Not only is Chicory a fun game, and not only did it speak to me on a profound level, it also made me want to be a better me. I’m not exaggerating nor using hyperbole, it’s a well-built experience with a tremendous amount of heart. It wants you to be you, and it wants you to know that the best you can do is always good enough.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
In my eyes, Happy’s Humble Burger Farm is a genius game. A horror game tied to the drudgeries of life isn’t a new concept. Even the idea of avoiding the wrath of cute mascots has been done before. However, Happy’s Humble Burger Farm does it with such dreamlike depth and panache that I can’t help but be impressed. I doubt this will be the last time I dawn the ugly apron and sling fattening food, and I just know there are more pieces of the mystery waiting to be scraped off the grill.
It speaks the language of games gone by while injecting both modernity and its own personal twist.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
It’s an oppressively brown shooter, but it still carries the speedy, lightweight combat that makes older FPS games still pop today. The changes that Nightdive brought in for the remaster make it even more enjoyable and accessible.
The Making of Karateka feels like a huge step in documenting the history of video games. There have been plenty of titles that have packed in making of details, but I can’t really name another that has gone to this much effort of establishing context for the games it’s spotlighting. Aside from Atari 50, I mean. Digital Eclipse has put together a masterful formula that speaks to retro explorers such as myself, and this is the perfect test of it. It’s absolute gold, and I can’t wait to see what they dive into next.
Against the Storm is easily my favorite city builder to reach its full release this year. It manages to escape from the sometimes dull lack of progression felt in some other builders, while also providing a lot of depth to sink your teeth into. Because of that, it lives for far longer than most games in the genre can claim. Eremite Games has really built something special here. A very nearly perfect storm.
Crow Country doesn’t exactly rewrite the playbook for survival horror. It leans pretty heavily on those that came before it. However, what it builds on top of the foundation is extraordinarily impressive. This is easily one of the best horror games I’ve played, and it doesn’t even seem like it’s trying that hard. It maybe lacks some of the more psychological themes that have made others stick firmly in my memory, but the playfulness and confidence of Crow Country more than make up for that. It’s definitely worth a visit.
If you’ve ever had thoughts of throwing your phone away or abandoning the internet to its robotic rulers, Mullet MadJack taps into that frustration. The neon nostalgia of a better era is fertile ground for a game that feels like beating a microwave to death with a crowbar.
It comes across as a diabolical labor of love. The game is obviously made by people who cared for the property, as it conserves everything that was great about the original title while tightening the screws on the old doomsday device. Even without the multiple campaigns, it's a ridiculously long game. But the fact that I was rarely annoyed or bored, while continuously finding new elements to love, is a testament to how well-executed the sequel is. If the first game wasn't diabolical enough for you, this one should scratch that evil itch a bit better.
Not everyone is going to think that way, clearly. Each individual has their own expectations for a remake, and Actraiser Renaissance may have put hands on facets that were once sacred. Some will find the changes intrusive. It would have been nice if there was a classic mode included that strips out the tower defense to make everyone happy, but that’s not in the cards. In my eyes, however, Acraiser Renaissance was one of the biggest surprises and the most enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve had this year.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Two Point Campus is a wonderful return to the universe, and I’ll happily — perhaps impatiently — be waiting for the next chance to visit.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.