The Magnificent Trufflepigs is a very condensed story, only taking about a few hours to reach the credits. Because of this, the narrative feels concise and free of filler. Despite spending such little time with them, I felt like I had a good understanding of these characters and the relationship forming between them, thanks to two exceptional voice performances. The game’s metal-detecting segments also make for some relaxing times as well. Although some design choices make certain moments more tedious than they need to be, The Magnificent Trufflepigs is a pleasant little experience.

Unfortunately, Miitopia's story drags on way too long, given how shallow the narrative feels. There are going to be some frustrating moments where it feels like the end is near, only for party members to get swept away and replaced with new ones that have to start completely from scratch. Still, if you like Nintendo's brand of wholesome humor, Miitopia should be right up your alley. If you have a lot of Mii characters saved up, waiting for an adventure just like this, your moment has arrived.

King of Seas does lots of things well, from its visual presentation to the simplicity of its sailing mechanics. It touches base with many of the things that made classics out of the games that came prior while streamlining the experience into something that feels like a store-brand version of the thing I actually wanted.

Biomutant is a solid debut from Experiment 101. Though a couple of the game’s concepts don’t feel entirely fleshed out, there’s still a lot to appreciate. The amount of variety in both the narrative and in combat ensures that no two players have an identical experience. With a fluid combat system and enough style to spare, Biomutant is still a formidable RPG.

I was thoroughly impressed with Knockout City. Velan Studios has created a dodgeball game that has solid mechanics and is really easy to pick up. The skill ceiling is also incredibly high, making room for some really competitive gameplay. With a plan to heavily support and add on to the game over time, Knockout City is a welcomed addition to the sports game pantheon.

Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield succeeds at getting you into the action with little complication, even if it has less depth than a kiddie pool. It does a poor job at explaining Wally’s situation (everything I know about the story came from outside the game) and this further prevents the experience from being more than something that feels like a prototype. It has a low price that matches well with its truncated runtime and the soundtrack is good enough to help you forget some of the shortcomings. Maybe Aerial_Knight’s next outing will have the recipe for success.

If you want a high-quality visual novel, a good mystery story to follow, and a time capsule of game design all in one, the Famicom Detective Club remakes feel like a solid call.

If you want a high-quality visual novel, a good mystery story to follow, and a time capsule of game design all in one, the Famicom Detective Club remakes feel like a solid call.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends is an excellent change of pace from your standard online multiplayer games. The PvPvE style works surprisingly well, creating new obstacles and offering unique strategies at every corner. The gameplay loop can get a bit stale once you get familiar with the maps, but Sumo Digital has the groundwork for something quite special with Hood: Outlaws and Legends.

The game is an easy recommendation for anyone that has been pining for the shoot-’em-up glory days or any fan of arcade-style games. There is a lot of trial and error that is inherent with games of this nature and if rote memorization coupled with some light strategy in weapon choices doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, you might not find it here. There are multiple difficulty modes, however, that add continues and alter some boss patterns. I found the easiest setting offers a fair challenge while still teaching lessons to take into the more demanding difficulties. R-Type Final 2 is a prime example of a competent product that fills a niche perfectly. Even though R-Type Final was meant to be the last game in the franchise, this new sequel proves there’s still some fight left for shmups.

Resident Evil Village does great as an action game with solid horror elements. The combat is visceral and vibrant, the environments are splendid and mysterious, and the story had decent enough oomph to keep me involved throughout.

Housemarque reminds audiences that it’s got the chops to be one of the premier-tier game developers with Returnal. The game is wholly difficult with a roster of powerful enemies and bosses to overcome, but also gives the player everything they need in order to succeed. The game just gets better and better as you go on, as recognizing patterns and learning to adapt is endlessly rewarding. Despite some issues with RNG, it’s hard to knock this creepy sci-fi adventure. Returnal is a must-play PS5 exclusive for any roguelike fan itching for their latest challenge.

It may not be the next amazing Pokemon spinoff, but fans that have been waiting for over 20 years won’t be disappointed with New Pokemon Snap.

As somebody who wasn't into the Nier lore going into this review, I'm fully invested now. That's the magic that Nier Replicant works and, even with its faults, it's a treat for both fans and newcomers.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion takes a pretty bonkers premise, and turns it into a thorough action-adventure game. Not only are the design choices and character dialogue hilarious, but the gameplay hits on all of the beats that make a good Zelda clone. The full game is on the shorter side, but it left me hoping that we haven’t seen the last of Turnip Boy and this curious world.

Cozy Grove is a far more relaxing, yet in-depth experience than I ever could have expected when I jumped into it. Much like the best parts of Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, it had a way of hooking me and I can wholeheartedly say that even if I wasn’t reviewing it, the way in which it caught me made it an experience I'm happy to return to daily.

As a big-time fan of MLB The Show, I am rather disappointed at how the next-gen version of the game panned out this year. The lack of a rock-solid 60fps and virtually no graphical embellishments other than lighting make things feel like a half-step rather than a new experience. I can fully understand that SIE San Diego’s attention was focused on some other super-important considerations this year, though. AAA-quality baseball is now available to all console owners (please Sony remember the PC in 2022) and the sun is shining on virtual big leaguers who are down for crossplay. MLB The Show 21 is once again an incremental step, but still an important one for the series moving forward.

PAC-MAN 99 is another hit for Arika, this time with one of the most iconic arcade games of all time. It’s a bit surprising just how well Pac-Man fits into the 99-player battle royale format, but that’s just a testament to the work done by the developers. PAC-MAN 99 has me excited for whatever the developer’s put out next.

Seeing it through the prism of the old Oregon Trail, I enjoyed Ashwalkers and its myriad of tough, meaningful choices. Its heavy material and its dreary art style doesn't make it a game that I plan to revisit very often. I can appreciate the variety of scenarios, especially the idea that players can select different starting points after multiple playthroughs. In that sense, it's unlike a lot of survival games out today and worth playing through at least once.

Oddworld: Soulstorm is an excellent adventure game and platformer, with cool mechanics that keep gameplay fresh. The environments are stunning, and the 2.9D animation makes the world feel three-dimensional and lived-in. Only held back by a slew of bugs, Oddworld: Soulstorm is a great installment in a classic franchise.

Narita Boy is a game that takes such a strong influence from so many past works, it can often feel a bit derivative. However, that doesn’t stop the game from being enjoyable, as there’s plenty of unique challenges to overcome as well as some solid lore-building. It’s gorgeous visual design and soundtrack will be enough to entice anyone familiar with 80s pop culture, and could prove irresistible to those that have a fondness for the era.

I hope the servers hold up going forward, but for all of its issues, when all of Enoch is in working order, Outriders' spectacle and progression are quite a rewarding experience I want to keep returning to for a long time.

Genesis Noir is a very curious game, and mostly in a good way. The cosmic nature of its narrative is tied down interestingly in its humanized elements and the animation and music do a good job of giving every moment life and charm, even if it can sometimes get confusing. It’s not a long game, and some of its stretches are a bit too simplistic for their own good, but Genesis Noir also features a lot of creativity in prominent portions of its puzzles and progression. If you enjoy a good point-and-click adventure and don’t mind a game that just wants a moment to share its bombastic narrative of cosmic creation and love, Genesis Noir might very well be narrative worth your time and interest.

Dandy Ace delivers as a challenging roguelike, with difficult enemies and bosses galore. The use of cards allows players the freedom to fine-tune their loadout to be the most efficient for their respective playstyle. Add on top of that the visually pleasing art style and use of color, and you’ve got yourself one magical roguelike.

The finished state of Balan Wonderworld is disappointing to say the least. For all of its style, I was really interested to see how they would expand upon the preview. The aesthetic and characters are there, the music is captivating, the level design made me want to explore and experiment where I could, and the abilities mostly gave me options to do so. However, these things are held down by a lot of contrivances and outright holes in either functionality or context.

When I felt myself growing weary of the complication, I would march Maximillian into the mess hall and execute one of the stupider minions in front of his coworkers. This sent all the witnesses into a panic, resulting in improved productivity. I might be mentally damaged, but I’m having a great time and accomplishing my goals of world domination. Ultimately, Evil Genius 2 is a Dungeon Keeper clone in a different coat of paint. The surface has been well-prepped and the paint was applied with great expertise, though. If you consider yourself a fan of simulation-strategy games, this has to go on your must-play list for 2021.

Playing It Takes Two took me back to the era of couch co-op games that I would play with my friends and family. The shared laughs, frustrations, and triumphs are an aspect of co-op games that I had sorely missed. With inventive and creative gameplay puzzles coupled with some unique environments, It Takes Two is without a doubt the greatest couch co-op game I’ve played in recent memory.

The marketing materials for R.B.I. Baseball 21 makes some bold claims that the end product fails to deliver on. While it does carry the full MLB and players union license, it is a lesser representation of the game of baseball than some of its more-arcadey rivals. It touts features of AAA sports games, yet trips over its own cleats when asked to make a clutch play. The lack of online play will make it a non-starter for many and the aggressively bad animations will disqualify it for anyone hoping for a semi-serious game of baseball. This mess could be cleaned up, but players will need to wait for next year’s outing to find out.