The Thirsty Mage
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Blending modern pixel art with classic turn-based combat is the team at So Romantic, developers of the new and exciting game, Jack Move. The short but impressive title does a terrific job of providing a safe and familiar turn-based experience with a warm and heartfelt story.
Even though many of the design decisions left me scratching my head, ultimately my takeaway is that Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling Into Darkness is a satisfying experience for fans of survival style video games.
The final pull of the trigger is a satisfying one, but I’m definitely not ready to ride off into the sunset. Hard West 2 hits the bullseye on creating a fun and infatuating strategic RPG experience and I look forward to saddling up on whatever the team from Ice Code games has for us next.
Like the Almighty Thor, Uchikoshi managed to wrestle another bolt of lightning into a jar that not only lived up to lofty expectations, but perhaps even surpassed them.
The main story of Yurkill can be completed in a very enjoyable 10 hour span. Some of the dialogue can go on a little long but otherwise the pacing of the story beats drop at a decent rate. As a visual novel, Yurukill is an easy recommendation.
The sweat and tears exerted by the single individual development team can be felt throughout the experience that gets much more mileage than meets the eye. The fast paced twin-stick platformer doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to roguelikes but it’s a game that will definitely appeal to fans of the genre.
It is less about being a “good” game and more about being an enjoyable and playful reflection on gaming’s past while serving as a self-reflective parody of the interaction between players and developers. The interaction between the developer and the player in tERRORbane is messy, combative, and antagonistic, but it is also thoughtful, concerned, and culminates as a unique bond. tERRORbane knows what it wants to be and defies convention to be an utterly unique experience.
For a game created by just three people, Fixfox really does sparkle in so many ways. The pixel graphics are warm and beautiful, and the western themed soundtrack really captures the essence of the wholesome adventure. The story is a wonderfully written tale but the open world also has enough character for those who just want to take a look around. If you’re looking for an experience that’s comparable to drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies, this is it.
The biggest takeaway from my playthrough of The Ascent definitely has to be the amount of polish that went into the game. The Neon Giant team is made up of a number of AAA developer veterans and it really does show in the final product. The experience is fairly similar between the Xbox and PlayStation versions though the extra immersion via the DualSense controller makes this the definitive version of the game.
Young Souls is definitely a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy playing games like Final Fight or Streets of Rage. Finishing up at around 12 hours seems like the perfect amount of time for a game of this nature. Long enough to experiment with different weapons and load ups but not overstaying its welcome. Young Souls is an impressive success and I look forward to what the future may hold for this up and coming indie development tandem.
Royal Frontier has the foundation for a capable rogue-like but ultimately doesn’t do enough with its formula. It has the road map for a fulfilling journey, but it doesn’t provide enough interesting stops along the way to provide a reason to make the trip more than once. It isn’t a bad journey, but it isn’t one worth boasting about in the tavern at the end.
Taro follows in the footsteps of Shakespeare by following his masterful comedy with a breath-taking tragedy.
The amazing thing about these moment to moment battles is that they always end in euphoria and rarely cause fatigue. The sense of victory that comes from figuring out the next location to explore or that final blow on a boss always provides a boost of energy before the next challenge. In every way possible, Monark succeeds in providing an amazing experience that always keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Between the cute graphics, enjoyable platforming, and terrific soundtrack, Grapple Dog is a great first offer from Super Rare Games and matches the spirit that the company projects with its selections of indie games.
Rise of the Third Power succeeds in both presenting a combat system that’s worth exploring, and a group of characters worth getting emotionally invested in.
Despite some dated design elements that could have used a few modern adjustments, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is as playable and engaging today as it was when it was released in 2003. The core gameplay mechanics still work well with the excellent world-building and storytelling, and being able to play a classic in handheld mode makes it an attractive purchase on the Nintendo Switch.
At the end of the day, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a solid effort despite its flaws.
Yomi, the labyrinth itself, is the star of this game. Intricately-designed, the labyrinth is a sprawling, deadly complex with plenty of mysteries propelled by an intriguing narrative that will keep players hooked.
Backbone sells itself as a new kind of point-and-click adventure that includes dialogue choices and some light stealth mechanics. It does technically have these, but whether they help Backbone stand out over traditional games in the genre is a matter of debate. The main attraction here is definitely the masterful pixel art design that is head and shoulders above the crowd.
Shadow Corridor is a low-budget, digital haunted house experience that delivers exactly what it promises and is good for a night of spooky fun as a novelty experience. It’s thrills might not be enough to sustain the experience past the first few levels, but the experience provided by the early portion of the game might be worth the low price of entry alone.