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ActRaiser Renaissance arrived at exactly the right time. It perfectly builds on everything good about the original. More importantly, it makes the the city simulation portions even more engaging by adding RTS elements.
Mary Skelter as a series is good at surprising players. In many ways, Mary Skelter Finale is something of a grand finale that takes time to review what worked for the series.
Whether you do or don’t recognize these callbacks, though, Eastward feels like a game charting its own course. Rather than the bucolic paradises of Studio Ghibli movies or the sword-swinging fantasy fare of Dragon Quest, the dominant aesthetic of the game is a sort of cutesy calamity. The apocalypse it depicts through gorgeous pixel-art graphics is vibrant, warm, and almost hospitable.
Nevertheless, we can’t help but be heartened by the progress. The Super Monkey Ball franchise has been rolling down a slope for a while now, so even a step or two back in the right direction is nice to see.
In general, Knockout Home Fitness is a handy exercise game for the Switch and fills a niche. It isn’t as intensive or potentially lengthy as, say, something like Ring Fit Adventure. Rather, it invites someone to show up every day for a few minutes to be active.
Now Death Stranding Director’s Cut is on its way to the PS5 and makes the original game less cumbersome to play, more appealing to return to, and prettier than before.
Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites features fast, bloody battles that are unfortunately hamstrung by some annoying design elements.
Lost Judgment, a follow-up to 2018’s Judgment, returns to detective Takayuki Yagami and his investigations in the shadier sides of Japanese society. And as Judgment becomes something of a franchise of its own separate from Yakuza, it’s increasingly finding its footing and learning its specialties.
Life is Strange: True Colors doesn’t deviate from the formula in any way, and in fact calls back more to the original game than before. But even though it is walking a familiar path, it does it well.
Photography games are undergoing something of a renaissance. Pokemon Snap is back with a new entry. A Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water remaster is on the way. We also have indies like Beasts of Maravilla Island and Umurangi Generation offering indie takes on the concept. Now we have Toem from Something We Made, a similar sort of game with Scandinavian roots and influences that brings yet another charming, cozy, and creative experience to the Switch.
WarioWare: Get It Together!, the latest Nintendo release, is the return of a beloved franchise. It’s got a lot of personality! It has some new ideas! But it’s polarizing and a little thin.
In short, Tales of Arise feels satisfying. It’s gorgeous to look at and the battles fun to experience. Especially since you sometimes do get that “Ah ha!” moment when the right sort of Boost Attack or Strike comes up.
Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster may initially butt up against your nostalgia if you have fond memories of the original, but over time, I really began to appreciate seeing its visuals and sound explored in creative ways.
Olympia Soiree ends up feeling awkward for many reasons. The class system, the focus on getting the heroine married and pregnant, and the information dumps get to be so much. Once you do finally get to a route, the pacing improves, but before that it is just so much to take in and process.
Here Comes Niko is the exact kind of game that speaks to people who feel intimidated by 60-hour adventures, multi-phase boss levels and narratives that spawn multiple games. Or for people who simply want to relax.
Sonic Colors Ultimate is still an entertaining modern Sonic the Hedgehog game, and this latest version feels tighter and looks sharp.
No More Heroes 3 is exactly the sort of game people would expect it to be, with challenging fights and over-the-top, outrageous ambiance.
WitchSpring3 Re:Fine isn't bad, but the Switch version doesn't feel well optimized or especially exciting compared to the mobile release.
Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a game filled with constant tension. Seeing all of those adorable children didn’t prepare me for how much fretting and consideration that would go into my every move. How a handful of bad tactical decisions can result in your tank getting blown to pieces or worse, seeing one of the main characters die permanently to save the others.
There are so many chosen ones in the world. People, animals, and now in Garden Story there’s even a grape. Each one involves doing your best to make your world a better place. And here, things feel a little more local and humble. You’re doing what you can for a community, even if that means running the same sorts of errands repeatedly.