While there are some small issues like a slightly clunky and complicated interface, Before We Leave ended up being a great little sim that was pleasantly peaceful and delivered a kind of gameplay that I think will be perfect for sim fans looking for something on the lighter side. We may not get as may of these as we used to, but I’m happy we got this one.

Ambition is an appropriately-named title in terms of its genre – it is not without its flaws, but the overall experience is heightened by compelling core mechanics and a grandiose scope, and I recommend players take this captivating tour through 18th-century Paris to make their own history.

Dodgeball Academia hits the mark in almost every way. It’s a great combination of classic and new game ideas coming together in a charming adventure. Fans of JRPGs looking for something a little different should get on this court and play some ball.

I appreciate F1 2021 for its experimentation with new modes and options, proving that this franchise is much more than the average annual drivers’ update. Not only does driving feel more realistic than ever, 2021’s story mode is a pleasant surprise that I hope attracts further development for the series’ next iteration. For now, though, it remains a great F1 simulator that will generate the same excitement happening in the real world’s F1 competition right now.

SimPocalypse is an easy game to learn and can be used to introduce new players to the sim management genre because it has a clear tutorial and simplified mechanics. On the other hand, the repetitiveness of the battles and actions builds up quickly and the replayability is weak. While the developers have come a long way since launch, I can’t shake the feeling that SimPocalypse has yet to reach its full potential, especially in the late game when many choices seem pointless. Hopefully the developers are still listening to feedback and working to improve the experience.

I’m torn on Banners of Ruin. The atmosphere and artwork are superb, and I like the story that it’s trying to tell. I also enjoy the concepts it’s trying to deliver and the new ideas it offers to the deckbuilding genre. Ultimately though, it doesn’t feel like it hits what it’s aiming for and it’s a hard one to recommend except to the most hardcore deckbuilder fans out there.

Sadly, decent platforming is not enough to save Exodemon. I was looking forward to a dose of ’90s era nostalgia offering visceral shooting at high speed, but what I got was a drab-looking project which is far too simple and greatly lacking creativity in art design. It may seem competent at first, but Exodemon lacks anything to keep it interesting past the first few levels.

Ultimately, Stonefly ends up being a mixed bag. On one hand, exploring the forest by piloting tiny mechs is a wonderful idea, but the repetitious nature of resource gathering is compounded by the clunky combat, and I’d imagine that most players will be driven away before the experience is over.

From a gameplay standpoint, Samurai Warriors 5 is an easy recommendation. However, the political content isn’t as easy to sign off on. While there’s always going to be some celebration of military action in a title like this, the way the script goes out of its way to portray the bloodthirsty as heroes in defiance of true historical facts feels like a step too far. Samurai Warriors 5 isn’t a depiction of Japan’s violent past, it’s a celebration of it.

Backbone’s narrative and character work are thrilling, complex, and thought-provoking, and the writing deserves all the praise it can get. That said, there is some feeling of the pacing being slightly off, since the final acts feel like they follow too quickly after the introductory ones. Whether it’s due to a lack of time or inspiration, the story could’ve done with at least two more chapters of narrative substance during the middle stretch. Any other issues I might raise with Backbone are mostly trivial. With its inspired script that accentuates themes of dystopia and desperation, this detective story delivers one of the most inspiring narrative-driven titles I’ve played in some time.

With so many great cooperative experiences already out there, it’s impossible to recommend Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance — it shows little promise from the start, and somehow only gets worse as time goes on. This is one quest that even the bravest warriors would be wise to avoid.

After a dozen times, I threw in the towel. It’s a shame, because up until the final stage, I enjoyed Tetragon. It has fantastic graphics, a decent story, and many challenging puzzles. Unfortunately, the end battle is so frustratingly out-of-place that it ruins everything that came before it.

Grime is a game of gaping contradictions. It is one of the most visually striking releases of the year… and also one of the ugliest. It’s one of the most imaginative games in some time… and also one of the most generic. For all of Grime’s talk about chiseled stone, the experience feels like a half-finished sculpture – occasional details reveal tantalizing glimpses of the creators’ vision, but it’s largely an indistinct blob.

The choices made by Igor during his journey truly matter, and despite some rough edges and certain aspects of the experience feeling a bit underdeveloped, I loved my time with Chernobylite and would recommend spending time with Igor and his crew to anyone.

With its fast pace and emphasis on explosive action, Jupiter Hell is a more-than-welcome addition to the ranks of the roguelike genre. Even without the nods to its better-known brethren, it still packs quite a wallop. It isn’t perfect, but I loved blasting demons and zombified minions too much to care. Now, where is that chainsaw?

When Francis played his final set and the credits started rolling, I was quite glad to have played The Artful Escape. It is very clearly Its Own Thing, and not only is that thing pretty awesome, it’s just one more example that videogames are able to deliver a huge array of experiences that are all worthwhile in their own way. I love that Beethoven & Dinosaur brought their vision to my screen, and if nothing else, maybe this rock-fueled journey through the stars will get developers off of movies and on to music videos for a while.

Indigo 7 might not win any awards for writing, but I’ll be damned if there’s another arcade puzzler with this much charm and an equally addicting gameplay hook. Similar to the great Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, it’s an experience that’s preventing me from putting my Switch down.

I understand that the last arena is supposed to be a quote-unquote boss fight, but I feel the drastic shift will sucker punch players right at the end of the game. Don’t get me wrong though, I enjoyed Boomerang X. Enemy designs were clever and paired well with the abilities available, and even though the plot was thin, there was just enough to keep me curious right up until the end.

In spite of any future expansions or additions, the game is still very much worth playing in its current state, particularly for fans looking for a quality entry in the Warhammer 40,000 setting. Battlesector’s engaging combat system and grimdark characters offer a solid foundation only slightly marred by scope — but there’s nothing necessarily wrong about a game that leaves a player wanting more of it.

In the end, Last Stop is an entertaining collection of three narratives, but given the superficial nature of the player’s interactions, I can’t help but think that the whole project might have worked better as a straightforward visual novel.

As a games critic for more than 20 years, I play a lot of titles. For me, the best ones are those that surprise me or subvert my expectations – titles that find a new angle, or offer something that I haven’t quite seen before. Golf Club Wasteland managed all of that, and left me with a few things to think about afterwards, to boot.

Before heartily endorsing Fort Triumph, I will warn buyers that if they’re allergic to the ‘My 95% shot missed, but the AI keeps hitting on 20% chance shots’ staple of the genre, this is not solved here. it’s something that fans of turn-based strategy titles have grown to deal with, but I doubt anyone has grown fond of it. That irritation aside, Fort Triumph is an amazing title that brings a fresh perspective to both of genres it blends, and I can’t wait to see what the developers do next.

Overall, Button City‘s slow start and lack of overall variety in the minigames might not be for everybody. Those who have been longing to relive their youthful summer days, however, can do worse than this one. Its charming story, adorable characters and entertaining minigames do a solid job of reminding us all to take a minute and remember the good times.

Wildbus is an interesting little timesink which entices the player to visit its strange world and rewards them with plenty of oddball dialogue and weird NPCs, but it doesn’t have much to offer beyond its status as an oddity. I wouldn’t recommend it to the average person looking for something to play, but connoisseurs of the strange will want to look into it.

Despite being frequently infuriated, I probably would’ve pressed on and rolled credits had I found a single element that captured my attention. Unfortunately, Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl is a serviceable beat-’em-up at best, and any real enjoyment will come solely from nostalgia and callbacks for fans of the IP.

Graviter offers satisfying, addictive mechanics that come in bite-sized sessions. Aside from some minor frustrations with the pause, it’s a joyful experience that proves videogames don’t always have to be audiovisual extravaganzas to be worthwhile.

MouseBot is a straightforward and challenging runner that doesn’t push the envelope, but achieves what it sets out to do. There’s also plenty of content for the asking price, which makes this a great pick for someone looking for a lighthearted, low-commitment experience, or for completionists looking to test their skills. As for me, after a few hours in the CatLab, I probably won’t be revisiting anytime soon.

Personally, I can honestly attest to being drawn in by the charm of the simple narrative while watching two characters struggle to find their way around gender fluidity. At the heart of it, these two are trying to find direction in their lives and I felt that I could relate. If one likes narrative titles with a clear purpose and interesting look, No Longer Home recieves my personal recommendation.

In the end, Macrotis: a Mother’s Journey is a hodgepodge of ideas that seem to miss the mark more often than they hit. It might please those looking for a minor commitment thanks to a short duration and pleasant looks, but the lack of interesting gameplay ideas and intriguing narrative mean there’s little here to interest puzzle-platformer connoisseurs.

No More Heroes III is a dizzying, introspective, macabre celebration and roast of nerd culture that has some of the deepest cuts ever put into a game. It doesn’t quite have the same satirical bite as the original, but it’s down for a good time. Fans of the franchise will be absolutely thrilled, and anyone looking for the polar opposite of ‘cookie cutter’ will find it here.

While Nemesis DLC adds some interesting twists for for endgame, it ultimately doesn’t seem to justify the add-on’s asking price. Stellaris overall already offers hours of interesting and engrossing grand strategy gameplay, but this addition doesn’t add much to what was already there.

The handling of the tribes in Green Hell is a shame because it’s one of the most mechanically compelling and balanced survival titles I’ve touched in years — it’s well-realized experience that offers a sincere commitment to placing the player into a harsh environment. But given the script in story mode? Stick to survival mode instead.

The Battle of Steeltown is a well-written piece of additional content for Wasteland 3 that doesn’t quite live up to expectations due to its experimental approach to combat and short running time. It’s a pleasant enough playthrough for a few hours despite the difficulty spikes, but it’s ultimately a compelling enough reason to come back to Colorado.

If one can stomach the questionable story choices, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 has some of the most engaging sniping action around. Whether a player wants to simply click a button and watch a slo-mo bullet explode a head, or whether they want to be forced to calculate exactly how far an enemy will walk in the one and a half seconds between the bullet leaving the barrel and closing the deadly distance, SGWC2 scales exactly to any level of interest and skill. It may be brutally violent, but it’s an intensely satisfying sniper experience.

It may not tackle deep, meaningful themes, but Maneater is a great way to shut one’s brain off and chill on the couch for a couple of hours with a simple (but satisfying) power fantasy. This fantasy just so happens to involve a shark who can attack sunbathers by dropping in them from twenty feet in the air…

The Forgotten City is quite interesting as a new release that’s actually an enhanced and expanded mod that retains all of its key elements while being offered to players who might not be familiar with Skyrim. Despite the performance issues, it’s an adventure that will fascinate until the end, and the riddle surrounding The Golden Rule is one worth solving.

Sporting only a few minor upgrades, the Legend of Mana is largely the same game it was over twenty years ago – lots to do, but doesn’t really excel at any one aspect. The story and graphics are still delightful, but gameplay feels unpolished compared to today’s standards. That said, it’s still always great to see older games receive re-releases making them more available to larger audiences.

Putting Eric’s handling aside, I had a great time with Boyfriend Dungeon. It’s a low-stress series of engaging dates and the character artwork, voices and music are superb. The combat could be tightened, but bouncing back and forth between the dunj and the attractive cast was exactly the kind of easygoing experience I was wanting, and after rolling credits I’d say that Boyfriend Dungeon’s attempt at genre fusion was a successful one.

While I appreciate that the team behind Mad Devils is trying to deliver a good, solid shooter, I cannot in good conscience recommend it until the bugs are worked out and the level design is tweaked.

Writing a review of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is something I never thought I’d get to do, but I am so glad that Capcom decided to take a chance in bringing these two exceptional stories to the West. Despite its status as an offshoot from the main franchise and a heavy reliance on very specific settings, it might even represent the best opportunity to delve into this wonderfully quirky and original series thanks to excellent quality-of-life improvements and slick presentation. Longtime fans have surely bought it already, but The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a fantastic pickup for anyone looking for a good yarn coming from a series filled with them.

Despite the gameplay showing its age, it is what it is and I was enamored with it. It’s a wonderful refresh for a classic title like this, and hopefully, we’ll see a similar return of other mascot platformers from bygone eras in the same style.

Death’s Door is a strong offering featuring challenging combat and amazing art design. The amount of love and care Acid Nerve put into this quirky afterlife can easily be seen in every little animation or dialogue. Granted, the combat may be a bit overwhelming at times (especially when the puzzles become infrequent) but for lovers of the genre and those who won’t mind a bit of swordfighting and dodging, Death’s Door might be one of the best titles to come out in 2021.

Overall, Dark Deity may not have the polish or reach the heights of those classic ’00s Fire Emblem games, but I wouldn’t expect it to — it’s an indie title with a development team of six, but the passion of that team for the genre is apparent throughout the finished product. This is a love letter to classics that’s still accessible enough for those who may want to give the genre a try. And for those of us who miss a TRPG uncluttered by slice-of-life mechanics? It’s a much-welcome addition to the library.

Unless one is a hardcore fan of classic platform titles or a Wonder Boy completist, there isn’t much to recommend Asha in Monster World. It’s an okay example of its genre’s older titles, but I’d say it’s a bit too rooted in the past to interest players who aren’t coming to it for the nostalgia.

Outbreak: Endless Nightmares might be the worst game that I’ve played for over 50 hours. It was a frustrating, unsatisfying experience, and yet I couldn’t stop because I wanted to see if it would get better — and it never did. As a longtime fan of RE-style games and roguelikes I’m the exact target audience for this title, but it honestly had nothing to offer. Plagued by one bad bit of design after another, I can’t recommend Endless Nightmares to anyone who doesn’t have an unusually specific passion for survival horror roguelites.

It’s not overstating the case to say that overall, Dying Light has aged like fine wine. There aren’t many parkour-focused games to begin with, and and of those, the ones containing zombies are even more scarce. So, Dying Light is still a unique experience and I’m glad to report that it still holds up. It may have gotten a bit lost in the shuffle when it first debuted, but there’s no better time to play it than now.

Fuzz Force: Spook Squad has quickly turned out to be one of my favorite roguelikes. The cute atmosphere and board game mechanics provide a sense of childlike glee, and each run rarely takes more than maybe an hour, but players can also save and quit at the end of each map to come back later. I imagine that I’ll keep coming back to Fuzz Force for a long while.

Cotton Reboot! is an efficient repackage of the original with a new mode that isn’t just a simple graphical overhaul, but a reworked and more modern way of playing. The love and care taken here is appreciated! On the other hand, due to the fact that it’s currently listed at a surprisingly high price point and offers no supplementary/archival materials or unlockables to increase its appeal as a historical offering, this one comes recommended only to dedicated fans of ‘cute’ and cute-’em-ups.

Admittedly, it all leads to a well-foreshadowed resolution focusing on her troubled understanding of the verb “living”, yet thanks to the appropriately-intense focus on introspection, I can report that Minute of Islands manages a symbolic triumph at the end. It’s succinct in the exploration of its central themes, and impactful when arriving to its point.

Just Die Already is like seeing a meme flood social media. The first few variations of it are funny. Then, as time passes and the same joke keeps popping up over and over, it just gets annoying. Like its characters, the content in Just Die Already starts old and it only goes down hill from there.

Sniper Elite VR has scrunched down everything great about the series and created a near-perfect recreation that players can now experience from the inside.

It’s a shame for something so beautiful and pure to leave me so emotionally cold, but it’s a tight, wholly unique platformer nonetheless. At five dollars, it’s an easy game to recommend… just a difficult game to truly love.

While the gameplay is fairly standard, this version of Save me Mr Tako still ended up feeling like a win — it’s great to see the developer release a more complete version of the game after being denied by the original publisher, and I think anyone who enjoys small indies or throwbacks can appreciate that.

Recommending An Airport for Aliens Currently Run By Dogs depends a lot on one’s tolerance for backtracking and exploring huge areas with no map available. While the great wit and sheer absurdity of the situations managed tograb ahold of my interest, it wasn’t enough to keep me playing until the end.

The campaign offers a good mix of classic characters, the location in which the adventure happens is unusual, the tactics are rich and the gameplay is enjoyable — if the script and voiceovers didn’t dump a bucket of hog slop all over everything, we’d be in business. Unfortunately, the narrative aspect of Naheulbeuk is truly abysmal and it ruins everything else the game gets right. In this case, a boring by-the-numbers ‘save the world’ questline would have been far, far preferable to what we actually got.

I don’t make this comparison lightly, but Knockout City almost reminds me of the elegance of Rocket League – it’s that combination of simple and fresh, where it’s easy to understand but offers a sky-high skill ceiling. Only time will tell if Knockout City has as long a tail, but it deserves a chance.

In summary, Guilty Gear Strive is an excellent evolution of a series that’s always provided players with a unique and interesting approach to weapons-based combat, and now it’s slightly less impenetrable for newcomers. It’s got room to grow, but it’s a stylish, standout fighter whose strengths absolutely outnumber its flaws.

Griftlands’ successful experiments in branching narrative, combined with a deckbuilding system that ranks among the genre’s richest, make it one of my favorite roguelikes to date. Whether I’d recommend it on Switch, however, is another matter. Roguelikes sing on handhelds, but anyone opting to experience Griftlands on Nintendo’s hardware is setting themselves up for a massive learning curve that may turn prospective players off. One way or another, though, Griftlands is a title that deserves every roguelike fan’s attention.

It’s easy to think that the run-based deckbuilder genre has been entirely tapped out, but Roguebook counters that notion in an instant. Though its broader narrative and post-game balance may be a little thin, everything else between these pages is incredibly rich and satisfying. By combining the elegance of tabletop map exploration with a thoughtful evolution of deckbuilding mechanics, Abrakam and Richard Garfield have found a match made for the history books.

There’s not much to complain about in Clan o’ Conall — the developers have successfully managed to put together a pleasing side-scrolling action-platformer that looks amazing, plays well and manages to implement a neat multi-character system. This one might not break new ground, but there’s no question that it’s a win.

After my time with Rise of the Slime, I was left feeling a bit confused. It’s too simple and the graphics don’t seem like they will appeal to fans of the genre, yet it’s too punishing and difficult for casual players or those unfamiliar with the deckbuilders. I’m not sure of who it’s trying to target, but my guess is that it’s a bit off the mark regardless.

Honestly, I love that Wave Break exists. It’s a delightful homage to what is arguably my favorite series of all time, complete with an interesting aesthetic and an enjoyable story as well — it’s just a shame that I spent most of my time fighting the physics, controls and camera instead of just enjoying it.

Sure, it’s a shame Bluepoint Games weren’t drafted to take care of this collection of and give it some real love, but what the hell. I still had a great time revisiting them, and my only real criticism is that Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 was a poor pick in a world where Ninja Gaiden 2 exists. It’s a shame that more of an effort wasn’t made to jazz these up, but it’s still great that the classics are finally on PC.

In the end, Of Bird and Cage left me with a terrible taste in my mouth, and I wondered how it managed to get released today. In fact, it’s so bad that I would almost recommend it to connoisseurs of terrible games, but frankly, I’m not sure I could live with my conscience.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends tries too hard to mesh different game types into one unified multiplayer experience, and its lofty ambitions get buried under clashing elements. What could have been an exciting co-op title ended up a frustrating slog, and in a heist — whether it’s a movie or a game — if the main caper ain’t good, the rest doesn’t matter.

Whether the story pays off is up to personal interpretation (for me, it did not) but putting that aside, Returnal’s general lack of persistence, enthusiasm for negative items, and heavy focus on twitch skill without options for self-regulating difficulty results in an experience that caters to a very, very specific type of player and coldly shrugs off the rest. With some rebalancing and a few tweaks, it’s not hard to imagine Returnal as one of the year’s best thanks to its fantastic controls, intuitive physics and beautiful graphics. But as it stands? My guess is that most people will abandon Selene to her inhospitable time loop long before the credits roll.

Overall, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids was the perfect excuse to return to one of my favorite games from last year. While there isn’t much new here to win new fans, returning players who couldn’t get enough of Valhalla’s rich world and exciting exploration will be right at home in the green fields of Ireland.

Retro Machina is a game that diligently stays true to its title, putting on the table nothing more or less then what is implied with the opening menu. Unfortunately, the developers have kept too sharp a focus on the ‘retro’ aspect, and in failing to leverage the design improvements and innovations from recent years, the end result is an experience that feels far smaller and more limited than it should.

Cozy Grove‘s time-gated content slowed the pace of play too much for me. I love the art style and bringing color back to the island, but when each session’s content ends up being exhausted after 30 minutes or less, it was too easy to forget the whole thing and divert my attention elsewhere. I do look forward to learning more about the spirits, I just wish it wasn’t so slow!

War in the East 2 is a great wargame, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an approachable one. It further entrenches a tradition that lives more as careful study than fast-and-loose gameplay, standing apart as a stunning reflection of the Eastern Front conflict that it simulates. As I peer down from the parapets, bolstered by the obligation of a generous review period, I find it a little too easy to tell all the new players held at arm’s length outside the walls of the genre that it’s worth it to climb all the way up here…but just take my word for it that the view is nice, even if the blood-soaked footprints in the Rasputitsa below are frozen, forever, in history.

Issues aside, it’s good to see LEGO Builder’s Journey receive a wider release. It’s a little on the short side, but has a surprisingly good story. Players who enjoy puzzle games, especially fans of LEGO, will find a lot to like.

R-Type Final 2 is about as niche as niche gets. It represents a genre that’s hardly en vogue, and it’s a traditional, hardcore example of an experience that ferociously clings to its roots. This is not the shmup I would gift to someone in hopes of luring them into the genre, and it’s an especially difficult sell with the rather astounding $40 price point before DLC. All of this makes R-Type Final 2 a game with a fairly narrow scope, but anyone directly within that Venn diagram will be in for an exceptionally-produced, technically excellent iteration on a legendary franchise.

While I find it laudable that all of these options are available to players, I just wish they were attached to a better package. The story is too chaotic and comes with a payoff I didn’t find satisfying, and the combat is not spectacular enough to be noteworthy. Completionists can try to find every hidden nook and cranny, but the game isn’t compelling enough to warrant it. This is good work, but it’s lacking that certain something that would push it into ‘great’ territory.

The Procession to Calvary is a gem. It’s wild, smart, incredibly unconventional romp, and it’s new experiences like this that give me life as a reviewer. I’m very glad to have played it.

Silicon Dreams asks important questions that address our nature as human beings and the rights of minorities, while also providing its own interesting brand of sci-fi narrative while avoiding shallow slogans and easy resolutions, and it definitely comes recommended for those wanting something more engrossing and relevant than the average visual novel.

My own interpretation aside, Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect doesn’t require any theorizing to enjoy since its story stands strong on narrative tension and thrill alone, and showing this side of the mafia that’s often glossed over is something that I can thoroughly appreciate.

The lack of difficulty and lack of evolution in the gameplay mechanics are an issue, but they don’t diminish the overall appeal of Out of Line, though they do hold it back from being something truly special. I savored exploring San’s forsaken habitat and eagerly awaited what lied around the next corner. The gameplay can’t match the lofty bar set by the presentation, but Out of Line remains a visual and atmospheric triumph.

Red Solstice 2 is a bleak ordeal, but it’s not without its charms. There’s a real sense of frantic desperation created as the player scrambles desperately from one mission to the next, helplessly watching the global infection meter always climbing. Whether it’s zombie biomass, sinister corporations, or environmental catastrophe, for the entirety of Red Solstice 2′s play time I was sure that we were only ever a hair’s breadth away from extermination — which only served to make fighting against it feel all the more satisfying. If the developers could ease the repetitiveness from their random mission generator, this would be one of the best successors to XCOM’s legacy, but in its current state it’s just an extremely solid squad-based RTS.

Would I recommend Strangeland? Yes I would, especially to players willing to expand their boundaries and go beyond the general concept of what a videogame story is. The obscure, allegorical journey of the Stranger is not a typical adventure game for fans of the genre, but ultimately an experience that will amply reward those who come to it with an open mind. Will it prove as enduring as the great literary works? Only time will tell.

Even if World Brothers were just a quickie distraction meant to tide fans over until the post-apocalyptic madness of EDF6 it would still be worth a look. It manages to be so much more than that, though — the huge cast, constantly surprising powers, humorous writing and huge numbers of classic enemies and heroes all combine to turn this into a celebration of the franchise. Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is a love letter to one of the craziest videogame series ever, and its simplified look and gameplay ironically make this unbelievably niche title one of the best jumping-on points the series has ever offered.

Despite its age, Fez manages to feel as entertaining and relevant as it ever was — it’s a puzzle-platformer that expertly hides a deep level of difficulty behind a surface layer of relaxing action, beautiful music and attractive graphics. While there are no new features of note on this Switch port, what’s here is still as scrumptious and inviting as it ever was.

Players will witness the cruelty of corporate capitalism, which in turn only emphasizes the sheer ridiculousness with which it continues to sustain itself and the sheer privilege of corporate trade and the hypercapitalist way of life. While a brief and certainly flawed experience, I can’t give this title anything less than my full recommendation.

Shadow Man: Remastered is an interesting choice for today’s market, because it’s not afraid to show the passage of time — it proudly displays the trappings of its era with untouched (and cryptic) level design, clunky combat and alight narrative. It will provide a particular sort of nostalgia for those who remember the period it’s from, but players coming to it for the first time should scale back any expectations.

So, while this offering is missing options relating to customization and the netcode is just acceptable rather than industry leading, this is still a fighting game that has absolutely stood the test of time. It feels as fresh now as it ever has, and while it may not be Virtua Fighter 6, having an active Virtua Fighter online scene in the modern era is absolutely priceless.

Skate City succeeds most in getting me into the zone and chilling while playing. Hours go by in a blink while playing this one, and the tight controls, lo-fi aesthetic and addictive nature make it one of the genre’s best in a long time.

Hired Gun seems to have unique problems on every platform – I personally suffered from a memory management issue that crashed the game multiple times – but I’m past the point of focusing criticism for small games on technical infidelities that’ll likely get fixed over time anyway. I’m more concerned with Streumon honing their craft. They have the right attitude and the perfect setting — they just need to ditch the baggage.

Football Drama is a strange beast. On one hand, the designers’ great knowledge and love for the sport is clear from the first minute. On the other, it likely won’t hold much appeal for players who are more interested in the narrative or choice-driven side of things. This one is strictly for those who fall into the Venn diagram overlap of ‘football fan’ and ‘visual novel fan’, I think.

I enjoyed my time climbing this peak, though. It offers three characters with unique abilities that made the climb feel different for each one, and while it doesn’t break a lot of new ground in the genre, Insurmountable is a welcome addition to the other roguelikes in my library.

Though Trufflepigs is not the game I was expecting, it’s still a generally pleasant and engaging experience. I loved getting to know Beth and Adam, but the plot is incredibly uneven and feels unfinished. Had I gone into the game thinking it was centered only around Beth and Adam, I would have enjoyed it far more. Sadly, the missed opportunities of the heavily-advertised ‘murderer’ plotline left a sour taste in my mouth.

Mighty Goose is good stuff — a slightly goofy premise, plenty of fast-paced action, and wonderful graphics all combine to make this a title that arcade action fans won’t want to miss.

As far as remasters go, SaGa Frontier is an automatic recommendation for anyone who appreciated the original, as Square’s work on this new edition adds some quality-of-life improvements and upgraded graphics. Unfortunately, it’s a different story for newcomers expecting a more traditional sort of JRPG. Even so, Square’s original vision still stands apart from other RPGs of the time and this quality remains true in this remaster — for better or worse, the player will be experiencing a unique experience.

As a fan of these kinds of games, I can say that Remnant: From the Ashes is a type of soulslike that I would have probably passed over in favor of something more traditional, but after giving it a fair shot I’m glad to say that it’s the successful spin on the genre that I didn’t know I wanted.

It’s a challenge to give The Fabled Woods an appropriate score. The game has merits as a focused project that is not afraid to deliver something exactly as long as it needs to be, and the current state of bloat in the game industry makes me hugely appreciative of this fact. On the other hand, I can’t say that The Fabled Woods made a lasting impact on me, or even provoked much thought — it’s a decent experience, but little more.

For my money, Days Gone remains one of the absolute best open-world games on the market, and now more people will have the opportunity to try it out for themselves as it puts its best foot forward. That’s something worth celebrating, I think.

With not much of value in the narrative or the gameplay, Forgotten Fields’ merits are some pretty virtual environments and an original soundtrack that often takes the spotlight. There are ways in which Forgotten Fields could have worked as an emotionally powerful experience, but these avenues go under-explored and the result is something that I can’t recommend, even to enthusiasts of this particular genre-transcending premise.

In contrast to the lighter, peppier Persona titles that Atlus has been putting out lately, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a more hardcore experience delivering a tactical, in-depth RPG with a unique setting and a presentation that’s been brushed off around the edges for modern players.

Ashwalkers is an interesting and sometimes dark story. I was always curious whether I was making the right choices and getting my team closer to their goal, or if I was sending them to their deaths. Seeing how even the smallest of choices can affect the playthrough was rewarding, and the mystery of the Dome of Domes is worth a trek through the wastes for any fan of survival management and choice-based games.

Wanna Survive is a clever title blending many elements that work well together, but if Pinix would take their foot off the gas just a bit, this small-scale tale of surviving the zombpocalypse would receive a caveat-free recommendation.