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.

Trails through Daybreak has the best side quests in any game I’ve played. I mean, I cried like, three different times. And these are just optional moments, too. The sheer storytelling and world-building alone makes this game worth a look. Overall, this is a great foundation for the next era of this series.

It would be extremely difficult not to be charmed by the graphics and animation in Luigi’s Mansion 2, as the passion behind them is practically tangible. Even the central focus of puzzle solving and ghost-catching are fun on their own. However, I cannot possibly overstate how much of the joy gets sucked out by its strict adherence to a completely linear chapter progression. It’s like a hospital painted in vibrant colors. It does a lot to brighten things up, but you can only do so much to counterbalance the sterility.

Part of me wishes Another Crab’s Treasure predated the Souls games, just so we would have to refer to genre offshoots as Crablikes. The sauce is certainly thick on this one, and I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time. Another Crab’s Treasure pulls off exactly what it set out to do, and it’s going to be a favorite for many. Thanks to some of the less palatable late-game moments, it didn’t quite get to that level for me, but I very much appreciate all the shell-bound friends and pelagic puns I met along the way.

If you get anything from this review, it’s that Rocket Knight Adventures is an underappreciated classic, and you should definitely play it. The two Sparkster games are more Sparkster, but more disposable and with a feeling of cynicism. Whether you wait for a sale is your decision. Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection is fine, just play Rocket Knight Adventures already.

Still Wakes the Deep blends this terror with genuine human flaws. Outside of Dredge, I don’t know if a game has felt so uniquely Lovecraftian. This is a game that everyone should play just to experience once, and thanks to its deathless story mode, you can. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s noteworthy and a game you’re not going to stop hearing about for a long time, and it scratches the itch you’ll have been feeling since playing Alien: Isolation.

Even though my expectations were high, Shadow of the Erdtree still managed to exceed them.

Shortform horror is well-established within the indie sphere, and you can generally find whatever niche or subgenre you’re looking for. From RPG Maker narratives to raunchy slasher horror, hobby developers have stuck their fingers in a lot of scary places. But through slick and enjoyable writing and a surreality of its own, Anthology of the Killer manages to be more than just another corpse on the pile.

Easily stands amongst the classic games that inspired it while simultaneously paying homage to them.

It's pure fun, and I honestly can't ask for anything more from a game.

Quotation forthcoming.

The fact that Paper Mario did diverge after The Thousand-Year Door makes this remaster even more effective.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

The best thing I can say about PO’ed is that it can be completed in around three hours. Aside from that, I really didn’t enjoy it. It’s not the worst FPS I’ve played. For all its problems, it at least isn’t bland. It has its high points, demonstrates a capable development team with a willingness to experiment, it just didn’t result in a fun final product.

If you've ever had thoughts of throwing your phone away or abandoning the internet to its robotic rulers, Mullet Madjack taps into that frustration.

If you enjoy a good story that can make you laugh one minute, hold back tears the next, then audibly mumble “WTF?” right after that, do yourself a favor, and check out1000xRESIST.

Animal Well is packed with more things to do and secrets to find than most other games.

It's definitely worth a visit.

Despite it not being what I expected and having a few quirks like unusually long load times (30 seconds at most at odd times), Sucker for Love: Date to Die For is an easy recommendation for anyone. It’s a genuinely heartwarming tale steeped in horror. The way it utilizes concepts familiar to Lovecraft fans and makes them its own is inspiring. It’s flirty, charming, funny, and frightful in equal parts. If Akabaka was able to make this kind of leap between the first and second entries, I can’t wait to see what they do for the third.

I have no doubt that this is going to be — and in many cases likely already is — a runaway 2024 favorite for many. It didn’t quite land there for me, personally, but I won’t soon forget the satisfaction of a deft parry and the shrieks of those who sacrificed themselves throughout Christian’s harrowing journey. Hell, I may even dive back in and see how it holds up to a return trip, just not anytime too soon; the wounds are still fresh.

If you're a fan of games with a unique and compelling narrative, Stellar Blade has fired on all cylinders in that regard.

It’s still an enjoyable journey and adds plenty of playtime thanks to the multitude of cinematics, lengthy main story, and generous helping of sidequests. The Rising Tide is definitely a step up from the meager offerings of the boss rush mode that was Echoes of the Fallen. If you’ve been looking for a reason to return to Valisthea, this is it.