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Elden Ring Nightreign does offer a new and interesting step in a different direction for FromSoftware and Bandai Namco, but I’m not exactly confident that this is the best choice. I think it’ll be an enjoyable title to mess about in with your friends, lending itself more to games like Risk of Rain with the roguelike/roguelite aspects, but as a FromSoftware game boasting the Elden Ring title, I think it’s missing the mark from what we expect from the studio.
It’s an amazing adventure that feels more like Indiana Jones than the film series has in quite some time, which is definitely an accomplishment. Absolutely pick this one up, you won’t be disappointed.
Aureole – Wings of Hope isn’t a particularly complicated game – but it doesn’t need to be. It’s built around a great idea for a simple-but-addictive platformer, and it pulls it off nearly perfectly.
It’s not a good game – and again, the voice acting and cutscenes and script are abysmal – but on the whole it’s not interesting enough to generate really strong feelings. It’s a bad game that’s also incredibly boring, which is just about the worst combination imaginable.
It’s definitely an improvement over its predecessor, but some annoying design decisions mean that it’s still not as good as it could be.
Everything about the remaster and playing Croc: Legend of the Gobbos again brings back some old nostalgia and memories, and boy does this include the music. The music is just as stellar as everywhere, even seemingly more touched up and clear. It all culminates into fantastic nostalgic packages.
Its name may evoke some of the lower points of 3D platformers from a few decades ago, but its gameplay recalls some of the better ones, and for that reason it’s worth investigating if you’re a fan of the genre.
It’s an absolute blast to play through, with impressive visuals, an appropriately metal soundtrack, and some really wild set-pieces that deserve to be seen. Absolutely pick this one up when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Really, it’s just worth playing if you want a love letter to late 2000s action games – or, I guess, if you want a time capsule from the same era that never saw the light of day due to a confluence of crazy factors. Either way, if that applies to your very specific gaming interests (and, weirdly, it does mine), then Captain Blood is a game you need to play.
As a piece of video game history, Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded is a pretty interesting time capsule. It offers a glimpse at how baseball games looked and played in the infancy of the medium – and probably gives a renewed appreciation for MLB The Show for anyone (myself included) for whom Sony’s series has felt like it’s treading water in recent years. I don’t know that Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded is necessary for anyone other than video game historians and baseball diehards, but I’m still glad it exists.
Because SpellRogue is structured and plays out in a way that’s so similar to Slay the Spire – you get three dice rolls (more if you get the right charms), you move your way up a board that features enemies, shops, havens in which to rest, and lots of random encounters –it’s hard to say that SpellRogue comes out on top when you make that obvious comparison. There’s a little too much grinding to go through for not a lot of reward, and while some people may love the challenge, it makes for a less addictive experience.
Was Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves worth the nearly two and a half decade wait? Absolutely!
Obviously, the match-3 genre isn’t known for producing a lot of innovation – unless you count finding new ways to get people addicted innovative. But Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 is a clear exception to that rule. It’s addictive, sure, but it’s also interesting, and fleshed-out, and funny. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or someone who usually can’t stand it, you owe it to yourself to check this game out.
Bionic Bay is easily one of the best games I’ve played this year. It’s a fantastic platforming experience with a super unique visual style that’s constantly throwing new puzzles and ideas at you throughout the campaign.
It’s a cozy, wholesome game about running a café and collecting weird creatures, and it’s got to be the most chill game imaginable. There are no real timers, no pressing objectives, nothing that could cause you stress in any way. It’s wonderful.
Even if there’s some good there (specifically, the artwork), that’s balanced out by design decisions that make the game a lot more annoying than it should be.
Lunar Remastered Collection is a fantastic collection of two of the greatest early ’90s RPGs to ever be released for home consoles. Even with the subtle changes that were made to the voices and some of the dialog, you will never find yourself hating your experiences with either of the games included. Definitely pick this one up if you love classic RPGs, have already experienced the world of Lunar or are looking for a pair of fantastic games that offer experiences that will stay with you for a long time.
If you’re a fan of JRPGs or looking to dip your feet in, Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Definitive release on the Switch is an excellent start and comes back boasting new features, new content, and updated quality of life to truly make it worth your while. It is an absolute gem and is a game to keep on your radar, even if the story leaves a little to be desired.
It bills itself as a mash-up of Slay the Spire and Stacklands, but it doesn’t really add anything to either of those games beyond a tribal motif.
Everyone’s specific experiences with Peppered will differ, but taken as a whole, I have to imagine that anyone who like platformers will find themselves well-rewarded by this game.