Analog Stick Gaming
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Chickenhare and the Treasure of Spiking Beard may entertain younger gamers who are obsessed with the films, but I truly wonder how big of an audience that is. The Switch has hundreds of platformers, and dozens of those that are widely acclaimed, so choosing this over any of those would likely be a rare occurrence. The game sadly doesn't stand out or offer anything competent in its bland design. While the movies likely have some sort of personality, this brief four hour journey sadly does not.
Arc Raiders is going to continue to grow, evolve, and become a beast of its own as the team is set on providing a wealth of engaging content. Players will obviously play to what they want from it, and that means either fighting alongside some random Raiders, huddled around the elevator as threats emerge from all sides, or taking on those intent on gunning you down. Its opening barrage of maps is outstanding, and the loop is wildly addictive. Embark Studios has easily released the new measuring stick for the genre and released one of the best games of the year in the process.
The Outer Worlds 2, despite any criticism I can give it, is a more improved sequel that excels in every area except for its bland group of companions, who rarely bring anything exciting to the experience, save Aza, who is a treasure and I would die for her. The Bethesda-era formula is starting to show its age and needs some freshening up, should a third entry be in the works. Still, I rather enjoyed the main story and the vast array of choices, paths, and builds you can muster, making this a game that few will follow in the same footsteps, allowing for one truly personalized tale of space-faring hijinks.
The developers endeavored to create a new and unique experience that would cleanse the palate of older fans of the Silent Hill franchise and even entice newcomers to join in on the horror. Its representation of 1960s Japan is beautifully and hauntingly brought to life by a series of great characters, strong voice acting, and, of course, the atmosphere a game titled Silent Hill demands. It certainly is a different experience from what has come before, but ultimately succeeds in delivering a journey that follows the tropes the Silent Hill series is known for while additionally gripping our hands through our controllers and feverishly pulling us through new and horrific nightmares.
Fast and Furious Arcade is a wild ride that brings the best qualities of Cruis'n Blast to a vehicle-centric film franchise. While more could have been done to honor the films, or even properly represent them, as well as adding new levels or more cars, Fast and Furious Arcade is still incredibly engaging and feels great to play. I just wish there were more here to keep my interest beyond a few days.
With four-player co-op, a competent track builder, and a great feel to its gameplay, Hot Wheels Let's Race Ultimate Speed is a solid racer with a “Kart Racer” feel. Fans of the show, or the genre in general, will find a lot to like here. That said, one question still remains: who gave these kids their driver's license?
Painkiller is an odd example of reimaging a series, given it isn’t connected to the original game or featuring any of the characters or structure of the original. This is a co-op roguelite shooter that lacks true replayability and a desire to stick with it. Co-op is a blast, even with rando’s, but much of that satisfaction comes from our love of other games. Despite some incredible gunplay, level design, and a stunning soundtrack, Painkiller has a lot of work ahead to be part of the conversation down the road. It can certainly provide a great time, but it’s a brief spark that can’t keep the flame lit.
Bye Sweet Carole has all the hallmarks of classic adventure games and the countless point and click games of the past. It handles horror in such a unique way due to its Disney-like presentation, and frankly, the whole experience feels like a truly interactive animated film. While the gameplay can be a bit uneven at times, Bye Sweet Carole is nonetheless a fascinating experience that looks incredible, sounds incredible, and has a truly memorable, yet tragic story, about an era where women were vastly under appreciated.
Ball x Pit is without question the surprise hit of the year, a title that came so far out of left field and is so wacky that of course Devolver Digital is its publisher. Their golden touch yet again has found a game so fun, so addictive, that it is easily a contender for my personal Game of the Year. When a game is on your mind every hour of day, even when you are focused on an entirely different game, then you've certainly done something right.
I still appreciate that Just Dance is still around, but the year after year installments do little to excite when you really are just updating the game rather than buying something shiny and new. Just Dance is in dire need of a complete reinvention, from a ground-level UI upgrade to its deeper catalog finally being added. Just Dance 2026 is fine, but it’s barely Just Enough.
Battlefield 6 had a lot to prove, especially as it’s been the only franchise to really go toe to toe with Call of Duty. The initial sales of Battlefield 6 certainly show promise, and with a Battle Royale mode to drop at some point in the future, there is a lot to be hopeful for here. With a fairly decent campaign and a stellar multiplayer suite, Battlefield 6 is the best it’s been in nearly a decade, and as a fan of the franchise, I’m excited to finally like a Battlefield game again.
When it comes down to it, I’m new to this franchise, but I would recommend EA Sports FC 26 to any new players interested in diving into the football world and long-time fans alike. Ultimately, it does a great job of letting you live out a fantasy, and most importantly, it’s fun where it matters — on the pitch.
Absolum, regardless of its somewhat bland world and story, has everything else extremely locked down, including a fantastic soundtrack that features the likes of Mick Gordon and many other talented folk. Still, the title's incredibly strong gameplay and eye-catching visuals, along with its co-op nature, make this an absolute easy recommendation on those things alone. Whether local or online, Absolum is a visually stunning Beat’em Up that almost lands that perfect punch.
Yooka-Replaylee is a solid platformer, even if it does feel like some of its original vision has been dissected away in favor of improving the overall feel of the game. With the conveniences of a map, fast travel, and better controls, some of the original’s flaws can creep up, but honestly, they rarely got in the way. While it is certainly not looking to compete with the platformers of today, I still love that Playtonic spent the time to improve a game they were so deeply passionate about.
Supermassive Games may have nailed what made the first two games so beloved, but it feels like a safe road they’ve traveled here as opposed to taking some risks to mark their own stamp on the game. Still, fans of the original games may certainly find a solid time here, as some puzzles and encounters are quite nicely handled here, despite few changes to the formula to really justify the need for a new entry.
I have loved my time spent in Digimon Story: Time Stranger. It was a fun JRPG that was built with love and care that really showed and was felt wherever you and your partners bravely adventured. I honestly will recommend this title to anyone who loves JRPGs, monster friend themes, and generally anyone who will listen. Please give it a shot, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I and my newfound digifriends have!
Trails in the Sky is truly fantastic, paving the way to the moments I adore across the series. This remake is easily one of the best in years, as while it brings new mechanics and systems to help modernize a now 20-year-old game, it maintains its essence almost perfectly. If you were holding out on the series due to the history and baggage that is found in the later games, this is hands down the way to do it. With a teaser trailer of its next entry to view once the credits roll, I am beyond pumped to continue this adventure with Estelle and Joshua, and everyone else I adore.
I wish I could say that the general combat and experience here is sound, but with how the levels are constructed, and the reuse of almost entire environments to fill out four levels per location, it’s hard to really see much value here in what the studio has put together. I like the cutscenes and the teaming up of these characters, even hinting they have joined forces before, but are not sure where, but the gameplay around all of this is the same ten minutes over and over again to make up a roughly six-hour adventure. With a lack of variety to shake things up and a fairly disappointing roster of characters, it simply rolls low and takes the damage.
Borderlands 4 nails everything that a Borderlands sequel should. The story is excellent with a lot to look forward to via DLC, and the cast of characters, including your Vault Hunter, contribute to much of that story, in really engaging ways. With some great writing, solid humor, without going overboard, it causes the rest of the package to really shine. Combat is constantly engaging, the unique biomes offer a ton to explore, and with the endgame systems in place, there is a good amount to tackle while additional content is rolled out.
While this is a whole entry in the series, it is very much self-contained, as Rias and Slade are new to the series. While this is a good jumping-on point, I still recommend the other games, especially the Ryza titles, as those are just vastly better experiences with more interesting characters, better visuals, and a far more engaging story. As it is, this title is a poor attempt at pushing the series forward and a hard game to recommend.