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There is a glimmer of a diamond in Predator: Hunting Grounds, but it is surrounded by a lot of rough. The game is a lot of fun when you're playing with friends or even a well-coordinated group as the Fireteam, but balance issues with how the Predator can actually hunt the team or how the Fireteam can respond to an ill-equipped Predator truly keep it in a rough place as an asymmetrical multiplayer title. It has great ideas at its core but the execution at this stage isn't working, and with fine-tuning, it could be top tier.
If you're looking for some charming brain teasers and puzzles to distract you from the current goings-on, give Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy a try.
At its very best, Sakura Wars made me feel like I was playing through a top-tier shonen or seinen anime, and while the lows certainly exist, they are infrequent and inconsequential enough to the core experience that it makes it easy for me to recommend the game to anyone with a passing interest. While it might be mechanically lacking in some aspects, it smooths over those rough edges with a ton of heart, and I'll always take an ambitious game that sometimes fails to reach the heights it strives for over a boring, middle-of-the-road title.
XCOM: Chimera Squad is by no means perfect, but a lot of what made my experience with it frustrating are the sort of things that are likely to get patched at some point in the future. Still, the vibrant worldbuilding and refreshed combat and strategy layer make for an exceedingly delightful time, and it's hard not to recommend folks at least give it a shot if they've ever been interested in strategy games.
If you've never played Trials of Mana, you might consider checking out the Collection of Mana released last year for the Nintendo Switch. The collection allows you to play the entire Seiken Densetsu trilogy in their original 2D glory. This remake does recreate the world of Trials with a wondrous, effervescent glow, but that doesn't make up for the clumsy presentation. If you've played the game before and are fond of it, or don't mind the remake's storytelling style, this may be an interesting means of seeing the game in a new light. The combat is fun even if the progression system hamstrings it early on, but the update does more to hold the game back than to breathe new life into it.
With tons of playable characters, great changes to its core fighting, and lots of things to do for those who want to dive in, My Hero One's Justice 2 is a sequel that goes beyond Plus Ultra. It's more for fans than fighters, but the overall experience is welcoming to anyone who wants to throw down in the hero world.
Persona 5 Royal truly captures all the promise of the original while adding so much more to the mix, and is easily one of the most rewarding, captivating, and enjoyable gaming experiences I've had in some time. Few games have ever hooked me as much as Persona 5 Royal, and if you weren't sold the first time around, do yourself a favor and give Royal a chance to floor you, because it most certainly will.
Multiplayer experiments aside, Resident Evil 3 itself should delight anyone who's playing it for the first time or those who already know its story inside and out. It's easier than ever to become immersed in Raccoon City and Resident Evil mechanics have never felt as fluid as they do in this game. Resident Evil 3 proves that Resident Evil 2 wasn't just a one-off success of a remake and shows that Capcom has a winning formula on its hands.
Vitamin Connection is the kind of unique game that only comes around so often. With its quirky visuals, amazing soundtrack and fun gameplay, Vitamin Connection is charming in a way that few other games can truly manage. Some of the Sub-Games don't fit the concept as well as the others, and the claw can be a bit frustrating at times, but the game's overall package is truly something special. Nintendo Switch owners in need of something bright, cheery, and cathartic would do well to check this one out.
Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to recommend a game like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team GX to anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to kill. After all, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series was the perfect sort of game to help kids pass 30 minutes on a school bus. But, these aren't normal times and a lot of people have recently found themselves stuck indoors with a bunch of extra time on their hands. If you've burned out on Pokemon Sword and Shield and are looking for a not-too-challenging experience to help get through self-isolation and social distancing, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team GX might be the sort of game you need. It plays on nostalgia of the past and the general adorableness of the Pokemon franchise, and it's not the worst way to spend a boring afternoon.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus feels like one of those games that will get better with time, as the rough bits get smoothed over with future patches, but as it stands, it's only "pretty good" rather than "great." Thankfully, the core gameplay is actually a lot of fun, and punching folks feels and looks good with creative characters front and center. It's better than "fine," but just misses out on being a real champion of a fighting video game.
Dreams seems like a niche game from a first glance, but it's impossible to truly appreciate what it has to offer until you see what it has to offer yourself. It feels like an arcade with unlimited plays for everyone and a museum encompassing every interest all wrapped into one game. Whether you're there to build or just to look around, Dreams isn't a game to miss.
Compilations are hard to judge. No matter what the collection, some games will invariably be more enjoyable over others. That said, regardless of individual quality, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is a well-made compilation that will definitely appeal to long-time series fans. With its tight gameplay, gorgeous graphics, terrific music, and a number of customization options, there's a lot for players to enjoy. At the end of the day, it's hard to say whether or not the collection will appeal to newcomers. The steep difficulty and overly complicated storylines are definitely a hurdle to overcome. It's hard to recommend this collection over any of the previous Mega Man Legacy Collections, but for players craving more blue bomber, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is worth overcoming those hurdles. Now, bring on Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, Capcom!
Despite those nitpicks, this a winning formula, and while those looking for an Oscar-worthy narrative or genre-defining mechanics might not be satisfied, those looking for a rewarding, addictive, and above all fun rollercoaster ride will be over the moon. Sniping zombies has never been more fun.
Does that mean Kakarot is worth playing all the way through if you already know Dragon Ball Z? It's impossible personally to speak from the perspective of someone who's new to the material, but as someone who holds the series in high regard, Kakarot is worth the experience, even if it's tedious at times. It's best broken up into multiple play sessions, just as the game provides intermissions as opposed to barreling through the story to avoid getting burnt out. Even if it doesn't get everything right, it's a tremendous effort and will hopefully pave the way for more innovative Dragon Ball Z experiences.
Journey to the Savage Planet is a layered and searing portrait of colonialism that will make you laugh throughout, and it plays so much more like an off-the-wall N64 RPG with updated graphics than any of the adventurous space epics on the shelf today. That's to say it's confident in its absurdity and knows that "groundbreaking" and "fun" don't have to go hand-in-hand. It's hard not to enjoy the time you'll spend on AR-Y 26.
Greedfall presents a compelling tale of political intrigue and hard choices and, coupled with its addictive combat and entertaining dialogue, it definitely makes a strong case for your time. It is a bit less refined than some of its contemporaries, however, and some will find it hard to ignore the reused textures and less than stellar graphics. That said, for those who look a bit beneath the surface, they'll find a unique world and a roster of rich characters that surprise you at every turn, and, if that sounds like a win, you should definitely give Greedfall a try.
While the overall presentation is limited with uninspired level visuals and color — which is expected from this series — there's just no argument of how much fun it is to take down Ghouls. Clearing out rooms and fighting off waves just feels satisfying, and there's plenty more of that kind of satisfaction with unlockable characters and levels. It's going to be fun even to those unfamiliar with the source material, but those hoping to see and experience more from Tokyo Ghoul itself might find it lacking.
Arise: A Simple Story lives up to its namesake, telling a captivating tale full of charm and heartbreak that hit me right in the feels. It's an experience I won't forget anytime soon, and while there are a few flaws, they cannot outweigh what a meaningful experience this turned out to be, and I couldn't recommend it more.
The mini-game portions of Shenmue III were by far the most enjoyable. Whether it's chopping wood for a paycheck, playing the arcade games, or training, these experiences were the most fun, and they do actually help you get lost in the world of Shenmue. That world and its quirky characters are delightful in their own way, but design and dialogue shortcomings are just too much for those elements to overcome. You'll enjoy the thought of Shenmue III more than actually playing it, and, unfortunately, the nostalgia won't be enough to keep you hooked.