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For all you lapsed players, 4.4 continues the good will Square Enix has garnered since Heavensward. It's still one of the most polished games on the market right now by any metric, and even if you don't stick around forever you'll get something out of it.
It took three years for Yo-kai Watch Blasters to make it out of Japan, and I'm not quite sure it was worth the wait. The game looks fantastic and has an excellent localization, but the lackluster and repetitive combat hold it back from being anything more than run-of-the-mill. It's a serviceable spin-off, but with this series struggling as much as it does, it needs to deliver more than serviceable. Especially when it's on a piece of hardware that is on its way out.
Lamplight City offers an intriguing set of mysteries and stands as a great throwback to titles like Monkey Island and Sierra's Gabriel Knight series. The cases aren't especially taxing, but the well-realized setting and characters add plenty of flavor and help the game feel like something more than the sum of its parts. Fans of classic adventure games should definitely give Lamplight City a look.
Overall if you're looking for a way to get your Scythe fix in on a Tuesday evening when everyone else can't play, then yes, this adaptation is for you. If however you're looking for a replacement for your gaming group or a rigorous competitive scene, the player base just isn't there yet.
Operation Warcade isn't a terribly innovative game, but it's fun enough if you're just looking for a very basic arcade shooter. Just don't expect a definitive VR experience from it.
Shikhondo - Soul Eater is a dessert shmup. Newcomers won't want to skip ahead to the last course of a meal because there are already so many other dishes to choose from, even at the same restaurant (eShop).
If you're looking for a fun puzzler that doesn't pressure you with any kind of time limit, it's hard to go wrong with 7 Billion Humans. The game's variety of tools and obstacles keep it interesting all the way through... Just don't expect anything particularly special from its story.
Senran Kagura Reflexions is really nothing more than a proof of concept. Honey∞Parade Games set out to make a game where you touch Asuka all over until she's been satisfied and in that respect, it succeeds. Just a damn shame the developer couldn't turn all that touching into something worth playing.
In case you're curious Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country does mostly work as a standalone RPG, like a sort of pointed gateway for the daunting series. You might not pick up on some of the relationship-centric nuances or worldbuilding cues, but as long as you're paying attention you'll be able to piece that together.
All of the gating is unnecessary, but if you're willing to dig into Seal the Deal there's a decent amount there. I wish that there was a Goku-approved hyperbolic chamber for the Hat in Time developers to enter so they could have an eternity to keep coming up with more hubs with no strings attached. One in just under a year isn't enough, but I have a feeling they're going to be cooking up a lot more in the future.
While overly ambitious, Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle is an enjoyable enough dungeon crawl, but could easily be ignored if you aren't absolutely in love with the genre.
That's why the narrative payoff falls short. Lara has always played the roles of savior and protector and researcher and badass -- almost entirely because those are parts she has been thrust into. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a perfectly good game, but it feels as though it never figures out a way to address the most compelling aspect of this arc: Lara's personal growth. What path does she want to carve? What does she want her legacy to be? Maybe she'd be happiest spending her life raiding tombs -- all of the danger with none of the world-ending stakes. The glass half-full analysis is that she's a regular chip off the ol' block; glass half-empty, she never really escaped her father's shadow.
Ultimately, despite being the fourth game in its series, Valkyria Chronicles 4 really is the sequel Valkyria Chronicles needed, and I have to say that I'm pleased that war has never looked more pleasant.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Mars may have flown under the radar in 2003 but it now has the chance to shine again 15 years later. Just know that the budget price reflects the fact that not a whole lot has been added: so if you didn't like it then you won't suddenly be smitten.
Forsaken's initial story salvo is entertaining, but there's still work to be done a year into the sequel. Given that the MSRP of everything so far has added up astronomically ($59.99 for the base game, $24.99 for the Season Pass, $40 for Forsaken, $34.99 for Forsaken's season pass) it might be a hard pill to swallow. If you're ready for a guaranteed momentary thrill ride pony up, otherwise you can continue to wait it out to see if the momentum continues.
Blade Strangers is a fun, friendly, accessible fighter. It allows newcomers and experienced players alike the opportunity to throw down with some great characters, without necessarily concerning themselves with one-frame-links or meaty reversals. Whilst that lack of tech-depth may prevent Blade Strangers from holding the attention of the pros, or blowing up on the competitive circuit, it's sure to be a hit at any good-natured rumble with friends, battling for pride within your own four walls.
Though SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy is not the Gals Fighters 2 we may have been hoping for, it is a very daft, very fast, and fun brawler. There is a serious question of longevity to be considered, and veteran players should consider the game's simplicity before purchase. But in a group setting, or among newcomers, sisterhood of sluggers will get the job done, looking fabulous while doing so.
Spider-Man isn't just a great superhero game, it's a proof of concept for Insomniac as a company. This project shows that they can basically handle pretty much any universe, because if you can accurately recreate Peter Parker's nimbleness and gentle heart you can do anything: and with multiple teasers at the end, I think they'll get that chance.
For the time being, The Golf Club 2019 finishes in the middle of the pack. It had such promise and potential but duffs it too many times on what should be easy shots. Until HB Studios goes back and fixes its swing issues, give this a pass.
Donut County is as charming and funny as it is inventive and beautiful. It excels at what it sets out to do --there's never been a better hole simulator in video game history. But underneath its colorful scenery and intuitive gameplay is an experience that feels like its inches away from true greatness.