Couch Soup's Reviews
Future Knight is not a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but it is more interesting to me than most AAA releases this year. Its art style took me back to when I was a kid, playing with my Shinobi handheld, but it plays like you remember it feeling, not how it legitimately did. Future Knight has smooth 2D platforming, good combat, and cool boss fights. Whether it was the risk-reward combat, the nostalgia I felt from the visual style, or the simple pick-up-and-play nature of levels that last less than five minutes each, I really enjoyed my time with this game, and I would recommend it to anyone with a penchant for awesome 2D platformers.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the best LEGO game ever made and a true love letter to Batman. The story is a fantastic combination of every era of the character; the smaller pool of characters is enjoyable to play as and customise; and it’s one of the best-looking games of the year. If you’re a fan of Batman, LEGO, or just fun games in general, do yourself a favour and play Legacy of the Dark Knight.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a very good remake of the original Black Flag. They took what worked from the original and recreated it with some of the most beautiful visuals of the year. The new combat is fun, if a little janky, and I hope they refine it in future games. While the side content was a bit of a letdown, and the small modern-day sections left me wanting more, I still had a blast playing this game. This is the best Assassin’s Creed game they’ve made in a hot minute, and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether you played the original or not.
HALO: Campaign Evolved is a fantastic remake of a gaming classic. The redone visuals, gameplay, and performances are all top-notch. Despite some stiff animations, poor performance in crowded areas, and bonus missions that were just fine, I still had a blast playing through HALO on my PS5. This is a step in the right direction for the series.
I love Denshattack! I love it a lot. In a lot of ways, it’s a throwback to a simpler time with levels, checklists, high scores, and medals. But it’s also a whole lot more, bringing old ideas into the modern era with hype-as-f*ck set pieces, an engaging anime storyline, and smooth-as-butter gameplay. Denshattack! is probably the most fun I’ve had in a video game this year, and that’s saying something. It’s just pure joy.
The level design, visuals, music, story, and gameplay are all terrific. However, this game also has the innate ability to make me smile with its cast of characters and its surprises awaiting you around every corner. Mina the Hollower is a fricken masterpiece that more people should be playing.
Mixtape does what every great compilation album does. It begins with a bang, hooks you into its throes, rises and falls, and then finishes with a number to remember. That’s both in the music choices, expertly compiled by the team at Beethoven & Dinosaur, and in the gameplay and narrative.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't a ground breaking experience, but it is a fun one that genuinely wants players to be curious and creative. While it is not very difficult to play, it is still really enjoyable. Good games don't need to be difficult!
There is so much trauma in this game that it sometimes feels a little unfocused. There’s enough for me to deal with in Alo’s challenges to think about side characters’ LGBTQ+ issues, funding problems to continue teaching deprived children, and finding new passions after retirement (to name just a few). It was overwhelming, and I think I lost track of where I needed Alo to be in her life. All this being said, Fishbowl is a very effective game. It got me emotional (no tears) on a couple of occasions, and that’s not easy to do. The narrative is where these games thrive or die, though, and this one certainly resonated with me. It transported me back to 2020, living in isolation, trying to find a new passion or reigniting an old one. But it was also… a lot. I’m not going to say you’re going to have a fun time with this game, but you will feel something.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that God of War: Sons of Sparta is the best metroidvania ever. I’m not even going to tell you it’s the best game that I’ve played this year, because the truth is that it’s not. But it is a very competent and fun game, and something that I’m very glad exists.
Mario Tennis Fever is by no means a perfect game. But it is one hell of a good time. The game feels open to anyone - If you have kids, have friends around, want to get competitive online, or simply want to relax. Perhaps wait for a rare Nintendo sale before splurging.
Dispatch is to me the best narrative-driven game to come out since Telltale’s The Walking Dead, and I would highly recommend anyone interested in games like this to try it out, even if you don't particularly like superhero stories. It's definitely worth it.
Metroid Prime 4 is a fantastic experience for established Metroid fans and newcomers alike. It is one of the best-looking games on the market and is extremely fun, with many hours to play through and explore, giving the player lots of bang for their buck. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, that is ok, it is comfort food, and it tastes darn good!
Sure, it’s not the best side-scrolling beat ‘em up on the market, and the combat doesn’t feel amazing, but what it does is mirror the film franchise fantastically. Art the Clown is a campy serial killer with a penchant for schlocky blood and guts. Are there better films than Terrifier? 100%. Are there better games than Terrifier: The ARTcade Game? 100%. But there’s still fun to be had here if you can look past its rough edges. That’s how I feel about both the films and the game. It’s worth a go, but don’t expect anything truly spectacular. It’s a fun time despite its obvious weaknesses.
Lumines: Arise is a simple game, but what it does, it does exceedingly well. For a game about making squares and surviving as long as you can, it makes that loop so compelling that it’s hard to put it down. It has insane visuals and an amazing soundtrack that Enhance-s (get it?) the experience. However, for some people’s brains, that overstimulation could be a little too much. On a handful of stages, I was no longer one with the game, but I was fighting against it, and that’s a damn shame.
ARC Raiders is a great entry point for any gamer who, like me, is new to the Extraction Shooter genre. Despite some moral issues with the use of AI voices, which Embark are working on replacing, this game is my GOTY for 2025.
Bye Sweet Carole is filled to the brim with personality and style. The art and animation are something I’ve never experienced in a video game before, and it’s beautifully done. The point-and-click puzzles are straightforward, yet satisfying to solve, and the story is intriguing. That doesn’t excuse the game’s misgivings, with a story that sometimes doesn’t fit in with its own themes and some stealth mechanics that almost had me throwing a controller at a wall in disgust. But, I have to say, Bye Sweet Carole is a video game experience worth having. I’ve never played anything like it, and I doubt that I will again anytime soon. Just be prepared for a little internal rage every now and again.
Absolum is a revelation in the genre, the beautiful love-child of Hades and Streets of Rage 4. I cannot believe that this game exists, but I thank all of the Gods it does.
With streamlined Switch controls and nice, crispy visuals, these games have been brought to the modern era of gamers to experience. Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 on the Switch family of consoles is almost a perfect experience.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a triumphant return for Joe Musashi and his action-platforming ninja franchise. The combat feels like you are a badass shadow warrior on a quest for justice in a world where ninjas, mercs and demons are all out to get you, but you know they can’t touch you because you’re the freaking SHINOBI.