Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is an absolutely perfect remake of a classic game that predates many of today's gamers. Lizardcube and DotEmu not only brought The Dragon's Trap back for a new generation to appreciate, they also lavished it with utterly incredible artwork and newly performed music.
As it stands, I'd only consider buying this one if you have a monitor near your chair. And even then, you have much better options like Rogue Stormers and Crimsonland to choose from.
NBA Playgrounds comes close to being a good arcade basketball game ... but it doesn't quite score the bucket.
Despite the quality aesthetics and cool Zelda II-inspired game structure, Elliot Quest is a hard game to recommend.
NetherRealm and Warner Bros Studios have delivered a fantastic sequel with Injustice 2.
Given the scarcity of word games in general, players who enjoy spelling and finding words in general are bound to get their money's worth from Spellspire.
Diablo-style games aren't all that rare, but the best ones are worth appreciating. Victor Vran is such a game. The slightly uninspiring name belies a huge action-RPG with great combat, clever platforming, and a welcome sense of humor.
As the first entry for the current console generation, Tekken 7 is also a great entry point (lack of tutorials aside). Loads of colorful characters, tight gameplay, and lots of fun customization and unlockables will keep fighting-game fans entertained for months.
Chess Ultra is a really solid game of chess. It looks beautiful and has some quality tranquil music that varies by the locations elected, including a few songs with lyrics. The robust tutorial and vast number of challenges ensure that solo players can learn the game and have a great time, and cross-platform multiplayer is awesome too.
The Golf Club 2 is a nicely improved sequel to the launch-era first game. Career mode, online societies, improved graphics and loading times, and strong character customization all make for a larger and longer lasting game. I just wish the actual golfing was friendlier.
Dead by Daylight is a lot of fun once you get into a match, especially with friends. The tension of struggling to complete objectives while avoiding an invincible killer can't be understated. But the downright unfair difficulty for survivors can be discouraging, especially since you have to play a very long time to unlock useful perks to make things easier.
Quality Marvel games are few and far between (unless you're into fighting games like Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3), so Marvel Heroes Omega is a godsend. The gameplay isn't that much different from other games in the genre, but the addition of dozens of Marvel heroes and villains adds tons of appeal for True Believers like yours truly.
Micro Machines World Series is a poorly conceived installment in the generally likable Micro Machines series.
GRIDD could benefit from a bit more content and polish. Still, it should easily appeal to fans of rail shooters like Starfox and Panzer Dragoon.
The final game turned out really well, with tight gameplay and a great selection of characters.
This is a game of running at light speed, double-jumping like crazy, and perilously running across walls and over pits. The levels are just so vast and give you plenty to explore, and the collectables are fun to seek out as well. Throw in an intriguing story and you have one of the best indie 3D platformers in years. If you can withstand a true platforming challenge, don't let this one pass you by.
The gameplay is so good, with intuitive controls that never get in the way. The fanciful courses are a joy to experience, and there's an endless supply of them to boot. Despite the room for improvement, the core game is good enough to make this an easy recommendation for fans of arcade-style golf.
If you're intrigued by The Town of Light's exploration of mental health and abuse and can stand a slower-paced, less-than-challenging game, this one might just cure what ails you.
The level of choice is consistently interesting and rewarding.
Even if you've never played the games that inspired this one, all you really need is a love for adventure games and science fiction. As long as you're willing to consult a guide whenever you get stuck, you'll find this to be a fascinating adventure with a relatable emotional core.