While dying in the same place over and over gets frustrating after awhile, Son of Scoregasm does a great job pushing the player to try one more time. Bite-sized levels are so chaotic that it feels like each one was a major achievement, even if the next level is patiently waiting to show you what the real definition of difficult is. Any twin-stick fan would be remiss not to pick up Son of Scoregasm, as it's just a delightful entry to the Vita catalogue, through and through.
Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut is as good as you heard it was. Thanks to a great wealth of content, not all of which is as exciting as others, it would be easy to get lost in the seemingly endless list of new levels and character unlocks, without feeling overwhelmed. Really, the game's biggest strength is how smart the puzzles are and how it balances a lot of content without feeling like there's too much. Unfortunately, some of that content feels underwhelming, almost like the game is ripping itself off.
Lost Sphear may be the homage factory it was intended to be, but thanks to mixing elements of yesteryear together in such a smart way, it ends up feeling like its own, unique beast. Inevitably, it falls victim to the age-old argument of "Is it fair to compare this to other games," and because it is designed to imitate those games, it obviously is. Truth be told, while some of it sags, Lost Sphear is one of the best games to come out imitating those highly revered titles, and any fan of those '90s RPGs would be a fool not to give it a chance.
All in all, anticipation is high for Book Three. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth: Book Two is a superbly made point-and-click adventure that finds smart ways to advance the story, and makes the player feel good for having spent time with it. While larger maps are irritating to navigate, there's so much to love about this experience that it's hard to really care. Thankfully, with the added replay value, you can start the series and finish it a couple times in anticipation for the final book, and it should hold up just fine.
One Night Stand is proof that Ratalaika can find talented developers and bring them to the masses. While this isn't some Triple-A juggernaut, for what it is, it's a great addition to the genre. If you like these kinds of titles, you owe it to yourself to see everything that One Night Stand has to offer. For such a short runtime, there's a lot to love here.
Difficulty is hard to review, and most of Kalimba's issues stem from poor balancing. Running into devious sections only to find the follow-ups to be almost rudimentary is jarring. Fortunately, the core mechanic is very enjoyable. While Kalimba could have spent more time under the microscope, the interesting mechanic and beautiful visuals should be enough to convince even the most dismissive PC gamer that there's much more to explore here, and, for that, Kalimba should be applauded.
N++ wants you to let your guard down, but that's not always the most fun. While the level design is the closest to perfection many could ask for, the game frequently feels cheap or downright apathetic. Because it comes from a different era of gaming, it doesn't always feel like it cares if you succeed. Fortunately, a friend can be brought along, but it is still watching, waiting for the slightest failure.
forma.8 is all about exploring the environment, and to that end, it gives plenty to explore. With some clever enemies and bosses, and one of the most beautiful, yet minimalist, art styles around, it manages to set itself apart from so many other Metroidvania games. It suffers from its touchy controls, but is still worth a trip.
Quest of Dungeons is what happens when a formula is refined, but largely left the way it is. It's not going to appease those who are sick of the same old, but it will make those who want something that is refined happy. It's clearly not for everyone, but for those who have already dropped hundreds of hours into other dungeons, this one is worth the visit, so definitely jump on in.
At the end of the experience, it's one that wouldn't be worth missing, but getting to that point could be disappointing more than inspiring.
Tinertia feels like a mixed bag of experiences. The short sections make everything manageable, but unless you have a controller, expect to get irritated more often than you get surprised. The game is challenging, and even with a controller, the controls could definitely be tightened. It's hard to say stay away, because the game really hinges on this single mechanic. Still, it manages to feel fresh, and perhaps being so different is why it doesn't feel quite right. Getting Tinertia is a paramount decision, and if you can find a demo, definitely see if it's up your alley.
Mushroom 11 manages to be fun, despite its few shortcomings. While there are parts that may prevent a second playthrough due to a frustrating amount of trial-and-error, it still manages to be enjoyable most of the time it's on. At the end of the day, its interesting concept and relatively good execution carry it beyond its shortcomings, and make it one of the best puzzle-platformers to come out of the indie scene.
One Upon Light doesn't quite nail down the stealth-meets-puzzle concept it's aiming for, but it comes incredibly close.
Ninja Senki DX is an arcade game, and with that comes some baggage. For it's incredible controls, it has balancing issues that seem easily rectified. Cheap kills can be made up for by an incredible world, and there seems to be some of it here. For the rather low-key graphics, it still manages to work. It would be foolish to miss out on Ninja Senki DX's retro charm, but if you have a hefty backlog, it's not something you need to rush into. So, in summary, it should definitely be experienced by fans of the genre, but it can wait.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a visual novel that toys with other genres with liberal regard to convention. Part murder mystery, part game show, all visual novel, it manages to be the most fun when the player has to piece everything together. While the game is bland to look at, it's not always about the look. It takes a bit to get to the juicy core of this creepy title, but once you're there, you may not want to leave.
Ookibloks really is a tremendously fun experience. It never feels too hard or too simple. While it is possible to fail, it requires running into enemies, and for a lot of the experience, it's harder to do that than to avoid them. Ookibloks holds up enough to be worth exploring, even if it begins to show cracks later on.
Brigador is, at the end of the day, a board game about carnage. In a landscape of games that either make you feel bad for seeing these atrocities, or turn you into a legitimate sociopath, it is a rare gem that manages to make you forget that what you just blew up was someone's home. Reaching each goal is satisfying, and for that, Brigador should feel very proud of what it's accomplished.
Layers of Fear: Inheritance will not edify those who found the base game didn't have enough action. However, it's a more honest horror experience. While the original tried to wow the audience with it's crazy hallucinations, Inheritance clearly just wants to remind you there's a person under there, suffering through them.
SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell is a love letter to all things metal and game. It's fast, like a bass drum hitting 200 BPM, and it's clearly inspired by the world of gaming today. While its idea may be old, it's clearly highly inspired. While it could definitely use more polish, the experience is absolutely worth it as-is. Let your inner Iron Maiden out, and go for a run.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is an orchestra for the sense, yet a bully to the mind. While it's a delight to look at and listen to, much of the gameplay feels like it should have been left in the path. Fortunately, clever boss fights that manage to fuse simplicity with depth save this from being an otherwise tiresome affair. If difficulty is a turn-off, though, steer clear. Other than that one could do a lot worse than this little game.