It’s not as if twin-stick shooters are generally known for being memorable, so simply by being a little different from the norm, UltaGoodness 2 stands out. It’s not going to be the greatest game you’ve ever played, but if you like the genre and want something a little different, it may be worth your time.

Haven is the rare game that excels at making its characters seem believable and human, especially when it gives them nothing more to do than just being themselves. The end result may feel a little familiar for anyone who’s lived through the past year, but that doesn’t make the game any less worthwhile.

It’s too bad that the gameplay is so poor, because in the right hands Picklock could have been fun — albeit for a very short amount of time, given there are only about a dozen levels here. It’s got a decent sense of humour, as evidenced by the visual gags you’ll find here and there. It’s also got a fun voxel-art style, and an enjoyably jazzy soundtrack. Games are a lot more than their aesthetics, obviously, but fun graphics and music can go a long way towards making them worthwhile. Not in Picklock’s case though. It doesn’t matter if it looks and sounds this good when it also plays this poorly.

Obviously, there’s nothing groundbreaking going on here, and despite the talk of Chosen Ones saving the world, QV never feels all that weighty. But it doesn’t really need to. It’s a simple puzzle game that offers a few hours of fun, and sometimes that’s all you need.

To be sure, you’ll need to be fond of visual novels if you’re going to play it. No matter how many monsters you slay, you’re still only reading it here, not actually doing anything. But if you’re looking for a visual novel that’s like nothing else the genre has to offer, Swordbreaker The Game may be right up your alley.

Super Sports Blast is a pretty enjoyable package of sports games. I’d have no problem recommending any of its component parts individually (though Super Volley Blast would have some caveats), which means that all three together are — to borrow a sport that Unfinished Pixel haven’t yet tried their hands at — a slam dunk.

Ghost ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a mighty fine game. It is insanely hard, and it will test you on a variety of levels. New players may be a little turned off by its difficulty, but if you continue to chip away and don’t completely give up, you can make progress. Rest assured, you will die in this game, a lot, but it’s definitely true to form. This is a must have for anyone who is looking for an overbearing challenge, just make sure you don’t take out your frustrations on your poor Joy-Cons.

Would my feelings towards Kaptain Brawe be any different if it featured voice acting? It’s quite possible — after all, it’s hard not to imagine that it would’ve given the characters and the game more of a personality, which would make it a lot easier to get into. As it stands, however, it doesn’t, which means we’re left with what’s on offer here — and that, unfortunately, isn’t enough to make the game stand out.

Overall Nioh and its sequel are a worthy additions to the Soulslike genre, both games are fun and incredibly challenging and the Yokai look every bit the part of a Japanese demon. The biggest issue with this collection is the popup on the original Nioh, though aside from this it is a good collection. Also if you already own Nioh on the PS4, make sure you are playing the PS5 version by clicking on the options button and selecting the PS5 version (the first time I launched Nioh on PS5, I was playing the PS4 version). Also, of note, if you have the PS4 version of Nioh 2, you can upgrade that to the PS5 version for free, but the original game you will have to purchase in order to get the remastered edition.

Given how many other games aren’t just being inspired by metroidvania platformers of the past but also taking them in interesting new directions, it makes it difficult to recommend Cathedral. It’s fine to play if you’ve already played all those other games, but if you’re into the genre and you haven’t, then the best Cathedral can do is sit at the very end of your backlog.

The sorta-good news about Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is that it might just be one of those games that’s so laughably bad and over-the-top stupid that it’s almost, kind of, in a way…fun. I wouldn’t ever suggest paying full price for this game. I wouldn’t even suggest buying it unless it’s down to well, well, well below $10 (or maybe even under $5). But if you can get it for, say, two or three dollars? Then the laughs you’ll get out of all of this nonsense might just be worth it.

While Capcom Arcade Stadium is a good collection, having everything broken into packs, the weird sound issues on some games and the omission of some US versions take a few points away from it being perfect. The Class System and the online leaderboards are OK, but I think online co-op would of been a better choice in that area. Also, I feel the currency earning system (CASPO) could have been used for more like unlocking art galleries and music tracks. Still even with those little speed bumps, Capcom Arcade Stadium is a fine collection of classic games that many people will enjoy. I can recommend this to any classic arcade fan looking for an old school challenge or someone who wants to get acquainted with Capcom’s colorful past.

Of course, the game doesn’t look so incredible that it’s able to overcome being your standard adventure game fare — perhaps because, looks side, Gibbous is your standard adventure game fare. That’s great news if you’re a genre fan looking for another hit, but if you’re not already a fan, nothing here is likely to make you one.

It’s pleasant enough to look at, but it falls into the category of Ratalaika games that aren’t even worth the relatively minimal effort they usually require to get a Platinum. It’s just a poorly-designed game that’s not worth the frustration.

Overall the game still looks and plays fantastic (although to maximize your experience, please look into using a controller that isn’t the joycons, I would recommend anything from 8bitdo). My only hope is that this collection somehow finds its way to other platforms and that SNK vs Capcom Card Fighters Clash will eventually enter this line up. It’s always good to look back and thankfully SNK is willing to give some love to a platform who couldn’t surmount Nintendo’s portable juggernaut.

Again, to be totally fair, this is still a big step up from the last trivia game from these developers, so kudos to the binary company for making something a little more interesting this time out. But there’s still a massive gulf between “mildly interesting” and “worth playing”, and Save Farty is far, far too close to the former to be worth picking up.

I’m not saying that Loot Hero DX would be better if it was harder — given that the whole thing is built around killing monsters and picking up loot as quickly as possible, I’m not sure it would even be the same game if it was harder. But I am saying that, in this state, unless you feel like paying a couple of bucks just to get a few minutes of “gameplay” and a Platinum trophy, there’s not much reason to pick this game up.

Little Nightmares II is a wonderful follow-up to the original, and manages to feel similar yet unique. The world-building is amazing, the puzzles are simple but fun, the story is intriguing, everything adds up to a really great experience. Tarsier Studios has outdone themselves with Little Nightmares II, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for us next.

It’s kind of weird to use that word, “derivative”, to describe a game where your character is a piece of uncooked pasta. But that’s just the world we live in. If Freddy Spaghetti had come out ten years ago, it might feel fresh and new, but now it just feels a little stale.

To be sure, it’s not perfect, and to enjoy Wrestling Empire you need to be willing to overlook a lot. Provided you can do that, however, you’ll find that you’ve got one of the most enjoyable wrestling games in years at your fingertips.

If the platforming were better, then Journey of the Broken Circle might just have challenged Thomas Was Alone for that “best platformer starring inanimate objects” crown. As it stands, it’ll simply have to settle for being a very, very good game.

All in all, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Persona 5 Strikers. I’ve played a whole lot of Dynasty Warriors and spin-off games in that genre, and I would argue that Persona 5 Strikers feels like one of the more unique takes on a Musou game that I’ve ever seen. It really, honestly feels like a full-fledged Persona sequel, in both story and combat, but with a heavier emphasis on action. Combining these two distinct flavors of video game franchises works exceptionally well here, and if you’re into either type of game, you’ll likely find something to love about Persona 5 Strikers.

If you don’t mind the narration and you’re able to get into the narrative, then you’ll probably delight in uncovering all the neat objects and stories this island and its inhabitants are hiding. For me, though? It never quite hits the mark. I Am Dead has some interesting ideas, and it executes on a lot of them, but taken as a whole, it’s just not as good as it could be.

When things start getting really explosive — which is to say, almost immediately — what you see is a game that’s a whole lot of fun. Destropolis may only do one thing, but it does that one thing very, very well.

The more time I spend with the title, the more my opinion changes of this game. I started off thinking this game is unnecessarily punishing (A multi-phase boss on the first level…really?) to this it is only hard if I’m not playing methodically. As I got into the upgrade system, the more I find myself hoping the random drops go a certain way (I do enjoy a Skul that can do passive damage or equipping projectile based skulls vs melee based builds). If you want a challenging rogue-like to start 2021, Skul: The Hero Slayer is definitely a viable option, if the Greek Pantheon isn’t your cup of tea.

Under the Jolly Roger is best described as so-so. As mobile ports go, I’ve certainly seen a lot worse, but if you want something deeper, keep looking (or, of course, just get Black Flag instead).

Visually and mechanically it will be a bit jarring for players who cut their teeth on the series with 0 and the 2 Kiwami games. However those who can forgive these shortcomings, this collection is still quite a value. With 3 titles whose play time can clock in around 20 hours each and even more if you indulge in the plethora of mini games and substories, it’s an absolute steal that the bundled price is $40. The value is even better as this package is available to members of Microsoft’s Game Pass program.

More Dark most definitely falls into the former camp: it’s not the worst game in the world, but it’s flawed enough it’s hard to enjoy it. Given all the other retro-flavoured puzzle-platformers out there that don’t feature lousy design choices, you’re probably better off skipping More Dark and playing something else instead.