Scott Pilgrim EX appeals to me in many ways, mostly in how it lets me reflect on my life in and out of gaming. It’s endlessly entertaining on the eyes and ears, and it has the best belt-scrolling combat this side of Streets of Rage 4. The swings it takes in terms of pushing its genre or reaching towards a new audience don’t always connect, but it’s still a quick, joyful experience I’m happy to continue playing both solo and with loved ones (and you random people online, I guess).
Code Vein II is a game that’s in equal parts frustrating and entertaining. I spent hours on several challenging boss fights and sometimes, admittedly, wanted to cry from fruitless efforts to beat them, but the compelling narrative and characters kept me invested all the way to the end and even prompted me to take on optional fights to see things through to the fullest. It’s not perfect by any means, and it certainly isn’t the best Souls-like game out there, but it does show the heart and potential Shift puts into their games and has me hoping once more to hear about their future endeavors. If nothing else, Code Vein II is worth more than a cursory glance if it happens to catch your eye.
Age of Imprisonment’s plethora of options helps elevate it as an enjoyable Warriors experience. On the other hand, it suffers from its notable roster absences, especially for Zelda fans, since it’s common to go to Warriors games not for their canon-compliant stories but for the opportunity to throw fan-favorite characters at floods of enemies. Knowing what to expect helps alleviate the disappointment, and the Warriors format works wonders at conveying Tears of the Kingdom’s Imprisoning War. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s seriousness and polish help it overcome its shortcomings, making it an overall good time. And like with most Warriors games, a good time is usually good enough.
I hope this review doesn’t sound overly critical because I am genuinely pleased with most of what Esoteric Ebb achieves. I just think the game could have been significantly improved, had it the confidence to shed its most conspicuous Disco-isms and dance to its own tune. Given everything that happened at ZA/UM and its creative core’s dissolution, we will likely never get a true successor to Disco Elysium. I am at peace with that. But if developers like Bodegård can iterate on its systemic expressiveness with the type of passion and intelligence that Esoteric Ebb manages, its legacy is in good hands.
Did I still enjoy my time with Tales of Berseria Remastered? Oh yes. In spite of all its flaws, I was still moved to tears and goosebumps multiple times. I don’t even mind all the backtracking because I got to spend more time with the amazing cast. Put simply, the narrative and the characters still carry the load.
Ys X: Proud Nordics is an odd duck: though it’s most certainly the definitive edition of the tenth Ys game, it’s a tall order to get someone to pay full price for a game that could’ve easily been a cheaper DLC expansion, especially if they’ve already played Ys X: Nordics. I greatly enjoyed this game myself and was thoroughly entertained by this new installment of Adol the Red’s adventures, but I’m in the position of not having had a chance to try the original beforehand. I think any newcomers to Ys X should certainly add Proud Nordics to their collection, but those who’ve already crossed these waters might want to wait for a price reduction before doing so again.
It helps that Another Crab’s Treasure is also a Souls-like with a soul. The game will stick with me not only because of the finest moments from its levels or boss fights, but in how cleverly and effectively its environmental concerns are baked into the whole of the experience. By the end, I was looking into ways of reducing my waste output and microplastic exposure while reflecting on what individual human “goodness” looks like in a world ravaged by our collective impact. Not bad for a game about a crab.
Calamity Angels is most excited to direct you quickly to its unique combat, which the game supports by investing heavily in your fighters. When I say it’s experimental, I don’t mean it’s half-baked; in fact, it’s refined and confident in itself. There have been other games where your party members don’t do what you want them to, but I can’t recall any other case where that was this fun. Here, it’s so exciting that it feels like opening your eyes to something new and special. It’s frustrating to see how a little more here and there outside of combat could have built Calamity Angels up into a classic. You know the item was sold “as is,” but you get what you paid for. At least it delivers on its main draw.
Under the Island falters in its combat and storytelling, but more than makes up for those shortcomings with engaging world design, clever puzzles, and creative boss encounters. Link’s boots are admittedly difficult to fill, but Under the Island has enough good ideas to set itself apart from its inspiration. The journey is a short one at only eight to ten hours, but I enjoyed my time with the game. It’s no Link’s Awakening, but in its best moments, it gets close enough to scratch the old-school Zelda itch.
