The game stands out among the crowd with its immediately eye-catching aesthetic and its roguelike mixture of tactics and horror. It’s an oppressive game that teaches the player through repeated failure, granting new insight to use in future encounters. The game’s mechanics may seem simple, but there is a beautifully crafted battle system with all the tools needed to beat the nightmarish enemies and bosses at their own game. While the roguelike elements add in some repetition and grind, I highly recommend Othercide to tactics fans looking for something different. If given proper time and attention, Othercide is an incredibly rewarding tactical RPG that will push players to their limits. It’s difficult and frustrating at times, but it all pays off in the end.

Genshin Impact might not be the most original game in a lot of respects, but it certainly has a wealth of things to offer players should they still be willing to give it a chance. Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time with it, and I plan to continue playing once future updates are implemented. The fact that it can be played for free is also quite impressive given just how much time you can invest in the game, especially with people perhaps staying at home more and being on a budget. All in all, Genshin Impact is a surprisingly solid action RPG adventure!

For as messy as Kingdom Hearts is, for all of its flaws, the series has a lot of heart and emotion that’s been beautifully conveyed through the music over the years. With Melody of Memory, I got the chance to re-experience many of the tumultuous emotions that I’d felt since the beginning and reconcile them. This was a series I once adored and recently began to feel disenchanted with, but this game reminded me of joy I’d felt hearing each song for the first time over the years. And while the package could be better, and I wish I enjoyed playing it more, this feels like the only way to cap off the Dark Seeker Saga. Whether I’ll be back for the next Saga, I’m not sure, but Melody of Memory captures my journey with the series perfectly: we’ve had our ups and downs, but ultimately, Kingdom Hearts has been influential in my life, and I don’t regret seeing the series through.

I worry that the developers have run out of ideas. This is the second of three pieces of DLC, because someone in corporate said they needed three DLC expansions to squeeze money out of players. Yes, I enjoyed the DLC, but it felt like eating chips rather than an exquisite slice of cake that had been labored over. I would recommend it to anyone who feels any inclination to get all of the DLC, simply because, what, you’re going to buy the first and third DLC, but not the second? If you’re thinking about whether or not you can wait, though — yeah, you can wait.

It’s still an enjoyable romp: a world filled with brutal combat encounters, a slew of arcane mysteries, and diverse sights that can be achingly gorgeous, powerfully harrowing, and even bizarrely psychedelic. But in the course of my playthrough as Feivor, I feel that I’ve received Valhalla as it should have been. My previous praises are kept intact, and the experience is only enhanced by a narrative that subverts Norse mythology while slashing the tether that binds executive misogyny to a world where supposed viking culture has been adopted by an ahistorical, androcentric right-wing. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can be great, but if you want an inferior experience, don’t worry: Ubisoft has you covered.

As the developers rightly suggested in the Space Invaders side story, the day will come when the servers are turned off and this game is forgotten. It will not be remembered or celebrated nearly as much as Yoko Taro’s masterpieces NieR and NieR Automata. But for those who want in on a strange, wonderful, and limited-time experience, SINoALICE is the perfect pastime for you. Prepare to be shocked by some of the strangest short stories you’ve ever read, and hopefully you’ll have fun bashing baddies along the way.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV has been a long time coming. Not just because of the cliffhanger Cold Steel III ended on, but because it’s the conclusion to the Cold Steel arc and a convergence point for all three arcs. The game is truly at its best when it’s resolving long-standing plot threads and nodding to previous events and characters in the series. Unfortunately, it spends a lot of time spinning its wheels, and this can be frustrating given how long we’ve waited for this conclusion. It’s not a bad experience, though — just an unnecessarily long one. If you’ve come this far and want to know how it all ends, then settle yourself in for the long haul and keep going forward, relentlessly.

It takes about two hours to beat Takeshi and Hiroshi, but players will likely think back on its charming story and return to its leisurely levels quite a bit. From its straightforward yet engaging gameplay to its lovable characters and delightful story, Takeshi and Hiroshi proves that a little can go a really long way.

In the end, Sakuna left me aglow with a warm nostalgia reminiscent of PlayStation 2 favourites like Okami, Odin Sphere, or Dark Cloud. Sakuna is a solid title with a lot of fun to be had. It has ambition, charm, and a whole myriad of interlocking systems to dive into. Despite some tedium in the early game and a dearth of content in the late game, the overall package is strong. The rhythm of the gameplay loop never loses its ability to calm and easily leads to a state of video game zen. One part beat ’em up RPG and one part farming sim, Sakuna truly excels in how well it blends these two genres. As far as I am concerned, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is worth playing not just for those interested in either genre, but for people who want a taste of what indie titles can be.

Spiritfarer is a perfect example of a game where one has to keep their expectations in check. I honestly feel the trailers have misrepresented what the majority of the game is, and I wish the developers had actually cut the content in half or found a way to speed up the entire process. What’s here hints at the depth of quality that could have been, but the designers seemed more concerned with giving their audience their money’s worth rather than packing ten hours with high-quality content. Or maybe I should have engaged in more meditation over the 25-hour experience. Regardless, Spiritfarer has moments of beauty that will resonate with many players, while others, like myself, will be left wondering what could have been.

The Crown Tundra is a worthy diadem sitting atop Sword & Shield‘s head, but the journey to earn that crown has been a rocky, and safe, one. While this DLC is not enough to fix the issues with the base game (and TCT introduces a few new frustrations of its own), it makes several much-needed improvements that make it worth checking out. We’re still far away from the series’ best efforts, but at the very least, the future looks far brighter for the series than it did a year ago.

All things considered, I enjoyed my time with Little Hope. While still marred by some unfortunate technical issues, it is a more polished and engaging experience than the first game and the perfect way to spend a dark and spooky night (with friends if you can manage it!). With this game, The Dark Pictures Anthology has hit its stride, and I can’t wait to see what Supermassive Games has in store for us next.

Moon is not only a great game, but an important piece of video game history that has clearly influenced Japanese developers and even the modern indie scene through games like Toby Fox’s Undertale. On a personal level, I found Moon a delightful experience that continues to hold my heart captive, and I feel justified in calling it a masterpiece. Relatable, smart, funny, and powerful, Moon is everything I wanted it to be during all those years of waiting and more.

If you happen to fit into that selective pool of gamers who played the original Collar X Malice and liked it, you’ll undoubtedly find something to enjoy here! Collar X Malice -Unlimited- is probably my favorite experience with an otome fandisc thus far. Despite some of its noticeable hiccups, I can’t recommend Collar X Malice -Unlimited- enough for players who enjoyed the original title.

I very much enjoyed my trip to the CrossWorlds, much more than I ever did my trips to the World of Warcraft. The game is jam-packed with content, giving you upwards of 50 to 60 hours of enjoyment in your first playthrough. There are secrets galore to find, items to trade, and combat skills to master. However, the game never quite drew me in as much as I hoped when I first started playing, primarily due to the story issues. In the end, CrossCode is a slightly flawed action RPG masterpiece and an absolute stunning achievement for indie games. I can’t wait to see where the developers take the game in the next “patch.”

I went into Best Friend Forever expecting to pet a bunch of dogs and date some cool humans, and in that respect, I was not disappointed. The dogs are good boys and girls who deserve all the love in the world, even when they poop. The humans are a fun and varied bunch whose stories may be on the short side but still have a lot of heart. Sadly, the gameplay did not live up to my expectations, but I would love to see what improvements could be made if Starcolt one day decides to create a sequel. If your love of dogs is stronger than the issues I’ve laid out in this review, then you might want to check out Best Friend Forever. Just do yourself a favor, though, and play it on PC.

Streets of Kamurocho comes across more like a demo of a new game or proof-of-concept. It’s only one level long, with two mini-bosses and one final boss from the first Yakuza game. Once you finish the level, you start it again, this time at a higher difficulty level. Seeing as this is an entirely free game meant as a one-off, you really can’t complain about the incredibly short length. It’s a perfect little retro dip into a classic arcade beat ’em up with a fresh coat of paint.If you are a fan of Yakuza or Streets of Rage, you’re going to be in for a treat.

I’ll continue to keep plugging away at Tales of Crestoria as it’s updated, because I’m genuinely enjoying my time with the game, and love seeing characters like Arche, Farah, Presea, Leon, and all of my other favourites take to the stage once again. I just hope Bandai Namco can manage the bugs a little better and increase the frequency of materials and drops just a bit so people who are less willing to drop lots of money on a gacha can enjoy the story and the additional content at a reasonable pace.

I’ve played just about every Mario RPG, and I’ve reviewed six before this one, but Paper Mario: The Origami King is definitely the one that I’ve had the most difficulty figuring out how to score. The things that frustrated me about it (mainly the combat) frustrated me from start to finish, but I still had a good time with it, and even went back for a set of optional boss battle repeats after I had finished so that I could get an in-game trophy. And perhaps that is the biggest compliment I could pay to this game — I liked it enough that I chose to come back for more of the part I found the most difficult after I had finished.

As the cold nights draw in, playing Ikenfell is like huddling round a little cauldron of warmth. It makes important steps in queer representation that I wish more games would do, and discusses mental health in worthwhile ways. It does all of this under a pleasant, charming veneer with fun combat and cute visuals, and while the game never does anything spectacular, the tone and addictive gameplay will definitely cast a spell on you.

It’s difficult to live in the shadow of a giant like Steins;Gate. In fact, any comparisons between Robotics;Notes ELITE and that classic of the genre do this game a disservice. Is Robotics;Notes as exciting and emotional as Steins;Gate? No, no it’s not. The ending in particular pales in comparison to the emotional, adrenaline fueled ending of that game. But nonetheless, the strength of the character and the intrigue in the plot make this visual novel worth your time.

The Tengu’s Disciple offers enough fresh content to satisfy any fan of Nioh 2, but not so much to feel like a bargain. What is likely a bargain is the $20 season pass that will grant customers all three pieces of DLC when each is released. Of course, we don’t know if the future DLC will be worth the purchase, but if they’re anything like The Tengu’s Disciple, then fans can rest easy in the investment.

It’s too bad the journey can feel so aimless and disjointed at times with the mixed storytelling and the cumbersome mechanics that stick each component of gameplay together. It can be occasionally exhausting to navigate through the menus, swapping in different spells and items constantly as you beat on your foe for a good 30 minutes. I really wish Square Enix would give it the fair shake it deserves with modern conveniences, instead of dredging up dated gameplay mechanics that overshadow a wonderful, mystical little world. Still, getting to play a family-friendly tale with my daughter does make up for a lot of this, and if you can get some friends together, it could be the same for you.

Hades is a game for almost everyone. The only people I could see not getting struck by Aphrodite are those who can’t stand procedural generation or action games at all. If you’ve got even a cursory interest in roguelikes or action RPGs, you absolutely cannot pass this game up. Its only real shortcoming is the less-than-stellar story, which is a first for Supergiant Games. Rest assured, the gameplay, characters, secrets, and customization more than make up for a lack of a gripping narrative.

As a big fan of The Outer Worlds, I found Peril on Gorgon to be another fulfilling dive into this fascinating universe, giving me more of what I loved about the original game. It doesn’t break any new ground, aside from the addition of some audio logs and some new weapons. But that’s okay. Great DLC isn’t a sequel, it’s a 10-hour expansion on what made the original game so good. In other words, if you loved The Outer Worlds and want to encounter more tough moral choices, crazy science weapons, and engaging characters, you should check out Peril on Gorgon. I certainly had a blast roleplaying a hard-boiled interstellar detective/starship captain, and it only made me excited for more DLC in the future!

Like the first (free) DLC, there’s plenty of challenge here if players wish to test their mettle. For anyone who enjoyed the original game and finds themselves interested in the DLC, I’d strongly recommend approaching it on New Game+. Despite the frustrating elements, there are flashes of greatness that I hope carry over to a sequel.

Hotel Sowls is undeniably charming. The cast is easily lovable and the world as quirky as one could hope. Still, it’s also undeniably simple. I would suggest Hotel Sowls as a sleepy afternoon game to relax with if you are at all drawn to its art and atmosphere, but I would keep in mind the limitations of a two person team making their first game. If you aren’t bothered by a small soundtrack, occasional bugs, and a hotel with many rooms where there isn’t any room for questions, then you may just spend more than one span of five days in Hotel Sowls.

If you’re tired of murder mysteries that take place on boring old planet Earth and want something different, Paradise Killer might be the game for you. If you’ve ever wondered whether death god-worshipping cults have to solve murders too and why they would even bother, Paradise Killer might be the game for you. If you just want to run amok around an island created in a pocket reality while talking to some evasive and immoral immortals, Paradise Killer might be the game for you. Which is to say that Paradise Killer might not be for everybody, but it’s certainly an interesting trip.