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Candle Knight is a decent Metroidvania style game. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, the unique combat adds a unique layer of strategy, albeit it does feel like it holds the game back and it’s a lazy way to avoid opting for a deeper combat system. If you’re a fan of the genre, I’d definitely recommend Candle Knight. If you’re looking to dabble in the genre however, I wouldn’t recommend this as your first experience.
Stunt Paradise is a fun, easy to pick up and play and addictive racer. Races get progressively harder as you progress and some of them even require a bit of back and forth in order to complete the track. My only complaint is that unlockable vehicles feel the same. Other than, if you’re looking for some variety and an easy 3000Gs(!), Stunt Paradise is a must play.
Even if you’re a die hard fan of the genre or classic RE-like experiences, do not waste your money or time with Outbreak: Contagious Memories. While I can certainly appreciate the effort because I’m still a huge fan of the classic survival horror games (the Resident Evils, the Silent Hills and any other similar one offs), but Outbreak: Contagious Memories is borderline unplayable. I’m baffled anyone would find this appropriate to release in this state; it feels like an alpha version. Lots of potential wasted. Easy pass.
While I’m personally getting bored with the remaster/remake fad, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is how a remaster should be done. Aspyr did a great job giving these games a beautiful visual update while keeping the core of the game intact. The combat is solid, the realms navigation adds a unique layer of gameplay. But despite Aspyr’s visual work, lots of areas still remain way too dark; making these levels unplayable if there’s light in the room. Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is highly recommended for some 3D action good time. But newcomers, be warned, a guide (if you can find it online) or an online walkthrough is borderline necessary to progress.
New Star GP is a surprisingly deep, incredibly addictive racing game that offers a reasonable mix between arcade and simulation style. Upgrading your ride and maintaining your relationship with your crew offers some interesting gameplay mechanic. However, as with a lot of racing games, it does require a bit of practice given that A.I. racers are out for blood. New Star GP is a must play for all racing fans; new or old.
Rocket Rumble is a decent, varied take on the Super Mario Kart recipe, but it feels pretty shallow as a whole. Solo play is useless and multiplayer matches are fun and incredibly chaotic… and that’s it. Great game for the younger gamer in the family or good for a few multiplayer rounds with friends, but the lack of depth is a disappointment. There’s some potential here but it feels more like a demo than a full game.
Don’t Let Him In is an enjoyable, if not short, psychological horror gaming experience. There’s a lot of potential; loved the PS1 style visuals. This could’ve made a great AAA/grander scale game. It gave me The Chant vibes, but if you ordered from Wish (and a more twisted storyline). It’s hard to recommend due to the bugs and shortness of it, but if you see it on sale, there are worst ways to spend 30 minutes.
The game looks fine. It’s overall very bright and colorful; there’s a decent variety of enemies you’ll encounter throughout the levels. Given it’s an arcade game ported to consoles, it fits the bill. The arcade-y pixels might bring back some nostalgia factor to older gamers. The soundtrack is an enjoyable chiptune, arcade-y soundtrack, however it’s not as classic as the original Bubble Bobble game. Again, annoyingly enough, given it’s a Ratalaika published game, you’ll constantly have to “identify” yourself on your way to reach the game. Once more, Achievements are being restrained behind Arcade Mode; while in all fairness, this isn’t a very difficult game, it’s still annoying and unnecessary. Nothing really wrong with Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III. It’s a cute, simplistic, easy to pick up action platformer and a “by the numbers” arcade game. Also means the gameplay variety is quite limited and unless you like score-based game where you try to beat your personal best each time, there’s not much here. That being said, there are worst ways to spend a few hours and it’s fun little co-op game.
Romancelvania is easily one of the best Metroidvania style games of the last decade. It feels a bit like Castlevania with a dash of humor with its reality TV setting. Thankfully you’re able to explore outside the castle and each area is uniquely designed. While it is annoying not being able to see enemies more often than not, but it doesn’t deter the complete experience. Romancelvania is a must play.
Beyond Hanwell is one of the best survival horror experiences of the year. It features a perfect mix of puzzles and action, the ambiance is unsettling, combat is tight and enjoyable. You’ll be immersed in the world and won’t want to put it down because you’ll want to explore the city and find new buildings to enter. Fans of the genre will savor every instant of this game. Depending on your tolerance for fright, if you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, Beyond Hanwell is a great, albeit nerve-racking, place to start. Beyond Hanwell is one of the best games of the year.
I can see why Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel was well-received back in the 1990s. The game was surprisingly deep in terms of exploration and gameplay mechanics, but by today’s standards (and multi-buttoned controllers), it feels archaic and held back by the limitations of the time. You’ll waste a lot of time trying to grasp the double jump and flying/gliding mechanics, which is the complete opposite of fun. If the developer (porting studio?) had the opportunity to re-work the initial code to adapt it to today’s standards, this game would’ve scored much higher. As it stands, unless you want to (re)live some of the frustrations us gamers who grew up in the 1990s, this is an easy pass.
As a whole, there’s nothing really wrong with Abathor. It’s a fun, straight forward action platformer. The setting and protagonists does give it a bit of Golden Axe to the game. It does make for a fun co-op experience. While it is annoying to have your gear/upgrades reset when you load the game is pretty stupid, it’s still a fun adventure game. If you’re looking for a simplistic co-op game for the holidays, you can’t go wrong with Abathor.
While there’s nothing overly problematic, Aero The Acro-Bat, port of the 1993 16-bit original, will only appeal to older gamers who played this during their younger times. It shows its age and it’s a product of a different time where games were difficult, borderline frustrating. Gamers familiar with only current generation of consoles will most likely be annoyed or bored within a matter of minutes because of the clunky controls. Unless you need this for nostalgia purposes, it’s an easy pass.
Disaster Band is an enjoyable rhythm based experience that also offer a varied experience in the genre that’s also severely lacking since Activision and Harmonix out Guitar Hero and Rock Band respectively to bed. It’s not perfect and takes a bit of getting used to; but with three difficulty settings, it is sure to challenge all level of gaming skills. The soundtrack is hit or miss depending on your taste, especially if you’re rather rock to famous tunes. Music fans will find a little gem, whereas those wanting a more approachable experience might be turned off.
Furious Bikers is a fun, albeit very straightforward, easy gaming experience. This is the type of game, that back in the day, you’d rent for two days, complete it, return it and then never think about it again. Great game for the younger players in the family and easy 1000Gs for Achievement hunters.
Calling this Irem Collection Volume 2 feels a bit misrepresentative considering 99% of games in this collection are different versions of Gunforce and its sequel. If you’re a fan of classic Contra/Probotector-like games, then this collection is a must play. If you’re looking to dive more into this old school developer/platformer, this ain’t it.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is great beat’em up. Combat is surprisingly deep, the gameplay variety is also a nice touch, albeit not perfect. While the game’s overall balancing feels all over the place between gameplay style, it doesn’t deter too much from the experience. Whether you’re a fan of the series or the genre, or both, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is a must play.
Ninja 1987 is basically Ninja Gaiden from Wish. Not to say that it’s a bad thing. It’s fun, controls are tight, bosses, albeit very easy, are fun to battle. Unless you want to beat your own score, the game has no replay value nor additional gameplay content. If you have a few bucks to spare and looking for an easy old school experience, Ninja 1987 will fill that void. Be careful to not clip into invisible pixels.
The Thing Remastered is an absolute must play for fans of action game. I’ve been kicking myself for missing out on it the first time around. While a sequel to a horror movie, the game lacks in that department and enemies aren’t as gruesome as we’ve seen in most recent horror outings, but the atmosphere and eerily quietness makes up for it. Sure, some mechanics and the A.I. does feel a bit archaic at times, but it doesn’t stop from making The Thing Remastered a must play experience.
The Thaumaturge has the wow factor when it comes to its jaw-dropping visuals. Admittedly I was going into this game pretty much blind but had my eyes opened to a banger when it comes to presentation on a big 4k screen. The cutscenes are marvellous with rich detail throughout with amazing character design and you feel the emotion and atmosphere shine through. The environments are stunning with lots of NPCs to engage with throughout with reasonably sized areas to roam around in and explore if you wish to. When it comes to the combat scenarios some fantastic animations showcase the brutality of each attack.