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Dave the Diver: In the Jungle offers more of what made the original game so enjoyable, while once again finding ways to keep the experience feeling fresh. The new turn-based combat sections are a welcome addition to the already diverse range of gameplay styles, proving once again that Mintrocket knows exactly how to blend different genres into a cohesive and entertaining experience. The story may not break much new ground, but it remains enjoyable from start to finish thanks to its charming cast of characters, entertaining cameos, and humorous dialogue.
Arc System Works played it a little safe with the usual roguelite difficulty curve in River City Saga: Journey to the West to avoid alienating its core Kunio-kun fanbase. Normally, that sounds like a recipe for trouble. This time, however, sitting somewhere in the middle actually works. Combining 80 Secret Skills to shape your favourite Kunio-kun character creates a roguelite comfort game that is fast, snappy and enjoyable, even if it never sets the gaming world on fire.
Gobliiins Collection brings a piece of gaming history to modern platforms—one that every point-and-click enthusiast should experience. It is just unfortunate that the collection suffers from a number of minor issues that can occasionally detract from the overall experience. The extras included are simply too limited and left me wanting more. So, should you avoid this collection? Not really. Despite its shortcomings, you are still getting five games that each offer around ten hours of gameplay for roughly 25 euros or dollars. Just keep in mind that it is not always the smoothest ride.
If one game in my reviewing career has left me divided, it is Haunted Lands. The vibe, graphics and setting, much taken from its source of inspiration Dangerous Dave and the Haunted Mansion, all speak to me. But the game seems to think it's too cool for casuals like me. It deliberately throws up a difficulty and accessibility wall to keep out the plebs, like a bouncer at an exclusive members-only club. It may well be the highest score I've ever given to a game that I personally struggled to enjoy. Yet despite that, I can clearly see its appeal to others. And to be honest, I'm perfectly fine with that. Haunted Lands is made for a niche crowd, the kind of players who are willing to get chewed up and spit out, only to stand back up and do it all over again.
Once you start replaying the original R-Type III, you run into the glaring differences in sprite sizes, hitboxes and projectile speeds that make this version, while visually beautifully done, almost impossible to play. R-Type Dimensions III might as well have been called R-Type III: Ultra Hard Edition, and if you are a veteran of the game who relies on muscle memory, you will surely be put off by the sheer differences in these areas. At the same time, it is too steep a mountain to climb for newcomers to the series. The net result is that the original SNES game, while still hard, is much better balanced and ultimately the better version to play.
The biggest sticking point may ultimately be the launch price of €24.99. That is a steep ask for what is, at its core, a fairly short and niche retro release. Even longtime fans may hesitate before pulling the trigger. As mentioned, Clouded Leopard deserves credit for the production values and the amount of bonus material included, but the core game is over before you know it. That makes the asking price difficult to fully justify.
While Fallen Tears: Ascension isn’t turning the Metroidvania genre upside down, it does introduce a few ideas that make it feel fresh enough. It doesn’t rely on modern additions like card systems or, God forbid, roguelite elements. Instead, it confidently sticks to its core as a Metroidvania, backed by strong visual and audio design, resulting in a polished experience with enough depth to keep you engaged for quite some time.
While Legacy of Kain: Ascendance tries to explore shifting visual styles and maintains the series’ focus on narrative, the actual gameplay feels like an afterthought. The stage design is lacklustre, and the combat system is too basic, showing little to no evolution throughout the playthrough. Above all, it is over before you know it.
Minishoot is an endearing and successful effort to combine the 2D action-adventure qualities of classic Zelda games with twin-stick shmup action, packaged in a visually inoffensive and low-key 2D presentation. It even manages to create a sense of narrative around a cast made up entirely of sentient shmup-style spaceships. While that may sound like the setup to a joke, it all comes together surprisingly well, leaving you with a grin on your face rather than tears in your eyes or sweat on your forehead. The twin-stick shooting blends seamlessly into the game world, and once you start playing, it feels so natural that you begin to wonder why it hasn’t been explored like this before.
If you are a fan of Boulder Dash’s legacy, 40th Anniversary delivers what you would expect from a release like this. The new levels offer a more accessible take on the formula, while the original games remain largely intact for those who prefer the classic experience with add accessibility features. Visually, it is unlikely to impress, but it serves the gameplay well and preserves what makes Boulder Dash work in general. What matters most is that the game delivers on features and is overloaded with content, things that actually matter. - Played and reviewed on XBox Series X
It feels a bit harsh to critique the developer for staying true to the source material, keeping the gameplay intact while adding modern graphics. However, this approach magnified some holes in the 1988 original: the lack of animation, the mundane backgrounds and the not-so-great controls. The execution of the remastering lacks as well. Some bugs are introduced along with some inconsistenties that feels like the final blow for this remake. In the end the result is.that the game is more accessible for casual gamers, but also takes you along a series of problems that, especially with the nostalgia stripped a way, makes this feel like an untested beta-product.
Roguelite fans will likely get some mileage out of Clawpunk, though the difficulty curve starts steep and flattens out fairly quickly, which may not satisfy more hardcore players. It ends up sitting somewhere in between, neither fully casual nor deeply demanding. Still, it remains a fair and thoughtful attempt at putting a fresh spin on the roguelite formula.
If you’re looking for a simple, short, but enjoyable point-and-click adventure, Shadows of the Afterland is worth a look. The game features some strong environments and appealing visuals, but its storytelling lacks depth and the puzzles are fairly straightforward. Still, if you have four to five spare hours and are looking for a modestly priced experience, it offers a decent amount of fun.
QUByte has put together four very different ports of a cult arcade kart racer that, in some versions more than others, have stood the test of time. With its more involved controls and car mannerisms, it takes a fair amount of investment to get into, but that effort is rewarded with tight and engaging racing, albeit when compared to other racing games of the time. This holds true across all ports, even the almost eye-straining and barely watchable Game Boy version.
Montezuma's Revenge's archaic 'flash game' look and production feels more in place somewhere in the early 2000's than 2025, which weird to say about a release that is supposed to celebrate and revive an 40 year-old franchise. That said, it meticulously stuck to the original mechanics and character behaviour making it at least authentic while playing, which should trigger veteran players muscle memory quite easily. The big question for fans is if they would rather play this production or search out the originals, which would be a choice between ease of play or the authentic nostalgia with some of the quirks of a mid eighties video game.
R-Type Delta HD Boosted feels like a obligatory act of preservation out of capitalism than a celebration of a cult classic of the Playstation 1 era. It does what it needs to do and not a lick more. The upscaling settings and button mappings are about the only configuration that has been tinkered with in the probably open source emulation framework they've chosen. There is no additional features te speak off or leaderboards to take on other players. The game it self is left to its own devices, which it still, after 30 odd years, does remarkably well. Both in terms of gameplay and looks. Those who are in for a thoughtful, deep horizontal shooter should not pass up on it but at the same time will be disappointed that it isn't presented with much more style and fanfare.
In a very competitive niche market Sonic Wings REUNION fails to bring anything substantially different to the table. It offers a wide range of characters and the option to mix and match special attacks, but overall it plays like a Psikyo shooter with lesser challenge and similar visual presentation. On the other hand it is more accessible than much of the competition, which makes Sonic Wings REUNION a suitable entry point for players new to the shmup genre.
While, as an F1 fan, I admire the attention to detail that went into faithfully cramming seven decades of F1 racing into an enjoyable unlicensed arcade racing game, the framerate, dynamic resolution, and color hue issues make this a port to avoid if you have the option to play on more powerful platforms. Nothing suggests why a Switch port should be so difficult to pull off with its cartoonish, Micro Machines-like look, but the conclusion is that 3DClouds, or the party responsible for the port, has failed to do so. As for this version, it’s knocked out of Q1 due to technical issues and the stiff competition in the crowded retro arcade racing genre.
Digital Eclipse, again, did what it does best, by combining great production, a profound interactive timeline and a greatly curated set of Mortal Kombat games. It’s a near triple-flawless victory. Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection celebrates every era of the series with the same punch and personality that made it legendary, blending gameplay and documentary storytelling into one cohesive experience. If Digital Eclipse can patch in the few missing ports and expand on Mortal Kombat 4 (maybe even add Mortal Kombat Gold) this could easily become the first collection of its kind worthy of a perfect 10 out of 10.
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Video Game 8-Bit is a remarkable accomplishment as a genuine NES platformer, especially with a physical release for original hardware on the horizon. The platforming is tight and responsive, packed with clever nods to Mega Man and Sunsoft NES classics. Each level ties neatly into some of the Nerd’s most memorable episodes, while the FMV segments and energetic soundtrack give the game plenty of personality. In trying to make the experience more accessible, however, the assist features break the balance, softening what is otherwise solid. Apart from that it is a very decent homage to the best the NES era had to offer.