Checkpoint Gaming

The Relic: First Guardian is not quite a souls-like, and not quite an RPG. While the idea of the Relic system and the ability to swap out different abilities to change up your playstyle sounds fun, combat as a whole is unfortunately flawed enough that it causes this system to fall apart and feel weak. Visual and audio bugs are abundant, from the strange visual haze to NPCs sounding like they’re talking behind you, and the narrative feels like it was lost in translation. It’s clear that the developers had a strong idea for what they wanted, with enemy and boss designs being very unique and visually strong, but the issues with The Relic: First Guardian are currently too strong to push through.

Overall, Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! is such a silly concept made from a ridiculous meme in the isekai genre of manga and anime. That is to say, Strange Scaffold understands the conventions of the genre, and includes some fantastic character designs and a great ska-inspired soundtrack. Some of the grinding elements and tough difficulty spikes can ruin the fun, but when you’re driving around, mowing down pedestrians and enjoying the silliness for what it is, it’s definitely an experience worth getting isekai’d for, at least for a little bit.

Kusan: City Of Wolves really takes no prisoners – you’re either the fastest or you’re dead. Though it gives you countless tries to get it right, some players may find the brutality of the one-hit-your-dead mechanic too intense to make much progress. Though it looks amazing, there are problems in Kusan that could be easily fixed, such as giving more time to explain new game mechanics and spending time making sure its narrative was accessible and easy to comprehend. Despite its shortcomings, for those who love a good-looking, brutal shooter and don’t really care much about following a narrative, you will enjoy Kusan: City of Wolves.

Helix: Descent N Ascent is a unique puzzle game that understands exactly what makes a puzzle so fun to complete. It trusts you to be able to think critically and experiment, rather than forcefully holding your hand, assuming it’s your first day on earth. Despite some frustrations from the occasional bug, awkward design decisions and eye strain, Badass Mongoose has created an experience that respects a player’s intelligence, making each solve all the more satisfying.

Plagued with bugs and foundational issues, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a co-op experience I would suggest giving a miss, at least for a while. With an idea that intrigued a lot of people, and a sanity system that genuinely could create an extremely compelling gameplay experience, it’s clear that the dev team had something strong in mind but just couldn’t quite get there. From a mediocre and unenjoyable gameplay loop to a broken combat system and unintuitive, well… all of it, it’s going to take a lot of major updates and a very strong will from the devs to be able to turn this ship around, if it’s even possible with a foundation this unsteady.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a bold remake that succeeds more often than it stumbles. The new Operation: Meteorite missions and stunning Unreal Engine 5 presentation make this far more than a straightforward remake, even if modern gameplay tweaks alter the pacing and feel. For newcomers, especially those who only own a PlayStation, it’s the best entry point the series has ever had. For veterans, it’s a compelling reason to return to Alpha Halo one more time, and probably not the last.

Despite being a single-player experience, Splatoon Raiders still has heaps of great frantic gameplay moments that can be found in a mainline Splatoon game and a great cast of characters to boot. While it is lacking in some of the style options of the series, there is still a lot of amazing weapon customisation to be found, and many different gameplay styles to embrace. The addition of PvE multiplayer is also a great addition, even though the game is still a blast without it. I will surely be staying trapped in the Spirhalite Isles for a long time coming. Catch ya later!

Gurei is a joy to play, as long as it lasts. The game’s design, focused entirely on its challenging and varied boss fights and dynamic difficulty, has a good amount of depth. Through mixing up the fight order and experimenting with its signature dynamic difficulty mode, there is a lot of fun you can have by exploring all that the game’s tough-but-fair Kami fights have to offer. However, for those who want a more story-rich experience, or which offers gameplay outside of only those boss fights, you may want to look elsewhere.

I feel completely and unequivocally indifferent to Echoes of Aincrad. I feel no hate because that would require the game to connect with me at an emotional level — just indifference. And sometimes, that cold detachment is worse than pure, unbridled rage and hatred. This adolescent mess is one that I wouldn’t recommend even to the biggest fan of Sword Art Online.

Overall, K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut tells a linear story about a manager preparing a K-pop idol group for debut. The gameplay is a mix of a visual novel, minigames, and a management simulator, and it encourages replayability by letting your choices affect how you reach the end of the game. This feels like an homage to the 2nd and 3rd generations of K-pop, which isn’t a bad thing considering many beloved groups debuted during that era. While not much happens unless a minigame or story event triggers, it does give you a taste of what it’s like to work behind the scenes in the industry without turning into a critique of it.