The cast all feel like exaggerated members of your own family and the mini games are refreshingly varied to rarely become cumbersome. Video game comedy is known to be hit or miss but with this game there's fun to be had for everybody. After multiple playthroughs, I will continue to show off this game to anyone that will listen but until then… After while, crocodile.
The animation is impressively overhauled, the level design is intricate while evolving, and the gameplay is as smooth as butter with even more ways to flow. There's something to be said about iterative evolution but this is on another level of progression that makes the older games harder to go back to. Trust me, I tried and it was a grind.
The OlliOlli World VOID Riders DLC is a welcome addition to a fantastic game. If you have already exhausted OlliOlli World, this will give you more reason to return for new score challenges, cosmetics and mechanics. The music adds new catchy lo-fi beats and the writing remains wholesome throughout. One of the most positive things to be said about VOID Riders is that it reminds you of how great OlliOlli World is and continues to be.
The environmental details were beautifully hypnotic. Crafting such a fantastically curious world of psychedelic shapes and inorganic life is a feat of its own but with this combination as a full package, I can't recommend this game to enough people. It's greater than the sum of its parts and at the end of my time with Cocoon, my journey had felt meaningful.
The anime art style may not be everyone's cup of tea but that's a small thing that is easily overcome by everything else this game does right. In a year that we have Silksong incoming, I feel like Ender Magnolia is at serious risk of getting overshadowed but don't sleep on this one. It's a top to bottom fantastic experience.
Minishoot' justifies the case for being worth your time in spades. This one may fly under the radar for most, but I beg of you to look up from the new triple A hotness and enjoy this fantastic diamond in the rough–for all the retro feels that it invokes, but also for doing something wholly new. Top to bottom, Minishoot shoots for the stars, and lands among game of the year material.
Some tropes wear out their welcome eventually, but pushing past the annoyances yields a gaming triumph. It fits among other progressive games like the Stanley Parable or Thomas Was Alone but carves out its own unique space. There isn't anything like There Is No Game. Well, there isn't really a game at all, right?.
Now, please, let me play my Balatro in peace. I got an idea for a sick flush strat that I want to try out. So I'll y'all later.
Looking deeper into the mechanics, I was in awe at the clever nature each solution took. At the end of the day, Arranger is a complete package of puzzle, story, heart, art and music. If only it stood out more from a mainstream aspect, but the least I could do is yell it from the rooftops here: Play Arranger!.
Nine Sols as a whole was such a delightful experience that it is quickly moving up my Game of the Year list as I take further reflection on my time with it. I, of course, would have preferred a waypoint system or some stronger writing with the handling of some character NPCs, but I'm finding myself largely still thinking about how much I enjoyed Nine Sols. Its overall score is firmly planted in my brain, but where it stands in the larger Metroidvania hall of fame is yet to be seen. I think I need to take some time to meditate on it.
Whether it's just listening to your friends vent frustrations or finding common ground with someone new, there's something special about what these games bring to the table. I for one recommend everyone pull up a stool and listen for a while. You may find a new best friend.
99, it's a steal. I'll suggest this game to anyone in earshot. So I have to ask: is this seat taken? I have a game to tell you about that you're gonna love….
Small ties and influences to the original series for the seasoned vets, with enough new and ridiculous to hook the newbies. The Switch 2 version worked way better than I could've expected, especially with how the Switch 1 only had the cloud streaming version, and my well documented disdain for cloud streaming on the Switch. The Switch 2 has the juice y'all, and I plan to continue my journey by jumping into Resident Evil VIII Village soon after I'm done with this review. Maybe after a little break to calm my nerves.
In my time with Stick Fight, I did hit an occasional hard crash but they were few and far between. Otherwise the gameplay stays fluid with little to no slowdown. Unfortunately they did not include community generated content but this is a fantastic indie party game that fits perfectly on the Nintendo Switch. Stick Fight is a great way to jump start any family gathering… minus the guns and violence.
Even with the DLC content the staff and patrons of the Terminal are so lovable that I still wanted more after the credits had rolled. The studio mode has complicated unfettered access to the game's engine which is both fascinating but almost impenetrable. I understand that visual novels are a high barrier for entry but the charm and style in Necrobarista are worth the effort.
There's so much to dig into and explore that it's easy to lose hours upon hours without batting an eye. Despite the learning curve, I found myself putting on my headphones and zoning out to the sweet soundtrack and some mindless digging. I wish that the systems were explained a little bit better but some light reading and personal discovery help this underrated indie shine.
Matt: Meanwhile as a fan of both Persona and fighting games, I can say pretty surely I am the target audience, and Ultimax is just as good now as it was a decade ago. This is the game that solidified my faith in Arc System Works as a developer, and they've only proven themselves more and more in the years since. Admittedly part of me would've preferred a sequel that also included the cast of Persona 5, but I'm not complaining about getting a chance to revisit one of the finest fighting games I've ever played.
The characters are fun and inviting with just a hint of devilish mischief up their sleeves, including the speechless protagonist. There's a richness to the storytelling in both form and execution and that's definitely a highlight in a more uncommon narrative mechanic. Cards on the table: This game is great.
It grabs and keeps your attention the entire time, making this game a joy to finish. It may lack a depth in its mechanics but makes up for its seamless animation and catchy musical score. It's a fantastic freshman offering from indie dev Happy Juice Games and promises a bright future of things to come.
The soundtrack blasts your ears with grimy hype up beats that rocks the combat even more than it does on its own. There's a very obvious issue with a bland story that puts a halt to the game but there's a lot to enjoy here. Midnight Fight Express is a fantastic game that plays great, sounds fantastic, if only it would get out of its own way with the story.