DeVuego

The game has a higher skill ceiling than it would appear at first, so it can be easily recommended to both veterans of the original trilogy as well as newcomers to the series.

Blades of Fire is a lengthy and substantial quest, dense with optional challenges and secret encounters. There is no shortage of similar action games out there, but Mercury Steam proves that their work on Metroid Dread was no fluke. Blades of Fire is easily one of the best options out there, and it achieves epic AAA quality without being a $70 game, too.

While Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection seems like it faces a lot of issues, it manages to still play like a very fun dungeon crawler. Some of these hiccups might even grow on the player, like the very strangely paced combat and proper use of controlling the monsters. The UI is ugly and could use some finesse.

The straightforward controls, intuitive gameplay, and bright colors make it a reasonably good game for kids, but when judged through more objective lenses, it falls a bit short, especially when compared to other 3D platformers released in recent times.

This is the kind of game that attracts a certain kind of gamer who hungers for a hearty challenge and high skill ceiling. Eden Genesis will certainly deliver on that front, but it won’t satisfy players who want a compelling story with characters they care about, which is a shame because Eden Genesis does try to offer. If you like pointing at the screen at things you recognize, then you’re going to feel right at home.

There is only one voice actor and it of the little girl who gives the commands to the doll guy. She is a real little girl and delivers a convincing performance which is rare for child actors.

Blasphemous 2 improves upon the first game in every possible aspect, but it just lacks the weight that its predecessor had.

One Military Camp is a fantastic city builder for all-ages; and I really mean all-ages. It has enough depth for most players to feel like they’re accomplishing things, but also the cartoonish aesthetic and direct controls make it an ideal game for parents who want to introduce the genre to their children.

Bleak Sword DX falls short of greatness due to its questionable adherence to minimalism. It comes close to being interesting, but the lack of variety keeps it boring. Bleak Sword DX‘s strengths are its low barrier to entry and how it pushes the player forward with its casual design.

The Crown of Wu has a lot of problems and most of it is due to the complexity of the concept that a small team was unable to realize. Some aspects would have been more effective if they were simplified, like the combat and magic systems. The platforming is hopelessly underdeveloped and the character design needs a drastic overhaul to be more appealing.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 came and went like a wet fart in a dark rainy night. It was the last new Castlevania game made, and its not hard to see why. It’s an expensive and bloated mess of ideas that don’t mesh well with trite gameplay.

 MercurySteam would learn from their mistakes in later games and would eventually land a bull’s-eye with Metroid Dread. With Mirror of Fate, gamers can get an idea where the developer was heading and can see the beginnings of where their best ideas were coming from.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was the last of its kind and while it isn’t perfect, it is one of the better examples of its kind from a console generation that was hopelessly creatively bankrupt.

Can Evil Dead: The Game be as big as the Dead by Daylight juggernaut? If the developers maintain a steady pace of substantial updates and additions that keeps the game interesting, Evil Dead: The Game could easily usurp the pretender.

Aeterna Noctis does deliver a satisfying metroidvania experience, but that is all it does. It won’t stay with you or leave a lasting impression other than fatigue. It might have been a better game if it were 25 hours instead of 60; that way it could condense its best aspects into a reasonable package.

Even without post-game rewards, Metroid Dread is a thrilling entry for the series, and for the Metroidvania sub-genre. It may not have the biggest and most cryptic world, or the best soundtrack, but it’s one of the best paced and varied examples on offer. It introduces new ideas to the series, while putting a new spin on tired concepts; pulling it off confidently with a beautiful presentation.

Etherborn is a game I’m not entirely sure I can recommend, because by the time it was really starting to get going, it was already over. The abstract and bizarre levels are pretty, and you could probably get some nice screensavers out of the game’s environments.

Even with a couple of stumbles, and one bug in my time, I still had a great time with the game. When I would stop, I always found my self wondering what would happen next, which kept me engaged up until the game’s conclusion. If your looking for a game filled with atmosphere, horror, dark comedy, and irony, then Yuppie Psycho can be well worth your time.

Aragami: Shadow Edition is a good time with some minor issues. For people who are missing stealth actions games reminiscent of Tenchu, this could fit the bill.

This game is a callback to the golden age of gaming during the 8-bit era where we had legendary games like Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy, Xanadu, Ultima, Mother, River City Ransom, and more – all the games people my age (mid 30s) grew up playing and love to this day.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a fairly competent game completely neutered by the device it’s locked to and lazy design choices. While enjoyable, the game is extremely short and repetitive for the $40 price tag, while feeling dated right out the box. By the time of its completion you will feel like a 14 year old boy who just discovered the internet. Quickly finishing with a hand cramp while closing out what you were looking at until you get that “itch” again.