It wasn’t until the last act of the game that the fires of my enthusiasm met with a damp log. It wasn’t enough to put me out entirely, but it did take down the heat. Starstruck sets itself up for a homerun and winds up just making it to fourth base. It filled out the paperwork correctly, but forgot to sign and date the bottom. Uh, what I’m saying is that with a bit more time dedicated to its storytelling, it could have been the complete package. As it stands, you might be impressed by its personality, but you won’t necessarily be starstruck.

It’s not the most wide-ranging appeal, but for those within that niche, it’s hard to find too many complaints. There’s rollback netcode, some fantastic games, and a Punisher beat ’em up for when you’d rather co-op than fight. If you’re a nostalgic fan of the originals or someone curious about one of the most storied games in fighting history, this collection makes it easy to take a ride back in time.

It’s just not the most memorable experience, either. Hollowbody stakes its identity on being a PS2-inspired horror game and has trouble building on that and finding its own identity. The world it depicts is enticing, but it struggles to find a story there. On the other hand, it’s not uncomfortable to play. It’s enjoyable for what it is. It’s not completely hollow, but it’s far from solid.

I can’t praise this game enough. It’s as if the Emperor himself oversaw its development, pulling on the threads of time and space to bring the right people together at the right time to make it. There are flaws, sure, but it’s a damn good game and a flipping fantastic Warhammer 40K game. If you even remotely enjoy the universe, this will blow your mind. As I mentioned at the top, though, you can go into this game with no prior knowledge and still have the best time with it because the experience is solid, the world is completely realized, and the gameplay is highly engaging.

I Am Your Beast is weak in some areas, but not significantly so. A large portion of it is just fine, but what’s good is really good. It manages a combat system that is fast and chaotic while still remaining intuitive, which is an impressive feat. Part of me wonders if something like this could be applied across a wider, longer game without diluting it. As it is, I Am Your Beast applies it perfectly, making it a short-lived but impactful experience.

As it stands, I thought Star Trucker was a good time. Not an ideal time, and I don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of Space Joe, but I think it does what it sets out to do. The creators had a vision they wanted to achieve, and I think they hit near enough to the mark to call it a success. As long as you know what you’re getting into, it’s a worthwhile experience. It might occasionally grind your gears, but it’s a breath of fresh air with the right filters.

As far as NES games go, Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is as solid as they come. I said this earlier, but if this came out during the NES’ lifespan, it probably would be well-remembered. Maybe not as well as one of the system’s absolute classics, but at least in the same niche as Little Nemo: Dream Master. Released today, it’s another very curious case of a new licensed game getting released on an old console. That’s already very exciting for me, so the fact that it’s also a well-tuned game is just gravy.

Astro Bot on PS5 feels like the culmination of every Team Asobi project before it. Given how many mascots Sony has lost over the years (this game's constant cameos certainly reminded me of that!), I'm completely on board with them adopting the little bot as their new face. They've earned it.

SteamWorld Heist II is a phenomenal title that offers you the best when it comes to short, tactical encounters with thrilling turn-based gameplay. It’s not without its frustrations when it comes to story progression, but pushing through will reveal to you a game with incredible mission variety that you can mix up even more using your crew. Thanks to its checkpoint system and no punishment for mission failure, it’s incredibly approachable and opens the turn-based tactics genre up for anyone who doesn’t want to play something as intense as XCOM.

I’m not sure Emio is going to stick with me in the same way that Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo will. If anything does cement itself in my mind, it will be its conclusion, which is so incredibly impactful, partly because you’ve spent so much time immersed in the very human side of its mystery. It’s also impactful because it’s incredibly dark in a way the rest of the narrative only hinted at. You’ll just have to do some digging before you find the body.

Chilla’s Art has a long history of making games in this style and has built up a cult following. The developer’s games are bite-sized adventures into a digital world of pulp horror. While they fill that role of inexpensive uncut gems that delight a few, I would love to see a few more passes on a title and have it really shine. As it stands, even this “restored edition” feels like a first draft rather than a finished product.

If you enjoy the Ubisoft structure of games but have been overwhelmed by them lately, thankfully Outlaws avoids most of the pitfalls. I feel safe in recommending Star Wars Outlaws to anyone who is a Star Wars fan who is looking for a solid story in the beloved universe, with stealth-focused gameplay that allows you to truly live the life of a scoundrel on the Outer Rim. [Review in Progress]

It’s not bad. I’d even say it’s very solid. It’s just somewhat bland. In its effort to provide a smooth surface, it has sanded off a lot of personality. Despite being over 50 (rather lengthy) levels long, in a few months, I probably won’t remember much about Bakeru. It provides a loving representation of Japan, but doesn’t let you live in it. It lets you visit, but you’re not allowed to leave the resort. I’m just saying: A fight between a teapot robot and a giant onigiri is a lot more effective if you’ve met the people you’re stepping on.

When everything comes together, Castaway feels just substantial enough to recommend. Many will still find it too short, but it’s not all bad if your only real complaint is that you want more. I love projects like this, and it’s something I’d be keen to see more of in the future. You can really tell when a developer is channeling something they adore and doing their best to put their own spin on it and show everyone what they can do with a specific set of tools. If this proves successful, I really hope Vinet is afforded the opportunity to revisit the world, or at least one in the same vein. For now, though, at least I can rest easy knowing I got my dog back before it even had time to miss me.

Perhaps if it was balanced better, had more meaningful upgrades, or strove to play as well as it looks, it might be worth it. As it stands, I’d say wait for a sale and don’t bother paying more than $15. It’s a fun way to kill an afternoon and gives you a taste of the genre, but that’s about it. Here’s hoping that developer KeelWorks can learn from its debut effort and bring its gameplay design to the same level as its visuals.

Earth Defense Force 6 is easily the best game the series has seen so far, and it attains that title in an unexpected way. While its gameplay could be charitably described as a continuation of EDF 5 (or a complete rehash, if you want to be mean for some reason), the way it uses its narrative to repeatedly spin things in surprising ways drastically changes the feel and flow of the mission-to-mission gameplay. It’s still the same loveable mix of possibly deliberate tokusatsu campiness and jank, but something’s different this time. If you’ve never been able to decide if the EDF series is completely stupid or remarkably brilliant, this will keep you wondering, but also fascinated.

The remaster of The Devil’s Playhouse is a loving polishing that lives up to the standards of the previous Skunkape efforts. Better yet, Season 3 is easily the best one. If you’re looking to get into the series, it’s probably still better to jump in at Season 1. If you’ve been along for the ride this long, then you won’t be disappointed. The Telltale Sam & Max series may not be the most mindblowing point-and-clicks you’ll ever witness, but after playing through the first two seasons, you owe it to yourself to cap it off. Can’t think of a reason not to.

I fell in love with Dredge all over again while playing The Iron Rig. It completes the game in a way I never thought I needed and makes it feel brand new. Every point that the base game made about humanity’s impact on the world and the unknown implications from…well, the unknown, is heightened by the DLC. It’s the perfect reason to replay, a fantastic excuse to stay in bed all weekend and play a cozy horror game, and a new way to make yourself wonder about what’s lurking out of sight the next time you look out at the vastness of the ocean.

The intentionally lackadaisical attitude and random dialogue elements was more than enough to keep me glued. The off-kilter world and solid dialogue heightened the experience. And the fact that I want more from Dryft City Kyngs is proof enough that it’s worth playing. It’s unique and joyful, effortlessly combining the weird with the mundane.

Despite being out for nearly a decade, The Sims 4: Lovestruck has rung me back in again, even after all these years. It’s refreshing to see the characters become more lifelike, in which gameplay takes a unique turn. So, I suppose I am going to do my Sims 4 binge. Maybe it’s high time for me to finally get that 100 Baby challenge done.

The Operator presents a number of fun puzzles and situations and gives you a story that is compelling, if rather clumsy. It’s about 5 hours long and manages to be entertaining throughout. Once it’s over, you might find yourself unsatisfied by its strict straightforwardness and the short leash it keeps you on. However, if you’re able to settle into the rigidity, you’ll find something enjoyable but hollow.

Clickolding really needed to nail its narrative to be a successful experiment, and it really doesn’t. It’s much too unfocused and far too superficial, never really drilling far into its subject matter. There were a lot of directions that could have been taken, and none of them were. That doesn’t mean that Clickolding doesn’t have value, but it’s not something that needs to be experienced. You could get the same pleasure from just watching.

It feels like it would fit better as an additional mode to some sort of NES Remix compilation. And that’s ignoring the fact that NES Remix 2 already had a mode based on the Nintendo World Championships. Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition is a celebration of the classic console; it’s just one that lacks excitement and is too exclusive for its own good.

Take a few jumping puzzles from a 2D platformer, a pinch of progression from a Metroidvania, the story of a gorgeous indie title, lashings of pixel art, a dollop of relaxing tunes, mix well, and bake until you can see the personality rising out of it. If that sounds tempting, that’s Magical Delicacy for you.

I am nothing but conflicted regarding The First Descendant. It’s a Modern Prometheus of parts and ideas that looks and plays wonderfully when it works. However, the Dr. Frankenstein who assembled it is clearly profit-driven and has a bit of a reputation for its microtransactions. Throw in the equivalent of a Dell Dimension 8400 for a server and things look grim. I don’t expect The First Descendant to get a lot of support in the time it’s around, and I’ll enjoy it for what it is, but I won’t make the mistake of believing it will hold much attention outside of a small, dedicated player base.

The mileage you get out of Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess will depend on how malnourished you are from Strike depravation. It’s fun but very rough. It is reasonably but not mind-blowingly fun. It is substantially but not unforgivably rough. The former is certainly more important than the latter. However, more consistency is needed to give this bird its blades.

Ultimately, ZZZ delights with guiding design principles—remembering what so many adore about other Hoyoverse characters while breaking those moments up into short, snappier pieces. It’s rather easy to pick up and put down, and for something on the go, it’s certainly the preferable Hoyo title. For now, I’m all on board with New Eridu, and eager to watch the cast and world grow in many of the ways Honkai and Genshin have, too.

If you enjoy visual novels and games very similar to this like the Coffee Talk franchise, then this is absolutely for you. It’s a slow burn that doesn’t speed up or see you getting into scenarios you could describe as epic or turning points for a universe, though. This is a game for those who want a genuine answer from friends when they ask how they’re doing, a visual novel you can take your time with and leans much more into making you feel something instead of blasting you with impressive fights, fates, and fantastic visuals.