Digital Chumps
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Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is a game that is sure to make faithful fans of the series happy and bring in new fans too. It's a unique 2D platforming puzzle adventure that the community needed a good reminder that it exists. Although the controls can get a little out of hand even after playing for a while, the story and gameplay give the game a unique charm that I haven't seen in most platforming games for a long time. Abe and the Mudokons are some wacky characters that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World does its job as a platformer, and nothing more. That is to its detriment but also to its benefit. Unimaginative platforming is balanced by the rousing puzzles. Being a faithful remake, you can feel the age.
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is an interesting blend of simple rhythm and silly battle royale gameplay that's both fun yet accessible. Its 23 minigames might not be unique, but they're fun in short bursts. It's great for all kinds of players, too! I'm interested to see how things evolve in the coming months, but in the meantime I'll be having my pigeon bang his head to the beat.
I haven't had a game hit me emotionally quite as Concrete Genie has. An emotional story blended with beautiful artwork and seamless gameplay creates an incredible experience. I am beyond impressed with Pixelopus's work and you can easily see all the blood, sweat and tears poured into the game. Concrete genie may not scratch the gameplay itch that you have but rather it delivers an important story to tell. I highly recommend it for any hardcore gaming fan as well as the creative types.
As more than just an homage to 80s pop culture, Huntdown proudly shows off its 16-bit influences. Inspired arcade gameplay keeps a brisk pace while a wealth of inventive boss fights and neon-drenched challenge transport the player to a time when quarters reigned supreme.
NBA 2K22 features the best gameplay in the series to date, but also succumbs to the weight of its other feature sets. While a step in the right direction in terms of gameplay, its over-reliance on a player's time or money (and sometimes both) continues to be the hurdle keeping the series from achieving new heights.
CrossFireX gets little to nothing right, and I don’t take pleasure in saying that. On a technical level, yeah the graphics and framerate and such aren’t bad, but you won’t get to enjoy them because I think you’ll be too distracted with all of the other problems in the game. Voice-acting, the script, the AI, controls, story-telling, the intensely lazy and generic feel of it all, the push for microtransactions — the game is asking players to overlook or otherwise deal with too much. Now, I am an optimistic and forgiving person by nature, but what SmileGate, Remedy, and Microsoft have done here is absolutely regrettable. This game has issues that even patching cannot fix, and I’m typically the first one to point out that games can often be much improved by patching. CrossFireX, though, has problems that run too deep and too broad — and I can’t recommend this game to anyone.
Neo Cab's malevolent tech-noir is a vehicle for exploring, and ultimately surviving, the tenacity of its passengers and the ambivalence of its driver. As a narrative adventure Neo Cab is full of conflicted, enigmatic, and sophisticated characters all vying for validation in a tortured world. As an opaque lens on social responsibility and morality, it's as distressing as it is compulsive. Neo Cab's tech-addled dystopia functions a travelogue to the pain and purpose of being human.
Ys Origins is more than just a simple hack n' slash action role-playing game! Solving puzzles as you climb the Demon Tower and its unique boss battles make the game a truly magical experience and a great way to jump into the Ys series. Ys Origins may suffer from information overload and feels a little outdated it is still a game that you should consider trying out, especially if you've ever been curious about the Ys series.
If all interactive stories are like this, then sign me up. While If Found…starts out slow, it picks up the pace and draws you in with the personal journey of Kasio that is complemented by the beautiful artwork from Liadh Young. It's a story that everyone, especially younger gamers, should experience.
MathLand isn’t going to blow you away in any one aspect, but the sum of the parts makes for a quality educational game that deserves a nod of recognition if you’re in the market for this.
Be prepared to be impressed but also frustrated with the difficulty spikes.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a breath of fresh air compared to other Warrior installments and is worth playing if you loved Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The story, characters, and music are the best I've seen out of a Nintendo Warriors game in a long while. Even though the AI is severely lacking and multiplayer could use some improvements, it still is not enough to drag the game down from being the best Nintendo Warriors installment I've ever seen.
As far as what makes Origins special, well, there’s not much.
The Division 2 Warlords of New York is the cherry on top of Massive's looter. The return to New York is a confident one, where overhauled systems improve and clarify build diversity. While the new play space is underutilized, forward-thinking endgame content will surely drive engagement for the long haul.
Remake removes Final Fantasy VII from its agonizing stasis and animates its objectives with modern sophistication. In spite of its curtailed debut, Remake creates characters out of archetypes, finds class struggle amid its surging environmentalism, and generates dynamic fiction from a familiar narrative. By honoring moments held sacred and defying what may be expected, Remake stays true to the radical and dangerous ambition that defined Final Fantasy VII.
Life is Strange: True Colors is a rumination on loss, empathy, and finding your place in the word. A great cast is bolstered by improved visuals, animations, and a truly remarkable protagonist in Alex Chen, making this the true highlight of the series.
The sprawling, complex sci-fi epic of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is one of Vanillaware's best games to date, despite the passable RTS combat that can't compare to its brilliantly interconnected narrative.
Flaws and shortcomings in Control are utterly few and far between, while the gameplay is highly satisfying and fun. The world Remedy created is full of intrigue from the get-go and stays enthralling throughout. Barring any major surprises, Control is my personal game of the year for 2019.
More than just a competent roguelike fresh out of early access, Skul: The Hero Slayer delivers power-swapping action and a mostly satisfying loop that should sufficiently satisfy your Dead Cells or Hades cravings.