Kai Powell
Devolver Digital and General Arcade have slapped a new coat of USA flag paint on From Software's patriotic action game without smoothing out any of the imperfections that come with a combat system that's aged less than gracefully over the past decade.
Team Sonic Racing is a shadow of the All-Stars Racing Franchise, losing more than just a fun cast of racers in the transition. There's still some fun to be had in this derivative kart racer, but you're better off seeking two other racers to join you on the track.
Though the rough spots spoil a seamless progression, Exile's End is a challenging yet brief Metroid-styled experience at a fine price.
Although redesigned for a modern audience, much of The Silver Case is left behind in the past. The avant-garde storytelling and newly added chapters are the only things to properly stand the test of time.
The Callisto Protocol, throughout all of the tension and suspense, can't mask the terrors within might only be surface deep.
Carto is a brilliantly simple puzzle game about literally moving the world to help those in need, all the while making a few friends as you try to make it back home.
Rocket Arena might have some explosive potential as a casual 3v3 competitive shooter but the bright and colorful aesthetics and gameplay where no one dies and everyone's a winner have a major clash with the game's reliance on both twitch and precision aiming.
First Contact Entertainment has shown they know how to make a team-based shooter work in virtual reality, Now, they need to show that Firewall Zero Hour is more than just a proof of concept by adding in more content before the player base dries up.
God Wars: Future Past is certainly a JRPG from another time, when the tactical genre was a mainstay on the Playstation 2 (and even has the aesthetics to match). If you've been craving another tactical title in your life, God Wars is a pretty safe choice.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection plays it a bit too safe when it comes to being the first sequel in 15 years, instead opting for a polished up retelling of Arthur's quest to rescue his fair maiden from the clutches of evil demons not once but twice.
Marianne might be able to jump between two realities, but The Medium is trapped somewhere between being a worthy Silent Hill successor and another mediocre hide and seek horror game.
Scott Pilgrim Versus the World Complete Edition certainly aims to be a faithful collection of this decade-old RPG brawler but with a near-zero list of improvements, it's tough to call Scott Pilgrim's adventure anything more than a pre-wrapped gift to the fans.
Serious Sam 4 takes us back to a simpler time in first-person shooters, where massive guns and well-timed one liners make up the bulk of the action. There's a bit of jank that's impossible to miss and Croteam isn't breaking any new ground here but Serious Sam 4 is a great way to just shut off any critical thinking and blast away at a few thousand aliens for an afternoon.
Building off of the success of the Momodora series, Minoria explores a Metrovania-esque cathedral and more active combat that ultimately feels a bit weak compared to Bombservice's other titles.
Frost is one of those rare solitaire card games that force the player to consider both moves they're making now and moves ten steps ahead if they're looking to keep treading forward. Unfortunately, there's little room for error and the slightest miscalculation will send the player to an icy grave.
Reverie's a bite-sized adventure in the same vein as Link's GameBoy adventures and half as filling. There are some charming ideas and brain-teasing puzzles but not much else that truly sets it apart.
Nurse Love Addiction might not do enough to bring in players who detest visual novels but there's an attention-grabbing story hidden beneath that white nurse's cap that simply won't let go.
Earth's Dawn ultimately ends up feeling too familiar to truly stand apart as a new classic, but it can still be a lot of fun.
Undoubtedly less cryptic than the original PS2 remake thanks to additional content to help streamline the experience, Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered is about as pure of a JRPG experience that one can expect to get from Kawazu and new players can finally see why folks have been singing its praises after all these years.
A disservice to the original Soul Hackers mythology, Ringo and Figue's adventure to avert the end of the world feels all too predictable and lacks the risk-taking of other Shin Megami Tensei titles.