Digital Chumps
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If I was to call MainFrames a proof of concept, I would be grossly overlooking its stellar presentation of byte-sized platforming as a little floppy disk. Yes, it's difficult at times, but just about anyone can reach its end credits within a few hours. Developer Assoupi has nailed the platforming formula to a T; I can't wait for more!
Rome was not built in a day. The wonders in Civilization VII take a good many turns to be built and come at the cost of food, happiness, and a city's production. With the new 1.1.0 update to Civilization VII, it's clear that Firaxis understands what needs to be fixed for the future of the game and is already on track to improve UI, AI, and more of what makes the Civ series so great.
Knights in Tight Spaces from developer Ground Shatter and Raw Fury is an exceptional game that shows how well a turn-based card game can be when given a thick amount of strategy from good gameplay design and a branching story to help push it all along. While it isn’t perfect, it’s still a bar set for future games in this genre.
Overall, I'm torn about Everhood 2. Its rhythm-based battles are unlike any RPG I've played before. Its soundtrack is incredible. Walking through emptiness and seeing delayed payoffs from the worldbuilding side, though, makes the game feel less fun than it should be. I enjoyed Everhood 2, but I wish that I spent more time in the rhythm battles than exploring.
PGA Tour 2K25 from developer HB Studios and 2K Games is probably one of the best entries to the franchise in the last three years. It brings better gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and just enough modes to keep the game consistently interesting as you play. It is one of the better sports games to arrive in the last year.
I loved Star of Providence to the point of having trouble putting it down because of its fast-paced shmup gameplay, punishing bullet hell patterns, and replayability. Defeating its astoundingly difficult boss battles is satisfying and encourages the player to improve mechanically and thoughtfully. If you make it to the Hard mode, you'll be treated to bullet patterns that will test your dexterity like few others have done before.
Split Fiction is the culmination of Hazelight Studios' work in the cooperative space, a vision only constrained by the boundless limits of creativity. Players are fed a buffet of expertly executed ideas, bursting at the seams with variety and challenge.
Overall, the gameplay was far more together, understandable, and executable than it has been in the past. The action was led by story, upping the ante with tremendously lovely, yet terrifying monsters, and together everything felt far more cohesive than I remember with the series’ previous games.
As a longtime Yakuza fan, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the Goro Majima game I've always dreamed of and somehow more unhinged than ever before. Ryu Ga Gotoku has outdone themselves once again and I'm so excited for players to get their hands on the helm to take Yakuza's version of a naval RPG for a spin.
Oppression and hopelessness are somehow transformed into admirable traits in Darkest Dungeon II. Forgoing its predecessor's structure for a run-based format, cracking through the sheer brutality reaps the best of rewards.
Whether you're a longtime fan or experiencing these adventures for the first time, Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered successfully preserves the essence of these classic games while introducing meaningful improvements. With its enhanced visuals, new features, and expanded control options, this collection cements Lara Croft's legacy as one of gaming's greatest icons. If you love challenging action-adventure games that reward patience, precision, and problem-solving, this is a must-play.
While the game does deliver fun, frustration, and challenge, it also brings a lot of characters, music, and personality with it. Familiar faces loom in the character selection screen, as you can play a variety of different pilots and ships in the game. Each brings their way of fighting, while also bringing their collectibles to gobble up while you take down baddies.
ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist takes the best elements of its predecessor, building a more confident game. Certainly a fantastic Metroidvania, it could still push the envelope to deliver an exceptional variation to a flooded genre.
Anyway, long story short, the game seems solidly patched now on PC. No doubt you will run into a few things that I haven’t yet, but it is now up to snuff when compared to its PlayStation counterpart. As of right now, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of the most beautiful games I have had the pleasure of playing on the PC since I delved into this world a few years ago. Hopefully, it gets better as updates roll in.
Moons of Darsalon captures the zany slapstick of older platformers while introducing numerous tools to spice up the action. Though aesthetically beholden to a time and place, this is a worthy interpretation of a forgotten genre.
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is beautifully simple, perhaps to a fault. Switch owners who take the chance on this 8-hour metroidvania will enjoy its fluid combat, glittery spritework, and mild platforming. I'm sad to see the Momodora series conclude, but I have hopes that developers Bombservice continue to design gorgeous metroidvanias.
Dreamcore captures the ethos of liminal spaces, using the Backrooms phenomenon as its springboard. Though certainly not a "chill" venture, the eerie vibes it produces are effective despite having only two levels available at launch.
Synduality: Echo of Ada from developer Game Studio Inc. has the potential to be bigger and better than it currently is with the initial release. As it stands now, the gameplay is a bit bland with battles, the exploration needs to create more motivation to give players more meaningful substance, and bigger story pieces that could help players connect with the gameplay. Given time, this game could be outstanding.
Laika: Aged Through Blood from developer Brainwash Gang is a wonderful and refreshing Nintendo Switch experience. It lends a brutal narrative that leads gameplay filled with strategy and challenges. While not everyone will take to the controls, which are an important part of the experience, the challenges and strategy will keep the frustration at bay.