The Punished Backlog
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Sea of Stars brought me in with its clever gameplay, pretty worlds, and exciting battle system, but the vibes made me want to stay. The vibes compelled me to seek out secret treasures. The vibes made me seek out every possible fight with aplomb. The vibes even allowed me to overlook some of the wonkiness of the plot (and the writing). Most of all, the vibes made Sea of Stars truly stand out in an especially difficult year to do so.
Atlas Fallen is a competent action role-playing game that supports some interesting play styles with its Momentum gauge. While the story and voice acting disappoint, the stars of the show here are the sand surfing, platform navigation, and world. Serviceable as it is, however, Atlas Fallen could have been so much better. Despite some interesting mechanics, its gameplay is so generic that it never really establishes its own identity. Players can enjoy it without much complaint, but in a year of stellar titles, its competence never truly shines.
If you’re a fan of 2D Metroidvania and Souls-like games, Blasphemous 2 is a must-play. It has the best of both worlds while crafting a unique identity that expands and improves on the original Blasphemous in every way. If you just want a damn good side-scrolling action game, it’s a must-play. If you’re a fan of dark fantasy, Spanish art and architecture, religious commentary, or anything macabre… it’s also a must-play. I’ll keep this simple: It’s a must-play.
The Expanse is in excellent hands. Telltale has crafted a wonderful opening duology for its comeback story in episodes one and two. For fans of the developer’s past work, you’ll be happy to know this is a Telltale game through and through. The episodes may be briefer than in the past—at 90 minutes each so far—but they showcase some of the best writing, choices, and animations that the studio has offered to date. Gone may be the walkers and the fairy tale creatures, but The Expanse: A Telltale Series promises scavengers, politics, and even space pirates. I can’t wait to play episode three.
My first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 was a marvel: beautiful, enthralling, and bursting with content. Larian Studios has successfully created a CRPG that welcomes players who are not already part of the genre’s existing fold. An 80+ hour experience that’s gripping from start to finish, Baldur’s Gate 3 fills a vacancy that has not been truly filled since The Witcher 3. Those who are deeply familiar with D&D 5th Edition may have a heightened sensitivity to some of its shortcomings, but make no mistake: Baldur’s Gate 3 is a triumph and any fan of RPGs would do well to give it a roll.
I wanted to like Layers of Fear (2023). I leisurely traversed the haunted house (and ship) for around fifteen hours, but its horror elements never truly left the realm of abstraction. I walked away fascinated by the spaces and objects left behind by the game’s characters. They left a residue of horror. But I left frustrated by how little this residue manifested in truly terrifying, concrete, or meaningful ways.
Venba is not only an excellent video game, but a powerful sociocultural message. At one point, characters discuss how a piece of art had the potential to make a stronger impact with an audience in the way than a protest or traditional statement. Venba meets this potential, and then some. I'm hungry for more.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons succeeds in standing out from its peers with the implementation of roguelike mechanics, a stylish and deep combat system, and a wide variety of playable characters armed with unique fighting styles. However, its lack of a training mode, tutorial mode, or versus mode (all modern-day beat ’em up staples) or any real gameplay innovations makes for a somewhat quick and empty experience. Even so, the Double Dragons are back and more than capable of putting up a fight.
A major focus of games discourse in recent years has been the number of notable titles that released in an unfinished, unpolished state. Exoprimal presents the inverse of this fear, where players get a fully-polished title that fails to elicit even a modicum of delight or exhilaration. There’s nothing wrong with a campy, silly backdrop for a multiplayer title, but you have to actually make the case that shooting these MacGuffins is a better use of time than shooting a different set of MacGuffins. In the current environment for multiplayer experiences—which is far more competitive than it’s ever been for new entrants—simply working as intended can’t be enough.
OXENFREE II is another great adventure game from Night School Studios, and a worthwhile successor to OXENFREE. The game feels like the studio’s letter to its most successful title, a missive that dictates, “I’ll always love you, but I’m moving on now.” It’s an ethos that, hopefully, some of its pained characters and players can learn from.
Dave the Diver is a magical, mesmerizing, unforgettable gem. Mintrocket’s debut game isn’t just one of the best indie games of the year—it’s also quickly become one of my favorite games of the last decade. Its world is beautiful, tantalizing, and surprisingly dangerous. Dave and the cast are well-written and meticulously animated. The sushi makes me hungry every time I play. Dave the Diver more than delivers on its promise as a fun maritime adventure and role-playing game. Part salt-water exploration game, part sushi restaurant management sim, the game becomes so much more than the ocean blue aesthetic that initially meets the eye.
AEW: Fight Forever has some small issues, but there is nothing here that affects the moment-to-moment gameplay. I would like to see more varied options in the creation suite, but I look forward to the continued support and DLC for this game. This is one I can see myself putting a significant amount of time into. Fight Forever, much like AEW itself, is a welcome alternative and a damn good time.
Wildfrost is definitely worth investing in if you enjoy deck-building games. However, I wouldn't recommend it for those unfamiliar with the genre. It's too difficult for inexperienced players and could ruin a newcomer's interest. However, if you are looking for a challenging card game, Wildfrost is the perfect candidate for you. There's a lot to love about this game, and I hope that it gains popularity outside of just the deck-building community.
Street Fighter 6 introduces a versatile fighting game system that brilliantly refines mechanics introduced in previous iterations. With its innovative story mode and modern control options, it stands out from its predecessors as the most accessible Street Fighter game ever made. Add in its unique style and solid online gameplay options, and Street Fighter 6 shines bright for the series while setting the bar high for future fighting games.
Cassette Beasts succeeds as a monster fighter designed for those who grew up on Pokémon Red and Blue. While it could benefit from fewer of the mildly irritating puzzles and a story that’s slightly snappier, it’s well worth playing if you have any degree of nostalgia for Pokémon, Shin Megami Tensei, or those long childhood nights you spent playing your Game Boy into the wee hours.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is absolutely worth playing. It’s a rare game that exceeds despite several key issues, and the more I reflect on its narrative and core themes, the more impressed I find myself. Beware spoilers, and go in with zero expectations. Jedi: Survivor will win over your heart, just like it did mine.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly encourages people to think about the little ways they can make the world around them a better place, one drink at a time. It doesn't reach the same emotional crescendos as the original Coffee Talk, but it articulates its vibe so well that it might not matter. For anyone who has ever dreamed of feeling like a regular, Coffee Talk Episode 2 delivers.
SEASON: A Letter to the Future is an unforgettable story about the power of memories—how joyful it can be to make them, and how painful it can be to lose them. It has rough edges. The story asks more than it answers, and the game feels too short for a journey of its magnitude, but these flaws only confirm what I already believe—that I wish there was more of this brilliant game. Whether you’re a lover of adventure games or simply looking to lose yourself on a mystical journey, SEASON has plenty it’s willing to show you.
I’m surprised a mobile game can be this good, without reaching for the wallet. I have concerns about the battle pass, but those can wait for another day. Marvel Snap is out now, and the reality is, it’s stellar. Play it on iOS or Android, or try an early access version for PC via Steam (widescreen support is coming soon). Thanos might be bad, but this snap is damn good.
I’m embarrassed to say that I love Disney Dreamlight Valley. It is certainly the least cool new game I’ll play all year, but it’s a delight nonetheless, partially because it’s easy to play, and easy to enjoy.