in on the punchline and then the developers would have laughed all the way to the bank. Instead, we have a banger of a title that is both artistically wonderful and plays like Shantae meets Rygar. It’s not just buffaloing ahead to watch the cutscenes: it’s getting better and finding satisfaction in exploration, response and style.
I am not exaggerating when I state that Balatro is a masterpiece of a game, a bonafide achievement in gameplay design. A single developer was able to take the core principles of poker, add in a ton of roguelike elements on top a brand new gameplay loop, and come up with something so addictive it will possibly ruin your productivity at work. This damn thing is basically a virtual drug. It’s so simple, so inviting, and downright impossible to put down.
If, like me, you have a curiosity and fondness for games from back in the day, then Cosmic Fantasy Collection is something that merits a bit more investigation, but I sadly can’t recommend it strongly. Besides the manual and the sound/movie viewers, the QOL improvements that other straight JRPG ports have received are nonexistent, and, without the ability to speed up encounters or exploration, the time takes its toll on your patience. Physical collectors would do well to grab their copies quickly, and, should the second Cosmic Fantasy Collection come calling, it definitely has my interest: it can only get better from here.
Qomp2 is a fun challenge while it lasts. It’s a game all about a tough, borderline unfair, but ultimately rewarding gameplay loop. You will shout at it, you will want to break your controller in half, but you won’t want to give up that easily. I don’t exactly feel like the game captivated me enough to want to replay its levels and collect its (very few) secret items, nor do I feel like it’s worthy of a second playthrough for the sake of it, but it’s not a bad time while it lasts.
Phantom Abyss is an interesting temple runner game that provides fast paced platformer gameplay and an ever escalating level of traps as you move from biome to biome. Despite having interesting ideas that should have spoken to me and my tastes, I didn’t find myself hooked into the game as much as I thought I would. Nothing about it, from its online systems to some of its later levels, did enough to make it worthwhile.
Even if nothing about Dementium: The Ward felt inherently broken (no crashes, no framerate drops, no game-breaking glitches), I just wasn’t having fun with this port of an old DS game with very unimpressive visual or content enhancements. This game was already mostly a novelty back in 2007, a proof of concept, a showcase of what that portable was capable of rendering. On the Switch, on a larger screen, with more horsepower, and in a library filled with other horror titles, Dementium has nothing that makes it stand out.
Coral Island is a diamond in the rough that may be caked in dirt, but a good spit shine can bring out its true majesty. What’s already here is amazing, and the foundation is sturdy. No features are offensively terrible, and while the relationship aspect isn’t up to snuff, the customization is fantastic.
The awfully-named Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes is a pretty good sequel to what was already a really deep, but surprisingly accessible 2D fighter. In terms of content and mechanics, this game is still excellent, worthy of being put right next to other Arc System Works fighters. In terms of presentation, it didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but it’s not like the other games in the series were ugly to begin with. Sadly, in terms of how well this particular PC port was crafted, well, I was a bit disappointed. With a handful of glitches and an overall sensation this port was treated like an afterthought, you are better off playing it on a console.
I had fun with this collection, but I can’t ignore its plethora of issues. Be it due to some really dated level design and controls, or a handful of glitches exclusive to this collection’s remastering efforts, those Tomb Raider games aren’t exactly the most fluid and easygoing experiences out there. With that being said, they are still incredibly charming and very ambitious for their time.
Anomaly Agent brings the satisfying action of Streets of Rage, crosses it with the driving heart of Katana Zero and leaves you with just the right level of humor, story and personalization. It’s amazing in short bursts or long form play, and pick up players will have no difficulty remembering where they were or what they were doing.
Still, as a package, this title is stellar. The music is superb. I love that it’s emulating the look and feel of a Game Boy title, and the writing is delightful. I don’t think the roguelike angle meshes with the JRPG one seamlessly, but that’s on me. When the narrative is important, having to rehash plot beats is tiring. Regardless, I still recommend In Stars and Time, but not if you’re like me.
The potential is tantalizingly close to being realized. I still suggest buying but with the asterisk of a discount. I mean, I sunk 50+ hours because I do like it, but it’s just so forgettable.
Cookie Cutter is a spectacular romp, and I had a blast in my 15+ hours. It’s not reinventing the wheel or changing the definition of a Metroidvania, but it is nailing the term with gusto. The hiccups I did notice, like lack of mini-map, are easily rectified. The foundation is sturdy and makes for a session in which I have no regrets about participating. I’m worried that with the title it has, it won’t attract the audience it deserves.
It entertains, it makes you laugh, it makes you feel emotional, it just makes you love this damn franchise even more. With more content than you can possible deal with, an addictive combat system, and what’s possibly one of the best assortments of characters ever put in a video game, with their own strengths, weaknesses, fun facts and inner demons, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is impossible to dislike. Whether you decide to call it the best Yakuza game of all time is highly subjective, but it’s easily in the franchise’s upper echelon.
If you had any love for Konosuba!, then you’re going to want to pick up this game. If you’re looking for a hilarious tale that is as lewd as it is self-aware, you’ll want this game. If you were wondering if there was an anime quartet that splits the difference between Three’s Company, It’s Always Sunny, and Seinfeld, then this is your game. Love For These Clothes Of Desire might be just an excuse to create more fan service, but they created it in a damn fine way, and, in the process, have created a brand new Konosuba fan.
Let me clarify that, whilst Silent Hill: The Short Message wasn’t exactly the kind of game we were all waiting for, it’s not entirely that bad. It’s a mixed bag of a horror experience, with a story which tried to deal with some heavy personal themes (not exactly new ground for the series, mind you), only to fall short in its execution. Regardless, it’s still worth giving a shot. There is stuff to like in here, and let me reiterate the fact that it’s free, and brief. It’s not particularly a risky investment.