DualShockers

I was palpably bored with Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World after about two hours, which made the last hour before I rolled credits an agonizing slog. It’s a big disappointment, because the initial story and gameplay hooks are really cool and funny, but it just doesn't go anywhere with it. If we actually played with the tropes of isekai stories a bit more beyond “truck-kun hit things,” it could’ve been a lot more fun both mechanically and narratively, and I know that Strange Scaffold is capable of games that are better in both regards.

The Relic: First Guardian is a game with good ideas, but it ultimately fails to execute them. Performance issues, recurring bugs, and the lack of essential navigation features make the experience feel unfinished, leaving the impression that it needed more time in development. There are genuine highlights, particularly in its exploration and how it ties into character progression, but they're not enough to carry the game through an entire playthrough. On paper, having 80 bosses sounds like an exciting selling point for a Soulslike, but The Relic: First Guardian ultimately proves that quality matters far more than quantity.

Splatoon Raiders is a gorgeous, brilliantly fast-paced shooter that looks and feels excellent to play. The shooting systems are lovely, and each raid feels like a bite-sized chunk of energetic fun. Some of the optional challenge maps feel a bit like bloat, and there's a certain sense of familiarity that creeps in the further you go, but Splatoon Raiders is still a stellar experience that you'll want to check out if you have a Switch 2.

Halo: Campaign Evolved brings back one of the coolest FPS experiences of all time, and it looks better than ever. Unfortunately, some PS5-specific headaches and bad performance issues are currently holding it back in major ways. At least half the missions on base PS5 have awful framerate issues, and the always-online, required linking of your PSN account to your Microsoft account to your Xbox Gamertag can lead to some truly migraine-inducing outcomes. I'm desperately hoping this is all ironed out ASAP, because this game will be a blast someday once it's all squared away. Until then, PS5 owners should be cautious.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a great fighting game that has something for long-time fans of the Avatar franchise and fans of more hardcore fighting games. It isn't always putting its best foot forward in some respects, but that doesn't stop the core experience from being enjoyable. The game is an incredible homage to the Avatar series with fighters that really embody the essence of the character without sacrificing too much to gameplay. That gameplay is also crisp and engaging to learn from start to finish. It's still missing some modes and difficulties, and doesn't offer too many ways to play, but that can be improved, hopefully. Whether you're a fan of the series or a fan of fighting games, you'll find something to love about Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

DIVE or DIE - Children of Rain may not have an overly complex story or complicated gameplay routine, but it doesn't need those features as it more than makes up for it with its enthralling, haunting, underwater atmosphere and gameplay loop that will constantly have players diving again and again as they attempt to find every biome and collectible. It's a great 2D survival horror game to play, especially during a thunderstorm like I did, and for Drop Rate Studio's second game developed, it's a very impressive feat despite its few shortcomings.

Disgaea Mayhem is a solid entry into the action RPG genre for the franchise, successfully carrying over the nonsensical plot, core mechanics, and boundless progression that the series is celebrated for. Fans who love to min-max and grind all the way to level 9999 will find plenty to sink their teeth into here once again. However, newcomers and casual players might not find enough depth to keep them hooked, given that the main story wraps up in under 10 hours. If you strip away the familiar Disgaea elements, Mayhem is a rather uninspired action game. While it's a commendable effort, it doesn't quite hold a candle to more established JRPGs in the same space.

Denshattack! may not have the most highbrow story in the world, but you know what it does have? F-U-N, FUN. High-speed, high-flying FUN of the highest caliber. Every aspect of this title's gameplay keeps you roaring along the track at breakneck speeds with constant wacky setpieces and new abilities, to the point that you’ll never be able to predict what it’ll throw at you next. This is a true, blue video game video game; something that is meant to be played and enjoyed just for the thrill of it, and I can definitely see myself booting it up again whenever I get that need for speed.

The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a spectacular co-op horror game that can fool players using all manner of cunning tricks. It makes for a great game to enjoy with a dedicated group or with strangers, although the difficulty of the game gets in the way occasionally. Even with many good aspects, it still seems to reach a point where progressing feels frustratingly difficult. The game doesn't always give you the best tools for the job, and, with limited meta-progression, players are left with knowledge as their only weapon. Making it to The Mound could take as little as five hours or as many as forty, and that makes the title far more interesting than its predecessors, but also significantly more frustrating to play.

Celestial Return is a worthy successor for Disco Elysium, and it'll be of particular interest if you like Cyberpunk 2077 as well. I went into the game only knowing that it had a similar style, and I came out of it having enjoyed the entire experience. While it's not perfect, and I would like more locations to explore in the city or more anatomy for moving around Netherveil, the overall experience of Celestial Return was an interesting ride through a dystopian location. I actually plan on playing through it a few more times to see if I can get other random encounters and if I can pass rolls I failed the first time to find out how that changes my path forward.