As someone who likes the show and the concept, it checks most of the boxes I’d want from a licensed title – if the combat was solid, I’d have been totally content with One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows as fanservice for a series I enjoyed. Instead, the part that players will be spending the most time on is also the worst part of the experience, and no amount of callbacks or cameos can carry it.

Atelier Ryza knows that it’s the start of a new franchise, and it ends with the promise of more to come. It’s dangerous to assume that the developers can keep up this level of quality, but after getting through the story and a robust assortment of side quests, I’m as excited about as I was after completing Atelier Sophie. Ryza isn’t the best in the series, but it certainly has the potential to be the jumping-off point for the best trilogy yet.

Stela’s world decay, the desperation of its inhabitants and the environmental connotations that come along with them strikes a fine note and it’s supported by an engaging playstyle and attractive aesthetic — the problem is that several other games have walked the same path before it, and many of them do it better.

When all is said and done and everyone has had the chance to play it for themselves, I have no doubt that Alyx will be held in the same lofty regard as the first two Half-Life entries. It really is that good. Of course, I still want Half-Life 3, but it turns out that I wanted this even more and didn’t know it.

Overall, The Foundation is a satisfying package that delivers more of what players got from the original campaign, and this is a good thing. The combat scenarios are tense, the locales are interesting, and it’s between four to six hours of new content for those looking to spend more time with Jesse Faden. It might not advance the storyline much and it doesn’t do anything radically different, but there’s no question that those who enjoyed Control should jump in and see what’s happening in the basement.

I don’t think that The Pedestrian has a grand point to make, and that’s okay. Even without a message or an emotional hook, this is a beautiful, fiendishly clever little puzzler that surprised me at every turn, and that’s more than enough.

It’s great that four years later Street Fighter V is still receiving updates and continues to have a decent online community. I can’t recommend that owners of the previous versions pay for the upgrade since the new characters can be earned for free within the game, but for anyone who hasn’t played Street Fighter V yet, there’s no better version to pick up than the Champion Edition.

While I’m sure some players might find the basic premise of Curious Expedition to be distasteful — and it is problematic, to be sure — the design is thoughtful and challenging, and the turn-based exploratory approach brings a fresh, welcome angle to the combat-heavy roguelike genre. It’s likely to incite some tough conversations, but roguelike fans and boardgame fans should check it out.

Coffee Talk might not be for everyone and the lack of overt gameplay will likely give some players pause – as it did with me — but my time in this faux-Seattle café was well-spent, and I genuinely hope that the cast returns for a sequel.

It took the better part of a decade to happen, but I’m finally in a position to say that when everything was said and done, Kentucky Route Zero came together beautifully and has solidified itself as essential for anyone interested in games that have plenty to say and share their message in a beautiful way.

Some dialogue options lead to sluggish sequences in which ten text boxes deal with the question of whether or not to pick up a phone or open a door, only to ignore the player’s choice in the end. The lack of a ‘skip’ button during replays is also annoying. Rough edges like this and others hint to its status as a small-budget indie, but SELF remains a solid text experience and I found that its narrative stuck with me long after finishing all possible routes. However, as I alluded to at the start, this game isn’t really about finding all the endings — each branch on its own provides a unique look on contemporary society and an individual’s weakness… or strength.

It’s unfortunate that Blacksad: Under the Skin fell prey to these foibles because it offers a story worth seeing to the end, even if a lack of optimization gets in the way. With a little more technical polish, these great characters in a great setting will be able to shine.

All of these issues in design and execution are really a shame, since they mean that Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory is not enjoyable for any amount of time. The dialogue is clever and witty, and I enjoyed seeing Alpha Complex come to life in videogame form, but aesthetics can only carry something so far. While I can’t recommend this iteration. there’s always the pen-and-paper version for those who need a fix.

On a non-VR platform, Eclipse would likely come across as empty-feeling and slight, but between the smart implementation of motion controls and a visual style that’s conscious of its limits, Eclipse makes enough of the right decisions to be worth a look for anyone who owns a headset. I continue to root for this technology, and I savor opportunities that transport me to the sorts of bizarre worlds that games like Eclipse can.

Williams Volume 5 is a welcome addition to Pinball FX3 that contains two great tables, and one decent one, and all three can be had for less than it costs for a night at the local pinball arcade.

From start to finish, Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr is an outstanding dungeon crawler that checks all the boxes I want checked and then goes on to polish up all the other details as well. It might not win over those who aren’t already fans of the genre, but players looking for the next great dungeon crawl can’t afford to miss this one.

Journey to the Savage Planet is the definition of a mixed bag. The goofy live-action bits, cute creatures and overall aesthetic have a ton of charm, but the satire feels oafishly delivered and underdone. The first-person platforming is a cut above, but the combat is tedious and unpleasant, and the exploration is hamstrung by an unwieldy teleporter system and the absurd absence of a map. There’s a lot to like about Savage Planet, but I was also more than ready to be done with it long before it asked me to shoot dozens of GWPs on its engagingly ugly final boss.

Exploring and appreciating a visual novel with writing as good as this one shouldn’t be tiresome. With luck, future patches and updates will address these minor concerns because Coteries of New York is something well worth sinking one’s fangs into.

Roguelikes always involve repetition, but the difference between a good roguelike and a bad one is whether there’s a sense of momentum from one run to the next – some feeling that I’m slowly chipping away at a discernible goal by gaining the right tools or learning the right lessons. Katana Kami occupies that space for a while, but then keeps going for no good reason. Players with the self-discipline to call it quits when the final boss is felled may find value here, but as a whole, Katana Kami is a solid eight-hour roguelike stretched and distorted into a thirty-hour grotesquerie.

I expected something more from Mosaic when I finished it — some sort of revelation or point to it all, but only credits followed. It’s ironic that a game trying to educate the player on individuality and ‘breaking the cycle’ has no significant message or meaningful character development. Instead, Mosaic relies too much on presentation and drags the player through its narrative, forcing them towards a perfunctory conclusion that was obvious from the first five minutes of gameplay.

Sparklite is probably best suited for younger players and those looking for a delightful (if somewhat insubstantial) romp through a gorgeous world. It probably won’t be something I look back fondly on in a few years, but it’s entertaining and whimsical enough to be worth a purchase.

Getting a few things right just isn’t enough when the core of play — the platforming — is this troubled. Jet Kave Adventure was so awkward and problematic that I had to stop playing. When I see games with problems, I usually want to offer suggestions on how things could have been fixed, but the issues here run too deep — all I can say to the developers is that I wish them better luck next time.

There are dozens of Dragon Ball Z games and Kakarot represents only the latest attempt to fully retell the manga’s story in videogame form. However, the quality of the experience makes a strong argument for this entry being the last one since the cartoon graphics perfectly recreate Toriyama’s visuals and the story hits every beat far better than the anime managed to. By presenting a great story with such perfect fealty, it’s safe to say that (for now, at least) Kakarot is the definitive Dragon Ball Z videogame.

Iceborne simply cements Monster Hunter World‘s position at the top of the Hunting genre, providing one of the best and most fully-featured expansions in recent memory for a title that would already gleefully suck up hundreds of hours even in its original iteration. Anyone who’s a fan of the series should be all-in on this expansion already, and for anyone yet to check it out… well, now may very well be the best time.

Playing Draw Chilly isn’t complicated, but it has just enough nuance to keep it interesting. The story isn’t particularly deep, but absolutely no one will be able to predict the bizarre zigs and zags the script takes. The graphics are bursting with humor and charm, and even now after rolling credits, I’m still pleasantly confounded by this nearly inexplicable project. There were a few moments between unlocks when slaughtering monkeys lost some shine and a couple of bosses had me pulling my hair out (PROTIP: upgrade worm milk capacity ASAP) but I couldn’t stop playing Draw Chilly once I started, and as soon as I finished it, I bought the developer’s previous game. If that’s not a solid recommendation, then I don’t know what is.

Super Crush KO is a gentle entry into the world of twitch-based combo brawling action — a safe, warm pool for people curious about the genre to dip their toes in before attempting to walk hot coals with Dante or Bayonetta. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, it has a really, really, really cute cat.

Having multiple buttons for in-game confirmations is a frustrating design decision that had me silently swearing. It’s unfortunate to have these control issues, because I appreciate what Construction Simulator 2: Console Edition has achieved. The developers have delivered a decent port of a game type not often seen on consoles, but if PC gaming is an option, I recommend playing that version instead.

Despite the absurdity of the narrative and the disappointing anticlimax of its ending (not spoiled here!) Black Future ’88 is an impressive title with interesting weapons, spot-on controls, creative unlocks, and entertaining action. I wish the visual accessibility was as robust as the rest, but fans of 2D action will enjoy it as a single-player experience, or with a buddy in local co-op mode.

The issues in Everreach snowball off each other. Poor controls and defensive options make combat tough. Limited resources mean little ways to mitigate the combat. Dying often means story beats can potentially be spaced far apart. Fixing any one of these issues would elevate the others, but in its current state, Everreach feels like a dogpile of bad decisions and insane balancing. Have the devs not paid any attention to design trends in modern titles?

After wondering where it could go after the third entry, Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a fitting finale to the franchise. Everything about the presentation is top-notch, and there’s even a special surprise for anyone playing on the PS4. Between Left 4 Dead and World War Z, the co-op zombie shooter is a genre with some truly great titles, and now Rebellion has finally made a game that deserves to be named among the best of them.

Overall, it’s hard to recommend Lost Ember thanks to performance issues and some questions about its narrative. There are certainly sights worth seeing here, but it ultimately feels more like an interesting start to something that isn’t as engaging as its contemporaries.

Still There is slow and it takes patience to get through the introductory sections, but after players have settled into the world and lived in Karl’s skin, it does an amazing job of telling one of the most touching stories I’ve seen in ages.

I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but I ended feeling conflicted. I appreciate many of the changes and felt that it generally respected my time, but I almost felt like a passive participant. The more complex gym challenges had a meatier role, but the narrative shouldn’t have been shoved to the side. Overall, I would recommend it to players who want to have a Pokemon experience, but this one won’t stick with me the way the older ones have.

I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but I ended feeling conflicted. I appreciate many of the changes and felt that it generally respected my time, but I almost felt like a passive participant. The more complex gym challenges had a meatier role, but the narrative shouldn’t have been shoved to the side. Overall, I would recommend it to players who want to have a Pokemon experience, but this one won’t stick with me the way the older ones have.

I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but I ended feeling conflicted. I appreciate many of the changes and felt that it generally respected my time, but I almost felt like a passive participant. The more complex gym challenges had a meatier role, but the narrative shouldn’t have been shoved to the side. Overall, I would recommend it to players who want to have a Pokemon experience, but this one won’t stick with me the way the older ones have.

Straimium Immortaly is the second title I’ve tried from Caiysware (the other being Skelly Selest, also on Switch) and I see unreached potential in this work. Both offer good ideas and a few nice moments, but neither has the level of polish or balance needed to deliver an engaging challenge. That said, I do feel like the dev is on the cusp of greatness and I’ll be curious to see their next attempt.

Simulacra remains compelling throughout, and the engaging, inventive mystery kept the story buoyant and compelled me to see it through.

Guildmaster Story doesn’t have a subtle bone in its body, but that’s for the best. Every part of this experience is crafted to get players to open their eyes and see the systems of exploitation all around them. Including — and especially — the one in their hands.

I wanted to like Mistover. While I initially came to it hoping to find something that delivered on its obvious promise of being similar to Darkest Dungeon, what I got was more like a poorly-balanced work-in-progress. With annoying encounters and dull dungeons, it falls far short of the game it was so clearly inspired by.

Aside from these concerns, Mechwarrior 5 is admirable in its effort to revive a spirit left dormant for the better part of twenty years. With some time and patience, players will find a substantial and potentially endless mecha game to sink their teeth into.

Disco Elysium represents the sort of advancement in narrative-based game design that I’ve always wanted to see, where character builds and number-crunching apply exclusively to the dialogue itself, and where the “battles” manifest as arguments and interrogations. Few developers have the courage to attempt this, and fewer have the writing skills to make every conversation such a treasure. Disco Elysium has a lot to say, and it says it with heart, gravitas, and a vivid imagination.

The menus have a clean and striking aesthetic, and I loved the way crones gathered around a shattered mirror to look down on Ivan during loading scenes. Breadcrumbs Interactive also nailed the voicework. Last but not least, the head-bobbing soundtrack from Romanian underground band Subcarpati, with its trippy hip-hop and folk influences, feels like the perfect choice. It’s the kind of music people will want to listen to even when not playing. Despite some of the issues I had with it, playing Yaga felt like reading my favorite folktale but better, because this time I got to star in it. Let’s just hope the next time I spin a yarn I get better luck and find Ivan a wife to make his babushka proud.

I adore Indivisible. I enjoyed all of the characters, I appreciated how the story made Ajna reconcile with her choices, and as a fighting game player I loved the style of combat. Even though some of the hiccups had me muttering unkind words, Indivisible still sits with me as one of my favorites of 2019.

Fans of Trine‘s previous entries may feel like this entry is a bit overfamiliar, but for those coming to the series for the first time, Trine 4 is a good place to start. This sequel might not reinvent its wheel, but in this case that’s not a bad thing.

When comparing The Executioner‘s frustrations to its merits, the negatives outweigh the developers’ intentions. This title seems like it plans to do and say a lot about morality within a cruel society, but its stat-based design feels like it’s going to need a huge overhaul before the statements it wants to make can come out clearly.

The Digimon Story titles can only blame themselves for the failure to realize the themes they seem to chase. The mechanics are unsuitable for developing a relationship between the player and the Digimon. The cliché-ridden characters and plot defeat the emotional impact of Cyber Sleuth, and poor scripting makes Hacker’s Memory feel irrelevant. What’s left is an astonishing quantity of JRPG grist. While there’s some satisfaction in grinding it down, none of it leaves a lasting impact.

Should this collection exist? I’m not sure. Am I glad it exists? Absolutely. Disney Classic Games did a great job of bringing two past greats to modern platforms. Although I wouldn’t recommend it to those with no nostalgia for the originals, I’m confident that those who remember them will appreciate this trip to the past. Now excuse me as I blast the volume to Be Prepared and start a fresh no-rewind playthrough of Lion King — I’m a masochist.

At its core Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts is a challenging, but fundamentally well-balanced sniping FPS, but the mask was supposed to be the thing that empowered the character and made them more than a match for the armies they’re up against — I just can’t understand why the developers didn’t let me choose how to use it, rather than forcing annoying limits upon me.

While there’s nothing terribly wrong with The Alliance Alive, there’s nothing particularly right with it either. Those who want some JRPG gristle to chew on will find it adequate, but anyone who missed it last time can skip it without regret this time, too.

From a presentation standpoint, Showdown is an excellent additional to the Shovel Knight kingdom, but with multiplayer being restricted to couch only, it doesn’t hold up as well as its platforming brethren.

While technically a prequel, Shovel Knight: King of Cards is a fitting end to the Shovel Knight saga. It continues the tradition of great graphics, sound, and level design set by the original, while still providing a fresh take on platforming.

The time-scrubbing mechanic in Arise is interesting and the many of the levels have a compelling concept. It also offers several visually striking moments and in certain places, it delivers on its emotional content. Unfortunately, it also has too many muddy, unclear visuals for a work of its brevity, and the core platforming disappoints. I wish I could give it a full-throated endorsement, but in the end this is a well-worn theme and Arise: A Simple Story falters in too many places to be truly notable.

Candleman (even with the extra levels added) is still a fairly short experience, but the length felt comfortable and it didn’t overstay its welcome. The storybook narrative style is perfect for the heartwarming tale that this game tells (no spoilers!) and it would be a great experience for a family to enjoy. Recommended!

As underwhelmed as I was by Fallen Order, I hope that its inevitable success will encourage EA to do more with this franchise, since it makes a powerful case for the resonance of Star Wars — if this mediocre casserole of concepts yanked from superior titles didn’t have the license attached, I doubt anyone would be talking about it.

Hands down, Door Kickers: Action Squad is one of the best games to come to the Switch this year. Every inch is well-designed and smartly tuned, it stays challenging (but fair!) and fresh from start to finish, and there’s enough meat on its bones to satisfy anyone. It even does co-op, to boot. Simply put, it is the total package and a must-buy for any Switch owner craving 2D action.

Like the Patriots in 2007, Axis Football 2019 isn’t perfect, but I enjoy it for what it is. So long as prospective players bring a lot of patience, the on-the-field play and deep franchise mode should keep them coming back for more. Second tier championship, here I come!

So, with the fixes now applied to the pre-release version, is Logos worth playing? It’s a solid experience with plenty of beautiful environments to see, but the repetitive nature of combat punctuated with unfairness puts a damper on the whole experience, as if the disastrous launch month hadn’t made it damp enough already.

An excellent effort from Obsidian, and though The Outer Worlds doesn’t surpass its predecessors by offering a world worth visiting over and over, the adventure it presents is more than worth the time spent.

Despite a collection of minor technical issues, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is one of the best strategy games on any platform this year, console or otherwise, and weaves a compelling tapestry of play within every layer of its design, including tactical battles that are so good, they almost seem out of place in 4X. It may not entirely escape the colonialist trappings of its genre, but it manages to sneak in a thoughtful twist or two as it indulges in a delightfully weird sci-fi reverie.

Shenmue III is not the best game of the year and it’s not even my favorite game of the year, but no title in 2019 brought me as much sheer joy and jubilation, and I can’t possibly imagine any fan of the franchise walking away disappointed. For that reason alone, I can only see it as a tremendous success.

Just how much replay value is in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will probably depend on how much a player enjoys the Olympics. There’s not much the game does poorly, but there’s not much that really stands out, either. Mario & Sonic 2020 is good enough to qualify, but it won’t be bringing home more than a bronze.

How impressive is this grueling horror experience? I guessed the ending mere minutes into the demo earlier this year, and yet when it came time to play the full game, I still found myself getting caught up in the twists and turns. That’s right — even knowing the ending before going in, the journey was so powerful that I’m glad to have taken it, and would recommend that any fan of first-person horror do the same.

Despite a healthy amount of competition roughly covering the same territory, Hunt: Showdown manages to find its own fresh take. It’s not as polished as it should be and the interface needs work, but as an experience it carves a niche for itself within this blossoming genre.

Outside of those minor issues, NASCAR Heat 4 is an enjoyable racer that had no trouble making me want to take another lap around the track.

It’s one of the most enjoyable recent entries in a medium that it takes perverse glee in tearing apart.

John Wick Hex does a lot of things right and has personality to spare. It can also be irritating — sometimes overwhelmingly so — but it kept me coming back for more, even after realizing that I probably won’t see the end credits anytime soon.

The developers have built themselves a Martian base that would be a pleasure to live and work in — it’s just a shame they couldn’t craft a game that was as enjoyable as their setting.

What was great about Ghostbusters: The Videogame still shines through in this remaster — it’s a loving tribute and fitting ‘sequel’ to one of the greatest comedies of all time, the dialogue and performances are top-notch, and fighting the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is still tremendously enjoyable. With that said, the nostalgia that masked gameplay warts in 2009 isn’t quite as potent today. However, it’s still a romp that any fan of the franchise will greatly appreciate, and given the sorry state of game archiving these days, I’m grateful we get the opportunity to play it again.

It’s clear The Gentlebros studio has intentionally iterated on their approachable ARPG, and they’ve accomplished that goal with polished gameplay elements that hang together tightly. It might not be a satisfying experience for seasoned vets, but Cat Quest II is recommended for anyone seeking a bite-sized, straight shooting, heartwarming adventure.

Both of these tables are a joy to play and the Universal Monsters Pack is a solid addition to the Pinball FX3 library. It’s a slight shame the pack includes only two tables, but the price still beats buying a pair of working machines.

In the end, there is much to like about Death Stranding, and I can’t stress enough how much I loved rebuilding America with thousands of concurrent players — that spirit of cooperation was magical. It’s just tragic that the core gameplay loop was let down by dodgy combat scenarios and a listless, meandering story. Death Stranding is still one of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve had in a while and I certainly don’t regret playing it, but I can’t rate it higher when it whiffs so hard on so many areas that needed more focus.

In its current form, Deliver Us the Moon is a completely adequate game, but it’s just the first draft of a truly great one.

If Fit for a King‘s narrative was brimming with historical or pop culture references, or maybe if it had a deeper underlying message to discover, I might’ve been able to look past the tedium of gold gathering. As it stands, there’s novelty in making crazy decisions as a monarch and finding a few neat nods, but that novelty wears off quickly.

While the oversexualization is disappointing and even distracts from the story at points, I’ll still sing the praises of AI: The Somnium Files because it respects the player’s time, offers interesting characters, and the Somnium sections are great to explore. It’s recommended with a slight caveat, but it’s still recommended.

While mastering the intricacies of its 3D rotation might take a little practice and its refusal to explain systems was thoroughly wrongheaded, Hyperforma still managed to keep me playing with its high-tech zero-g pinball action and electric artwork. With just a little tweaking, this one would be a must-play for Switch owners – it doesn’t feel quite like anything else, and that alone is worth something.

Doraemon: Story Of Seasons is one of the nicest surprises of the year. I wasn’t expecting a non-Stardew Valley farming sim to grab me like it did, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it from a Doraemon game, but here we are. On top of a great evolution in the farming RPG genre, it’s also a fantastic use of a coveted license. Stardew Valley 2 is probably a long way off, but the people that gave Eric Barone most of his ideas have just given us a substitute worthy of both franchises.

As long as players are happy to hang out with a likable cast of characters and watch some cute flirting, Rio Reincarnation is a success. It’s a pleasant diversion even for someone completely unfamiliar with the source material, and as smoothly playable a visual novel as I’ve ever encountered.

Overall, Zombie Driver: Immortal Edition misses a lot of opportunities and manages only to deliver repetition, failing even a basic level of entertainment. I won’t be driving back to this city anytime soon.

Overall, Greedfall‘s setting, narrative and themes offer a refreshing change from the standard RPG soap operas and it has more than enough meat on its bones to satisfy an RPG fan’s itch, and I believe it shines when viewed like an immensely satisfying sidequest — it was interesting enough to keep me glued, but ultimately it lacks the breadth and depth of something bigger.

Bugs aside, Neo Cab stands tall as a thoughtful and genuinely affecting piece of sci-fi fiction, and one of the better attempts at dialogue I’ve seen in my long career playing games. Hopping into Lina’s cab and touring Los Ojos is a ride I would be happy to take again.

While everything in Tiny Metal feels mechanically great, I found myself having a hard time coming back after each play session. My biggest issue is that the story just isn’t a factor, and the colorful-looking characters feel flat and uninspired. Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble is an exercise in tactics and I can appreciate the mechanics, but those things just weren’t enough to get me hooked on this conflict.

While The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is a cool, modernized reminder of a bygone era, its main downside is that arcade-style titles were usually designed to extract the maximum number of quarters from their audience in as short a time as possible, so longevity and variety weren’t high on the list of design requirements back then. As a result, it isn’t likely to hold someone’s attention for long if they aren’t interested in attempting to top the leaderboards. The campaign will take most gamers a couple of hours to complete at most, and the unlockable hard mode and new characters aren’t enough to give it legs. With that in mind, this spruced-up blast from the past is enjoyable while it lasts — it’s just a shame that there’s not a little more mechanical meat on these robotic ninja bones.

What bothers me the most about the gameplay in Bear With Me is the overall lack of direction — it just didn’t feel like there was any reason to play. The script evolves into a predictable cartoonish melodrama and the case basically solves itself without challenging the player to come up with their own theories along the way. There’s no morally grey culprit or alternative outcomes. There’s only one way to play through Bear and unfortunately, it’s not one that kept my attention.

While its gameplay might be ancient by videogame standards, Driven Out proves that a perfectly executed concept is timeless. No matter how insurmountable a foe appeared, I knew that if I put in the work, I’d always manage to overcome it. Driven Out is hell on the fingers and it stretched my reflexes to their absolute limit, but the joy of victory was absolutely worth the agony of 500 defeats.

When a group gathers around to play ABTM2VR, it’s a great party experience. Coordinating who’s going to take on each task as things constantly pile up is a hectic experience, but it’s extremely satisfying when it all clicks. Asan asymmetrical VR puzzle game, Angry Birds The Movie 2 is a definite success only held back only by the fact that unless four people are actually in the room to play, the party won’t be as lively as it should be.

A Knight’s Quest opens with a masterful sequence as its hero leaps across crumbling pillars, wallruns over pits, and slashes the occasional beast. It’s tight, focused, and incredibly entertaining, and if the rest of the experience had felt anything at all like that, I would have loved it. Instead, the minute players get out of the first dungeon, the developers’ assumptions of intuition and inability to design a playable open world absolutely ruins everything. With a map and markers, A Knight’s Quest would be a little rough, but charming. In its current state? It’s a borderline-unplayable mess.

After three hours I was nearly halfway through the content, and I found myself unable to continue. Rest In Pieces has a wonderful look and great controls, but if the developers had worked on evening out the challenge, they’d have had a winner. Sadly, in its current state the game is only suitable for those who can accept a truly epic amount of frustration in exchange for some beautiful art design.

A title like The Sinking City is hard to judge. Thematically and narratively, Frogwares has hit it out of the park. Technically, it’s mostly a miss. These two aspects are in direct conflict with each other, which results in an adventure game I’m trying to forget, and an experience I never will.

I can’t stress how much I adored the entirety of Valfaris, and finding a title so brimming with such confidence in itself is rare. This game knows it’s awesome, and as the bosses got harder and harder, I was never once frustrated because I knew I had the tools I needed to conquer its mountain, leading to one of the most satisfying gameplay experiences I’ve had in years. Valfaris is a supremely designed action-platformer made by incredibly talented people, and it headbanged straight into my heart. Play it immediately.

I’ve played my fair share of indie games, but few felt as polished as Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure. A great deal of care has gone into its production, and despite getting pretty dark and serious towards the end, the memorable characters kept me glued and did a fantastic job of propelling the story forward — in every aspect, it’s a fine introduction to the point-and-click genre also title worthy of any veteran.

This apparently is the first entry in a planned trilogy, and while the high production values suggest that the developers are staffed by talented visual stylists, I can’t see any value in coming back for more unless something can be done to completely overhaul the terrible combat of this combat-focused game.

I experienced everything it had to offer within an hour, and even that brief time could have been cut down if not for some of the more punishing jumping sections. Whipseey is cute, colorful and easy to get into, but it isn’t much more than that.

Both Grandia and Grandia II are absolutely dynamite JRPGs that deserve to be remembered for their great stories and outstanding combat. They’re quite traditional so they won’t change the minds of those who don’t care for the genre, but any fans looking to play some exceptional examples from the heyday of JRPGs should absolutely pick this compilation up. While the ports aren’t perfect and Grandia III isn’t here, it’s still the best combination of affordability and quality these two titles have ever received.

Mable and the Wood isn’t a big game, but a person could spend a few hours on it and walk away feeling like they’d spent fifty. Drab, ugly, and at turns borderline unplayable, Mable demonstrates how quickly a good idea can become a bad one when it’s so thoroughly misapplied.

In the end, Code Vein may not be all that we might have hoped for, but I enjoyed my playthrough and didn’t want to stop before credits rolled. In fact, I was so invested that I actually restarted my game twenty five hours in after realizing that I could influence the storyline through my actions, and had no regrets in doing so. Despite the fact that it doesn’t reach the top of the Soulslike genre, it’s a worthwhile entry that lays very fertile ground for a sequel that goes further.

Despite my complaints, Redeemer has me excited to see future work from this studio. The systems here are a great platform to expand upon in a sequel, and at its core, the experience does offer great gameplay — it’s just not enough to carry the entire experience.

Despite its flaws, Children of Morta’s incredible story and generally enjoyable combat kept me coming back for more, and while the mid-section did drag, I still felt compelled to see the story through to the end.

While the merits and the story are shallow and uninteresting, the gameplay’s failure to integrate with them reduces them to superfluous trappings that can mostly be ignored. This leaves the focus squarely on the puzzles, and it’s here that The Sojourn almost hits the mark. Although they don’t fully reach their potential, the levels are at times deep and fascinating — and neither of those words could apply to the script.