Ultimately this “remaster” feels pointless, but due to the glaring issues this release has I’m not interested in playing further. I was going to hook up my 360 to compare to the original console release as well but I’m not very much interested in making my short time spent with this remaster feel worse. If this is the only way one can play Sacred 2 it may be worth it, but for people like myself who have any other option this is still a pass nearly 4 months later. Oof.

Under the Island succeeds because it understands exactly what it wants to be. It focuses on building a world that feels worth exploring and lets the player discover it at their own pace. It is confident in its identity, and that confidence shows in almost every part of the experience. The game itself feels like a love letter to RPGs of the 90’s. Under the Island isn’t trying to redefine the genre. It’s just trying to make a memorable experience and in that I think it mostly succeeds.

The Prisoning is an interesting and unique game and really goes a long way to justifying the return of Acclaim. It feels familiar enough, yet sprinkling in a host of flavor to make it stand out. I really enjoyed playing through the game. The boss fights are the highlight for sure, and I wish it was a bit more fleshed out, but this is a novel title that breaks the standard on several levels. Definitely worth checking out.

The Super Bomberman Collection is a fantastic snapshot of those games from that time period. I would love to see this continue with the really awkward N64 entries, and of course the greatest Bomberman game of all-time, Saturn Bomberman. But, as a starting point, this collection nails what makes these games special and deserves a spot in your collection.

I’m still not sure if I should attribute the DLC’s quality to Microsoft’s leadership or the work of a passionate development team; perhaps it is a mixture of both, but Reign of the Warlock is a truly outstanding update for Diablo II. It’s easy to see that the warlock was crafted by people who have a fundamental understanding of the game’s tone and mechanics, allowing for a fun and creative experience that manages to breathe new life into a classic. If Blizzard manages to uphold this standard of quality in the future, then I wish the best of luck to all other ARPG developers.

What stands out most as a newcomer is how confident Styx: Blades of Greed feels. It is not chasing broader appeal. It is building on a specific stealth identity and trusting players who want that experience to meet it there. Players looking for power fantasy stealth or action-heavy combat will probably bounce off quickly. The game expects patience and attention, and it does not bend much to meet players halfway. For stealth fans, that is a strength. For everyone else, it might be a barrier.

This collection is hard to recommend unless you have an extremely strong nostalgia for any of the titles included. Even then revisiting these titles has been a challenge. With the exception of Rocko, there isn’t a ton of fun to be had here. The limited options and upgrades are glaring, and I wish Limited Run would go back to spending more time with these. As of now they just feel like an assembly line of rom dumps, which is hugely disappointing.

Tavern Manager Simulator isn’t a bad game, but it is an uneven one. The late-game systems show real promise and deliver on the tavern-running fantasy, but the slow early progression and frequent crashes on Xbox Series X make the journey harder to recommend. If you’re patient, persistent, and willing to power through the rough opening hours, there’s fun to be found here. Just know that this tavern doesn’t really come alive until long after the doors first open.

This is by far one of the most obscure collections I have experienced to date. Earnest Evans is niche and the other two included games will only be recognized by the hardest of the hardcore. It is also not a lot of fun to play these games, so the nostalgia wears off fairly quickly. It was cool to check out, but I did not find myself coming back for more after a couple hours. This will likely sit in my collection as an oddity, which I guess is fitting as the original games likely suffered the same fate.

There’s a strong identity here, a clear vision, and a combat system that has depth if you’re willing to invest the time. As a newcomer to the series though, I was constantly bombarded with terms, weird items and new systems that felt overwhelming, especially since there is no pause in the game. And then there is the story; if I was asked to explain this game I would have nothing other than “it’s hard, and has anime vampire girl” Code Vein 2 is stylish, punishing, and unapologetically dense. It just might also be a little too closed-off for its own good, and I think a lot of returning fans will be upset with some of the changes, especially the removal of co-op.

In the end the Fighting Force Collection is more of a curiosity than a compilation of classics. Some people have nostalgia for the first game, it was decent. The second game, however, should have remained forgotten. Core Design started strong and ended with a whimper and I would rather remember them for titles like Tomb Raider and Soulstar, and not the travesty that is Fighting Force 2.

Romeo is a Dead Man is experimental in all the right ways when it comes to its aesthetic and visuals but forgets to try anything new when it comes to its gameplay.

In the end, I Hate This Place is a strong survival-horror experience that knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s tense, stylish, and unapologetically hostile, but it’s also fair more often than not. The rough spots are noticeable, but they don’t overshadow the game’s strengths. If you enjoy survival-focused gameplay, atmospheric horror, and a visual style that stands out from the crowd, this is absolutely worth your time.

Despite the lack of innovation, Nioh’s blend of character action and soulslike still manages to entertain, with its combat being undeniably polished to near perfection.

I really enjoyed my time with Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined. Even as a hardened DQ veteran I appreciated the streamlined changes that were made to bring the game’s substantial run-time down a notch. I completed the game with about 47 hours on the clock and polished off the post-game content at about 57 hours. I’ve got 1 achievement to go (find all items) but the in-game checklist for that one isn’t great, so it will likely wait until someone produces a guide. That feels to me like the right length of time for this game. Long enough that you feel like you’re getting a full experience, but not so long that it overstays it’s welcome. That said, if you’re a veteran of the franchise, I would definitely consider adjusting some of the difficulty settings. If I hadn’t been playing for review, I certainly would have bumped a couple of them up a notch. I can see where some folks who love the original might be disappointed in the changes (especially the cut content) but I think this version serves the story of the game well and will undoubtedly allow for more players to enjoy both the game and the series.

By the time the dust settles, Haunted House Renovator is far from flawless, yet it remains an oddly engaging detour that leans heavily on its personality. Anyone looking for a straightforward, turn-your-brain-off decorating sim may come away disappointed. Honestly though I think those that come for the haunted bits might be more disappointed. While a really neat idea, the half-baked ‘ghost busting’ brings the whole house down.

For those willing to meet it on its own terms, Rue Valley is something special. It is thoughtful without being pretentious, somber without being hopeless, and confident enough to let its themes speak for themselves. And while Rue Valley certainly has some issues with pacing, its story is one that is worth exploring.

As a follow up to a divisive entry and as the penultimate release to the end of the Calvard Arc, Trails Beyond the Horizon had to pull out all the stops and luckily, despite a few flaws, they managed to craft an incredible build up that has me on the edge of my seat, eager to find out what happens next.

At the end of the day, Dynasty Warriors thrives when it comes to offering fanservice in the form of large-scale confrontations, and Visions of Four Heroes does that very well, be it through brutally dominating the battlefield alongside Dong Zhuo or by challenging the whole world alongside Lu Bu. It’s also refreshing to see a game in the series flesh out its characters this much, partly because it allows itself a different perspective, anchoring the player as a single protagonist rather than a whole faction, and the fact that the DLC chooses to focus even more on this specific aspect of storytelling is quite satisfying.

Despite the slow start and my lack of interest in the sport itself, I ended up enjoying the experience far more than expected. It’s a stylish, character-driven RPG that just happens to revolve around football, and once it gets going, it’s hard not to get swept up in its enthusiasm. Just be prepared to wait a while before you actually hit the pitch. For those willing to stick it out, the journey is worth it.

Tomba! 2 Remaster isn’t trying to reinvent itself, and that’s both its strength and its limitation. For fans, this is the best way to revisit a cult classic without fighting outdated hardware or muddy visuals. For newcomers, it’s a fascinating snapshot of a time when developers weren’t afraid to make games this strange and unapologetically playful. It may not convert everyone, but for those who missed it or loved it the first time around, this remaster proves that Tomba! 2 is still as loud, bizarre, and lovable as ever.

In the end, Taxi Chaos 2 is exactly what it appears to be. A fast, loud, chaotic driving game that exists to fill a very specific void. It may not be the return of Crazy Taxi that fans have been begging for, but it comes close enough to scratch that itch. This really is Crazy Taxi we have at home, and for fans of arcade chaos, that is not a bad thing at all.

Blood: Refreshed Supply is yet another outstanding port of a classic shooter from Nightdive. I continue to be impressed with how much love and care they put into their releases and am always anticipating what comes next. This is definitely worth a look as it is one of those games that has a certain mystery around it. Lots of people talk about it, but it isn’t as well-known as titles like Duke Nukem and Doom. Now you can discover one of the most unique and fun shooters from the late 90s.

Bee Simulator: The Hive isn’t deep, and it isn’t flashy, but it’s surprisingly earnest and occasionally endearing. It expands on the original concept just enough to feel like a genuine sequel rather than a reskin. Kids will get a kick out of it, and adults might find it a pleasant palate cleanser between heavier games. The repetition and simple mission structure keep it from greatness, but the charm carries it farther than you’d expect.

Gripes aside, Routine is exactly what I wanted it to be. I want more. I would love to see these mechanics and this world taken further, especially if they can somehow make this more immersive with different ways to solve puzzles and the like. Extremely impressed. I simply cannot believe I finally got Routine let alone that it was this bloody good.

As the follow up to the worst game in this long running series, D7 had a lot of work cut out for it. Thankfully, the team at NIS was up to the task and addressed most of the issues, putting together a welcome package to remind me why I loved the series in the first place. While there are still some improvements to be made, I’m more than happy to report this is certainly a much needed course correction for the series at large.

Crime Simulator on Xbox is far from polished, and the jank is noticeable, but the heart of the game; planning a heist, sweating through the tension, pulling it off against the odds; is genuinely satisfying if you are playing with friends. And while Co-op elevates it, solo play tests your patience, and the whole thing feels like a deliciously unstable tower of theft, luck, and questionable decisions.

Outlaws is not a household name, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it. If you enjoy the kind of games that Nightdive has been bringing back, then this one is a must. The extras are great and the theme is not something we get a lot of in shooters. Definitely worth checking out and I hope Nightdive continues to bring back the classics of my childhood.