Tokyo Mirage Sessions is a spirited, fun blend of two great RPG series
Board gaming come to life, with none of the missing pieces.
In a tide of games trying to capitalize on Hearthstone's success, Duelyst still stands out.
Even with robot armor, Kirby retains his charm
I can lean back and pick out plenty of things about Owlboy that frustrated me, but its failings shrink in the face of its triumphs. I have no excess of affection for the 16-bit genre retreads but even as Owlboy lacks the tightness or consistency of many of the games it sits alongside, it’s far more approachable, far more endearing, and far more unique.
Yakuza 0 has heart, despite some significant shortcomings
If that's my biggest problem with it after clearing each of the game's five core endings, that should say everything. Nier: Automata is a game that's more than willing to make players feel small, both physically and conceptually. It wants to swallow them whole, and it succeeds. Nier demands patience with its antics — not to mention its definition of "ending" — but it's patience was rewarded.
Spirit of Sanada breathes some new life into a series showing its age
Spirit of Justice's confident story outweighs its clumsy moments
Yo-kai Watch 2 keeps you busy without becoming tedious
Don't let Fire Emblem Warriors get lost among the many Switch releases
Bravely Second takes after its predecessor almost to a fault
A lot of different things can happen in Divinity: Original Sin 2; it's an RPG that is overwhelmingly about planning ahead yet still being completely taken by surprise.
Hey! Pikmin did exactly what it needed to do, without extending itself any further. It gave me a series of interesting places, a series of clever puzzles, a series of cute vignettes and soft storybook scenery. The worst thing to say about Hey! Pikmin is, simultaneously, a recommendation — it's perfectly pleasant, well-rounded, and didn't leave me dying for more.
Rakuen's unique setting and sweet sensibilities make up for its technical shortcomings.
Yakuza Kiwami makes it clear just how far the series has come, and just how far it still has to go. It's keenly designed to bring newly minted Yakuza fans more firmly into the fold by providing all the contemporary comforts they might expect, while also giving longtime fans more to chew on than a shot-for-shot remake ever would have. It's a patchwork, for better and for worse, and as much as I enjoyed my time with it, there's no denying that some of those patches are looking more tired than others.
Believe it or not my biggest problem with The Sims 4 Get to Work isn't that my bakery was a bust. It's that pretty much everything it adds to the game is one-sided. As far as I can tell I can't send my sims to the hospital or the police station or the lab to look around. It's interesting enough to work in these locations, but how much more interesting could it be with outward-facing interactions?
Paper Jam's cute and punchy moments are offset by its frustrating repetition
Dragon Quest Heroes 2 never finds it stride — but at least it has warfans
Devilian doesn't ask for much, and delivers just enough to pass the time.