The personality of Revita shines through its 16-bit art style. A clear ode to greats of the past, the game possesses large sprites that have a ton of character. The blue-haired protagonist has a simple but memorable design that is in line with games of the era. This is further amplified with its retro-inspired soundbites. With its catchy melodies and general effects, the game perfectly captures the feel of the 90s.

When it comes to humor, satire and pretend violence, I have endlessly high tolerance. Art and entertainment should be free to push buttons and push the limits of what’s acceptable. I have far less patience for lazy, sloppy and tired humor that masquerades as edgy, and no patience at all for developers that waste my time with games that barely run. With Postal 3, Running With Scissors blamed it on the Russians. With Postal 4, they have no one to blame but themselves.

I’m between a rock and a hard place with MLB The Show 22. On the one hand, I still think Sony San Diego delivers the best simulation sports game on the market today. On the other hand, if it weren’t for the new commentary team, I’d feel like I’m playing last year’s game. If you were expecting 22 to be a big year for baseball, you might need to adjust your expectations. Only when the developers choose to genuinely flesh out their most popular modes (and redesign that damn locker room!) will this series get back to where it belongs.

There’s no mistaking that Dark Deity was heavily inspired by Fire Emblem. But what’s important is that it differentiates itself. And it does, giving it a well-earned place in strategy genre. Filled with wonderful characters with a ton of personality, and an intriguing but linear story with some decent audio, we have a title that will surely quench the thirst of FE fans that need to get back on that strategic grind.

On the whole, though, Road 96 remains a genuinely innovative game. It’s approach to storytelling and narrative branching is unique. Despite a few relatively minor issues, playing Road 96 is an engaging experience. The moral ambiguity of its characters and their choices feel true to life, even if the game’s conceit is a little less compelling.

Cat Cafe Manager is a work in progress that still manages to capture your heart. It was unfortunately riddled with small problems that ultimately led to an unplayable experience. Even though the cats were adorable and the characters were endearing, the poor performance made it difficult to see past completion. The first few hours of gameplay are relatively stress-free, but as it progresses there are some complications that followed. Glitches, difficulty to perform actions, and laggy movements ultimately led to a frustrating gaming experience. Despite the fluffy cats and creative strategies, an update is needed to improve the game’s performance. After some improvements, it will definitely be a hit, but right now it’s not quite ready yet.

If you have a truly open mind, and you want to look up the source of some weird quote, you will learn a lot, experience a well-realized world, and put away some fictional bad guys. You’ll get to see moody lighting, hear some catchy bleeps, and have the satisfaction of a mystery well solved. This is a genre without a lot of greats, and Chinatown Detective Agency comes pretty close.

Overall, In Nightmare hits the mark. It fits its self-defined genre, and was an otherwise decent game. Its overabundance of mechanics and reliance on standard horror game features hold the title back from being more unique than it could be. Though In Nightmare should not supplant any of your favorite horror titles, the game’s narrative and attempt to differentiate itself through its visuals might just be enough to garner a curious horror game fan’s attention.

Godfall Ultimate Edition’s list of added features and improvements is impressive and addresses quite a number of gripes about the original game. From story to combat, the game has been tweaked or significantly revised. The somewhat pedestrian narrative and level design don’t obscure the excellence of the action, which remains immensely engaging. Though the always-online requirement remains irksome, the $30 price tag for the base game, DLC and boatload of enhancements, endgame content and add-ons makes it a reasonable proposition. Godfall might have made a disappointing first impression, but its highly negative reception was maybe disproportionate. In any case, the Ultimate Edition makes Godfall deserving of a second look.

Overall, this is a real charmer of a game. It plays with the real scale of a world in VR to create an engaging experience. Oft times I found myself smiling like one would with a Nintendo Mario game.

Moss was PSVR’s standout title and therefore it’s fitting that Book II is the platform’s swan song. Even on old tech, Polyarc manages to forge an adventure for the ages. From the art direction to the emotional storytelling, each aspect of the original has been improved, making this a truly remarkable sequel.

You might simply write off Coromon as a copy of other games. But think of it as more of a game inspired by previous works. While the inspiration is obvious, various design choices within the gameplay are clear upgrades, including difficulty modifiers and the Milestones feature. If you are a fan of monster collecting games, Coromon is differentiated enough to give it a try.

Eschewing combat takes away some of the ethical dilemmas that are part of 4x and city builder games. You can even play Before We Leave without any threats at all, making it a very chill experience that’s focused entirely on puttering around and building. Without combat or threats, however, Before We Leave is forced to really lean into its aesthetic and mechanics. The result is a little vanilla and a bit repetitive over the long term. It’s a bit like decaf coffee. It’ll do, but you’re gonna miss the kick.

All in all, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim’s Switch release is a strong success. This game is an incredible experience that doesn’t require you to be a brilliant RTS player–but will reward you for being one. If you enjoy complex storytelling and retro anime, you’ll have a great time. If you prefer games that don’t have required reading, maybe play something else.

For all the flaws I’ve dragged out, I still love this game. The powerful music, the ethereal visuals, and the fascinating plot all deserve special attention. And yes, there’s a lot of weird, dense mechanics to wade through. But this just requires some patience and planning. To that end, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition isn’t for everybody. But if you’re looking for a unique 32-bit RPG that will stick with you for years to come? You’ll want to check out Chrono Cross.

Overall, The Ascent is a fun twin-stick shooter that comes to the Playstation with an absolutely beautiful world design. The wholesale violence is very engaging but may feel a bit redundant as you can be pretty well maxed out about halfway through. I had a lot of fun with The Ascent, especially with multiplayer. It’s a beautiful-looking game that’s a blast to play that’s worth checking out.

It isn't a super complex, deep, and difficult gaming experience. And that is perfectly great. It nails exactly what it is trying to do. Bring some life to a beloved galaxy and fill it with things to do while also being funny and charming. Players get to see, and play as, their favourite characters from across all three trilogies and relive that magic in a stress-free adventure. Furthermore, they get to explore iconic planets and feel close to these places they have always wanted to explore.

tERRORbane is goofy and great. Throughout, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the swerve balls in gameplay and plot. It’s genuinely funny with a bunch of laugh-out-loud memorable moments. Unfortunately, this enthralling adventure is over a little soon but you can revisit areas to discover all the secrets. Packed with ingenuity, BitNine Studios have really put itself on the map with this gem.

Criticisms aside, this was the studio’s first crack at the survival game genre. I can see their talent in making good-looking environments, especially in cities and building interiors. It’s hard trying to do something unfamiliar and I respect them for trying something so different. Dead Man’s Diary feels like a learning step possibly leading to something greater in the future.

The beautiful thing about Weird West is also what makes it critically impenetrable. At least for me, my enjoyment of the game is tied to my particular playstyle. If you’re more ruthless with NPCs, if you’re more stealth-focused, or if you’re more patient, this is a very different game. So my frustration with the stealth is a sign to sneak around less. If I’m unhappy with the story, I can always change how it ends. Conversely, the movement and aiming controls are a tangible way of making your platforming choice. If you’re looking for a western RPG with this sort of blissful, overwhelming freedom, you’ve come to the right place. For better or for worse, Weird West has that freedom.

A Memoir Blue has a beautiful, varied visual style, emotionally resonant music, and a sincere — if not terribly deep — narrative. The changing and mysterious relationship of parents and children is relatable. It’s a wonderful story to experience, told via haunting, surreal images. Where A Memoir Blue collapses is in its arbitrary and often unnecessary game mechanics. I get that the main character is trying to make sense of her puzzle-like memories. Pixel hunting and awkward object manipulation don’t make me feel invested or immersed. I’d argue they work against it. A Memoir Blue could and should have been a touching short animated film.

I can’t really know what the AAA version of No Place Like Home even looks like. I think I wish the controls felt a little tighter, and that it looked a little bit nicer. It’s great to get all the garbage off the grass, but I wish the grass was a bit more textured. Maybe it would have been nice to see it shine in the sunlight. But that’s not where No Place Like Home places its focus. The developers clearly put time into balance and rhythm. If you are a gamer who peacefully likes carving out a digital home for yourself, there is a peace to be found in No Place Like Home.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright is unassailably clever. There is nothing remotely like it, at least visually. Many elements work really well, from the hand-crafted animations to the idea of the game springing from the imagination of a precocious, game-loving kid. I wish the story had been a bit more layered, and I wish actually playing the game matched the fun and panache of its presentation. Still, RPG Time: The Legend of Wright deserves praise for the audacity of its ideas and their generally successful implementation.

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 5 should please fans of the series. The additions make the game more accessible than ever and is more fleshed out thanks to the new content. The main drawback is the lack of haptic feedback in relation to the track surface.

Tunic is a great game for a specific audience. The target gamer is someone who has patience, loves puzzles and isn’t bothered by dead ends and roadblocks. For those folks, Tunic is a delightful Zelda-inspired ARPG that unfolds into something bigger than its style suggests. Knowing the shorthand of Soulslikes mechanics will cut through some of the game’s opacity. For some, though, the game’s obstinate refusal to easily give up its secrets may be a barrier to enjoyment, no matter how lovely and inviting the game seems to be.

All in all, if you enjoy anime and story-heavy JRPGs, you’ll probably enjoy this title as well. If you prefer games that feature better gameplay to cutscene ratios, you should probably play something else.

Although it uses the Borderlands 3 engine and reprises several characters from earlier games in the franchise, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands does a great job of separating itself from its brethren. With a focus on high fantasy and cheeky humor that constantly pokes fun at RPG traditions, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands also doesn't stray far from them, at least mechanically. Great writing, pitch perfect acting and frenetic action dominate the game, but exploring the nooks and crannies of the colorful overworld and detailed dungeons is equally satisfying. I had a blast in the Wonderlands and can't wait to see what else the irrepressible Tiny Tina has in store for us.

Given the open world craze sweeping the industry, I expected something along those lines with Forgotten Land. Instead, I got a charming new adventure taking measured steps outside the franchise's usual boundaries. This game proves you don't have to reinvent the wheel, so long as you're adding some sweet rims. While the new mechanics are cool, I also appreciate the way old systems have been refreshed. And while the challenge level felt toothless at first, things managed to heat up in the end. In fact, the game is as tough as you need it to be, from start to finish. If you've been looking for something fresh from Kirby, you're in luck. Kirby and the Forgotten Land has some delightful surprises in store.