Kakuchopurei
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While Baldur's Gate 3 has its issues (what game doesn't?), it definitely deserves all the praise it's been getting and then some. Although it launched in a packed year (The Legend Of Zelda Tears Of The Kingdom, Final Fantasy 16, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Dead Space Remake, Hi-Fi Rush), Larian Studios' latest effort is a strong GOTY 2023 contender.
Blasphemous 2 is a lovely search action game made for anyone who wants a challenge, an R-rated experience, and a good mix of combat and exploration. For veterans, this sequel fixes a few of the problems from the first game so that it seems less cheap and buggy.
Shadow Gambit The Cursed Crew is one of the best strategy games of 2023 so far. It's a delightful experience that requires patience to enjoy. For fans of the stealth strategy genre, this game is a must-play, especially the unique save-scumming mechanic that distinguishes the game from other titles in the same genre.
In wrapping up, Turbo Overkill delivers a distinctive fusion of humour, breakneck action, and imaginative gameplay mechanics for a boomer shooter. While this throwback FPS boasts numerous strengths including its concept, humour, and visual flair, it doesn't come without certain challenges, particularly in terms of level design, controls, and potential spikes in difficulty.
Batterystaple Games took up the responsibility to create a loving tribute to the Mega Man X series and adds a new spin on things to make the game challenging and highly replayable for hardcore fans of the genre. Fans of the archetype 2D run-and-gun power-up filled charged Mega Buster action title can stop praying for a Mega Man X follow-up. 30XX is essentially that and a bag of Nuts.
For the low price of US$14.99, you could do worst [than this indie mecha title] and it'll at least sate your jollies if for a few hours.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons' roguelike structure might take a while to get used to, and the game can get absurdly tough in Mission 3 and onward. And it'll take you a while to get used to each character's recovery animations as it's purposely made like this to make you think twice before you button mash. Still, you won't find a worthy remake and beat-em-up revitalization project like this "side story" filled with so many deep cuts that will make beat-em-up fans of the Technos era smile.
Dlala Studios aims to recapture that [90s 2D platforming] magic with its new Nintendo Switch-exclusive title, and succeeds on all fronts. Disney's Illusion Island is a feel-good all-ages search action fare that four people (or less) can really enjoy. From its pleasing aesthetics and whimsical music to its fun-if-familiar platforming and lovely controls, along with some post-game replayability and challenges, it's safe to say that this title might start a possible return of 90s Disney game platforming and action.
If you love imaginative brainteasers involving photographs and optical illusions but in immersive first-person video game form, you'll have a picture-perfect time with Viewfinder.
Park Beyond may have lightyears ahead with its impossification mechanic, but other features and bugs encountered made it not worth the while of spending hours sinking in the game.
Ghost Trick: Detective Phantom is one of those rare gems that shows you standalone games can exist, and you don't need follow-ups. It's rewarding. It's fun. And they've got a cute darn pomeranian trying to protect its owner with its life. What's not to like about it?
Final Fantasy 16 is a stellar and noteworthy entry in the series that's just as impactful as Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 7's debut back in their respective heydays. And that is not a statement I make lightly.
Tears of the Kingdom is just like Breath of the Wild, but better. The sequel adds more than enough to be a completely new experience, but familiar enough to feel like coming back to an old friend. The new abilities are an absolute technical feat, adding countless hours of creativity and innovation unlike any other title in this genre — even if the hardware constraints of the Nintendo Switch leave room for improvement.
It really goes without saying that Street Fighter 6 launch edition is a million times better than Street Fighter 5's, but that's way too low a bar to surpass. [Y]ou're looking at the best version of the 2D fighting series that made the genre exist in the first place that's also going to keep you busy whether you're offline or online.
[Diablo 4] looks and feels great to play, it's full of content without being way too overburdened with systems and age-old mechanics, it's accessible but also gets really hard and challenging for action RPG standards, and it's really great with more people in your party, with a good amount of classes to play around with and tailor to your playstyle. A highly-polished loot-filled gateway drug for newbies and veterans alike; not terribly innovative but incredibly fun to get into.
Planet Of Lana is one of the best indie titles so far in 2023. It's epic, cinematic, responsive and can be completed in less than five hours, though this can be a con as well.
Miasma Chronicles is The Bearded Ladies' third XCOM-like game set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and it's arguably their best one yet. It has lots of flaws, but many of those can be fixed with future patches. The developer continued to improve their mastery with the niche gameplay combo of tactical turn-based strategy mixed with stealth, and this game is an example of that. It's still worth playing in spite of being hampered by the weight of its ambition.
[Convergence is] fast, frenetic, fun, well thought-out, and has slick controls. Apart from some screen positional & focal point issues (along with some default difficulty issues), everything else about publisher Riot Forge's first foray into segmented 2D platforming with time-bending mechanics is golden.
It's honestly a miracle that a title like Humanity is published in the current gaming landscape. It's got enough of a budget not to be classified as an indie title, yet it isn't a triple-A type title. At the end of the day though, we do need titles like Humanity to let us chill and solve its many, MANY puzzles and visual abstractness while the off-kilter croonings of composer Jemapur enthralls you. It's not for everyone, but you will not forget most of what Humanity has to offer.
Whether you're playing it for its puzzle or story, both elements shine when it comes to Rogue Sun’s latest entry, Tin Hearts.