Analog Stick Gaming
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Cairn reaches not only the peak of its genre but the peak of gaming itself. Built on top of the foundation of climbing is one of the most beautiful, transformative experiences I’ve ever had in life, not just gaming.
I quite enjoyed I Hate This Place and found the gameplay loop to be solid. While the story elements waver in their quality, the world built here is engaging and rich with detail. While Elena may not want to return to the ranch any time soon, I could easily see a sequel that really digs into some more of this wonderfully crafted world.
Philna Fantasy has a lot going for it. The progression systems are great, and really allow you to customize your character and tailor them to what you want from them. The game has plenty of environments to venture through, bosses to defeat, and a solid combat system to devour. However, part of what makes a good RPG is its story, its cast of characters, and an engaging reason for your hero to take on this journey, and sadly, Philna Fantasy suffers the most in these crucial categories.
While I was drawn in by the peaceful/educational premise of Ancient Farm, the pinnacle of what can be experienced and subsequently enjoyed is too quickly achieved. In the face of this, though, the developers do give me hope with their active hands on approach, and perhaps in the future, could add more to the game. Until then, I will play Ancient Farm as a way to relax for a bit after a stressful day, taking in captivating Egyptian scenery.
Despite some poor choices and an unreliable mechanic, not to mention the annoyance that are the tremors, I still had a great time with Memories from Orbit, basking in its gorgeous visuals and memorable characters, and consider it as one of the better Metroidvania titles in years. That said, its issues are wildly apparent, and while they could be patched in the future, the title at launch is what it is, a fantastic game held back by some severe accessibility roadblocks.
I am Future is exactly what it says on the tin, it is a cozy apocalypse survival game, and is a nice alternative to what we usually see. It isn't always engaging, but the bright visuals, comfy music, and charm do a lot of heavy lifting here, making this one rooftop party worth attending.
So'lek's journey is a deeply personal one, one that feels incredibly well told with a great respect for the source material. It certainly helps to have seen the last two films, but it certainly doesn't lessen the experience in significant ways if you've yet to watch them. From the Ashes provides a very similar feel to the base game, with unfortunately little to really have it truly stand alone. So'lek's journey is wonderful, but it colors inside the lines of the original just a bit too much.
Trails Beyond the Horizon is a solid sequel to a saga that showed great potential in its first outing. The stakes are wildly impressive and goes places I simply didn’t see the series reaching. While the non-critical elements of the story do drag on, with several pointless and boring side quests, the core narrative told across three different paths, each with several of the series’ best characters, results in a climactic finale that shows why this series is one of the best JRPG’s out there.
Is Tormented Souls 2 the perfect game? Absolutely not. The beginning months of its release were a little rocky, technologically speaking, in terms of game-halting bugs and occasional awkward camera transitions, etc. Does that make it terrible? Not in the slightest. TS2 was a great horror experience that I got willingly sunk and immersed into for sometimes hours at a time.
While the Terrifier series has a massive cult following, I don't see the game having the same treatment. It is surprisingly shallow and feels as if no testing was done to have some balance to its difficulty. While playing with friends does soften some of the issues, there are just better games in the genre that provide far more variety than what they give you here. Terrifier: The ARTcade Game may have had great intentions to provide a fun game for its audience, but it simply falls flat and feels like a quick-to-market licensed game that doesn't do the film franchise any favors.
While Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, on the Nintendo Switch, is a jaw-dropping visual feast that runs incredibly well on the hardware, even in portable play, the foundation the game is built on is anything but a Metroid game. In many ways, this feels like a mediocre Halo game starring our beloved bounty hunter, Samus Aran. What suffers the most is the very linear nature of the game, the vast open desert that feels wasted, and the lack of anything that really cements itself as the originator of a beloved genre. Extremely disappointed.
While I had my expectations in check, given the scope of what Legends ZA would offer, I was ultimately let down in a big way here. The Switch 2 version certainly provides some solid performance with the sharpest visuals the series has seen, but apart from an interesting battle system, everything else ZA tries to do is met with absolute failure. From boring side quests to a narrative loop that lasts far too long, and one of the most underwhelming finales across the franchise, ZA is simply boring and feels like filler until the next main entry.
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is a visually good-looking game, and there is a lot here that feels at home with the license. It's just a shame Legacy of Shadow is as barebones as we see with most VR titles. There is always some interesting hook that has a game built around it, but Legacy of Shadow lacks a hook to lay the foundation. The subtle nicking of items is fun, but a game built around this beloved license simply deserved more.
For players who enjoy chaotic action, challenging roguelite gameplay, and replay-driven progression, CLAWPUNK is a standout indie title. While its steep difficulty curve may not appeal to everyone, those who embrace its style will find a ferocious, synth-driven experience that’s hard to put down.
CloverPit is a fun luck-based rogue-lite that requires strategies and careful planning to be able to beat. It is easy to pick up, and the quick attempts make for a fast and fun experience that many can enjoy. If you enjoy rogue-lite style games, I would recommend giving it a try, to see if you can get out of a hell of your own making.
If you are craving a cute and whimsical fairytale to play, I urge you to give Princess of the Lillies a chance. Aside from the frustration of the difficulty spike and screen movement, I loved this storybook adventure. I really feel that developer Whyknot has created something really special here, and I am eager to see what they might create in the future!
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds has a lot going for it despite its pretty shallow portal mechanic. There is a huge roster of characters, a nice variety of tracks, to a robust customization system that can work in your favor. It isn't revolutionary by any means, but it certainly is a great alternative to the likes of Mario Kart, or even Nickelodeon’s own kart racer.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is an easy recommendation to fans of the genre and the characters themselves. While additional characters being added via DLC is in a “wait and see” approach, according to Tribute, I can just imagine what could be added to a game that uses its roster in fun ways. Cosmic Invasion is incredibly fun, but it is an experience that is over far too soon.
With engaging combat, crafting, and the ability to turn this simple cartographer into a worthy soldier, Of Ash and Steel became an adventure worth taking on. If you like Euro-jank style RPG’s this one is definitely for you.
While this remaster could have rebuilt some environments to feel less dated, there is still a charming approach to preserving the 3DS visuals, even if it usually conflicts with what I prefer for a remaster of an older game. Still, Monster Hunter Stories is a vivid and colorful world to explore, and the addition of voice acting really provides the game with an added boost of personality, even if that damn Navirou won't shut up.