Knockout Home Fitness is a mostly well-built fitness game that, when played as intended at least, I definitely feel offers an effective workout routine and is fun and engaging. It’s not trying to be a game like Ring Fit Adventure, but that’s fine; for what it is, it does a good job of it. However, the game’s weakness lies in its apparent failure to make full use of the available technology of the Nintendo Switch system. Because of this, the game has to simply trust that you’re doing everything when it calculates your calories burned. For most people, I admit this won’t be a problem, since anyone who buys this is probably interested in getting an actual workout rather than cheating it. But the game could have definitely benefited from tech that it didn’t fully utilize. Knockout Home Fitness is both effective and reasonably fun in spite of this, so it is recommendable as long as you approach it as the fitness program it is supposed to be.

The fact that Sludge Life 2 exists at all is still a pleasant surprise, and both games are experiences worth firing up if you’re looking for something a little less overproduced and something unafraid to just say “Let’s do our own thing and let it loose on the world.” While the sequel doesn’t do anything drastically different, it does enough to justify its existence and is something that’s as competent as its predecessor. It’s a grimy good time, and it’s something I think fans of weird games can pull up and appreciate for what it is. Ciggy City might be bigger, but it still has a rebellious heart that should satisfy those seeking something a bit more out there in their gaming lives.

In the end, Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is an absolutely solid action platformer. Annoyances at needing to go through a second time aside, I genuinely enjoyed the stages, the characters were amusing, and each new sub-weapon altered my approach to combat in ways that kept things fresh. There’s a lot of heart and soul poured into the details, it’s one of those retro titles that truly remembers what made those classics fun in the first place. There’s a few small issues here and there that keep it from being truly amazing, but it’s certainly worth your time.

This is a game that brushes up against a lot of different genres without diving too deeply into any of them, and some players are going to either clock out from that or find that they like one or two parts but not all three. It is kind of a weird game and it is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if the idea of the game sounds interesting to you? Hey, this is a classic remastered and improved, and it’s well worth the asking price.

Considering the largely uncharted waters (sorry) of the shark simulator genre, it is hard to fault Maneater for its flaws. On the other hand, open world design has been a staple of gaming for over a decade and it is a shame to see such repetitive quest design. Along with a few too many claustrophobic environments, I have a hard time giving Maneater a blanket recommendation. That being said, I had a lot of fun playing it, and I think there is a lot to like if you can deal with a few annoyances.

This is a pretty solid collection of little games that are in many ways frozen in amber from a specific time in gaming history. This isn’t going to make a huge fan out of anyone, but if you’re in the mood for some classic 16-bit shooter fun, this’ll deliver.

When you get down to brass tacks, Fire Tonight won’t be blowing anyone’s doors off. I don’t think that was the goal, either. But just because it’s a compact experience doesn’t mean that it’s an unpleasant one. The entire package is a brisk, cute, and enjoyable time. The solid presentation, the simple but decent gameplay, and the personality throughout help soften the blow of the overall length. There are worse ways to spend an hour, and helping a couple reunite for safety’s sake isn’t a bad way to kill some time at home or on the go.

If it weren’t clear by this point, I did not care for Card-en-Ciel as an aggregate. Not because it’s a bad game, because the core game parts are actually pretty good… but every single part around that game makes me not want to bother engaging with it any further. I like the ideas on display but I also do not want to play this game. The annoying stuff makes it feel actively hostile and unappealing. It’s easier to just not. That’s kind of a shame, and I suspect – or hope – there are people who can look past the melange of stylistic issues that made me dislike the game and enjoy the pretty good card battles at the heart of the title. But for me? I just wanted to be done with it. If you like card battling, I hope you either like the style or can overlook a lot of potential irritations.

Scorn is still a journey worth taking for its appearance and environments alone, but I would have traded away every single repetitive combat encounter for just one more puzzle to sink my teeth into.

Overall, this remake of Destroy All Humans is essentially the 2005 original with a fresh coat of paint and a few tweaks, and it carries over everything, warts and all. While there are definitely some frustrations in the gameplay mechanics, taken as a whole, the game holds up surprisingly well.

Overall, I would recommend this title…just maybe wait until the official English patch releases. It’s cute, has good art, and the characters and stories are likable enough to where you won’t feel like you wasted your time. The romance can feel sweet and hard-earned in some routes, but you always end up feeling glad you got to know the characters, and for a visual novel that’s all you can hope for in the end even if the path is bumpy.

Really, Hella Remastered is probably the best example of a video game that knows that it’s a video game and runs with it to the point where it almost falls off a cliff. The involvement and expertise of Mikami and Suda prevents it from careening towards the ground, but it’s still a solid game at the end of the day. The gameplay has aged surprisingly well, and the visuals have finally outgrown the limitations of its seventh generation console bretheren. Just be sure to leave any high brow notions at the door and enjoy the ride.

TRON: Catalyst is a good example of an acceptable licensed game experience, and punches well above its weight. The sum of its parts may not win any awards for having any sort of wow factor, but Bithell Games understood the assignment and gave fans something worth playing through. It may not be the most complicated game on the planet, but it’s a good example of a solid indie game experience as well as a good licensed game in its own right. Exo’s adventure is well worth a playthrough, and fans can breathe easy knowing that this romp in the Arq Grid is an experience worthy of the TRON name. Jumping into this Grid is a perfectly acceptable entry, but you might want to go in with tempered expectations.

Fans of tower defense games and JRPGs should give this game a look, because it’s at once inventive and satisfying. It’s not flawless, but I’ve played big-budget games this year that didn’t have half the heart or originality that this little game has.

When I walked away from my preview of Ra Ra Boom I was thinking that if the game cleaned up some of the preview-build jank, refined a couple of elements, and didn’t muck with the fun parts, it’d be a winner. And that’s exactly what happened.

A Juggler’s Tale tried to do a lot for a two-hour game, and while that’s not always a bad thing, I wish it had instead just focused on one thing and perfected it rather than throwing so much at me and having none of it land. I also came across a glitch where one of the cutscenes kept causing everything on my screen to freeze. I was eventually able to move past it but this particular issue, coupled with the terrible lighting and clunky controls, made playing through this game feel like a chore.

It’s clear they tried. I love the art direction, they tried to pull off something more original towards the end, and the little optional things you can interact with are fun and whimsical. I’d love to see where they go in the future, but I cannot deny that this is a fairly flawed title.

I admittedly haven’t played any of the older Star Ocean games from back at the peak of its popularity, so I can’t say for certain whether Divine Force is a return to form. But for fans disappointed with the previous entry, there’s plenty here to make a dive back into the franchise worthwhile. Here’s hoping tri-Ace gets another shot with a bigger budget next time, because I believe they’re on an upswing.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an odd game that you will either really like and have a lot of fun with or it is going to frustrate the heck out of you, but I think ultimately I have to err on the side of it trying new things even if I don’t think it totally sticks the landing. Take that with the appropriate header.

All in all, I wouldn’t completely label this game as not worth playing, but I do suggest tempering your expectations so that there is minimal disappointment as you progress through the story. That isn’t to say I regret playing it, but I don’t think I would’ve missed much if I hadn’t.

Everything about 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is above board (except maybe the title). While it doesn’t bear the name of some famous franchise, everything about it possesses high quality and I definitely had a good time playing it. This game is a solid pick-up for beat-’em-up fans, particularly if you can find a friend to play with. Give it a play, and unleash your inner monk.

Scarf is an endearing experience. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve and doesn’t shatter the genre’s conventions with innovative ideas, but still finds enough sure footing to set itself apart from its contemporaries. Moreover, an unsurprising story and a few instances of intentional time-wasters in puzzles aren’t enough to lessen the benefits of its brisk pace and variety of gorgeous environments. It may not hit the highest highs of the genre, but if you’re in the mood for an atmospheric puzzle platformer, you could do much worse.

Gordian Quest is a straightforward and fun game. I liked it all while I played. But I also kept wishing I was playing on my PC, which is… probably the game’s biggest weakness. It feels like a PC game ported to a console (which, let’s be real, it is) and it is a bit limited as a result of that. However, if you want the game in portable form and don’t have (or want) a Steam Deck? It’s a great addition. Sure, you will have to wrestle with the game’s interface a little bit and there will be the odd moment where you feel like something should have worked but you couldn’t see a bit of text that indicated otherwise. But the game is good enough that a bit of interface jank hardly pulls it down, in the end.

I’m told from other people who’ve played ArcRunner on PC that the game is a lot better in multiplayer. I believe it, but I don’t really consider that a saving grace. Any game is more fun in multiplayer; the whole point of a game that is not always online is that it can be played solo. That’s part of the point. As it stands, ArcRunner is not a bad game. I don’t think it’s truly dire by any stretch of the imagination, even with the font being kind of awful. But it’s just not a very good game either. It’s fine. And just fine doesn’t get much more than a tepid recommendation. There are a lot of games in this genre, and a lot of those are more fun to play with.

All in all, I have to say that, while brutally difficult for me, Monster Supercross 4 was still a lot of fun to play because of the overall quality and completeness of the experience. The game is a thrill, that much is certain. I imagine fans from the previous entries and people who real know their Supercross are past the learning curve and will get into this game instantly. While the experience is epic, even for a total noob at realistic sports games like me, I have to dock points for the rough on-boarding experience in this otherwise excellent title. A persistent beginner will have the game grow on them and potentially make them an even bigger Supercross fan. But if you’re totally new and curious about the sport, the weak tutorial and lack of explanation of terms in the sport is a significant barrier.

For people who are really big fans of games that are light horror/adventure game mixes – games like the long list of RPG Maker titles that are clearly meant to be primarily horror titles with some inventory puzzles like Ib or The Witch’s House, for example – I think this game is going to really sing. However, for a lot of other players, the mix isn’t quite going to carry a tune. That’s not a bad thing, and the game knows what it wants to be, but it does mean that the game is perhaps as unwelcoming as its title might suggest.

All in all, this was actually a very bittersweet review for me. I am a huge Rune Factory fan and have been excitedly waiting for this new entry in the series. Unfortunately, I can’t say that it met my expectations. The good news is Rune Factory 5 is a familiar experience for those who are used to the genre. The love interests are a bit cringy, and it has god-awful graphics, but if you have a bit of patience and don’t nitpick as much as I do, it will be a mostly enjoyable experience. The combat is easy enough to get into, there are a ton of things to do, and some of the supporting cast will make you smile. I clocked about 64 hours into this game and I’m pretty sure I could have done more, so it’s at least a bang for its buck if anything. I’m just hoping that if Marvelous Inc. makes us wait another ten years for a new entry, it is of a higher quality.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a pleasant callback to yesteryear, with just enough changed to keep it from simply retreading old ground. It is a little short if one charges through, points be damned, but it’s still several hours long at least. Those who prefer complex plots and modern design may be a bit disappointed, but anyone who likes a more arcadey sort of game should enjoy it.

When all is said and done, it’s a game in which you are given the feel of managing a somewhat volatile drug empire with a bunch of violent people who are more than willing to break the law in the name of their own self-enrichment, and that alone is enough to make the game fun enough to stand on its own. It justifies its existence and goes above and beyond in a lot of places.

Steelrising has the clearly defined bones of a great Soulslike. It features development team Spiders’ most well executed and fluid combat to date, offers players a plethora of build options that feel meaningful in customizing their approach to combat, and delivers on its unique historical aesthetic well. Unfortunately, these obvious positives are dragged down by level design sorely lacking in verticality, enemy encounters sorely lacking in variety, and a narrative sorely lacking in investment. It’s one of the more admirable attempts at the Souls formula in recent memory, but it doesn’t have every piece of the puzzle.

It doesn’t really hit me for a lot of my interests, and I definitely found myself feeling a bit like “well, why fire it up again” after my play sessions, but it’s also a nice lightweight game for playing when you want some lightweight strategy fun. And it’s set during an interesting stretch of history, to boot. If that’s your cup of tea, it’s well worth it.

When your jokes consist of punching down on those with mental health challenges, you’ve run out of actual comedy. There’s a way to handle this content with tact and dignity, while still being funny, but it requires a level of self-awareness that this game is far from having. Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is a game that was stuck in the past when it was originally released, but its issues are highlighted ten-fold with its console release. Paired with the gameplay headaches and accessibility issues this just isn’t a game I can recommend playing.

It feels like a throwback to the PlayStation era in the best way, when there were always new JRPGs showing up in the hopes of getting the same sort of cult reception as Final Fantasy VII, always new titles to try out and new stories to experience, some of them winding up a bit generic but others turning into unexpected little gems along the way. Astria Ascending feels like one of those gems, except it’s a new game right now and benefits from all the hindsight that implies. If you love JRPGs, give this one a good shot. You’ll be glad you did.

Serious Sam 4 is not a bad game. I’d go so far as to say that it wasn’t trying to be anything amazing, either. Croteam just wanted to put out a game full of catharsis, and it feels reasonable to say that they succeeded in that endeavor. It doesn’t bother itself with being anything other than a bullet-spewing good time, and I’m frankly fine with that. The fans wanted more Sam-laced insanity, and they definitely got it here. While the jank is present for all to see, it’s not something that completely ruins the experience. Regardless of that, it’s a cheesy good time that’s worth at least a playthrough. In this day and age, sometimes we just need to hold down the trigger and scream at the top of our lungs. Serious Sam 4 succeeds on that front, and delivers it with a dual rocket launcher-wielding grin on its face.

Soulstice absolutely works as a love letter to action games of the bygone PlayStation 2 era. Vitally, however, it does so without losing a clear identity of its own. Its combat system is unique in the way it asks players to actively monitor mechanics while also avoiding enemy attacks and dishing out flashy combos in true character action game fashion. Its boss battles leave quite a bit to be desired, and the level design may be a bit too narrow at points, but Soulstice manages to make up for these shortcomings with an emotional story and a unique brand of observation-based gameplay that ensures its status as a confident addition to the genre.

While I did enjoy quite a lot of my time in Battlefield 2042 (especially in the new Hazard Zone mode), there are a mix of gameplay, technical, and functionality issues of varying severity that really hamper the experience. This game is somewhat recommendable to Battlefield fans and those with a general interest in military-style shooters, but there is a strong chance that the game’s current flaws are going to really limit the potential for many. Because of this, if you’re considering this game, you may want to wait for a patch or two before you deploy to the battlefield.

Tragically, I was hoping to enjoy my time with Moros Protocol more. Despite satisfyingly weighty FPS mechanics, active boss fights, and a nostalgia-tinged pixel aesthetic, the scales are tipped for the worse by a very basic roguelite progression system and the absence of capitalizing on its more interesting science fiction story beats.

If you want to play a non-serious “simulator,” go play Goat Simulator. As crazy as that game is, you can actually get some entertainment out of it, and it somehow comes closer to simulating what being a goat might be like than this game comes to actually simulating speaking.

This tale demands more detail. It requires more time spent in filling out the world and its characters. If the game had spent more time on these points, we’d be looking at one hell of a harrowing and affecting story. As it stands right now though, Milky Way Prince feels like a massively missed opportunity.

Asha in Monster World wears its retro heart on its sleeve, with the modern graphical overhaul only helping to increase its charm. For fans of classic games and platformers, it is definitely worth a shot, though you will need to be ready to overlook a few quirks.

If you can look past the occasional bug and some decidedly un-PC humor, Reprobed offers up a good time. A bit shallow, yet still somehow satisfying.

Disjunction offers a solid, fun take on the stealth action genre. While it stumbles at times with the feel of its stealth mechanics, it is still satisfying and fun to play, aside from the one time my game progress mysteriously got deleted and I had to start over (though it hasn’t happened again). If you enjoy action stealth experiences like those found in the early Metal Gear games and games like Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell (except being 2-D) and you like new retro-styled games in the modern era, chances are good you can enjoy this game, even if it doesn’t have the most realistic stealth mechanics.

The parts of the game that work are a solid start to what is supposed to be a live service game with years of free updates ahead of it. Frankly though, I’m surprised at just how many issues the game currently has. At the end of the day, I’m ultimately enjoying my time with the game, it can be a lot of fun. However, when asked to present a final score, I simply cannot ignore the many issues that are holding the game back at launch. Hopefully the developers can get things sorted out and these issues that are currently hindering the game will soon be a thing of the past.

Honestly, I feel like this one is a game that manages to make a lot of little bad decisions, but the fundamental mechanic of how it handles weaponry speaks to a basic desire to make a game all about weird guns in which you never care about any of them. They’re all just momentary blips you’ll never get to hang on to, so you don’t care about their quirks and can’t build around them at all. You always feel like you’re playing with half of your tools.

The biggest sin that Giraffe and Annika suffers from is a distinct lack of focus on top of grandiose ideas that don’t quite land in the way that one would hope. It suffers from the problem of trying to do many things, but not doing any of them well enough to stand out in any meaningful way. Most everything I can say about this game can be traced back to how bland most of it is. Level design, gameplay, and some aesthetic choices are uninteresting and slow. While it does nail a few things given their goals, it ultimately stumbles the landing. That’s the most disappointing thing, because it could have been so much more.

I can’t say that what I played is a bad game, but saying that the audience for this isn’t somewhat narrow in scope would be doing it a disservice. Then again, Inhabitants just wanted to make something that’s serviceable, and I feel safe in saying that it succeeded on that front. It’s not very often you find yourself doing stealth in a 2.5D game these days, but it’s here and it’s doing its thing with reckless abandon. If you don’t mind the slow burn pace of the gameplay, you’re going to find yourself helping Abe stick it to the man to be an enjoyable experience.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a more casual take on the Souls-like formula. It has the weighty action and focus on learning enemy patterns to punish, but at eight hours to beat it’s relatively short and is lacking depth in many of its systems. At $30 and with an easier learning curve this is a good starter for anyone who hasn’t played this style of game, but veteran players may find the experience underwhelming. That said, I still had fun, and if you’re a fan of Remnant: From the Ashes you’ll likely appreciate this look into how everything began.

Playing Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a fun enough time if you’re looking for a nostalgia kick with better graphics and if you’re a fan of the genre already you just might enjoy a trip to Bikini Bottom yourself.

Still Joking has quite a few positives but I would say it also has equally as many negatives. The story is unique, rich, and quite enticing. It has fun, loveable characters, a very witty MC, and a world worth immersing yourself in. The gameplay is uncomplicated and straightforward but it does force you to think and can be pretty fun to play around with. On the other hand, the visuals are choppy, the audio non-existent, and it’s riddled with spelling errors.

This is a solid game no matter what. And I’m willing to bet that if you are a fan of Fairy Tail, you’re getting rewarded with a fun and solid RPG that keeps the spirit of the original and adds on more besides.

If you’re already a fan of Supermassive Games or Dead by Daylight you’ll probably have an enjoyable enough time here. There are some exciting sequences when you’re playing The Casting of Frank Stone, but even for their positives, they never coalesce into a strong experience in the long run.

While it’s not much of a game for solo play, if you have the right kind of group who wants to play something frantic on the couch together, Fueled Up is the kind of game you can really enjoy for a good long while. It’s not perfect, but it offers all the frantic patch jobs you could ask for.

I think given its replay value and strong narrative foundation alone, this is an easy recommend from me. I just hope that Big Bad Wolf Studio eventually does go in and iron out the evident bugs in the game, both visual and otherwise. I also can’t wait for them to release more narrative games of this caliber. I genuinely think they are a breath of fresh air in an otherwise saturated market.

If you like to march through corridors, blow through your enemies, and maybe get a few one-liners in along the way? Phantom Fury is going to be a good time. It’s a legacy throwback that has done its homework, and while it didn’t delight me it also never made me want to throw the dang thing in the garbage. It’s some good lightweight fun. Let’s just hope that this time around the title avoids becoming the main character of controversy, hmm?

If Rustler suffers from anything, it’s just that it sometimes doesn’t quite know what it’s trying to be. Most of the time, it seems to be specifically trying to parody GTA, and it plays a just like the early top-down games from said series. The tone is a bit off-beat, though, with all the jokes, pop culture, and poking of fun. It might not be perfectly cohesive, but whether you’re here for the jokes or because you like games where you can be on the wrong side of the law, there is definitely something here for you. So if you aren’t easily offended by the copious amounts of cursing, blood, and violence, you should definitely give Rustler a go. Pull that guard off his horse, ride off, and don’t look back!

While not every pack is loaded with hit after hit, Naughty Pack brings enough solid content to players that some might excuse the fact that they’re leaning into reliable properties. It may not be an evolution of the concept, but it is a fun and goofy aside to the main games that will satisfy those looking for a little spice in their party game repritoire. My hope is that this will be a jumping off point for more spicy shenanigans in the future.

If you’re looking for a centralized platform to play these games, the bulk of the titles offered here are fun enough to keep you engaged for quick bouts of alien-blasting action. Would I go out and grab this at full price? No, probably not. But having two solid offerings out of three at a sale price? It’s work a look. Just don’t get your hopes up for multiplayer.

Some of the difficulty is good, and some of it is bad. If you’re into games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, you will probably have a good time with this. But if you’re new to the “Soulslike” genre and looking for a challenge, you might want to start with one of those games first, lest you be frustrated too easily by the unfortunately fairly numerous stumbles Deathbound takes. It leans more good than bad, with a creative party system and mostly satisfying combat, but ultimately, I think only existing fans of the genre are going to last long enough to complete it.

So: Do I recommend it? If you like games with anime looks, and you feel like the popular MMOs today are just too clunky for your taste, Tower of Fantasy looks to be a solid option. It’s kind of rough around the edges, but more than makes up for that with the fun factor and potential for long term playability. Perhaps not for everyone, but it is a surprisingly good entry into the F2P MMO space, especially among those with a mobile version.

I really think of all the ways to adapt Animal Farm, this is definitely one of the best ways. Actually making the decisions and watching corrupt leadership undermine them, or being the one to justify sacrificing the “lesser” people for the “greater good,” really emphasizes how easily selfishness ruins a perfectly good dream. It’s not terribly long, but there is plenty of replay value in trying for various routes and endings and it’s relatively cheap.

Its plot goes in one ear and out the other, its visuals are nothing to write home about, and its combat is more shallow than its highly customizable stats system implies, but it’s still an enjoyable enough action RPG at its core. Trinity Trigger fits the bill if you’re looking to turn your brain off and save the world for a jaunt, but don’t expect it to leave a lasting impact.

For all my complaints, Aragami 2 does pull off making you feel like a ninja rather well. Planning just the perfect route to ambush everyone one by one or slip in and out without disturbing anyone felt really satisfying. It manages to tread that fine line of letting you get away with more than is realistic while still making a perfect run challenging that makes a great stealth game. I just can’t help but feel they took a few gambles with changing things up from the original, and took a step backwards as a result.

It’s got fun characters, great presentation, and a system that has some stumbles but is ultimately a neat idea. And let’s face it, if you’ve ever been in a city, bodyslamming people who won’t stop taking up the whole damn sidewalk feels like an appropriate response.

The Tartarus Key is the rare game that’s able to faithfully recreate an older, chunky 3D aesthetic while still establishing a unique voice of its own. Its brainteasers won’t pose much of a challenge to seasoned puzzlers and its endings are rather abrupt, but the intriguing mystery, variety of puzzle types, and brisk pace work together—much like the characters trapped in the mansion themselves—to ensure a ride worth taking.

If you’re really into management sims, you’re going to get something out of the game. But otherwise, as much as I love the look and charm of the title and the concept, this is probably not going to find a forever home in your library.

Summer in Mara isn’t a bad game. Shockingly, I would actually recommend it…for children. It is definitely “baby’s first crafter” IF it can solve its direction and instruction problems. Everything is so simple and easy that it is perfect for a child. Without the need for combat and violence like other crafting games have, it’s perfect for young people. For the rest of us who have been playing crafting and survival games for 10+ years, there is nothing in this game for us. For almost everything this game does well, there are other more complex games that do it just as well or better. I can tell lots of love was put into Summer in Mara, but there are some tweaks that need to be made to support the audience they seem to be going for.

It’s smaller than its inspiration, a bit simpler in some ways, and I am very deliberately leaving out some of the places it goes simply on the basis that it’s worth seeing it for yourself. If you’re like me and have been looking for more FFT for the past two decades, this game will not sate your hunger completely, but it’ll be damn filling. You will walk away satisfied. That is high praise, and a testament to how good the game actually is.

It’s rare that I say this, but this video game probably should have been a movie instead. Honestly that’s the biggest thing I felt during this whole experience, between the live action stars, the way the cutscenes are shot and paced, the way the gameplay felt almost like an afterthought, it truly feels like they were basically trying to make a movie but decided it must be a game instead. Now, that’s not to say there’s nothing to enjoy, far from it! I really enjoyed the writing and performances, but it likely says something that I had a lot more fun just rushing through on a second playthrough on easy to see the story differences than I did on my initial go on normal where I actually had to explore.

Gods Will Fall does a lot of things right, so if you’re looking for a game that has high replayability and offers success through personal growth rather than arbitrary difficulty, then look no further. The lead developer at Clever Beans mentioned that their inspiration when creating this game was Demon’s Souls and I’d say they did an excellent job creating an indie version of their muse. It is also just a fun experience. I never felt bored while playing it, at least. In fact, despite completing this review, I am still glued to my TV trying to deal with some of those pesky gods.

You’ve probably ascertained as much from this point, but I didn’t care for Shuffle Tactics. I don’t think it’s an utterly terrible misfire; I can tell what the designers were going for, I admire the attempt, but it just doesn’t land. It was a few years back when I reviewed another tactical-RPG-meets-roguelike title, Tyrant’s Blessing, and this game basically manages to have more failures despite having a stronger starting gun. I don’t think the game is truly atrocious, and I think if you’re in need of another roguelike game and you have played all of the offerings out there, this will… perform as advertised. But I can’t really recommend it to others.

Overall, Clea goes for an unsettling style of horror and, at least for me, completely fails. The atmosphere never really “lands,” enemies are more frustrating than frightening, and I really just struggled to find the desire to even play this game.

The basic hack-and-slash formula it has seems fun, and you can understand why this went on to spawn sequels and so forth. Sure, it’s schlocky cheesecake action, but that’s exactly what it wants to be and that’s to its credit. Alas… I can’t really recommend this game because those technical issues are notable. They’re not “render the game unplayable” bad, although the experience was probably diminished for me. But for all I know I wasn’t the unlucky one but one of the lucky ones. I want to like this game. I repeatedly come close to liking this game. And I’m probably rating it highly given the technical issues. But those technical issues mean that for any and all of its virtues, the game ultimately fails that basic test of “is this fully playable.” If the issues are fixed in a launch patch, toss on another point to the score.

I’m going to be honest and say that I kind of expected more out of the title, which is unfair to the game on some level. I’m the person who always says that it’s not what a game is about but how it is about it, and in that context it’s not really fair to have negative things to say about the story being a bit of a shallow wisp full of fan service and game references. The problem is that in light of that weakness, you’d expect a strong game to back it up… and instead, what you have is a game that feels kinda archaic and making up for its weaknesses via volume. None of that makes the game bad. Indeed, I could find myself easily falling into a routine with the gameplay despite its generally bland elements. But it didn’t really stick to the ribs despite that. If you’re a fan of this franchise, I can understand why in the broad strokes, and I think this is going to prove to be an entry in the series that you will like because it is an entry in the series. But for people who aren’t into the series already or are generally neutral toward it, this isn’t the spot to start.

Unto the End just wants to punish the player. It feels like it went too far off the deep end of “purposefully difficult game” and ended up in kaizo territory. The challenge here isn’t fun, it’s just annoying.

The Complex is an interesting experiment that sometimes yields the fruits of its labor. More often, though, it reveals precisely why developers stopped using live-action video as a means to tell an interactive story. With a minuscule budget and equally small ambitions for its narrative and characters, The Complex just doesn’t replace the gaping whole that TellTale left behind. I don’t want to discourage Wales Interactive from continuing down this path, however. While it didn’t shine often, there were glimpses of a world in which this can work and work beautifully. I just hope they can secure the funding necessary to achieve their ambition.

Souls of Chronos is a sloppy and in some ways surprisingly wane little thing, a bunch of ideas that don’t ever fully coalesce into a satisfying whole, but there is a value in that. If dodgy translation, somewhat bland combat, and an erratic art style don’t dissuade you? You’re going to have fun with it. I had fun with it. But I also had fun with it while wishing it were just a little more cohesive, a little more polished. I don’t regret giving Souls of Chronos my time, exactly, but I wish it had been a little more appreciative in turn.

I always feel a little bad being hard on a game. I know some people put a lot of work into this and they may even be proud of it, but the simple truth of the matter is I did not have fun. I didn’t even feel the satisfaction of overcoming a challenge. Whenever I thought I’d find something I enjoyed, the NPCs would snipe insults at each other and make me feel awkward about being around them.

Ashwalkers really just isn’t an interesting experience. It takes the post-apocalypse and manages to make it soporific. I can’t really recommend it unless you’re looking for a unique way to cure your insomnia.

A lot of robot fiction makes a simple collection of circuits and wires, just the barest indicators of humanity, into an intensely human character even with nothing more than the suggestion of a face. Qualia feels like it showed up with all the robot parts you could want in a box and simply made a pretty girl to smile at you, and she can’t even make eye contact.

Some of the pain points can be owed to the fact that this game really targets fans of the challenging shooters of yesterday rather than people exploring the genre today. A few others, like the unexpectedly low Switch performance and the honestly unnecessary save-scumming prevention system, aren’t so easily excused. The game works fine, but if you can, play it on PC. This game deserves a mouse and keyboard and 60+ FPS.

At the end of the day, if you’re a genre fan, Deiland will provide you with enough bang for your buck that you won’t feel your time was wasted. But it’s kind of a lightweight thing, and between the short duration and the lack of long-term hooks it’s more a case of genre fans wanting more than it is of a new game to really sink your teeth into. That doesn’t make it bad or disappointing, just perhaps a bit more slight than you’d hope.

Hello Kitty and Friends Happiness Parade is one of those games that simply struggles to stand out. It’s an endless runner/rhythm game hybrid that has great potential in theory, but its monotonous gameplay, uninteresting art style, and grindy moment-to-moment loop make it a difficult recommendation. If the game were to offer something more than exactly what justifies its existence, it could have been a great time, but instead, Hello Kitty and Friends Happiness Parade provides an unexciting rhythm game with Sanrio characters and absolutely nothing more.

The game itself is competently executed, and if I try really hard to ignore the rip-off side of things, I would call it a decent game. But even then it has some pretty significant flaws. So while I did derive some enjoyment from it, due to its rough edges (among other things) it’s really hard to recommend to anyone unless you’re a die-hard tactical RPG fan who doesn’t want to own a Nintendo system and/or doesn’t like the Fire Emblem or even the Final Fantasy Tactics IPs. Which is unfortunate, because I really wanted to be able to; there are not a lot of good games in this genre that are available on PC that I can simply name offhand.

Comic book games are certainly having a moment lately, and Hellboy: Web of Wyrd does little to deter me from thinking otherwise. While it may not hit as high as some of its more lauded contemporaries, it’s still a good game. If you can endure some of the rougher edges it has, you’re going to find yourself with a game that is simultaneously a way to wedge into more involved roguelikes and another example of what developers can do when you stay true to what makes it work in the first place. Sometimes you just need something a little less intense, and games like this fit the bill nicely.

Bottom line: Fight Crab offers an entertaining, and refreshingly unique experience and is certainly worth a look for that. But the game feels very rough around the edges and I think it needs some more time to have its flaws ironed out. If you don’t expect too much from it, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth of entertainment. But the game is at times sloppy and unprofessional, even for an indie title, which does harm the experience to a noticeable degree.

The game falters somewhat under the weight of its ambitious premise—the various ramifications of killing or sparing certain NPCs in each five-hour playthrough probably won’t wow you to your core—but fun combat, charming visuals, and thorough commitment to its namesake elevate Hindsight 20/20 – Wrath of the Raakshasa to a unique experience that’s absolutely worth a playthrough (or three) to see what it has to offer.

I want to like this game, I really do. When it works, it works really well. The core gameplay loop is satisfying, the two ideas mesh believably, and figuring out how best to manage the species on a given level is like a fun little puzzle. Actually reaching later planets makes me feel like Sisyphus rolling a boulder up a hill, with the content I’m repeating feeling no different than it did an hour ago when I started my last run.

Overall, it all comes back to the length of the game. In spite of my own preferences, being a little over an hour is far too short and this length drags down both the narrative and the difficulty curve. What is here isn’t bad per se; there’s some decent world building, the levels toward the end are genuinely fun, and the vibes are fantastic. But they don’t compensate for everything else feeling rushed.

In the end, I found myself wanting to sail far away from this game. It had potential, but that potential was squandered. I’d rather walk the plank, or at least play almost any other pirate themed game, from Sea of Thieves, to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, to Sid Meier’s Pirates!, to the Monkey Island series, to even Skull and Bones (which I actively play and wish I got to review, as it’s far more fun than the publicity it got). Play any of those over this. If you can tolerate the game seeming to actively want to test your patience, the story has its moments and may be worth experiencing, but that’s a pretty big if.

I wish I could rate this higher. I honestly had a fun time playing through Curse of the Sea Rats, but the issues I encountered were significant. On top of balance issues and voice line deliveries, I also stumbled across a few bugs here and there including one that basically broke most of the ending. Again the refrain goes, they’re aware and fixing issues, but I can merely hope the patch irons out every last detail. Should the patch fix every one of these issues admirably, I could easily see this being an 8 or even a 9. But even in its current state, it’s a charming experience. Especially for anyone with fond memories of 90s animated features.

Kandagawa Jet Girls completely misses the marks that this niche expects from its games. Even if the toned down fanservice is a ploy to bring in more general gamers, the weak racing mechanics aren’t going to keep them around for long. Give this one a pass.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics brings back a beloved favorite in a reimagined way while also introducing a classic to a new audience. It celebrates the creative creatures we were introduced to in the Netflix series without feeling like a product-placement. If you’re looking for an introduction into tactics-style games and already love the world of The Dark Crystal this game is definitely worth checking out.

The game that we ended up with is one that will sate the appetite of fans of the original, while also likely irritating the many that are interested in the multiplayer component. The online multiplayer feels very much tacked on and could have used more time to make the experience more friendly. Hopefully they’re able to make adjustments post-launch. Ultimately, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is a game that, mechanically, shows its age, and even its newest features don’t feel quite as modernized as they probably should. By that rationale though, maybe the game will end up being exactly what you remember it as.

South Park: Snow Day!’s most prominent issue is one of fundamentals. The game’s namesake is very much intact and handled exactly in the way you would hope as a fan of the show, but the meat and potatoes of the actual gameplay leave much to be desired. Its humorous, surprisingly robust roguelike elements and attention paid to its source material simply aren’t enough to offset the detriment its simplistic combat and repetitive structure.

Overall, Crown Wars: The Black Prince is a pretty solid experience with a few stumbles. It is definitely a worthy title especially considering it’s not from the likes of Nintendo or Square Enix, and I think anyone who considers themselves a fan of the genre can find themselves a pretty enjoyable tactical RPG. Further other people may also enjoy the game thanks to its historical inspiration, which reflects a team with strong attention to detail.

The game isn’t terrible, but it’s a bit forgettable. It comes out on the right side wherein you can have some fun with it, especially if you really like strategy games, but it doesn’t really feel like it works very hard to do more than just be good enough. If you’re in the mood for a strategy game but don’t want quite so much strategy, it’ll fill you up, but it’s not going to delight you in the process.

In conclusion, save your money, or simply buy the mobile version of this game if you’re looking to give it a try. There are some missing events and illustrations, but it’s cheaper and almost exactly the same otherwise.

There are good bones here, and ones that could easily lead to a strong title were they to get beefed up over the course of balancing and patching the game. With things as they are, however, Foamstars just doesn’t make as large of a splash as it needs to.