TimeMelters has a very good core idea and uses it expertly, finding cool new ways to challenge players while also offering them the tools to come up with interesting solutions. Rewinding when close to death isn’t a bad idea but it’s much more interesting to create a dull loop for a past self and only then move on to another timeline.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is another example of how remasters should be put together. Unlike the latest Tomb Raider remaster, the loving tale of the two brothers aged well and remained just as impressive as it was in 2013, serving a tale full of emotion.
Airhead is based on an original idea and has some clever puzzles and vivid graphics. Yet these qualities are not enough to redeem a short and forgettable experience. Unfortunately, the puzzles can become quite frustrating due to the bugs and glitches the developers failed to remedy.
Cricket Through the Ages is a simple game, played using just one button, that works best for two players who are ready to have some dumb fun for about half an hour. Any longer than that and it becomes clear how limited and repetitive it all really is. Play against the computer and all the silliness isn’t worth very much.
Solium Infernum is an exquisite gamer, with carefully honed mechanics and a lot of freedom. Dominating Hell involves both careful plans and smart reactions to unforeseen events and surprises created by adversaries.
Dicefolk puts an interesting twist on classic ideas. Controlling both dice sets in combat creates cool challenges and gives players options to deal with powerful enemies. There’s also plenty of variety, powered by tokens and items, to create personalized strategies and find novel ways of engaging with bosses.
Inkulinati is impressive in its ability to marry theme, mechanics, and presentation. The ink-driven combat is exciting and tense, rewarding experimentation and good use of gestures and abilities. The world, inspired by the marginalia of Medieval manuscripts, is beautiful and immersive.
Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions has an emotional premise and some charming character interactions, although the narrative is not very deep. The turn-based combat scenarios move fast, which is great given their repetitive nature. Boss characters are well-designed and create some interesting tactical puzzles.
Balatro is fast and addictive, a game that takes familiar ideas and adds enough twists and turns to keep players engaged. Take a look at the Collection to see how many potential jokers, booster packs, tags, and more can influence a run. Each run generates a sense of excitement and possibility, even if it ends quickly after a run of bad card draws.
Persona 3 Reload is a complete reimagining of the original. It feels just as modern as Persona 5, although it is less complex it does not feel rushed or less engaging. The developers managed to combine the best elements of the third and fifth episode into a remake that feels completely fresh. Beyond the grindy nature of Tartarus there are no real negative aspects to mention. Persona 3 Reload looks better, works better and plays better than the original, making it a must play for the fans of the series.
Skull and Bones spent seven years in development, but still feels like an unfinished beta version that was released way before it’s time. And while many expect this kind of patchwork from Ubisoft, it is still a reprehensible industry practice that is in no way fair to the players, who despite all the warning signs have waited and hoped for the game’s release.
Ultros major issue is that it isn’t as weird and hallucinatory as it wants to be. Sure, this space burial site that overflows with life offers an interesting setting with some impressive visual touches. The narrative is somewhat obscure, and occult tinged.
Taken individually there are some aspects to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League that are enjoyable. The problem is that cloning the same few basic gameplay mechanics seen in most live service games creates a negative overall experience. As a result, even if playing alongside your friends as a full party, you will feel like participating in a chores marathon.
War Hospital offers a decent management experience with nice flavor. There aren’t many games that use World War I as a setting and even less than ask fans to actually heal people rather than kill them. The game’s management aspect is well-executed, although the core gameplay loop tends to become repetitive.
Tekken 8 feels like a great game that with a bit more tuning could have been the best fighting game out there. The last fight of the campaign feels unnecessarily long, the Arcade Quest mode could have been made into a better fit with the rest of the game and there are some other aspects that commenting upon almost feels like nitpicking.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is without any doubt the biggest game of the series published so far and arguably the most engaging one. Each and every part denotes the developer’s passion for their craft and the end result is one of the most atmospheric games I have had the chance to play lately.
GRAVEN aims for an intriguing combination of exploration, combat, and puzzle solving. All are decent, neither is truly good and the game cannot seem to decide what kind of experience it wants to create. I really wanted to use the spells, especially fire, to kill enemies, without resorting to blades or arrows.
Stargate: Timekeepers delivers a decent core gameplay loop. Working with a variety of characters to move stealthily and eliminate enemies can be fun, especially when players are dealing with the more complex enemy setups. The constant visual reminder about quick saving is a good idea.
Anomaly Agent is a great retro-inspired side-scrolling action title. The combat system has depth and delivers some frantic engagements. Surviving a big fight with just a sliver of health feels great. The presentation is solid, with a special mention for the music, and the narrative, despite its familiar beats, is engaging.
The Cub fits in well with the rest of the games developed by Demagog to showcase the Great Climate Catastrophe story arc. Once again it is a game that carries a deep message, while not failing to entertain as a videogame.