The Last Stand: Aftermath is as good a zombie roguelike as I’ve ever played. Scrounging for ammo and crafting materials never stops being a desperate struggle, and the balance between virus-fueled perks and ever-dwindling health ensures that every combat encounter is a tense struggle. Exceptionally great design, balance, and gameplay turn this into one of the best action rogues I’ve ever played, and it’s a clear high-point in the survival horror genre.

By the time I rolled credits, there was no doubt that Chorus was the best space combat game I’ve played in years. The thrill of dynamic space combat coupled with a compelling narrative and overall superb design make this one an absolute a must-play.

On one level, I feel a little cheated by Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars — generally we can expect a new Senran Kagura and a new Neptunia every year, so it’s a bit of a disappointment that in 2021 audiences are getting a single game from both franchises. Fortunately it’s an exceptional piece of work. It won’t give players everything they’d expect from either franchise, it has satisfying systems and some of the funniest writing either series has seen in years. This is a good action-adventure, but for fans of either series, it’s absolutely essential.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is the most disappointing kind of game as it’s one that offers so much promise and then fails to deliver on it, even when it comes to the most obvious, low-hanging fruit.

Rainbow Billy and The Curse of the Leviathan was a great surprise. It’s an experience that refreshes the soul and left me feeling uplifted through an entertaining mix of genres, fantastic graphics and an addictive premise. They don’t make them like they used to, but Rainbow Billy sure does feel like the good old days.

Playing The Good Life can be a baffling experience. There’s a parade of weird characters, a constant stream of odd happenings, and a complete refusal on the game’s part to ever explain the whys of its biggest mysteries. I can’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed that things never came to a satisfying conclusion, and its eleventh-hour attempts to suddenly announce what it’s all about seem a little desperate. Even though it doesn’t stick the landing, The Good Life offers players a chance to visit a charming town full of interesting people and take part in one of the chillest, most relaxing open world adventure games ever. It’s not a masterpiece but it’s certainly worth the trip, even for those not obsessed with SWERY’s work.

Even if the narrative comes off like an awful TV show, Riders Republic remains a phenomenal, open-world extreme sports title that sets itself apart thanks to accessible controls and a large number of sports to choose from. It’s done serious damage to my productivity over the last few weeks, and for the first time in a long time, I’ve found a massive triple-A game that genuinely prioritizes player enjoyment over anything else.

Let’s Build a Zoo is an entertaining little title that will be an enjoyable sim for any fan of the management genre. All the details and options afforded to the player show clear thought and care, and thanks to this quality, it’s quite easy to lose track of time while creating an ideal zoo full of cute crocodile-giraffe hybrids.

It’s been a rocky road for Marvel properties in videogames, but Guardians of the Galaxy stands out as one of the very best. The combination of likable characters and fantastic scenery make for a game that’s an absolute blast to play for the entire duration. It’s got great style and a big heart, and really, that’s kinda what Guardians of the Galaxy as a franchise is all about. Eidos Montreal should be congratulated on an excellent adventure, and Square-Enix should be commended for letting them make it while locking the upselling bean counters in a broom closet.

It appears that NBA 2K has finally started to take the “next step” into greater gaming possibilities. Though MyPlayer needs a good amount of tuning and streamlining before reaching the heights of past story modes, it hints at bigger things down the line. But, based solely on the thrilling, beautiful, on-court presentation and gameplay, 2K22 is still a tremendous achievement.

While I generally enjoyed my time with Xuan Yuan Sword 7, it’s hard to recommend. Those who can deal with the mediocre and sometimes unfair combat may be able to enjoy the world and story, and there is something to be said for games that can wrap things up in around 15 hours or so, but that’s still a significant amount of time to deal with issues that really need more polish.

Regardless of these minor criticisms, there is little to dislike about Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. Whether it’s the pleasing aesthetic, organic open-world, adorable animals, or the soothing soundtrack, Alba is a title that lifts spirits. It chooses a distinctively optimistic approach to humanity’s environmental crises, and succeeds in making the player appreciate the uniqueness of the ordinary.

Steel Assault does what it does well, although at the end of the day I can’t help but feel that it lacks a unique hook. After rolling credits, there’s little to say about it other than that it’s another one of the many, many retro action games currently available. Players looking for a tough, retro-inspired romp will find it, but there’s not much else to it.

Flynn: Son of Crimson isn’t a game that is going to revolutionize action platformers, but it’s a very solid entry into the genre that offers great combat mechanics, solid platforming, and beautiful pixel art to go along with it. This game is absolutely worth a look for fans of this style.

Kathy Rain is still among the best narrative-driven titles in the point-and-click genre, and time hasn’t diminished it. The Director’s Cut is surely the best way to play. Any fans of the genre who missed it the first time no longer have any excuse not to give it a try.

Between the laggy inputs, unfair boss fights and a reliance on grinding as a means of survival, I can’t recommend this one, even to the most fervent fans of the genre.

Although I was far from mastering the techniques and rules of Gloomhaven after my time with it for review, I do commend Flaming Fowl for a job well done. They have delivered a well-curated digital version of an extremely complex and intimidating tabletop experience — fans of the original or those curious to dip a toe in without breaking the bank should check it out.

Tweet Share Share By Damiano Gerli on November 11, 2021 in Reviews Bad News For Hedgehogs! HIGH It’s somewhat nice to see Zool back in his original form… LOW …which reminds me it wasn’t that great to start with. WTF The bleeding banana will haunt my dreams for years to come. Back in 1992, the release of the original Sonic The Hedegehog drastically changed the gaming landscape. Suddenly, every software house wanted to work on a fast-paced 2D platformer and create its own mascot — an issue that especially preoccupied developers for home computers like the Commodore Amiga. Following this trend, Gremlin Graphics released the original version of Zool in 1992. The titular ninja from the Nth Dimension crash-lands on an unfamiliar planet and will have to get through various obstacles to escape. While it may be a title that some gamers of a certain age may feel a bit of nostalgia for, the original Zool (along with a conversion for every console imaginable at the time) reveals just how important the level design was in making the Sonic games so memorable and appreciated. Unfortunately, Zool just doesn’t stack up. As it’s now 2021, Zool has received a facelift. This version is the original platformer with a difficulty rebalance, a CRT graphics filter for added fidelity to the original and a zoomed-out view to allow the player see more of the screen. Overall, these changes make Zool a more approachable experience than it used to be, but they do not improve it on a fundamental level. Each level in Zool lasts no more than a couple of minutes, and it’s time usually spent jumping from platform to platform or finding one’s way through the lower sections that require defeating enemies by shooting or jumping/gliding into them. This is a simple flavor of 2D platforming that feels inherently ’90s, and no filter can change that. Also, the end-of-stage bosses are pretty forgettable, some of which I defeated on my first try. Redimensioned comes in two flavors which mainly act as difficulty — the original experience and the Ultimate Ninja mode. I would recommend most ’90s players to try the latter, as I finished the original with 15 lives to spare and never had a problem in most levels. After completing seven stages and thirty-something levels, the Zool Redimensioned experience is basically over and done with. The changes made to ths version were well thought-out, but they do little to hide the fact that the original material was just an okay-at-best ’90s platformer and the intervening years haven’t done it any favors in terms of game design or graphics. Those who have nostalgia for it should check it out — all others should give it a pass.

Nostalgia and fond memories aside, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania delivers an experience that’s always been amazing, and now it comes complete with a fresh coat of paint and a bunch of extras. To any one who hasn’t yet tried these titles, I say… Go bananas.

While I wanted to like Recompile thanks to the strength of its concept and visuals, it never managed to strike the right chords with me. Regardless of how sharp it looks, the experience is marred by weak metroidvania design and frustrating platforming that override the aesthetics. Players interested in this one would do well to watch Tron or track down the excellent first-person shooter Tron 2.0 instead.

Twenty years later, Blade of Darkness offers a fine-enough retro-style action experience. The combat system and gory decapitations will be of interest to fans of the genre, but one’s enjoyment will ultimately depend on nostalgia, or perhaps one’s tolerance for repetitive, clunky combat from 2001.

Grotto can be best recommended to those who can look past simple, repetitive gameplay in service of a thick and emotional story. All others should look elsewhere.

All in all, Turtle Rock Studios’ latest effort is a solid, well-polished co-op shooter with only few blemishes, and some minor tweaking could transform it from a good game to a great one. With more content incoming and the card system offering new and fresh twists, Back 4 Blood is one I expect to be playing for a long time to come.

Maiden of Black Water is a twisted and engaging experience. Though it has shortcomings, they never diminish the powerful storytelling and atmosphere. I might be too squeamish to comfortably endure the title’s cathartic terror, those brave enough to venture forth will surely be rewarded with a suitably haunting adventure.

In the end, Legacy is an odd little title which might end up disappointing both fan of RTS and those looking for something more casual, since it sits right in the middle of these two flavors. That said, I do recommend it to those not afraid to try something a little outside of their comfort zone.

While the length of levels and their lack of checkpoints is discouraging, a pleasant surprise that kept me playing Lightbringer was the ability to access any of the levels in the game. Later stages are unlocked by simply playing the previous level — they don’t need to be cleared, and there’s no need to find all the fragments of light. Simply try a stage and the next one unlocks. What an excellent concept! While this feature alone earns Lightbringer a few brownie points, it still has some issues. That said, players looking for a casual 3D platformer experience can find it here.

Overall, I can look past the grind of obtaining new cars thanks to everything else Hot Wheels Unleashed does. I loved its commitment to the memory of racing around my bedroom floor, and for those looking for an accessible arcade-style racer full of personality and flair, look no further.

Overall, Inscryption probably feels more like a traditional videogame than his previous works, but it’s a more difficult experience, with much relying on one’s luck and the RNG. While I believe deckbuilder fans could be interested, this is likely of more interest to connoisseurs of weird or strange narratives. I’ll leave it at that since saying more would likely spoil the trick, and like any good magician, I’m guessing that Mullins is loath to have his secrets revealed so easily.