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Gunfire Games’ Remnant 2 is one of those rare sequels that takes a collection of good ideas and makes them even better. Everything about Remnant 2 is an improvement or elaboration from the first game. It looks great and the action is challenging without being overly punishing. Best of all, Remnant 2 makes creative and meaningful changes to the Soulslike formula, helping it to stand out from a deluge of copycat action RPGs. I can’t imagine any fan of Remnant: From the Ashes being anything but thrilled by Remnant 2.
Pikmin 4 is more about the core gameplay loop than anything else. Slowly exploring every part of this game, gathering your tiny army, and looting every piece of possible treasure is its own reward. Whether you’re a newcomer or a series veteran, Pikmin 4 will be an excellent adventure.
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is a beautifully told story that improves on the original. The structure is exciting and fosters intrigue in the multilayered narrative. Although Night School Studios does improve the gameplay, it fails to take advantage of these segments. Despite that, the wonderful art direction, intelligent narrative and relatable characters make this a memorable adventure.
All in all, Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is still a classic worth taking a look at. This game is challenging, but it’s not unfair. And frankly, the challenge is half the appeal. The other half of the appeal is the crafting and the cute girls, of course.
Even coming short of perfection, you nerds are going to love Xenonauts 2. It lacks the bombast and superpowers of reboot-era XCOM, but it more than compensates with logistical complexity. It may not be sexy, but Xenonauts 2 is a well-designed strategy game, thoughtfully made by a team who knows the genre. And if you are a youngster who missed the 90s? Here’s an approachable piece of video game history given form. Figuring out how to run an old DOS game is a headache. Xenonauts 2 in out and ready for your orders commander.
Generally, The Valliant on consoles is a success. Controls make sense and don’t inhibit the flow. Whatever issues there are lie in the core of the game. A lack of mechanical originality and some repetitive or frustrating missions are offset by a decent story and acting. It’s also refreshing to play a unit-based RTS game that isn’t set in WW2 or a sci-fi world.
While it looks like a modern storybook tale, Gylt deals with some pretty intense subject matter that many can relate to. It would be easy to complain that Gylt doesn’t go deep enough in any direction or layer enough complexity on its basic systems. That would be true if the game was longer than its five-hour running time. Its mechanics might not be remarkable, but Gylt’s themes are impactful and its presentation is memorable and engaging.
This is the definitive version of the game and it brings all the previous Layers of Fear content together in a cohesive whole. Fans of the original game will enjoy revisiting these games in this tightened and polished version. New players who are horror fans should also find this a worthy experience.
My only real disappointment was that more effort wasn’t put into sprucing up the visuals and tweaking the gameplay to iron out some of the minor frustrations from the original releases. Once you’ve experienced Pikmin 1 + 2, I highly recommend giving Pikmin 3 Deluxe a playthrough, which is also available on the Nintendo Switch. And thankfully, we’re not far off from Pikmin 4, which judging by the demo will exceed all expectations.
My only real disappointment was that more effort wasn’t put into sprucing up the visuals and tweaking the gameplay to iron out some of the minor frustrations from the original releases. Once you’ve experienced Pikmin 1 + 2, I highly recommend giving Pikmin 3 Deluxe a playthrough, which is also available on the Nintendo Switch. And thankfully, we’re not far off from Pikmin 4, which judging by the demo will exceed all expectations.
Synapse is an intense shooter that imbues you with heroic powers. Each run in this addictive rogue-lite is exhilarating. The gunplay and telekinesis perfectly combine and allows you to experiment with the mechanics. Due to the upgrade system, you progressively get stronger which gives further incentive for another round. Even with the small number of enemy types and slightly repetitive gameplay, Synapse is an essential PSVR 2 title and a promising glimpse at what the future of the medium holds.
I was ecstatic to see Enclave HD coming back. I have such fond memories of playing it twenty years ago, and I knew I was going into it with rose-tinted glasses; the characters, the levels, the gear, everything. We didn’t need Enclave HD to be a full-blown remaster, but with a little more love it could be something truly great. An homage to classic fantasy and adventure games. I enjoyed my time playing Enclave only because I already knew the game. I don’t feel like enough improvements have been made to hold a modern audience, regardless of how fun it used to be.
I was expecting to like The Signifier VR more than I did. On paper, it’s got a really cool premise that seemed to offer similarities to Heavy Rain or even the best aspects of Cyberpunk 2077. But the move to VR doesn’t seem to have added much other than slightly downgraded visuals. If you enjoy walking simulators and point and click adventures, then this might be your jam. But otherwise, wait for The Signifier VR to go on sale.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reverie is not a good place to start the Trails series. This is not a short game, it starts very slowly, and it’s effectively a sequel to every previous game. If you’re a fan, however, you can’t miss this. Especially since it has enough replay value to keep you busy until the Calvard games are localized.
Crime O’Clock’s lovely art direction and charming premise can’t save the game from its repetitive gameplay loop. While at first, it delivers a wave of nostalgia, it soon drowns in its concept. Even though it’s extremely accessible and fun to play with others, it quickly loses momentum as it struggles to innovate on the idea.
AEW: Fight Forever is the best wrestling game since WWF No Mercy. There’s a visceral nature to every punch and slam which makes every physical match-up an absolute thrill. While the mechanics are deep and allows fans to master techniques, there’s also a pick-up-and-play ethos that is amplified through silly mini-games and over-the-top gimmick matches. The odd hit detection issue, basic creation suite and lack of community uploads are disappointing, however, they don’t take away from what is the greatest wrestling game in the past 20 years.
Such is the wrinkle here. My final score applies to the expansion in particular. Taken as a complete product, my previous review (right here) is a more accurate assessment. But man oh man, that expansion. If you’ve already got the base game, I can’t imagine you’ll get much out of Origins Plus. If you grew up playing the Game Gear, great news! These are twelve colorful trips down memory lane. Otherwise, I don’t recommend it. Turns out Sega’s first portable gaming experiment aged rather poorly. Sonic Origins is a fun and accessible way to play Sonic’s greatest hits. But Origins Plus spends too much time on bland, awful games.
Theme park and coaster sims have come a long, long way since Rollercoaster Tycoon hijacked my free time. Park Beyond is a generally approachable and inviting sim that’s definitely not for the realism-minded. Its campaign is held back by an unpredictable and not well-explained economic model, but it’s pretty easy to get lost in the sandbox, enjoying the intentional impossibility of your creations.
A good mystery should hook you right from the beginning. Solving your own murder is a juicy hook, to say the least. Better still, there’s a fascinating narrative beyond that elevator pitch. The mechanics are unique and engaging, the graphics are slick, and the writing keeps you plugged in until the very end. While I wasn’t a perfect fit for the puzzle design, that’s alright. Players more interested in a tense experience will find a lot to love here. I still appreciated the mix of frustration and elation, even as it burrowed into my brain. If you’re looking for a unique, puzzling mystery, definitely give Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective a shot.
We Love Katamari is a better game than Katamari Damacy. It has more level variety, and had multiplayer options before it was remastered. The core gameplay of both games is exactly the same. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie is a fantastic remaster of that already great game. The HD visuals and gameplay tweaks look and feel perfect. The only fault is in the bonus content. It’s always lovely to have more features, but none of them are so compelling that they extend the time you’ll spend with the game. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie won’t be for everyone, but it will also be a “must play experience” for many.