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Halloween: The Game doesn’t feel like two separate games thankfully. However it does feel like so much more time went into embodying and becoming one with Michael and not the rest of the cast. There is something really great here, but there’s just a little bit more polish to come that will really make this a killer success. As a note, when provided with a copy for review, we were made aware of a few additional fixes and features that would be available by launch day. Some of these will really bring it home and make it a fuller experience.
I loved BioEden. BioEden is a biome and creature management game that speaks specifically to the type of gamer I am. It’s a game with the lofty goal of encouraging balance and restoration, wrapped in a very gamified way that kept me immersed. Bioeden does this with a quest-focused structure and many visual elements that make you want to play just a little bit more, to a point that you don’t notice that 5 hours have passed and it’s 4 am. While the controls lack polish, it wasn’t something I couldn’t adapt to. If you want to lose hours in a management game and feel good about helping out Earth, then BioEden is a game I highly recommend.
Mortal Shell II is everything fans of the soulslike genre should be looking for. Its world is a beautifully depressing homage to a bygone era of fairy tales and medieval fantasies, while its brutal combat will have you scrambling for a moment of peace between fights. I truly believe they have accomplished something great here, and I can’t wait to see what Cold Symmetry has up their sleeve in the next installment of the series.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Legacy Edition has a really strong foundation, with some fundamental issues that really can’t be fixed in a simple remaster. Framerate issues, terrible difficulty spikes and brainless AI definitely took some fun out of the sails while I was playing through the game, but when everything was going smoothly, I was having a wonderful time playing through the well-thought-out levels within the Tolkien universe. It definitely helps that the gameplay is engaging, and it has a wonderful story that can easily work within the canon. Thankfully the game is pretty cheap so it isn’t a huge investment if you and some buddies are interested, but definitely be prepared to struggle if you plan on playing solo.
This is A Plague Tale Legacy through and through. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a fantastic game with top-notch world design, art direction, and narrative; everything that we expect from A Plague Tale. What I didn’t expect was a game that also boasts well-balanced, aggressive combat. Perhaps some systems could be improved upon; Asobo is out here flexing their creative muscles, going outside their comfort zone, while still maintaining their identity- you love to see it!
Lou’s Lagoon is warm, welcoming, and consistently charming, and its simple gameplay loop works well for the adventure it sets out to provide. I just wish there was a stronger reason to keep exploring and upgrading once the story had given me everything it had to offer. It may not have quite enough to turn its tropical getaway into a long-term home, but as a short, relaxing adventure, Lou’s Lagoon is still a pleasant place to visit.
Madden 27 gives us players a lot of what we love about the series. If you have been playing Madden for as long as I have, the core experience is still there. We see improvements over last year’s version in some areas. We also see some of the same issues we have seen for years. EA Sports Madden 27 tries to give players a top-of-the-line experience but falls short. From bad animations, bugs, adding micro-transactions to single players modes, these are things that players don’t want or at least would like to be resolved. EA Sports Madden 27 is a 7. Still a solid entry in the franchise, despite some of the shortcomings.
Grim Trials is for those who want a Hades like experience without having it feel overwhelming. Overall, there is just the right amount of content in Grim Trials. The story and experience feels very streamlined in the quests and how it builds your growth. Once you complete the game. you can always go back and play again and challenge yourself as you’d like. If you didn’t complete all of the quests you can also go back and complete these.
From a final stance, I loved Servant of the Lake. Yes, I know that I am a fan of the series. But it does always provide so much more than just a point-and-click puzzle game. It provides a deep, and ongoing, story that spans generations that reside around the Rusty Lake. If you have played the prior Rusty Lake titles, then Servant of the Lake is another notch to put on your shelf. If you’re new to the genre of point-and-click puzzles, or just the Rusty Lake series in general, I find that it does provide a nice jumping off point. In terms of both gameplay/puzzle difficulty, as well as the overall story of this harrowing lake.
From the title screen, I knew I was going to like Twisted Tower. Drawing on a clear love of Bioshock, it tells its own twisted story in a fun and creepy way. Satisfying, brutal combat will take you on a compelling, and gory, adventure to save the damsel in distress through a well-crafted carnival of madness.
Starsand Island goes beyond in-game grinding. Instead of prioritizing productivity, it prioritizes relaxation and the feeling of truly being submersed into a game. A game you can customize and make your own. A game you can play solo or with friends. A game that goes beyond the code, and focuses on the players and their experience.
Humor? Check. Heart? Check. Satisfying combat? Check (if you want simpler tactical combat). Satisfying character growth? Check. Good gameplay? Check. Romance? Check. It checks so many boxes. Combat is smooth and satisfying, even rewarding at times. The voice acting is fantastic which is no surprise with the amazing cast of talent.
The Sinking City 2 is a game meant to be enjoyed by fans of cosmic horror. Its emphasis on those tense moments that make every survival horror game great is enough to make anyone scared of the dark, while its story is one intent on challenging your sanity. As always, H.P. Lovecraft's mythos is deployed masterfully and shows no signs of its age even a century later. The Sinking City 2 presents itself as Frogwares' defining moment, and it should ultimately be remembered as their greatest accomplishment yet. So do yourself a favor, survival horror fans —book the trip to Arkham. The water's freezing, the locals bite, and I can't recommend it enough.
Duskfade isn’t simply a love letter to the action platformers of the ’90s and early ’00s; it’s an ode to them, bringing their influences together so effortlessly that the result feels like something you’ve played before and something new and exciting at the same time. Weird Beluga has clearly spent years studying what made those games so special, but Duskfade never feels trapped by its influences. Instead, it takes those ideas and gives them new life, building a world and adventure that feels familiar without sacrificing its own identity.
Wild Blue Skies is a solid homage to Star Fox 64 overall. It’s visuals are fantastic and it’s gameplay controls well and is fun overall. Unlike other recent rail shooters however, the game doesn’t do enough to step out of the shadow of Star Fox, nor does it really seem to try to. If you don’t have a Switch but want a Star Fox style experience, it’s still worth checking out however.
Steins;Gate RE:BOOT is one of the more intriguing visual novels that I have gotten to experience. It makes you think, makes you question choice, and makes you ponder how your own actions can reverberate outwards. This complex and rich story, coupled with some unique styling designs, will be a major sell to those looking to revisit this series. But if you are new to the visual novel universe, this one might be too convoluted (or too pricey) to gamble on.
A technical disaster that rarely works, layered on top of a hollow game with very little substance, Agefield needed to spend many more semesters in development detention. I cannot recommend Agefield to anyone, even the most hardened Bully, American Pie, or 00s pop culture fans.
Overall Marvel Tokon is a blast to play as a fighter. The game looks fantastic, its combo system is fun and it pays great respect to the rich lore of Marvel with how the characters are designed to fight. While a couple things do hold it back from perhaps standing with Arc Sys all time great fighters, it’s another good game in the current line up of fighting games that doesn’t seem to stop growing.
Echoes of Aincrad feels designed to deliberately waste your time. It’s by no means a bad game, there’s a lot of interesting elements to enjoy including the story, the world, and the combat. However, it does itself a disservice by padding the game out excessively with repetitive missions and forced exploration. With strange restrictions on exploration and questionable design choices, it doesn’t respect the player, and suffers for it.
Of course, visual novels, management games, and choices matter games are not for everyone. However, if you enjoy the idea of ruling your own magical tower, sending knights out on various quests, and turning back time to ensure everything is perfect, I highly recommend this game. With a fun cast of characters, lots to find, and plenty of reason to challenge yourself with turning back time (or not), Sovereign Tower is definitely one to enjoy this year.