Leonardo Faria's Reviews
All in all, Otherskin is a game that is more interesting than the sum of its parts. Everything it has to offer, from its setting to its combat and DNA-absorbing gimmick, is… decent. But add all of these elements up, and you get a pretty enjoyable action adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome nor tries to bite more than it can chew. A handful of annoying framerate-related issues and the occasional bug frustrated me, but that’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a few fixes and optimization patch.
I’m glad that Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection exists, but only as a means to preserve a handful of (in)famous games for posterity, and not because the content included in it is actually worth bothering. Not a single title in this collection is worth your time, not even for an ironic playthrough, but hey, further generations now have access to titles like Bubsy II for the Game Boy and Bubsy 3D. They can be alerted as to what a truly heinous mascot platformer is. If you’re really craving for some retro platforming with a B-tier mascot spouting one-liners at all times (quite a specific craving, but I bet there’s at least three people out there asking for such), just grab the Gex Trilogy collection instead.
Still, I liked NBA 2K26 a bit more than its predecessors. The locked framerate and predatory monetary practices are, as always, a disappointment, but hopping into it on a portable, playing a few arcade rounds, and listening to what’s possibly the best soundtrack in a sports game ever, somewhat made up for these shortcomings. Is it better than the PS5 version? I don’t think so. Technically-speaking, it can’t even compete in the same terms. But did I have more fun with it than on a bigger console? Yep, without a doubt.
In fact, “not revolutionary, but it works” might as well be Metal Eden‘s overall tagline. Even if the art style is stale, the story is nothing special, and the combat doesn’t feel like it’s reinventing the wheel, it’s got a pretty solid gameplay loop, a really fun mixture of Doom-esque shooting with parkouring, and pretty decent level design.
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion feels more like a completely different franchise when compared to its predecessor, given how different it is both visually and mechanically, but don’t think that’s a bad thing. By not trying to simply be “Armored Core in everything but name”, it now boasts an identity of its own, with an amazing combat system, world to explore, an addictive gameplay loop, and even a half decent story worth giving a crap about.
Varlet is the perfect definition of a mixed bag. It feels incomplete at parts, with some of its chapters feeling incredibly rushed. The writing isn’t the best, the schooltime activities were pointless, and the setting felt like a cliché. That being said, there was always something about it that made me somewhat ignore its shortcomings and make me want to push forward, be it the charming characters, decent presentation or actually interesting combat section. Yes, it clearly wants to be an alternative to Persona, and that is the quintessential losing battle, but it could have been a lot worse.
So what Fast Fusion really ended up feeling like is an update over Fast RMX, with just a handful of new elements added to the mix to make it stand out as something more than just a remaster or a definitive edition. That being said, it retains a superb core gameplay loop, and once again Shin’en proved they can handle Nintendo hardware better than even Nintendo themselves. As one of the very few Switch 2 exclusives so far (hell, Switch 2 games in general, even), it’s an easy recommendation.
Even if its emphasis on a boring story didn’t catch my attention, it’s hard not to fall for everything else The Rogue Prince of Persia had to offer. It’s a well-polished roguelike, developed by some of the most talented developers in the genre, featuring impeccable mobility, decent combat, and a pretty cool gameplay loop.
Dear Me I Was is a marvelous visual novel that manages to tell a lot without ever uttering a single line of dialogue. When it comes to its presentation and storytelling, I have no qualms, this is gold. But if the damn thing was released in a gaming storefront, I have to review it as a game, even if it barely qualifies as one. As such, it’s a one-and-done experience with the bare minimum of interactivity, often relegated to a handful of cutscenes. That being said, let me reiterate: it’s a beautiful little gem, one that will make the most cynical of human beings feel something for the first time in forever.
It feels heartbreaking to give Hop ‘n’ Marty such a low score because I actually had a bit of fun with it. There are worse ways to spend a couple of hours on your Switch. But I just cannot ignore how unpolished and janky this commercial product is. It’s definitely not a looker (hell, it’s the opposite of it), and its controls are simply not good enough. Maybe it was its obvious lack of a budget, or a tight deadline – who knows. All I know is that I cannot simply praise it for its good intentions and ignore its blatant flaws.
I won’t say that there aren’t some impressive features in Echoes of the End, namely the impressive visuals and the occasionally smart puzzle, but not a single thing in it felt original. It’s a clear case of a smaller team wanting to create an experience akin to a AAA title, but including all of the clichés and annoying technical trickeries that used to infest big-budgeted titles from the PS4 era.
Hexen and Heretic are a harder sell when compared to Doom and Quake, but they are still fun games worth checking out. They are different enough to feel novel even after 30 years, being less linear, medieval-themed, and even melee-focused, depending on the character you choose to play as. Thanks to Nightdive’s utterly masterful remastering efforts, both titles look, run and play better than ever before.
Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon is far from being considered a bad game, but this is also the first title in the franchise that felt devoid of an identity. Ironic, considering it’s the one that doesn’t try to be a carbon copy of an existing Zelda game. It’s just a halfway decent dungeon crawler / action RPG hybrid with average visuals, average controls, and an average gameplay loop. Even if it supports local co-op multiplayer, the fact it’s currently not available on consoles makes this feature feel somewhat pointless.
I don’t think it’s even a hyperbole or a controversy to state that Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the best 2D Ninja Gaiden ever made. With the exception of the occasionally tough roadblock in the shape of a challenging boss battle, as well as very occasionally cheap custscenes, this is just fantastic. It’s a lot more balanced, more polished, more enjoyable than any of its side-scrolling predecessors. And the best part about it all, it’s not even the last Ninja Gaiden we’re getting this year.
When you add up all of the versions included in one single package, as well as quality of life enhancements, sound test mode, and a bunch of extras, there’s no other way to describe Gradius Origins other than a truly magnificent celebration of Konami’s flaship shooter franchise.
The interactivity tied to the conversations act more like you talking to a virtual shrink than anything else, but it doesn’t feel like an essential part of what makes the game unique. A Dream About Parking Lots would have been a much more interesting experience if it were a first-person short movie about the author’s dreams and perceptions of reality.
As an outsider looking in, the video game adaptation of Edens Zero confused the hell out of me due to its disjointed take on the manga’s plot. Its combat and overall mechanics could have been just a bit more polished. Still, with that said, I had a pretty good time with it. It’s dumbed down in terms of its gameplay, and its presentation is really freaking good. It won me over due to its simplicity. Now, did it make me want to actually watch the Edens Zero anime? No, it didn’t.
The usage of AI voicework shouldn’t outshine some of Spy Drops‘ main appealing features. I gotta give the developers credit where credit is due: they promised us a roguelike take on classic Metal Gear Solid, and that’s exactly what they’ve delivered, despite its many, many, MANY shortcomings. That said, I can’t say I wasn’t having a bit of fun with it. The idea is sound; it’s the execution that felt half-baked, though I understand a chunk of it was a consequence of the game’s minuscule budget.
Visually speaking, it’s dull. When it comes to its sound department, there isn’t one – all you’re going to hear is annoying flies buzzing around. The gameplay is as shallow as a puddle, and whether or not this was meant to be comedic or philosophical, it has failed either way. I wasn’t laughing or thinking about the futility of a small amount of time spent alive, even if this was supposed to be one of its (smuggish) intentions – I was just beyond bored.
Earthion is a pretty good horizontal shooter.. but that’s basically it. You’ve played dozens, maybe hundreds of similar games released since the early 90s. What might make it stand out a bit is the fact it’s got a TRULY FANTASTIC score by Yuzo Koshiro, and was developed by his own studio, but this is just another shooter in a genre where there’s little room for innovation or improvements, especially when you consider the fact it was developed with the limitations of the Mega Drive in mind.