BornABrawler

⦿ In the realm of sandbox adventure games Starbound looks to deliver an expansive space faring adventure. When compared to other games in the genre like Minecraft and Terraria, it’s a familiar game-feel while also feeling distinct enough to reward player growth. In addition, the focus on RPG elements gives the game a greater sense of depth and diversity for your preferred playstyle. Though I needed a little help along the way, it was still a fun voyage from beginning to end. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: As a 2D pixel game there’s not too much that feels overbearing when playing. Exploring the planets, collecting materials, and using said materials to create new gear and upgrades makes for a satisfying gameplay loop. Delving underground is not too intimidating and there are plenty of unique biomes and treasures that curious players can discover. There’s also a great arsenal of weapons for unique combat options and the large roster of enemies and bosses forces the player to find their comfort zone. Developing more upgrades for your manipulator and techs are another layer that makes the game easier to navigate. Beyond the general exploration you also have side quests, fishing, farming, and customization to dip your toes into when you need a break from the story. All in all Starbound has a wealthy number of things to do and proves a satisfying time solo or with friends. ⦿ PRESENTATION: The pixel art style is a bit more smoothed out than other similar games and feels distinct, and Starbound doesn’t lean on one specific color palette and so you will find a plethora of unique areas bursting with color. The focus on sci-fi also means you’ll see plenty of mechanical areas, whether they be fully futuristic or a mix of nature and technology. Another great feature is the music which has a wide variety of genres, so much so there are collectible instruments that can play a selection of songs. The alien races you encounter expands the world and also acts as a conduit for everyone to join together versus the big bad. Overall Starbound is a pleasant experience and has a charm that invites the player to explore and discover. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Starbound undoubtedly has a wealth of content to chew on and the journey itself is worth your time. However, I think I have several nitpicks which generally bring down the experience. Things such as some inventory items not being stackable, rough inventory sorting, and missing weapon stats are quality of life features that are sorely missed. I will say that the “scanning” progression parts of the story feel largely superfluous - upgrading your character and the EPP is a very natural way to proceed, but the forced scanning feels like an afterthought. Finally is the story, which is not bad but felt like it could have been far more ambitious. Playing it safe in a sci-fi world does a disservice to the plethora of possibilities. There are a multitude of mods that adjust these quality of life options and expand the world, but I can’t deny that I left feeling satisfied but underwhelmed when evaluating the base game. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: If you have a great love for sandbox exploration games then Starbound can definitely scratch that itch. The foundation of the game is enjoyable and it gives the player a lot of agency for how to spend their time. However, a large part of my frustration came from many small annoyances that eventually became a hurdle to overcome by using mods. Experiencing this adventure with friends helped to alleviate some of these issues, and in the end I think the game is worth your time regardless of how you choose to play.

⦿ Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream is sort of what the title foreshadows. It’s a fever dream of instantaneous interactions, random rendezvous, and perplexing predicaments. If that description seems over the top I insist it is not, and the game will constantly surprise with its many possibilities. Nintendo’s newest game focusing on their Mii characters is as energetic as ever and shows that there is still a world of possibilities left to explore for these avatars. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Many folks will compare Tomodachi Life to Animal Crossing, and though this is a casual game I don’t know if that description is accurate. Miis - the residents of your dream island - are customizable characters that can represent anyone or anything, fictional or real. The built-in facial features have been expanded and is a versatile program for crafting these characters. Though if you are the creative type they also packaged a face paint editor that allows you to add extra details to perfect their look. This editor is also reused for many other features like custom food, floor tiles, treasures, buildings, and more. You’ll create a multitude of Miis to inhabit an island, the island is largely customizable, and you can also influence how they will interact with one another. That being said you can also be passive and let the Miis forge their own relationships. This can go so far as marriage, but Miis can also get divorced, so make sure to stay involved with them. When you start your island it’ll be very modest, but as you add more characters you’ll get additional facilities and entertainment spots for the Miis. The main method of progression are “warm fuzzies” you gather by feeding the Miis, helping with their relationships, answering their questions about the real world, and more. The fountain will collect these warm fuzzies and when the capacity is reached it permits you to redeem an assortment of features. This includes special treasures that Miis interact with, quirks to personalize their animations, and additional decorations for the island. This is the loop Tomodachi Life: Living the Dreams has you interact with, and if it sounds simplistic… well, it might be! But the events and gossip between the Mii inhabitants are where this game has its most special moments. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Tomodachi Life as a series has molded its identity through abundant light-hearted absurdity. The simple design of the Miis lend them to being put in awkward situations and pretzel-like poses. Many of these odd cutscenes will play when a Mii is interacting with an item or sleeping, and range from floating in white liminal spaces to dancing their heart out at a concert. Other features that heap on the wacky energy are the daily news reports and the hundreds of treasures that can be given to Miis. More staple cosmetics like clothing and home wallpapers can help to match the vibe or personality of a Mii character. More generally, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream has a pleasant art style that matches the casual experience, and the music has some catchy tunes that will transform depending on the situation. Tonally the game is in a class of its own and is what carries the player to the end credits. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: This was one of my most anticipated sequels as I had a blast with Tomodachi Life on 3DS. Overall I am very satisfied, and the extra allowance for customization means certain folk will get extra mileage. One of the biggest additions has been a consideration for manual gender assignment and adding romantic preferences. However, they decided to remove some important features. There is no easy way to share a Mii besides locally syncing with a friend, and the fan-favorite Concert Hall was also cut. I think another big miss is excluding some of the more casual games you could play at your convenience - now most games have to be prompted by the Mii characters. I am hopeful that some larger updates may be introduced to remedy these nitpicks. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Life-sim games have seen somewhat of a renaissance with all of the cozy games making waves. While Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream could be considered part of this era, the unhinged interactions and extreme customization options are what truly defines it. While it might have a smaller niche than other Nintendo franchises it has enough unique charm and appeal to capture a player. If you are curious at all about the game I highly recommend you watch some trailers or play the demo to get a taste of what zaniness it has in store.

⦿ The Katamari series has seen a resurgence in recent years with the remakes and some mobile titles keeping the King of All Cosmos in the public consciousness. Once Upon A Katamari seeks to continue the franchise and leans on its strengths, while also adding a few new features and challenges. And despite The Prince having to fix the entire cosmos again, the hectic journey across many time periods makes this a wild and memorable adventure. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Describing a Katamari game is difficult, but the best summary I can muster is that you roll the Katamari ball around an area and collect any manner of objects and things to reach a set goal. This goal can be as simple as getting the Katamari to or past a minimum size, submitting a Katamari as close to a set size, rolling a specific number of items, etc. While many of these objectives are echoes of the past games, Once Upon A Katamari does find interesting ways to recontextualize them based on the area themes. Another element that supports the objective are power-ups which have a variety of effects, like pulling items to you or stopping time. While there are only a few levels that use these power-ups strategically, I think keeping the core gameplay as a focus was a better choice in the end. Each world has multiple levels, and each level can have stages that retread the objective or change it up entirely. This breadth of challenges allows for dedicated players to keep on rolling even after the credits, and collectibles in each level such as the cousins, presents, and crowns provide even more to do. Although a Katamari game is mostly defined by its “ball-rolling-collectathon” action, thankfully this entry also didn’t lose sight of the charm and zaniness the series is known for. ⦿ PRESENTATION: The story of Once Upon A Katamari is familiar and yet even more absurd than ever: the King of All Cosmos throws a scroll which chaotically destroys much of the universe, including Earth! Now The Prince has to roll through the ages to restore everything to normal. The King of All Cosmos and his banter are along for the ride, and never does he shy away from adding his colorful commentary to each world. On your travels you’ll hop about multiple eras like historic Japan, the Ice Age, the Jurassic Period, and more. Each of the levels are well crafted to match the theming of the world and the objective serves to help the occupants in some way. And the music that accompanies them is a rollercoaster to say the least. You’ll have your fair share of upbeat tunes but the game doesn’t shy with experimental tracks that can throw you for a loop. Another tradition kept is the very geometric styling of the items, animals, people, and buildings you’ll come across. This simplified design is pleasant to the eyes and makes each item that sticks to the Katamari stand out. With the creativity of each stage and objective it’s fair to say this new game encapsulates the series essence and injects it in these new worlds and themes. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Once Upon A Katamari felt like stepping into a pair of old roller skates: you might have trouble getting the groove back, but once you flex that muscle memory you have a blast. The worlds, dialogue, music, and more are all joyful and feel like a proper continuation of the series without reinventing the wheel. That being said, there are some minor gripes I have with the game. Unlocking some story missions requires King Medals, and if you don’t have a certain number you must return to old levels to collect more. And though it isn’t a abhorrent design choice I think it does add more friction to the progression than I was expecting. Another personal gripe is that Japan is the primary era that gets a spotlight in the story. As you progress, you will have done two or three levels in the new era and then will be roped back to Japan. Despite the good theming of the worlds on offer it does feel like in the context of the story everything but Japan is an afterthought. Lastly is a complaint I am hoping is reserved to the Switch version which has some long loading times and occasional jarring pop-in. While it does not harshly detract from the overall experience it remains a blemish nonetheless. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: It had been 14 years since a new Katamari had hit major platforms, and though the mobile entries and remakes did keep the series afloat, I am pleased as punch that Once Upon A Katamari delivered a fun and familiar entry. The overall experience was just as wacky and over-the-top as I expect from the series. While it’s not ambitious enough to warrant huge accolades or awards, I think games that serve to decompress and be mindless are appreciated all the same. And probably my greatest compliment is that I had a smile on my face throughout most of my playthrough. While I would recommend the recent remakes to new players looking to get the ball rolling, Once Upon A Katamari is a fantastical sequel worth your time!

⦿ First and foremost, Pokemon Pokopia is the biggest breath of fresh air the series has seen since the Mystery Dungeon titles. Assuming control of a humanoid Ditto, the player is tasked with repairing and restoring a world in ruin - and yet, the game constantly reminds you that there is no urgency and to take pride in your progress. Pokopia is a game that caters to all players, and is truly one of the best life sim games of the present day. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Pokopia is all about restoration in pretty much every aspect. You’ll be restoring habitats for wild Pokemon to appear in, restoring buildings like the Pokemon Center to gain new items and features, and restoring the literal world itself by watering dry patches, placing roads, growing crops, etc. There are construction projects that take real-world time to complete, but as these structures are being built you have a plethora of tasks to complete. Examples include favors for the Pokemon living about, daily and regional missions at the Pokemon PC, or even personal chores like gathering supplies or beautifying the area around you. Dream Islands also serve as a way to gather specific materials to work towards a goal and can sprinkle about additional relics and items. Needless to say there is no shortage of things to do which keeps the experience fun and engaging. Ditto is the perfect Pokemon to tackle all of these challenges, and as you progress you will earn transformations that will make it easier to traverse the world and destroy the blocks that occupy it. Crafting and learning recipes are another large part of progression and allow you to create items to please the Pokemon, furniture for homes, or advanced tools like elevators and lifts to aid in transportation. All of this is barely scratching the surface of what Pokopia has to offer, and I am delighted to say that the overall ‘feel’ screams high quality. ⦿ PRESENTATION: The world of Pokemon is something that has been interpreted in many different ways, and I think that Pokopia’s execution brings out the best of the franchise's imagination. Graphically the game has a soft and colorful artstyle that is pleasing no matter where you go, and the basic block design of the land makes it easy to explore and terraform. The music of the game bounces between cheerful tones and melancholic melodies, many of which will pull from the past games in the series. The story however is something that surprised me as marketing for the game suggested this would have a more down-to-earth cozy vibe akin to Animal Crossing. And while that feeling still exists within the game, how the story progresses brought about plenty of intrigue that is hard not to get invested in. Even so, the main strength of Pokopia lies in the personalities of the Pokemon you will encounter. This level of detail in both animation and actions has been a long-time request from fans of the franchise, and the developers did an excellent job at making each Pokemon feel distinct and alive. There is so little friction throughout the course of a playthrough that anyone can enjoy the delightful adventure Pokopia has in store. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: I genuinely think Pokopia is a near perfect game and is an easy recommendation for fans of Pokemon or gamers that prefer the life sim genre. I only ever had one complaint as I was playing and honestly it stemmed from my own laziness. The journey from beginning to end had no rough edges and objectives were easy to identify and complete. As a wannabe game designer I appreciated many of the meticulous choices made to streamline collecting important materials and polishing the progression to be rewarding and tangible. And I must reiterate, the story was such a surprise as everything prior to release didn’t allude to any stakes. I was eager to unravel the mysteries and needless to say the ending had a marvelous conclusion. Minor updates also seem to be on the horizon and will add new Pokemon and furniture options to keep the game feeling fresh. If I didn’t have a backlog the size of a mountain I could see myself getting invested in Pokopia for all of 2026, it has been that much of a joy to play. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Pokemon Pokopia could reasonably be considered the best non-RPG game in the franchise’s history. The Pokemon have never felt more realized and the world is fantastical and evolves the more you restore the environment. Just when you think the game has shown everything on offer it presents new and exciting ideas to keep players invested. If you have been waiting for that Switch 2 game to justify buying the console, this is your signal to not miss out on an easy game of the year contender.

⦿ Since the closing of studio Alpha Dream the Mario & Luigi series was in a worrisome limbo. And despite the series dropping slightly in quality over time it was still delivering some memorable adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. Thankfully the series made a grand return on Nintendo Switch with a brand new title. Despite a few hiccups that keep the game from greatness, Brothership delivers an imaginative adventure with a heartfelt story to boot. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Brothership stays true to the series and keeps to the turn-based RPG formula. It has traditional experience points for leveling up and an assortment of equipment to bolster your offense and defense. Some unique quirks include special ability perks at pre-determined level checkpoints, and by progressing through the story you will increase your arsenal of Bros Attacks, special moves that require proper timing but deal wicked damage. Though the most impactful addition are battle plugs that grant you a variety of buffs in battle. Doing extra damage, recycling an item, preventing status conditions - you name it, there’s likely a plug for it. To prevent them from being overpowered the plugs do have a set number of uses and after expiring they require recharging. This opens the combat to far more depth and you can find yourself swapping plugs multiple times mid-battle to efficiently dispatch enemies. Outside of battle the remainder of the game will be exploring the new world Mario, Luigi, and friends have been thrust into. Luigi also gets to play a larger role with moments of Luigi Logic that impact combat or puzzle solving. Along the way you’ll meet the denizens of Concordia, complete side quests, and quite literally bring together the entire world. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Brothership whisks the Mario brothers away to a fantastical world that has broken apart across an ocean. After landing on a roaming ship, these heroes can’t turn a blind eye to this catastrophe and help in the effort to rejoin all of these islands together. These Concordians are humanoid power outlets that inhabit a variety of biomes, and this wide array of locations makes each area memorable. There are also plenty of unique enemies that compliment each island and sprinkle extra charm. Some classic Mario characters return for this adventure, but it is quite refreshing to see the developers flex their creative muscles in just about every aspect of this game. Visuals have a very distinct style and the animations and expressions are top notch in just about every aspect. And yet this also relates to a personal criticism which is the locked 30 FPS. Not every game requires 60 FPS but this game in-particular has noticeable slowdown that can look somewhat uncanny. Even if it is intentional or is a limitation I don’t think it looks appealing. Last to highlight is the story which is solid all-around. The overall message of relationships and connection is something that has become very relevant since a certain pandemic and a heavy reliance on technology. There’s little that will shock or surprise, but I also feel like the story doesn’t need to be overly ambitious as the world’s creativity does much of the heavy lifting. Mario and Luigi make a splash in this new world and it was lovely to see the world reconnect, both literally and figuratively. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Brothership was a great adventure and was pretty low stress, and I think for anyone looking to get into the genre this is a suitable starting point. However, as someone who has experienced many RPG’s this does falter in some important spots. One very subjective criticism I have is the soundtrack, which did not bring back the original composer Yoko Shimomura. The music of the game is not bad by any means but there is a very noticeable “tone” difference when compared to the previous games. But my biggest complaint is the last stretch of the story. Without any explicit spoilers, it sets up the final boss pretty well - the only problem is that there’s about five hours of additional filler that really deflated me by the end of the journey. There are other moments of fluff throughout the game but they were much easier to accept. But the final drag was a huge letdown and so it impacted my final thoughts. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Compared to the rest of the Mario & Luigi franchise, Brothership does land near the top as it stays true to what makes the series special and delivers on new ways to play that leave an impression. Yet there are a few too many stumbles that chip away at the overall experience. Even so, the story and gameplay really shine and are a sign that the series still has a strong foundation to build upon. If you are looking for a low stress RPG with a hopeful narrative I think this journey with the bros is a delightful voyage.

⦿ Kirby Air Riders is a surprise release for the Switch 2 as it revisits a relatively niche game from the GameCube era. Even with this concern it makes a stellar impression thanks to the return of the father of Kirby, Masahiro Sakurai. The dev team struck an excellent balance of improving upon what made the original game stand out, while also providing a bevy of extra modes and customizable features. And despite no content updates being planned, it’s refreshing to know that gaming giants can still deliver evergreen titles. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Controls in Kirby Air Riders are a breeze as you only need to steer since the vehicle accelerates automatically. Thus the complexity of racing comes from learning the tracks and mastering the control of your preferred racing machine. There are four core modes in Kirby Air Riders: Air Ride is the standard racing mode, City Trial is a multiplayer arena match where you collect power-ups to increase vehicle stats, Top Ride is a more bite-size top-down racing mode, and Road Trip is a single-player mode that serves as a roguelike. Although the real standout of the game is City Trial, as this is undoubtedly where players will spend most of their time. You can play locally or hop online with 15 other players to explore an arena and pick up different stat power-ups, copy abilities, and unique items. Field events happen randomly and vary wildly, and after the timer stops everyone must compete in a final match with their souped up machine. This amount of variety means that you will rarely experience a repeat even after dozens of matches. While every mode has fun to be found, City Trial leans in hard on the core mechanics and challenges the player to come out on top. The second most unique mode is Road Trip where, like City Trial, you will progressively power-up your machine. Road Trip differs by generating a journey with challenge stages that pull from Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial. Multiple difficulty options means there’s no wrong way to play this mode, and a special ending and extra unlockables await dedicated players. While these two modes do a lot of heavy lifting, Kirby Air Riders has plenty left to explore and toy with. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Before moving on to additional modes, I would like to touch on the graphics and music. The power of the Switch 2 allows it to boast a delightful visual style while also providing a surprising level of detail to textures and animations. Each character has a unique set of reactions which is made even more prominent in casual areas like the online lobby, the Paddock. The soundtrack is excellent as well, delivering on a variety of genres and remastering many of the classic Kirby themes. Selecting your preferred music is one piece of the wealth of customizable options that range from match settings to literal character and machine customization. Player individuality starts with the license that you can adjust the icon, background, and stickers of. The full roster of characters can unlock colors and headwear to further personalize. Yet creativity reaches the pinnacle in “My Machine,” which allows for drastic edits to the color, patterns, and design of your race machine. This feature also extends to an in-game marketplace for sharing creations, serving as a community hub for artists and fans. To wrap everything up nicely is the checklist, a collection of five boards with 150 challenges each, and they all serve to grow your collection of characters, machines, and customization options. This bountiful bundle of achievements is a great gameplay loop that encourages the player to see all parts of Kirby Air Riders and be rewarded for their efforts. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: I cannot fully remove bias from this review as Kirby Air Ride on GameCube was a formative game that I still find joy in today. And I can confidently say everything I loved about the original is here. There are even more features I neglected to fully go over like the garage, gummies, amiibo, and more. Though the last thing I’ll praise is the accessibility options for this game. The biggest criticism the game receives is the high octane gameplay. Steering and controlling yourself will get hectic at times, but Sakurai and the developers wanted to make this more digestible for players by allowing adjustments to the camera, HUD, visual effects, etc. Nintendo rarely puts stock in these features but I find it invaluable to allow an audience to adjust the experience to match their comfort. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Kirby Air Riders is a joyful game from top to bottom. It still holds on to the simplicity of its control scheme yet still offers a variety of unique game modes. It remains one of the most accessible racing games to date while still having a skill ceiling that affords the player plenty of growth. While this game was released alongside two other amazing kart racing games in 2025, I would undoubtedly rate this game above the two for its excellent presentation and surplus of content to explore.

⦿ My exposure to BioShock first started when I was super young, watching a sibling play in the mid-2000’s. Several years go by and my only other exposure is seeing it on Top 100 GOAT lists. While I didn’t go in with lofty expectations, the opening made me super eager to play the game. And though I am getting ahead of myself, BioShock is a wonderfully fun adventure and my respect only grows with time. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: As a FPS adventure game, you explore Rapture in the hopes of escaping and you’ll use your ever growing arsenal to overcome any threats. But what sets BioShock apart is the huge list of firearms alongside a customizable suite of super-human abilities called plasmids. The plasmids are a refreshing take on the genre, and it provides an excellent amount of variety and customization to grant the player freedom. These plasmids also provide utility in exploration and light puzzle solving, adding layers to an already evolving ability. Speaking of exploration, the game is fairly good at leading the player to the next objective. But there are also several different rooms that are optional or secret, allowing the player to discover the world as they see fit. There also exists a hack feature that manipulates weaponed machinery and other recurring landmarks like shops, healing stations, and locked safes. These overlapping elements unify the gameplay with a polished sheen, and yet the world of BioShock has come to be my favorite aspect of this journey. ⦿ PRESENTATION: The opening to the game sets a mysterious tone, and although you’ll come to know Rapture well, it always still leaves many questions left to be unraveled. The fantastical location and set pieces are distinct and really help to convey place and purpose. The many characters you meet all have an agenda that revolves around Rapture, giving the world they share even greater weight. If that wasn’t enough there are several voice recordings scattered about that give more context for areas and even clues for puzzles. Many of these are non-essential but still feel like a reward for being invested in exploration. But in general the aesthetics and mood of BioShock is what ties it all together, and even as a game from 2007 it still has excellent graphic detail and expression. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: There are really only two parts in BioShock that came to frustrate me, and thankfully they were short enough that I wasn’t kept miserable for long. Another thing I have to give major props is the morality system that impacts the final ending you get. Games that give the player reason to revisit and experience new discoveries deserve praise, and they don’t just slap on New Game+ and call it a day. And while I don’t want to beat this thought to death, I cannot get over how unique the world of Rapture is crafted as I can’t really compare it to any other fictional world. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Despite all the years that have gone by I cannot understate how well BioShock holds up, both in gameplay and visuals. With a world as engrossing as Rapture and an evolving combat system there is rarely a dull moment. So for anyone fortunate enough to play BioShock blindly like I did, would you kindly take enjoyment in the discovery and adventure? Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

⦿ Pokemon Legends: Z-A follows the trend of this new series and revisits an old region while giving it a new perspective. The Kalos region’s largest city, Lumiose, is seeing a large-scale reconstruction effort to make it a place where people and pokemon can coexist. But rogue mega evolution pokemon are looking to threaten the peace. After being recruited to Team MZ, your goal of growing stronger and becoming the greatest Mega Evolution trainer is what will restore balance and make Lumiose a better place for everyone. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Since Pokemon still very much keeps it’s RPG roots, you’ll gather a party of pokemon to train and be presented occasional side quests that can get you special items or rare pokemon. As the sequel to Legends: Arceus, most everything in the game is real-time, so catching pokemon and exploring around Lumiose go hand in hand. However the biggest change in Z-A are the real-time battles. This means you can position your pokemon while in a battle, allowing you to dodge attacks and space yourself during offense. To complement this new system your pokemon’s moves have cooldowns and some are given new quirks to match the arena-based scuffles. This shakeup is undeniably fresh as every other Pokemon game has stuck to turn-based combat. This will be primarily what you do during nighttime, as you must battle other trainers to rank up and promote yourself through the Z-A Royale. As mentioned before, catching wild pokemon is still a big part of the game, and the more challenges you complete the more rewards you will receive from the new pokemon professor Mable. This involves you wandering the many districts of Lumiose and parkouring across rooftops. And another reason you want to explore are for colorful screws which can be traded for helpful buffs to your experience gain, trainer health, etc. Overall this revamp of Lumiose has plenty to discover and continues to develop as you unravel the story. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Pokemon in 3D has a rocky history to say the least, and though this is still not quite where the series should be, it’s still a step in the right direction. The game has a distinct art style and animations for the main characters, rivals, and pokemon are well imagined and developed. The same can be said for the newly added mega evolution pokemon, and despite being a mixed bag I can’t identify any that I particularly dislike or abhor. Framerate which has also been a blemish in the series is stable, although I can only attest to the Switch 2 version. However, a huge negative that still bothers me is that the game has no voice acting for its more detailed cutscenes, meaning characters will flap their mouths with awkward sound effects filling the silence. Pokemon is clearly not afraid to have voice actors in spin-off titles and the anime, so the lack of any spoken dialogue is still a disappointment. As for the story, I can say it is serviceable but it doesn’t feel near as grand as Legends: Arceus or Scarlet and Violet. I think part of this stems from Lumiose being the only place you can explore in the Kalos region. And while I don’t think narrowing the scope is necessarily a weakness, I can’t say they made it work as a strength either. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: At the start I enjoyed the premise and what the game was setting up. What I anticipated was a decently paced story that expands as you go through the Z-A Royale. And while part of this is true, it wasn’t quite what I expected. The climb through the ladder was much shorter than what I expected and it left me with the impression that the game was rushing itself. Not to mention that I felt major fatigue in the third-quarter of the game, as you repeat the process of fighting rogue mega pokemon, battle in the Z-A royale, then fight your promotion match. Do this ad nauseam until the game rolls credits. And while they properly characterize these rival challengers, very few of them feel important to the story. While the writing of the game isn’t flat or boring, you don’t spend long enough with any one character to feel like they have stakes in the fate of Lumiose - despite the climax wanting you to believe otherwise. Only three characters feel essential to this story: Taunie/Urbain, AZ, and L. Finishing the game and feeling this way definitely makes me question if I even enjoyed the story. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Pokemon Legends Z-A has some great strengths, like the action-oriented battle system, stable performance, and some genuinely funny writing. However, I’d be lying if I said I was satisfied with the game. The plot feels like it went by in a flash with little consequence, and the repetitious mission structure made it hard for me to feel invested. And being limited to only roaming Lumiose exacerbated my waning drive to explore and complete the pokedex. And while I want to acknowledge that the game is still good, I can say confidently that this game feels unambitious, especially when compared to its predecessor Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

⦿ Sonic racing games have a bit of a muddy history but really hit their stride with the All-Stars Racing sequels. Even so, the series took a little tumble with Team Sonic Racing, which required you to work as a team to best the competition. After a pretty divisive mechanic kept the game niche, SEGA needed a good rebound, and it turns out leaning on the core gameplay and opening the options for tracks was all that was needed. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds isn’t a blowout, but it’s undeniable that lots of content and features were packed in to make it a solid arcade racing game. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Racing doesn’t stray too far from the objective of every other game in the genre: compete with others and finish in first place. Yet the race itself is manipulated every single time and is what diversifies it from other kart racers. Your first and third lap will take place on the selected track, but the second lap will always transport you to a completely different course. The number of permutations due to the decent list of standard tracks and the “crossworlds” are nothing to scoff at and makes each race feel fresh. Beyond the courses themselves are the items you pick up, which are arranged into boost, defense, trap, and attack categories. Each item is fairly easy to handle and works in your favor to keep pace. Although races can get even more complex once you explore the gadget system, which essentially serves as a list of customizable abilities. You can opt for simple enhancements like stat boosts, but there also exist several game warping benefits that can impact a race. The bevy of options really opens up creativity and allows the player to lean into a set that fits their playstyle. And beyond that there are lots of modes like grand prix, time trial, race park, and online world match. Each mode has their own missions which provide incentive in the form of tickets that can be exchanged for a plethora of customization options. And though all of this is the core gameplay loop of CrossWorlds, what really shines is the extra mile for presentation. ⦿ PRESENTATION: One of the big features of this game are rival races. Every non-DLC character has unique dialogue with every other character in the game, which adds a lot to the personality. Now this banter is only present in the single-player modes, but it still is a level of charm that is much appreciated. Next are the courses themselves, which are a mix of completely original track ideas while also pulling from Sonic’s legacy. It’s a balance that doesn’t feel like it is leaning so hard on nostalgia, and that it is looking to move forward rather than stay stagnant. In general the music for these tracks and the game menus are great. Some music doesn’t always land or serve to be memorable, but remixes and callbacks really shine to match the energy of the race. And speaking of energy, the ability to customize almost every inch of your vehicle invites you to make something all your own. Materials, colors, decals, and more are at your fingertips and allow more freedom than I was originally expecting. And if I’m being general, the graphical fidelity and texturing is good in just about every area of the game. All-in-all the soul of the franchise is laid bare in CrossWorlds and delivers the most authentic Sonic experience I can recall. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Since I have a history with playing the Sonic racing series, I’d like to say that it’s close to being on par with All-Stars Racing and Transformed. Even so, it doesn’t feel quite as polished. Multiple times I will find myself getting caught on terrain or even clipping into walls. While it’s a rare occurrence it still snaps me out of the game every time. I think my biggest complaint though has to be the online, which I should preface is functional. However, disconnects are frequent whether it be in the lobby or at the very beginning of a race. After disconnecting, you then have to reconnect to world match before then getting into a lobby. After this you can continue matchmaking. For me this was about twice an hour on average which was nothing but a buzzkill. And even in matches there can be drastic desyncs that have you place higher or lower than what you would anticipate. Beyond these complaints the game is a fun time, as the content gives you plenty to keep you busy. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is a strong sequel and evens stands toe-to-toe with the other notable kart racing games. The mixing of tracks makes the experience refreshing each time, and the roadmap for the game is promising and looks to keep players’ interest. And just like the Sonic games of old, CrossWorlds will have you super sonic racing again and again.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

⦿ While I typically make comprehensive reviews of games, I truly believe that Outer Wilds is something that you should go into with as little knowledge as possible. So while I will be going into a fair bit of the content that is shared in trailers and promotional material, I think if you have a general interest in a sci-fi exploration/puzzle game that you should allow yourself to discover everything this world has to offer. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: As a new cadet that has been training and studying to explore the solar system, you begin your journey with a pretty mundane beginning. And after a weird vision brought about by an ancient statue, you set forth to explore the planets to find out more about the Nomai, an ancient alien race that have ruins scattered all over. The biggest challenge will likely be controlling your spaceship as it has some quirks and features you’ll learn along the way. Thankfully there are enough helpful tools for new players to make exploration less stressful. Once you leave the atmosphere and make your way into space, you pretty much have free reign over where you go, what you do, and how you spend your time. Any discoveries you make will be listed in the ship’s log making it an easy way to track your progress and have some means of direction to connect the pieces. This can range from large structures, writing, predetermined events, etc. Yet after a while you’ll get hit by a massive wave of light, which then resets you to the moment you wake up at the very beginning. How is this happening and how can you end the loop? Well, that’s your job to figure out! ⦿ PRESENTATION: Outer Wilds honestly isn’t the most graphically impressive game, but it has an artistic style that very much fits it theming and atmosphere. It’s charming from top to bottom, yet it also knows how to have a variety of moments from pure silence to tense discomfort. I think the biggest compliment I can give though is that there is an insane amount of detail to the world, how it interacts with everything else, and how nearly everything has an explanation. If you leave no stone unturned, chances are you can put together pieces that aren’t important to the story but do evolve the world. And while the game doesn’t have a large and bombastic soundtrack, I think the simplicity and importance of sounds and music are an intended choice of the developers. Honestly, when it comes to how thoughtful the game is it is hard to find any fault in the expertly crafted world. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Going more into my playthrough, I honestly had a bit of friction with the game at first. Slight spoilers, but the game is much like Zelda: Majora’s Mask where events happen at very specific times, and so you will have to plan accordingly when to arrive. This can involve frequent resets to get the end result you are looking for and leans heavily on trial and error. As someone who does strive to do things efficiently this took a bit of getting used to. Over time I came to accept the time loop aspect and the themes at the end of the game did make me appreciate it even more. And though I agree that the game is very unique and it has a lot of strengths, I can’t say it made as big of an impression on me. But I can still acknowledge that Outer Wilds delivered a unique experience that also stuck the landing. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Space exploration is a difficult genre to get right, and a lot of the AAA titles attempt to go over the top and falter, delivering some subpar projects. Outer Wilds reels in the scope and condenses its exploration and worlds to bring everything to life. Rarely does a game feel so purposeful with its decisions and events, and each new discovery you make expands your understanding of the past, present, and future of this solar system. If you want to get lost in a game and unravel a mystery, Outer Wilds offers a thoughtful space experience that remains one-of-a-kind.

⦿ The Donkey Kong series has been on ice since Tropical Freeze back in 2014, so Nintendo’s oldest play maker has been long overdue for a new game. Little did we know Mario was benched in favor of a 3D platformer starring DK the likes of which hasn’t been seen before. Can this large-scale collectathon in a fully destructible world make a splash - or in this case, a gigaton bash? ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Donkey Kong Bananza at first it a traditional platformer game: you run and jump across a variety of environments to track down bananas. Despite sounding ordinary, now consider that the entire world is destructible. Very few materials in this game can resist DK’s brawn, and most every enemy, obstacle, and boss crumbles to his unstoppable force. But not everything can be punched through, and so he can utilize new Bananza forms to overcome the odds. This ranges from extra power, faster movement, gliding through the air, and more! And because you can switch between these abilities on the fly it allows you to chain together impressive maneuvers. The bananas you collect are the most important as they will upgrade DK’s abilities and his Bananzas, making the world an even grander playground than before. Beyond that you can collect fossils to trade for a variety of clothing items that boost different stats. Along the journey you are accompanied by a young girl, Pauline, who has a talent for singing and serves as a key player in the game’s narrative. And the goal of this duo is to reach the planet core, stop the Void Company, and have their wishes granted! ⦿ PRESENTATION: Bananza’s world is split into layers that you gain access to after beating the boss of an area. These range from scenic vistas, winter wonderlands, a borderline garbage dump, and so much more. And because each layer is plentiful with bananas to collect, you quickly start to identify landmarks of each area, making it a breeze to explore despite the openness. The enhancements like heavy particle effects, better lighting, and steady framerate are all welcome additions that justify the power of the Switch 2. Music in this game is great, and some of the world themes and Bananza songs have become frequent earworms. And with music being one of the core themes of the game I think it delivers well. In the same vein are the sound effects - I expect this might have been one of the biggest challenges for the devs, as you want to feel the power and weight of each punch. Needless to say they captured being an ape smashing through anything and everything to a T. As alluded to earlier, the story heavily hinges on the connection between DK and Pauline. And while I was a little worried that a youthful, talkative partner would become an annoyance, I was proven wrong. Pauline is a joy to see grow as a singer, each dialogue option is endearing, and the connection the two make over the journey is akin to a heartwarming animated classic. I think the game would be actively worse without Pauline being there to help drive the narrative. And without any spoilers, I do think Donkey Kong Bananza delivers one of Nintendo’s greatest finales, even standing toe-to-toe with the final spectacle of Super Mario Odyssey. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Donkey Kong Bananza was such a blast that I took the time to 100% complete it, which I think plainly shows I enjoyed my time. Completion is also made easier with the sonar ability and maps, making it less stressful to find those final few collectables. And my biggest compliment is reserved for the movement options and maneuvers - some puzzles and “intended solutions” can be brute forced with excellent combinations, which is incredibly fitting to match the game’s essence. But, as always, I do have some criticisms that bring the experience down. The first is the music, which I must reiterate, is great. However I don’t know if it was simply my expectations, but Bananza’s OST falls short for me when compared to prior games. And despite the Switch 2 delivering pretty consistent framerates, with only some minor hiccups here and there, there are moments in the game where I had noticeable frame drops. For context, I was in an area where I generated a ton of terrain, and any time I was in that area or my camera was focused on it, my frames would drop like a rock. It actually forced me to use the “reset terrain” feature in the menu. And while I’m glad the feature is here and it makes perfect sense out of this context, it was disappointing that I had to rely on it to return to normal. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: If you're looking for a 3D platformer that is going to wow you, I don’t think you can look any further than Donkey Kong Bananza. It has the wonderful polish expected for Nintendo’s greatest franchises, and delivers an explosive experience that I cannot compare to anything else. It’s charming, exciting, and the best possible return for DK and the crew. And trust me, it won’t take you long to chime in with “OOOH, BANANA” and continue doing so hundreds of times after.

⦿ Nintendo has a lot of tentpole franchises to flaunt, but the Nintendo Switch generation’s biggest success was Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. And after having the game for practically ten years it was inevitable that we’d receive a sequel for Nintendo Switch 2. Mario Kart World shows a lot of promise and potential, but does it deliver after the long wait? I would say yes, and it leans even more into the “chaos” than ever before! ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Mario Kart on the surface is fairly simple - keep your kart on the track and drive to the finish line. All the while doing drifts, drafts, and drop kicking your opponents with a variety of items. But there are three new features that make this game unlike any of its predecessors. The first improvement is a tricking system that allows you to hop over obstacles, which can even be used to grind on rails and wall-ride. This opens up a plethora of extra areas and shortcuts that makes the race feel dynamic and exciting. Next up are the intermission courses; simply speaking, after completing one track, you then drive across the world to the next race track and continue your race there. It’s a novel idea that compliments the large open world that was crafted and works to give everything context and purpose. And finally is an increase from 12 to 24 max racers on the track. This seems to be a simple change, but in practice it makes each race far more competitive. All of this is describing the usual Grand Prix mode, but the real winner of the game is Knockout Tour. In this mode you race across the world and pass four tracks, and each one houses a checkpoint where you must finish above a certain placing. This is the most intense Mario Kart gamemode to date and leans heavily on all of the game’s features. Battle mode makes a return with balloon battle and coin runners, although it plays it rather safe by reusing areas within the world as arenas. The final mode worth mentioning is Free Roam, and it allows you to drive anywhere and everywhere. You can find p-switches to do challenges and each track has hidden block spaces, and both unlock stamps for your collection. Overall, Mario Kart World adds enough to warrant its name, as in many ways this is the most ambitious series title to date. ⦿ PRESENTATION: This game is filled to the brim with content in about every crevice. The first thing you’ll be met with is the sizable roster. A few familiar faces are missing, but taking their spot are many Mario enemies and other NPC characters. On top of this are costumes for many of the main characters allowing for more personal customization. One thing that could be considered a downgrade are the karts themselves, as there is no longer customization to the wheels, body, and glider. But honestly this makes it much easier to choose a kart that matches your preferred stats, and the simplicity helps new players, too. Another downgrade is the lowered track total to 30, although this was inevitable as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had multiple waves of DLC in its long life. A few new and returning items join the pool, and while I don’t think many of them make a significant change, the larger variety keeps things feeling fresh. But my personal highlight of this game is the immense soundtrack. It stretches across most of the Mario series and even makes deep cuts into more obscure titles. To wrap this up, the graphics and animation are top class, and the extra power of the Switch 2 really allows the game to shine with little compromise. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: As stated before I think this is hands down the most content rich Mario Kart to date. However, in some cases there seems to be a lack of rhyme or reason for said content. For one, not all characters are unlocked by default. Some are acceptable, but a good chunk are hidden behind the Kamek item, which is a random unnecessary grind. But my biggest complaint lies in Free Roam. I think the mode itself is fun, and I do think there are enough challenges that would keep you occupied. But here’s the thing: there is a single incentive for playing Free Roam, which is unlocking Mirror Mode. This is the only thing to motivate you to play the mode, as the only other reward you receive are stamps, which are merely a collectible. So after unlocking Mirror Mode there is no additional reward even if you complete the map. Again, while Free Roam is enjoyable, I can’t deny this is a huge gripe and the epitome of missed potential. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Mario Kart World is close-to perfect as a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2, as it is a game that you can invest hundreds of hours into, whether that be locally or through online play. Furthermore, I feel like it is inevitable that this game will see future DLC in the form of characters, costumes, and tracks after the great success of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC. So even with a few missteps, it might be unsurprising to hear that Mario Kart World is a must have for your Switch 2 library.

⦿ You are a hunter, an individual who is responsible for protecting the balance in the ecosystem and are given authorization to preserve harmony. After finding a lost boy in what should be a barren wasteland, your mission is to reunite him with his people all while investigating these untamed locales. In this journey of discovery you will become deeply familiar with the variety of monsters, and when push comes to shove, you will fling into combat. Welcome to Monster Hunter Wilds. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Despite the introspective summary I listed above, Monster Hunter as a series has never been too deep in its storytelling. All you need to be concerned about are the monsters you will hunt and how this will facilitate growing your arsenal. With 30+ monsters to fight and 14 weapons to choose from, you’ll have a lot to explore when it comes to combat. Each monster has a varied moveset that sets them apart from the roster, and the goal is to gain familiarity so that hunts will progress without too much struggle. After beating a monster, you will obtain materials that will go towards crafting weapons and armor, which will then help you fight even more threatening monsters, etc. Preparing for a hunt is just as essential, like making sure you equipped useful items and tools, eating meals to boost your stats, and remembering monster quirks like elemental attacks and ailments. Traversal and foraging has been streamlined in many facets, but the biggest change is the Seikret, a rideable companion that allows you to quickly explore and can track monsters automatically. What is best about Monster Hunter though is pairing with up to three friends or randoms to thrash a monster and come out victorious. This is a very multiplayer focused experience, and while the game can be enjoyed entirely solo, I encourage players to engage in the many social features like customization of your callouts, emotes, and hunter profile. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Compared to Monster Hunter World, Wilds is a great upgrade when it comes to character facial expressions, environment textures, and monster details. Even looking at Capcom’s other recent titles, Monster Hunter Wilds is pushing the envelope for RE Engine and is delivering stunning visuals. Many locales like the Scarlet Forest have amazing detail with various set pieces like enormous waterfalls, colorful fauna, and unique dens for the creatures who call it home. The other locales are just as distinct and give this new world a whole lot of personality. In terms of the story on offer it is more fleshed out compared to previous entries. But even with the large number of characters introduced, I never felt like the stakes were very high until the very end of the campaign. It’s serviceable, but this game won’t be winning any awards for best narrative. Music on the other hand has continued to impress, and all tracks from the monster fights, base hubs, and classic jingles are great listens. Sound effects are just as impactful as well, like heavy gunfire and blunt weapons reverberating against the monster. I had some texture glitching and random vectoring here and there, but I believe this may have been fixed since the recent patches and title update. Overall Monster Hunter Wilds is an immersive experience that really engages you in its world and combat. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: As a long-time fan of the Monster Hunter series, I have a lot of bias going into this review. However, I do want to look at things objectively and make this review relatable for the uninitiated. Capcom over the last several years has made the series very accessible to new players and they provide you a bevy of learning resources in-game and through social media. The early-game is also forgiving enough since you are provided with plenty of items and resources to make hunting less stressful. However, the biggest blemish of Monster Hunter Wilds has been its performance, as it has unintentionally gatekept new players and even returning hunters. Speaking personally, I have a graphics card that is four years old and it runs Monster Hunter Wilds just fine. I have faith that Capcom will work to improve the overall performance for future updates, but not having it ready before launch is worth criticizing. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Despite still being early into 2025, I see Monster Hunter Wilds receiving my Game of the Year nomination. And with free title updates and an inevitable expansion in the future, this is a game that players will be able to enjoy for hundreds of hours. But speaking critically, I cannot grant the game a 10 because of the unfortunate performance issues. If that were not a factor, I would go as far to say the Wilds could be the pinnacle of the action-RPG genre - and this is only the beginning. Happy hunting!

⦿ Balatro probably passed under the radar for most people until its nomination at The Game Awards 2024. While on the surface it looks plain compared to the rest of the competition, I can confidently say it earned its spot and that it had an honest shot at winning the Game of The Year award. To summarize what makes Balatro so engaging is no easy task, but I will give it my best. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: At face value, Balatro is poker that mimics the single-player nature of Solitaire games. You are dealt cards and you may play them for poker hands or discard unwanted cards and draw more. However the main mechanic of the game are the peculiar cards up top, called jokers. These jokers have special abilities that, generally, enhance the score of your played hand. There are 150 jokers to experiment with, most of which will lead you to play to a specific poker hand. The mixing and matching of jokers are the soul of Balatro’s emergent gameplay loop, although there are several more bonuses that will assist a run. Planets will upgrade the level of a poker hand, tarot cards have varying effects that influence your deck, and vouchers are investments that have a variety of powerful benefits. There are some I have omitted but these are your main purchasables that will make or break your run. And your obstacles in the game are the blinds (or rounds) that you play. Each blind has a score to reach, and if you do not succeed the run is over and you must restart. Although your greatest challenge will be the boss blinds - these have additional rules that will be enforced. Blinds get more difficult to surpass as the ante increases, which is caused by defeating the current boss blind. However, defeat the boss blind of ante eight and you win! Although this is far from the end of the game, as unlockables provide you goals to chase and the variety of decks change the rules of the game. Stakes will impose limitations on your current deck and challenge decks saddle you with a specific objective. This breadth of content is what keeps Balatro fresh and fun. Although there’s something else that captures the attention of the player even more. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Simply put, there is no game I have played that “feels” the same as Balatro. The soundtrack, while incredibly short, all stems from one central piece and the literal flow of the music matches the gameplay. It’s beyond an earworm and is an essential part of the experience. And the same can be said for the visuals. While pixelated graphics are not uncommon in games, I appreciate how its style is very “readable.” I do mean this for every card and symbol, whether that be a playing card, joker, tarot, etc. It makes playing the game much easier and faster. And finally is the hypnotic smear in the background. I’m impressed that it sets the game’s tone while not being overbearing or distracting. Looking outside I can see how my compliments are hyperbolic, but I am confident that anyone who has also played the game shares these sentiments. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Before playing Balatro I respected the game from afar. I could recognize its impact in the indie community and gave it kudos for embracing a pretty unexplored genre. That all changed when I finally picked it up. The game is downright addictive, the perfect vibe for “just one more run.” While I am purposefully taking a break to play other things, this did not stop me from beating the white stake of every deck and achieving the insurmountable gold stake for my yellow deck. I do not anticipate completing Balatro in its entirety, but I also don’t think it expects that. It just wants the player to experiment and have fun. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Balatro is phenomenal and an achievement in not only indie gaming sphere but gaming as an entertainment medium. It is a game I cannot find fault in, and despite me not being the biggest fan of traditional card games, it transforms the genre into something all its own. It also boasts the one thing I think that defines a true game: anyone can have fun. It doesn’t matter your age, language, disability, etc. I encourage you to dive into the game with no reservations. Play Balatro.

⦿ The kingdom of Dokapon has been wrought with monsters and turmoil, and so the king enlists the help of adventurers to bring peace back to the land. However you quickly learn that this evil may be more than you bargained for. But you're not in it alone! Up to three other players will share this adventure, although only one can take all the glory! Fight tooth and nail against friends and foes to claim the title as the hero of Dokapon Kingdom! ⦿ GAMEPLAY: Dokapon Kingdom: Connect is a board-game RPG that centers around fantastical job classes and abilities. Movement is decided by a spinner that will land on a random number, and your objective is to liberate the villages occupied by monsters. In doing so these villages will become yours to own, allowing you to invest for further profit and rest for free. The end of each chapter has a main objective and the player to meet its condition will see gifts and rewards. This is the loop you will experience as you journey the kingdom - but to assume the game is this straight-forward is foolish. To dive more into your job, the selection contains the typical beginner classes of Warrior, Thief, and Magician. As you progress you will continue to unlock new classes, each with unique abilities, field skills, and stat specialties. You are incentivized to experiment with different classes, and maxing their job level is essential to gaining new jobs. If you are falling a little too far behind, you will occasionally be granted a key to the all-powerful Darkling, a temporary job which abuses dark arts to completely turn the game on its head. Although let's pivot to what a typical turn looks like. You can use items or magic, each of which have a varying effect that can help you or hurt your opponents. However, only so many consumables can be used per turn (though some jobs bypass this). And while the movement spinner is randomized, there exist items to make it easier to traverse and land on desired spaces. The very common “empty” spaces will do one of two things: initiate a battle or random event. Battles are started with a Rock-Paper-Scissors fight to decide the first attacker, and your options will depend on whether you attack or defend. The system is fairly easy to understand, and after fighting an enemy once, a helpful guide can be used to help estimate the outcome. Then random events are just that - events that can either help you in a pinch or completely squash a lead. These tend to be the most memorable part of Dokapon Kingdom: Connect as you are introduced to the many characters that roam the land. And you will become very familiar with them, both the good and the bad. Rinse and repeat this process for hundreds of in-game weeks and eventually the next heir to Dokapon Kingdom will be chosen! ⦿ PRESENTATION: This game was released during the PS2 and Wii era, and this re-release gives the graphics just enough polish to keep its nostalgic look without overhauling the visuals. The world of Dokapon is colorful and charming, and I do mean this for literally everything. Recurring characters, enemies, job classes, locales, and more all have great theming to them that even a spectator could decipher. The cartoony style fits the fantasy setting and enhances the humorous story and events. The soundtrack isn’t a huge standout, but there will be some songs that will inevitably be stuck in your head due to the time commitment. Overall Dokapon Kingdom: Connect has a great blend of style and charm enhances the adventure greatly. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: I had the joy of playing through Dokapon Kingdom: Connect with two close friends, and honestly I think this is what really boosted my enjoyment of the game. Being able to verbally jab one another for their insane luck or terrible misfortunes was something special and seldom found in other multiplayer games. I would compare it to “Mario Party-like” banter with even more stakes. We also had no issues with the multiplayer. For clarity, I had no practice playing the online features of the game. Even so the option of online matchmaking is a must and a welcome upgrade. Though part of me ponders on how good the game is standalone (according to others, the CPUs have gnarly difficulty). Nonetheless, getting engrossed in the mania of Dokapon kept us coming back for more. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Dokapon Kingdom: Connect is a game I HIGHLY recommend playing with others. Many modes exist but I do think that story mode is the way to digest the series, at least on a first playthrough. Granted you’ll be in it for the long haul but it’s worth enduring the absolute chaos. And not to sound like a broken record, but everything in Dokapon serves to enhance the absurdity - the characters, events, story, and more all make this a game like no other. If you are in the mood for a unique RPG adventure, I think Dokapon Kingdom: Connect fits the description. Just don’t ignore the fine print that says you may come out of the experience less sane.

⦿ In this land of pixels lives a 1-bit boy named Pip. However the evil queen DeRezzia looks to control this world by stealing the powers of the princess, and with control of the Bit Stream, absolutely anything and everything can be manipulated to her will. Pip goes on a quest to rescue princess Adeline and along the journey he gains the ability to evolve into a greater hero - literally and figuratively. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: This 2D-platformer mimics pixels games of old, most closely matching graphics from the Super Nintendo era of gaming. Instead of receiving varied power-ups, Pip is bestowed the power to evolve to 8-bit and 16-bit versions of himself, and all forms have unique traits that can be used to overcome obstacles. You frequently will have to devolve as well, whether that be to become lighter, pass through small gaps, etc. The level design is built around this mechanic and some tricky platforming or puzzle-solving challenges help to keep the adventure fresh. Defeating enemies and finding treasure provides bits as currency, and villagers that are rescued will repopulate the town - although this really only serves a purpose for the Blacksmith and Merchant. Each of them offer upgrades that temporarily or permanently enhance Pip although nothing here is required to beat the story. Adventures of Pip provides a pleasing romp through its five worlds on the way to rescuing the princess. ⦿ PRESENTATION: Personally, I think Adventures of Pip has good music and visuals, although nothing here was exceptional. The theming of each world is pretty typical for a “heroic journey”, and the accompanying music matches the tone of each area but I have no favorites to recall. The pixel world is about the most impressive showing but still falls short if you were to compare it to other 2D-platformers. The presentation of Adventures of Pip is of good quality, but to give it any more praise would be hyperbole. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: I did enjoy my time with playing Adventures of Pip! It succeeds at delivering a short game experience that is quite easy to 100% complete. I think many completionists looking to raise their trophies or gamerscore will find great value in this. Though the first con is what I can only describe as “jank” when it comes to platforming. On occasion you can miss jumps you otherwise would feel like clearing and I sometimes got caught on slanted ledges. Thanks to infinite lives and checkpoints this is a minor complaint but it does show that there are areas that still deserve polishing. The biggest criticism I have though is more abstract. For how solid the idea of evolving and devolving sprites is, I can’t help but feel like it went underutilized. Besides Pip, no enemies or terrain mutate into different pixel forms. I completely understand this is no small request and it would require heavy labor for this feature, but I finished Adventures of Pip feeling underwhelmed and kept imagining a more ambitious exploration of its core mechanic. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Overall I think Adventures of Pip is worth the play. The game is generally fun and has some dialogue that can warrant a chuckle. Nothing exceeds my expectations but I think the developers succeeded in creating the game they set out to make. If you are looking for a bite-sized platformer I think Adventures of Pip literally fits the description.

⦿ Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is an exciting revisit to some of Capcom’s most iconic games in the arcade era. Six classic Marvel fighting games are revived along with the black sheep beat 'em up, The Punisher. While I was personally too young to experience most of these games, hearing about their legacy and using this package as a way to experience them is easy and incredibly fun. Each game is given accessibility for button mapping and one-button specials, enhanced online play with rollback netcode, and challenges to test your skills. Hardcore fans will value the gallery which contains music and high quality production images across the series. I wish to go over each game individually, although keep in mind these thoughts and criticisms are coming from a casual fighting game fan. ⦿ THE PUNISHER: This beat ‘em up’s unapologetic violence is something to admire and is quite characteristic of the antihero. Its difficulty warrants several continues to make it to the final bout with Kingpin, but with no quarters at risk you can spam special moves and grenades maniacally. Despite being the odd one out in this bundle, The Punisher is a frantic game worth the play. ⦿ X-MEN: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM: The first foray into fighting classics, X-Men: Children of the Atom is a great first impression. Character animation is exceptional and each fighter is given moves very characteristic to their abilities. Music and stage background are great at setting the stage for each bout, too. However, there is some above average CPU difficulty and unique mechanics to adjust to, like using meter to tech grabs and frequent stun states. This game rates lower on my list, but as the first in the legacy of MvC, there’s still a lot to be appreciated. ⦿ MARVEL SUPER HEROES: The next game would lean more into more familiar Marvel heroes and villains - although oddballs like Shuma Gorath and Blackheart make this roster easily identifiable. The gimmick of the infinity stones granting the user a temporary buff is a great idea for enhancing gameplay and offering different play styles. This also introduces a more streamlined super move system which feels at home. Overall Marvel Super Heroes is a very great follow-up, and despite not being a frontrunner it still places very high on my personal list. ⦿ X-MEN VS STREET FIGHTER: The crossover that started it all, X-Men characters come to butt heads with familiar faces of the Street Fighter roster. This would also be the introduction into the tag system and cross-over moves which are a defining trait of future MvC titles. Combos become a bit more fleshed out too due to these additions. X-Men vs. Street Fighter would become a springboard for the rest of the series and it still has staying power due to its series defining mechanics. ⦿ MARVEL SUPER HEROES VS STREET FIGHTER: Several Marvel heroes are reintroduced into this crossover, with a few Street Fighter characters making their debut. The lost joke character Norimaro also makes a return in this edition which is a great surprise. With the inclusion of the cross-over assist, most of the core gameplay features of MvC culminate here and the next few games would evolve these mechanics. While not a drastic improvement over the previous game, these subtle tweaks in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter help the series grasp its potential. ⦿ MARVEL VS CAPCOM: CLASH OF SUPER HEROES: Let the floodgates open - a collection of the Marvel cast battle it out versus a varied roster of Capcom’s icons. Team assists would be replaced by special partners which dive deeper into each company's library of characters. And the new Duo Team Attack is mayhem incarnate with infinite hyper combos while active. Despite being the runner-up to the next game, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes is still a quintessential part of the MvC flavor. ⦿ MARVEL VS CAPCOM 2: NEW AGE OF HEROES: Practically the poster child of the series, 56 characters and teams of 3 bring the battle to another level. The game boasts an overhaul of the assist system and expanded team hyper combos that allow an unprecedented range of customization. Some mechanics are more streamlined and even new additions like snapback add layers of complexity. Many in the fighting game community praise this game over two decades later, and after playing it's not hard to see why Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is considered to be the pinnacle of the genre. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Even with all of the value here I cannot deny that this game will likely be shelved amongst the hundreds of other games in my library. For the current asking price it may be a little much for casual fans who want a taste of these games. All-in-all Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a fantastic return to form for the series, and those who want to experience its history and even endorse a sequel should not hesitate to participate in the crossover of a lifetime.

⦿ Vandelay Technologies is a growing business looking to enhance the public’s lives by offering robotic enhancements to its volunteers. You assume the role of Chai, an energetic 25 year-old looking for a shortcut that will help him fulfill his dream of becoming a rockstar. As fate would have it, Chai gets fused with his personal MP3 player and is labeled a defect, planned for decommission. In his effort to escape he meets Peppermint, a rebel looking to expose the nefarious secrets of Vandelay Technologies by obtaining passwords from the figureheads of the corporation. With his new robotic arm that helps him overcome foes and obstacles, Chai will encounter new allies in the pursuit of preventing project SPECTRA. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: The main gameplay loop transitions between platforming challenges and action battles. But the defining trait of Hi-Fi Rush is the integration of a rhythm system that syncs with the background music. This mechanic is baked into the platforming, combat, and some light puzzle-solving. Most chapters will begin with platforming, with a focus on infiltrating the buildings of the various Vandelay bosses. You’ll jump, dash, and grapple throughout these structures that match the personality of each figurehead. Despite the goal being the same for most stages, this intricate level design makes each level feel distinct from one another. Before long you will encounter enemies that will halt your progress. Defeating them is as simple as swinging your makeshift guitar and performing special moves - well, at least most of the time. Some enemies have defensive traits that must be dismantled with the help of your allies. This mixture of primary attacks, specials, assists, and active dodging or parrying keeps combat dynamic. But this doesn’t take into account the customization of your movelist, special attacks, and ability chips, all of which encourage you to find your own play style. This is all fueled by the collectibles: gears which act as a currency and other varied parts that will expand your health, special gauge, and ability chip options. Each stage has areas out of the way which will house these items, giving the player a reason to be actively involved in the platforming segments. The genre merge of Hi-Fi Rush is a great idea and it's all the more impressive that the gameplay nailed the rehearsal. ⦿ PRESENTATION: The other aspect of Hi-Fi Rush that sets it apart is the great design, both in terms of the art style and music. Hi-Fi Rush’s cel-shaded look is consistent eye candy with bright colors that pop, accompanied by stunning effects that are reminiscent of a comic book. This direction helps characters feel unique and makes the world much more lively. The world itself will even follow the beat - flashing bulbs, potted plants, heavy machinery and more will match the rhythm. As for the music, I personally feel Hi-Fi Rush has an excellent score that matches the vibe of the game. Many genres of music get their chance to shine, but the Rock focus definitely keeps the game feeling upbeat. The addition of licensed music is a welcome inclusion, and a setting to disable this music is a saving grace for content creators. Tango Gameworks brought their A-game to make the world of Hi-Fi Rush feel memorable through its excellent art design and soundtrack. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: The length of Hi-Fi Rush suits my tastes and took me just over eleven hours to beat the main story. The game dishes out enough content to feel satisfying without feeling bloated or overstaying its welcome. Even so, extra game modes and story challenges are unlocked after rolling credits, so dedicated players will not be starving for content. There are a few cons I do believe prevent the game from being at the top of my list. The first of which is the occasional onslaught of enemies which admittedly feels overwhelming to manage. I never found an excellent move for hitting or disrupting many enemies at once so that I can prevent an excessive need to dodge or parry. Some assists and additional skills seem to fill that role but do not fully remedy this issue. The last problem was external but cannot be overlooked - playing Hi-Fi Rush with any audio delay vastly hinders the experience. Using bluetooth earbuds with even semi-low latency made keeping the rhythm during battle exceedingly difficult, and unfortunately there are no manual delay settings that allows the player the opportunity to properly sync. This would be my most requested accessibility option for a sequel since not every player is guaranteed to have the same experience. ⦿ FINAL ASSESSMENT: Since making its sudden debut during the 2023 Microsoft & Bethesda Direct, Hi-Fi Rush has gained great acclaim and for good reason. The game delivers an experience seldom found elsewhere and is polished from top to bottom. I even suggest the game for those not versed in the action or rhythm genres, as Hi-Fi Rush's feel-good attitude puts on a performance worth attending.

⦿ Nintendo World Championships NES Edition explained in one sentence is a test of a player’s speed-running prowess using short challenges featuring popular games from the NES library. These thirteen games make up the bulk of the gameplay experience, and for some that may not be worth the asking price. ⦿ GAMEPLAY: The primary mode for the game is the aptly titled “Speedrun Mode.” The challenges for each game have a difficulty scale that begins by teaching the player regular controls of the game. Some high level challenges can range from fighting a particularly tough boss to beating an entire game. These higher difficulties must be unlocked using the main currency in the game, coins, which can be easily completed by finishing challenges. The better you perform, the more coins you receive. The rank that the game pushes you to achieve is at minimum an A-Rank as this unlocks a badge for your collection. Dedicated players who look to outperform the competition will want to achieve an S-Rank, which all but guarantees an above average time. When you get finished with unlocking all of the challenges the remainder of your coins will be going towards unlocking new Player Icons, which are sprites ripped from the featured NES titles. ⦿ ADDITIONAL MODES: The remaining modes that are made available are “World Championships” and “Survival Mode.” These two modes carry the most when trying to replicate the feeling of the real-life Nintendo World Championships. A crowd will cheer you on and even react during certain moments of the challenge and help immerse you in the experience. These modes rotate weekly, meaning there will be a variety of curated challenges that push you to compete. Focusing on the “World Championships” mode, this tasks you with beating five individual challenges. You are given as many attempts as you want to submit your best time, so there is not too much pressure even when taking on the more difficult challenges. Once the week rotates, the game goes over the leaderboard of times submitted and ranks you amongst the overall competitors and also ranks you in your birth year. There is also an opportunity to spectate the top times for each of the challenges, so this can be quite helpful if you are hunting for your own S-Ranks. Moving on to “Survival Mode,” this provides a more traditional approach. This uses the current pool of challenges that were selected for the week and requires you to compete with seven other players. The Silver Division is the easier of the two and has more approachable challenges. The Gold Division however features the harder challenges and harder rivals, making it the go-to mode for those itching to test their skills. This isn’t without one large caveat however - all the rivals you are racing against are not live and are instead ghost save data, which slightly raises the veil on the authenticity of the competition. However I do believe in the long term this was likely the best solution. Overall the gameplay and modes on hand are good at serving the theme and aura of the Nintendo World Championships. ⦿ PERSONAL THOUGHTS: To speak more on my personal experience, I think the game starts off excellently. The captions are quite quippy during the introduction which includes customizing your Player Icon, Hype Tag, and Favorite NES Game. And to speak on the Favorite NES Game portion, I was quite surprised to see most if not the entire NES library is present. It even gives the option of choosing Famicom specific games. In terms of heart it really does feel like the experience was made by and for people who appreciate the history of Nintendo. However, this feeling dissipates quickly as past this point are only the games and competition which feels like a missed opportunity. The immediate thing I took notice of is that there is no way to play the games on their own, and so you are strictly limited to the challenges. While NSO serves this role it would be a welcome addition when the service is no longer available. Another larger concern I have is primarily with the game’s future. To start I am worried there will not be any additional NES titles added past the thirteen on offer. And although this is the fate of all games, the player count will likely drop off drastically as time marches on leaving only the few dedicated masters remaining. I believe that using the ghost data for the online modes is their solution for this, but I can’t help but feel that nothing incentivizes the average player to return for more. ⦿ FINAL ASSESMENT: Nintendo World Championships NES Edition is a great time for those looking to experience a slice of what the real event would offer. However, this game is for speedrunners and this group alone. If you have no motivation to practice and achieve the best time possible for each challenge, then I would advise passing on the game. I think most would find more value in spending their money on a modern Switch title instead of taking a brief trip down memory lane.

⦿ Okami is an action/adventure game much like the Legend of Zelda series, where a large focus of the game is exploration of the world and overcoming challenges to improve your arsenal. The primary upgrades you will encounter are the Celestial Brush techniques, which have varied types that organically fit into combat and puzzle solving. The weapons you will come across are Divine Instruments, categorized as Reflectors, Rosaries, and Glaives. These weapons can be equipped in the Main slot or Sub slot, and are a great opportunity for experimenting with combat. A common resource that also benefits your growth is Praise which are points that fuel a targeted skill. This resource gives you flexibility on increasing your health, ink pots, purse size, and Astral Pouch (a revival mechanic if you run out of heath). You may also find special Holy Artifacts that can be equipped and have varying abilities. ⦿ Focusing on exploration, traversal is as simple as running through an area to get to your main objective. Despite not sounding fast or exciting, Amaterasu can pick up speed quickly with a dash, and at full speed leaves trails of flowers and vegetation. The combination of music and effects does leave a lasting impression and makes this mundane task very enjoyable. The game does include a means of fast travel, though limited to certain locations and require a consumable item. While this is archaic compared to modern games it never became an issue. There exists a more convenient method of fast travel although it is obtained by exchanging Demon Fangs, a rare item found by defeating enemies in specific ways. Without taking too deep a dive into the world of Okami, there are many locations to visit, all of which feel distinct from one another. Each main area is satisfying to traverse and some of the locales are extraordinary and fit the fantastical journey. As mentioned before, the Celestial Brush aids with impacting the world - from cutting down obstacles, bombing vulnerable walls or floors, and even slowing down time. The game progresses at a pace where you will always have what you need to further the story, but the game does reward players who revisit previous areas with more treasure and special collectibles. The main puzzle solving challenges are seen primarily during “dungeons” - cursed zones, enemy strongholds, invaded shrines, etc. This is where Celestial Brush techniques get used the most as they can affect terrain and use elemental powers to create new routes. Overall the exploration of Okami is great and is leveraged by the style and imagination of its world. ⦿ During exploration you will encounter a large variety of enemies that seek to slow down Amaterasu. Early combat of the game is a bit simplistic as you mostly rely on your main weapon and the Power Slash brush technique. However, as you gain more combat abilities, weapons, and Celestial Brush techniques, action becomes much more involved. Some enemies can still be linear to defeat but recognizing the right tool for the job always feels great. This is doubly true for boss fights, where landing an extra effective attack on the enemy can allow for great damage opportunities. Another great option is Gold Dust which can permanently power up a favorite weapon. The final element worth mentioning is the combat rating, which judges your performance in time and damage that can earn you additional yen. While combat in Okami is simple in comparison to action oriented games of the present day, the developers took plenty of time to refine the systems and have it evolve throughout the journey. ⦿ Speaking personally, very few titles in the industry come close to matching the feel of Okami. The uniqueness of Okami’s presentation carries it heavily, and there is no doubt that this is the reason it still stays relevant in the discussion of exceptional games occupying the action/adventure genre. Despite loving the game from beginning to end, a con that I could not ignore while playing was the occasional cutscene or dialogue exposition which would drag on. I have no qualms with the overall story of Okami, but there are times where you are subjected to lines of text that cannot be sped up. To me this causes a disconnect from the moment to moment gameplay, especially in tense situations where I am eager to return to the action. A much lesser problem that I encountered in the game was an uncooperative camera in certain areas and some platforming where the perspective was jarring. Neither of these issues were frequent enough to deduct points but are present nonetheless. ⦿ Okami HD revitalizes the classic PS2 title for a current audience to take delight in. And even though the competition in the genre has only expanded since its original release, I urge you not to let this be a deciding factor on skipping the game. Okami oozes an irreplaceable charm and delivers a satisfying experience throughout. I believe Okami is a pillar of the action/adventure genre that anyone can enjoy.