junglewolf

For anyone looking to relive the good old days of classic “street fighting” games (beat ’em ups), but with modern graphics and a great soundtrack, Streets of Rage 4 is the way to go. It keeps the core mechanics of its predecessors while adding a little bit of spice (but just a little): new characters, local/online co-op for up to 4 players, an improved combo system (one of the series’ trademarks), new game modes such as Boss Rush, and a few small additions, like the ability to catch an item in mid-air after throwing it at an enemy.Although the characters retain a good portion of their original moves, some moves that were previously available to everyone (such as running) are now restricted to certain characters. I don’t see this as a disadvantage, but rather as a way to differentiate their playstyles and improve the overall **** new graphics are absolutely stunning and vibrant, but the Pixel Art purists haven’t been forgotten either, as you can unlock characters in a retro style.Streets of Rage 4 is a gem for anyone who enjoys the genre, and it has the potential to attract a whole new generation of gamers.

This is a review from someone who had their first contact with the Warhammer series and was simply looking for an arcade-style “dogfight” game with a single-player campaign.Well, starting with the tutorial, I got the impression that the game had a lot of potential within its intended scope: the controls are simple, the maneuvers feel satisfying, the offensive gameplay is pretty much what you would expect, the characters are amusing, there’s a great rock soundtrack, and the graphics are good (and, overall, still hold up in **** you progress through the campaign, however, the gameplay turns out to be basically the same as what you experienced in the tutorial, with very little progression as you move forward. This makes it quite repetitive. The ship upgrades aren't particularly meaningful either, and you never really get a sense of progression. The enemies don't offer much variety either, with most of the variation coming from the **** for the story, I wasn't expecting much, given that the setting is essentially centered around war and battles, but the dialogue is long and annoying (despite the good voice acting).I eventually abandoned the campaign. Maybe the multiplayer is more satisfying and fun, but unfortunately I couldn't find any online match to try. I can't recommend the single-player experience.

Definitely, Lego and “kart racer” are a great combination. Besides the traditional formula, it features vehicle transformations when switching between different environments (asphalt, off-road, water), like in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed; vehicle damage/destruction, like in Burnout; the ability to create vehicles from scratch (or modify existing ones); and an “open-world” style **** graphics are very good, the soundtrack is decent, and the online multiplayer is great. As for the campaign, besides the races, there are other challenges and plenty of exploration in the excellent environments, which allow you to progress and unlock/collect parts.I found the amount of dialogue excessive, especially considering that much of it is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The races are very dynamic and aggressive, with a good number of “power-ups” to mess with the other players. The destruction animations for the environments and vehicles, as well as the transformation animations, are really **** of the weaker points, in my opinion, is how difficult it is to select which vehicles you want to use in casual matches (outside of the campaign), in addition to local multiplayer only supporting 2 players.I don’t think these flaws take away from the game’s overall appeal, and it’s definitely well worth it for anyone who enjoys the genre.

I came across this game by chance, and knowing that it takes place in the same universe as the interesting "Golf Club Nostalgia," I decided to give it a chance... and I don't regret it. Although the first 30 minutes may feel like more of the same within the platformer genre, the adventure starts to get exciting with the constant new ideas it brings to the **** has great graphics, a good soundtrack (and eccentric at times), and a story with plenty of criticism of today's humanity and big tech companies. Although the game is inspired by children's classics, its themes are definitely not ****'s not perfect, and there are a few sections that I didn't think were particularly well designed and that will require quite a few attempts. I was pleasantly surprised by The Cub, and it is definitely worth giving it a chance.

This little game pleasantly surprised me, despite its simple premise: playing golf on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The soundtrack really stands out and does a great job of immersing you in the atmosphere. In fact, without it, this game could have easily been released as a smartphone title.There are two adventure modes: one gives you unlimited strokes and focuses more on immersion and exploring the game's world, while the other limits your number of strokes, making it more challenging—which is the mode I **** story is simple, and the mysteries gradually unfold through journal entries and the podcast that plays during each course. For a golf game, that's more narrative than you'd normally **** main criticism is the analog stick's shot power control, which isn't particularly intuitive. Overall, though, I really enjoyed my time with Golf Club Nostalgia. I liked its arcade-style gameplay, its length—which is just right to avoid overstaying its welcome (around 2–3 hours)—its excellent soundtrack, and its always-welcome social commentary on humanity's actions.

If you felt burned out after playing through Doom Eternal's campaign, this expansion probably isn't for you. It introduces very few new enemies and instead focuses on creating even more punishing combat scenarios using the same enemy roster. The story is fairly basic, but that's pretty common for expansions. Honestly, anyone playing Doom isn't usually expecting a deeply elaborate narrative, even though Doom Eternal significantly expanded the franchise's lore. In the end, it's more of the same—only harder and, at times, more frustrating.

Northgard is a well-made RTS with beautiful visuals, a great soundtrack, a more cartoonish art style, and mechanics that set it apart from its inspirations (Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, etc.). It introduces city-building concepts such as happiness, food management, and seasonal changes into the classic RTS formula, making matches both more challenging and **** game features a good variety of Viking clans, each with its own unique traits, although there isn't much military diversity among the base-game clans—a weakness that is partially addressed by some of the DLC clans. Overall, there is also a limited variety of military units and upgrades, which may make the game less appealing to players who enjoy large-scale battles.Surprisingly, matches require constant combat against the wildlife and mythical creatures scattered across the map (yes, the game fully embraces Norse mythology). The campaign tells a simple, folklore-inspired story with solid voice acting, and it does a decent job of teaching the game's fundamentals, even if some mission objectives can be a bit unclear at times.Skirmish matches against the AI offer limited customization: you can choose the map size, your clan, and the difficulty, but not much else. There are multiple victory conditions, including economic and military, but you can't restrict the match to a single victory type, which, in my experience, makes it harder to focus on a specific strategy.Some clans feel unbalanced, especially the DLC ones, which introduce unique military units. Overall, I found the new ideas that Northgard brings to the RTS genre quite interesting, despite the fact that the harsh climate and map hazards are constantly slowing you down in one way or another, along with the balance issues in skirmish matches. I think it's well worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre.

Doom Eternal cranks up the frantic pace of its predecessor, shifting the focus toward a more "arena/gladiator" style experience where you battle the franchise's many familiar demons across a variety of locations, with short platforming sections bridging the gap between combat encounters. The action is faster, more dynamic, and more challenging, demanding more from the player since each enemy now has specific weaknesses that need to be exploited before you can take them down.This sequel also adds more depth to the game's weapons, equipment, and abilities, requiring players to make smarter choices when it comes to upgrades. The lore has been expanded considerably as well, though it's never forced on you: you'll come across lengthy codex entries that flesh out the story. Personally, it didn't really click with me, and I prefer the more focused scope of the previous games, but it's there for those who enjoy digging into the **** game excels in terms of graphics, gameplay, storytelling, sound design, voice acting, and optimization. Even with ray tracing enabled at native resolution, I was able to get excellent frame rates. It's a shame, though, that it becomes extremely repetitive. You'll be fighting the same enemies over and over throughout the campaign, with the game mostly increasing their numbers as you progress and occasionally throwing in a tougher demon to raise the difficulty. At times, this can even become frustrating, even on the "normal" **** platforming segments and the occasional simple puzzle do help break up the action and add some variety to the adventure. Still, after about 3 to 5 hours, you've already experienced roughly 90% of what the game has to offer (it took me around 20 hours to finish), and from that point on you're mostly unlocking a new weapon here and there to help you deal with increasingly intense **** be honest, I only finished the campaign out of respect for its excellent predecessor, because I had already grown tired of the repetitive gameplay loop.

This arcade/runner had potential, but it chose a very limited scope. It’s visually appealing thanks to its graphics, simple gameplay, and soundtrack, but it lacks variety and quickly becomes repetitive. The game only has a single stage that keeps cycling through the same environments while slightly increasing the difficulty as you score points (by delivering **** points earn you coins that let you buy a handful of upgrades that actually make a difference (through the workshop), while the rest are purely cosmetic (different cars and car parts). The game isn’t bad, but it falls into that “play it to kill time” category (waiting in line at the bank, **** can experience pretty much everything the game has to offer within 30–60 minutes.

Even more than 15 years after its release, Batman: Arkham Asylum is still relevant in the context of superhero games. It gets more right than it does wrong, and it manages to put you in the shoes of the Dark Knight in a very satisfying way. Like many AAA titles, it blends multiple genres, delivering a more varied experience with a stronger focus on beat ’em up, stealth, and metroidvania **** story is engaging, the voice acting is very strong (especially the Joker), the combat feels satisfying (even if it lacks variety), and the soundtrack fits well. The visuals are a bit dated by 2026 standards—especially the environments—but some character models still stand out (like the **** progression system is simple, with little variation between upgrades, but it gets the job done. The game takes place on an island, and certain areas can only be accessed after acquiring specific equipment or abilities (in true metroidvania fashion). This mechanic significantly boosts replay value if you want to uncover all the secrets and collectibles.This game set the standard combat system for the rest of the series, as well as for other Warner titles like the Middle-earth series and Mad Max. It’s a solid system, but since this was its first iteration, it doesn’t offer much variety, which can make combat feel repetitive over time.Finally, there’s an extra challenge mode featuring both horde-style combat and stealth scenarios. Overall, I had a satisfying experience with the game, found its length appropriate (around 13 hours), and would recommend it to fans of superhero games and the genres mentioned above.

This collection of the classic NES Mega Man games (“little Mega Mans”) is quite nice for fans of the series, and it also makes the games more accessible thanks to optional features like rewinding time and saving at any moment (the well-known “save state” from emulators). Nowadays, it’s definitely one of the best ways to experience these classics, especially with the added in-game database that includes images and details about each NPC.Although I really like the series (especially from the X era onward), I recognize that without these optional features, these games can be quite frustrating—sometimes to the point of not being enjoyable. The nostalgic 8-bit graphics may not appeal to everyone, but it’s interesting to see the evolution between the games and what was possible at the time (given the technological and hardware limitations).I finished all six games for the first time in this collection, and I can say the experience was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. The highlights, in my opinion, are Mega Man 2, 5, and 6. It’s a great collection for fans, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone (unless you’re simply curious).

Chivalry is the kind of game that hooks you fast. I’d already had a lot of fun with the first one, and this sequel raises the bar: better graphics, improved combat movement, and more customization options. It has a solid, quick tutorial that teaches you all the possible moves (you’ll probably need to revisit it at some point). Like the first game, the combat system is easy to learn, but when it’s go time, things get intense. It’s fun and even a bit comical.

This adaptation of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy into the LEGO world is easily one of the best in the game franchise. It follows the structure established in LEGO Star Wars while slightly refining the combat mechanics, featuring smarter and more cohesive puzzles, adding optional checkpoints within levels, and delivering an open-world map of Middle-earth where players can explore to unlock characters, purchase weapon upgrades, and take on optional tasks (quests). It’s a feast for anyone who enjoys a good “collectathon.” I did run into a bug or two in the Return of the King stages that forced me to restart certain sections—or even entire levels (especially those without checkpoints).

Very good! One of the best video games ever made, without a doubt. It follows the same “metroidvania” style as the first one, but puts a greater emphasis on combat and optional content in this sequel. The Ori series carries a lot of “feeling” in its story, characters, and in every part of its world, which makes it stand out compared to others in the genre. The soundtrack is a key piece in that regard and truly makes all the difference. Each new area you explore brings something fresh, keeping the adventure from ever feeling **** character progression system really conveys a sense of true “evolution,” not only in combat but also in the character’s movement and agility. And to top it all off, the graphics are stunning and timeless! The world is so beautiful and captivating that you just want to explore every corner. An absolute masterpiece!

When you start Mirror’s Edge, the game immediately draws you in with a wide range of moves meant to be used in first-person platforming challenges, bringing a new kind of immersion to the genre and promising an interesting storyline. However, things don’t go very **** idea of a first-person platformer has potential, but there’s a strong reason why most games in the genre aren’t made this way: your perception of the surrounding environment is quite limited, making it easy to miss jumps and fall off edges, which leads to frustration. Some challenges were poorly thought out, considering how the character’s movement interacts with them, resulting in several retries to overcome **** story seems interesting at first, but as the campaign goes on it becomes somewhat confusing and clichéd. Speaking of atmosphere, the environments and objects are repetitive, creating a constant feeling of more of the same. Despite the focus being on platforming, there is some shooting and hand-to-hand combat, but these mechanics aren’t very well executed and are discouraged most of the time.Even though it’s already considered “old,” the graphics still hold up well, the animations and voice acting are solid, and the movement and mechanics feel good. Mirror’s Edge is the kind of game that didn’t really make me want to play more than one hour a day, and I felt the campaign length was just right (around 7 hours).Overall, it didn’t impress me that much, and I’d only recommend it to those who want to try a new kind of platforming experience, one that feels more “grounded” and closer to reality.

It surprised me in a very positive way, and it’s yet another proof that flashy graphics aren’t everything in a video game. It’s a strategy game that feels a lot like chess, but with additional mechanics that, while not complex, make matches deeper and more interesting. On top of that, it follows a roguelike premise: if you lose, you have to restart the campaign from the beginning (but don’t worry—you can finish it in just a few **** each match, you control three types of mechs, each with a specific purpose on the battlefield (the board). Every mech has a pilot who gains experience and abilities as the team succeeds in battles. If a mech is destroyed, you lose the pilot, and only the basic robot—without abilities—can be used in future runs (though you can obtain others). The focus of each match isn’t eliminating enemies, but protecting buildings, which effectively represent the player’s “health.” Even though it sounds simple, you really only get the hang of it after losing quite a **** forced campaign restart when you lose is actually a great idea, as it allows you to save at least one mech pilot and go back in time to try everything again. The game features a well-designed progressive difficulty system that gives you time to learn, but also includes randomness that can be frustrating at times. Enemy variety is interesting and genuinely impacts gameplay (damn spiders). There’s a lot of replay value, since you can finish the campaign at different points (the later you go, the harder it gets), and you can also unlock other mech squads with abilities very different from the starting ones.I really liked the fact that matches are short and that you can save at any time (not everyone has hours to spend gaming). Into the Breach is excellent—and it will hook you (in a good way).

Under The Waves is a narrative-driven drama with underwater exploration that also delivers a strong message about humanity’s impact on the oceans. It manages to convey a level of underwater immersion that few similar games achieve. Unfortunately, from a technical standpoint, the game has issues that hinder **** graphics are quite good, and the ocean environments successfully convey a sense of magnitude, mystery, silence, and darkness. The main character is well developed, has good voice acting, and genuinely conveys the drama he is experiencing (I was able to see him as a real person). Interaction with other characters is well done and believable. The game features three types of movement: standard movement inside the “dry” station, diving, and submarine piloting. The diving and submarine controls can sometimes be confusing, but you get used to them over time. Submarine piloting is an essential feature of the adventure, especially for traveling long distances. I also liked the option of three different camera views while piloting (although third-person is generally the most relevant, especially for seeing the surroundings). There are some quirky features, such as making faces in the mirror and a punching bag suddenly appearing for practice.Regarding technical issues: the game crashes randomly and displays an error message (this happened at least three times during the adventure at key moments, such as the end of Day 2); the character’s lip-sync during dialogue scenes is poor (nowadays it’s rare to see a game with this kind of issue), which breaks immersion somewhat—especially in a narrative-focused game; finally, I noticed occasional synchronization problems between events and the start of dialogue (for example, the character starts talking about barrels he is supposedly seeing before actually reaching the area with those barrels).Under The Waves is a good game with a relevant message, but it’s a shame that, so far, the developers have not fixed these technical issues that hurt immersion (especially the random crashes and the lack of synchronization between events and dialogue). For this reason, I would not recommend it at the moment.

For Honor follows a similar formula to the classic Star Wars Battlefront games, but with a focus on medieval combat. It features attractive graphics, is well optimized, and has well-designed and well-implemented melee combat mechanics. It includes a short single-player campaign, but the real focus is on online multiplayer (which is quite fun). If you’re looking for a game in this style, it’s worth giving it a **** for the single-player campaign: it’s not bad, considering it was built from a game primarily focused on multiplayer. The storyline is simple (war-driven, somewhat “fanatical”), and it teaches you the basics of playing the different character classes from each faction. It features challenging battles and helps prepare your skills for multiplayer. To be honest, it can get repetitive, but I managed to finish it. If you’re thinking of buying the game solely for the single-player experience, it’s not worth **** developers got the combat mechanics right: the system is simple and intuitive, but not easy to master. In addition, each character class has variations of attacks and physical traits that make the experience more **** negative points that bothered me the most: it requires an internet connection and access to the game’s servers even to play the single-player campaign. I also didn’t find a simple offline mode to practice against AI (bots). I also missed having more options for interacting with the environments.

Time Loader is a narrative-driven platformer with puzzle elements, featuring an interesting story, a charismatic protagonist, and an “extra seasoning” involving changes to timelines. Despite the promising premise, the adventure feels somewhat monotonous and lonely, and the physics can be frustrating when interacting with objects and tackling platforming challenges.Overall, the game has a lighter, more “cozy” vibe, and most of the puzzles are simple (though one or two will really make you rack your brain). The first playthrough is relatively short (around 4 hours), but at the end the game unlocks the ability to select timelines and moments in time, allowing you to revisit specific sections and try to improve them (yes, the game has 3 possible endings, plus 1 secret). Some items can only be collected if you make changes in an earlier timeline, which adds another layer of complexity if you’re aiming for the best endings and also boosts replay value. The secret ending has an “interesting twist,” but at the same time it requires interaction “outside the game,” which can be an **** graphics are generally not bad (with the exception of the cat), the voice acting is good, but the soundtrack is somewhat depressing. One issue I noticed is the lack of support for higher resolutions without “black bars,” like in movies (the maximum supported height is currently 1080p).Time Loader is not a bad game; it has interesting ideas, but in my view it doesn’t feel technically polished.

Jusant is a game that catches your attention right away with its focus and mechanics of climbing and exploration, as well as its great graphics. Although it left me feeling lost at times, confused about the adventure's goal, and sometimes bored with the repetition, it is still a decent game (it even made me want to try rock **** only are the graphics great, but also the soundtrack, environments, and colors. The main distinguishing feature of the game is the climbing mechanics, which are pretty **** story starts off intentionally shallow: you are a wanderer who finds a giant rock/mountain resembling a tower and begins to climb it, uncovering its mysteries through documents containing conversations of the people who lived there, as well as the structures and the environment. Personally, I found most of the reports boring.Most of the levels have a considerable duration, and some allow for exploring different paths to reach the goal (at times, I felt a bit lost). Some of them became somewhat tedious due to their length and **** thing that annoyed me in this PC version is the ghosting (motion blur effect) caused by the "anti-aliasing" setting in darker parts of the levels (and it cannot be disabled through the interface). I noticed this with both TSR and FSR. It also seems like the game isn’t very well optimized (even with decent hardware, there are some frame drops... which means you have to rely on FSR). One last point that bothered me was the auto-save feature: it’s not always clear when it happens, and when you reload the game, you don’t return to where you left off. The cherry on top comes at the end, and it’s worth completing the adventure for those who have sensitivity and respect for nature.

Alien Breed 3 is the final part of the trilogy that began with Impact, and once again follows the same repetitive formula, with very few additions and no significant improvements. It brings more variety in the environments, a new weapon or two, in addition to the constant annoying explosions from Impact. They tried to implement an over-the-shoulder camera in some specific parts, but it wasn’t well executed (the aim isn’t as precise as in the top-down view, and you can’t see the monsters’ appearance clearly). I also noticed that this game has small bugs when interacting with uneven terrain (the character sometimes gets stuck). The plot is interesting, but a certain NPC who keeps talking in your ear ends up being annoying. It’s not a bad game, but I wouldn’t recommend playing the trilogy all at once, as it would definitely become monotonous halfway through (I couldn’t play any of the games in this trilogy for more than an hour a day).

Alien Breed 2 is literally the second part of the series (which started with Impact), continuing the campaign directly. There aren’t many surprises here: the game still focuses heavily on combat (with horror as the backdrop), the basic mechanics remain the same (interacting with computers/switches/valves to open new areas and fighting off aliens), and the manual camera control hasn’t changed. What’s new: two new weapons (which are actually pretty decent), one or two additional enemy types, some new camera perspectives in certain moments (some of them really bad), a few isolated new mechanics (which, in my opinion, weren’t very well implemented), and an extension of the story (which is nice). I just want to highlight my frustration with the front-facing camera scenes, where you can’t see the enemies in front of you. Why on earth would a top-down game do that???As for improvements, I noticed that the constant explosions were toned down, as well as those narrow flaming sections (where not even acrobatics could save you). Upgrading weapons/items also seems more accessible now (I assume because of the higher availability of “credits” throughout the **** thing that still needed improvement is the remote conversations with other characters that start right when everything is going to hell, making it impossible to read anything.Anyway, honestly, I ended up feeling like I enjoyed the first game more, despite the additions in this second title. I’d only recommend it to people who liked the first one, because this is pretty much more of the same, without fixing the weak points.

Alien Breed is a decent top-down shooter, heavily inspired by the Alien franchise (yes, it’s not set in the same universe), with a space-horror vibe — though it’s really focused on frantic **** those who want a more “gentle” first step into the horror genre, this game might be a good starting point, because despite the atmosphere, most of the scares come from explosions and loud noises rather than from the monsters themselves. The top-down perspective also helps, since you’re always aware of what’s around you — and, consequently, where danger is coming from. As I said before, the real focus of the adventure is combat, with the “horror” serving more as a **** story doesn’t stray far from others in the genre and isn’t anything special, but I really liked how the cutscenes are presented in comic-book style (and with good voice acting). The campaign follows a repetitive formula: basically, in each area you have to run back and forth interacting with computers to unlock new sections, while shooting monsters in between. There are no puzzles to solve. For me, about an hour of playtime is **** graphics, though dated, still look good — especially the monsters (and the top-down view helps with that **** for combat, the campaign offers a decent variety of weapons, each better suited for certain situations (depending on enemies and environment). The game also includes an upgrade system for gear and items, which, in my experience on normal difficulty, I mostly ignored because of the high prices. In survival-style games like this, saving resources is key, and keeping extra cash for health items made more sense to **** terms of controls, there’s nothing to complain about: they’re responsive, straightforward, and work well with a gamepad (I played with a DualShock 4 without issues).What bothered me most during gameplay: the constant explosions throughout all levels (especially the noise), narrow fire sections where you end up getting burned despite all your dodging, and finally the camera rotation — you get used to it, but it could have been automatic, or at least an option.This review only covers the single-player campaign, but the game also supports online co-op (which I haven’t tried yet).

I had played "runner" games like Temple Run on my smartphone before, but never seriously. TRON RUN/r was a surprise, first because I didn’t know this kind of game existed for PC, and second because of the expansion of possibilities it brought. It’s arcade, casual, with beautiful graphics, a great soundtrack, and it delivers more than other games in the genre.TRON RUN/r has several game modes, and the ones that stand out are: the "disc" (which features a series of levels consisting of platform challenges, involving not only jumping back and forth but also flying, walking on walls, throwing discs at enemies, and other possibilities), the "cycle" (levels with the bike, which are quite similar to a race against time but with obstacles and enemies), and the "stream" (levels generated with a mix of "disc" and "cycle", with an online leaderboard). The "Outlands" DLC offers 16 more levels alternating between "disc" and "cycle," but with new environments. The "disc" mode is really what stands out, and it's quite engaging. Before starting the levels, you can choose your character, customize the colors, and select a bike from the available models (though this is just an aesthetic change), which helps to diversify the experience, which can become repetitive over time. After completing the single-player levels in "disc" and "cycle," what would keep you engaged in the experience would be the "stream" mode to compete on the online leaderboards, but unfortunately, the servers are down as of **** those looking for a casual and different platformer experience, TRON RUN/r is a solid choice. But if you're expecting some kind of storyline, you can skip it. It's a shame the servers are offline.

Little Nightmares II manages to bring the atmosphere of the first game into a larger world, but it doesn't surpass it. Still, it's a good horror, platforming, and puzzle game.Like the first title, it can create moments of tension and despair like few others. The graphics are excellent and timeless. The soundtrack is well-rounded and fits the adventure perfectly. As for the story, it's more fast-paced than the first one and requires more reflection to understand the conclusion. Little Nightmares II adds a simplified combat mechanic, which, although welcome, can be frustrating since it’s more reliant on timing than skill. Speaking of frustrations, the controls aren’t as responsive and can cause headaches during platforming challenges and interactions with the environment. The camera angle also doesn't help with some platforming challenges and can be quite irritating. Lastly, the Enhanced Edition, which I played, adds new graphical settings, but it has occasional stuttering between areas when ray-tracing is enabled. Finally, I just want to praise the third area of the game, which was undoubtedly the best and most terrifying.

Carrion is a great Metroidvania, with an unconventional protagonist and unique mechanics. The pixel art graphics are really cool, especially those of the protagonist. It follows the basic open-world formula, with back-and-forth progression based on new abilities acquired. The combat in Carrion is strategic: although you control a bizarre and large creature, it’s quite vulnerable to enemies, and often you need to rely on stealth and other "means" (which I won't mention here to avoid spoiling the experience). The story isn’t anything groundbreaking in the sci-fi universe, but it’s interesting and revealed gradually through playable "flashbacks." There are some abilities the monster gains that are quite different from what you typically see in other games of the genre, making the experience more fun. The soundtrack has a mysterious tone, fitting well with the adventure’s atmosphere. All in all, Carrion is an intriguing game with a short duration (but sufficient), bringing new elements to the table, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

Night Slashers Remake, just like the original, is not a great example of the Beat 'em Up genre, but it offers revamped graphics, a remastered soundtrack, support for up to 4 players simultaneously, a new character, difficulty selection, and new game modes.I hadn’t played the original before the remake, but I made sure to play it afterward to get a better view of the experience before and after.About the original: it’s a short game (less than 50 minutes if you have "unlimited credits"), with not much variety in enemies, bosses with varying difficulties (instead of progressively increasing difficulty), and some questionable stage mechanics (chases). Also, personally, I don’t think the character lineup fits the theme very well (we have a vampire hunter who fights in a suit and kicks enemies), perhaps warriors with weapons would make more sense. The storyline here isn’t really the strong point either, as in most games of the genre.About the remake: besides the aforementioned additions, it makes some changes to the original’s “arcade” premise, like replacing the “credit” system with lives (if you run out of them, you have to redo the stage), reworking the difficulty and fighting style of some bosses (notably the vampire, who is quite easy in the original), improving animations between stages (adding more context and pauses for the story), and dialogues (now more spaced out). Regarding the reworked bosses, the second-to-last stage became harder: here, you face all the bosses in the game, and in the original they had half health, but in the remake, they have full health, with the added difficulty of the new limited-life system. As for the "graphical upgrade," it looks good but "cartoonish," losing some of the "horror" feeling that the original had (which had good pixel art). Since it’s a "remake" and not a "remaster," the developers could have reworked the chase mechanics, which are quite annoying, as well as expanded the campaign (it's a very short **** experience with these games was "single player," and this review would be more complete with the fun the "multiplayer" brings. For now, I wouldn't recommend the game (unless you're a fan of the genre), given that there are so many other good ones (both current and retro) available on the market.

My experience with Spyro on the PlayStation was very brief and shallow at the time. When I saw the graphics of this remastered trilogy, I decided to give it a chance... and to my surprise, it was what reignited my interest in 3D platformers. The graphical remaster turned out amazingly well, making the visuals feel truly timeless, on top of having excellent voice acting. The whole dynamic and mechanics of the original games were preserved, with small improvements to the controls.This classic trilogy has a very unique platforming style and introduces a more simplified open-world concept compared to today’s games: each “land/world” in the game is essentially a hub that gives you access to other levels. The stages themselves don’t have a high difficulty level or hair-pulling platform challenges — the real focus is exploration and item collecting (yes, it’s very much a collect-a-thon). Most of the levels were brilliantly designed, not only structurally but also artistically (the remaster turned the PS1’s basic idea into something wonderful). The NPCs were also reworked, now being more charismatic and better designed.Anyway, I could go on with more praises, but speaking a little about the games themselves… The first one is my favorite: it establishes the core dynamic of the series, feels very complete, and is full of secrets. The second one follows the same line and introduces side quests (though I felt overall it had a more childish tone). The last game tries to bring in too many new things and ends up feeling bloated (like the “skating” missions for a dragon ?? probably because Tony Hawk was the big trend at the time), and it even forces you to collect everything to unlock the real final ****’s impossible not to recommend Spyro to anyone who enjoys platformers — but above all, to those who love collect-a-thons (which is, in my opinion, the real charm of the game). Nowadays, it’s hard to find games like Spyro, which were a craze back in the 90s.

This one surprised me: not only because it fits the metroidvania style, but also because it's a very well-made example of the genre (easily one of the best I've ever played). I knew Strider Hiryu, the main character, through the game Marvel vs Capcom, and this was my first solo game in the series. The experience was very positive, not only in terms of gameplay but also in the overall adventure setting (futuristic oriental vibe). For anyone who's watched Samurai X, you're going to feel like a true slasher playing this one: the action is fast and dynamic, and as you progress through the campaign, the quick switching between acquired abilities becomes more necessary. Like any "metroidvania" game, you have a large open world, where certain areas can only be accessed later as you unlock new abilities. I liked that the map always points you to where you need to go if you want to advance in the campaign, but it doesn't force you to follow it. There are various secrets and upgrades to be collected, which can extend the adventure by a few hours (I took about 9 hours to finish, collecting around 80% of the items). Another positive point is that it doesn't try to be more than it is, making the adventure satisfying without being too long (although I have to admit, it left me wanting more). The variety of enemies is nice, and the boss fights become more fun as you progress through the campaign. Speaking of bosses, they also follow the futuristic oriental vibe (kung-fu style) of the adventure. So, what was missing? Well, I think the plot is quite basic, and you don't uncover much about it while exploring the environments (there's no depth or mystery like in Hollow Knight, for example). Another issue is that the characters don’t speak (no voice acting), but honestly, that didn’t affect my enjoyment. The graphics are still good, although a bit dated (a remaster would be nice). Strider is awesome!

This variant of the classic Lego games (like the focus on the first 4 Harry Potter films/books) follows the traditional formula: puzzles that are mostly simple, clumsy combat (in this game, very little of it), humor (sometimes silly), and a lot of item collecting (yes, it’s a collectathon). It’s very well detailed, and features many references not only to the films but also to the books (even so, if the player hasn’t had access to the source material, they’ll undoubtedly struggle to understand the story, but probably most people who buy this game have some familiarity with the series). It makes heavy use of the film’s soundtrack, which enhances the adventure’s atmosphere (however, some songs play constantly and somewhat out of context, which breaks the mood a bit, not to mention they can get annoying). It offers a lot of extra content, guaranteeing several hours of replay to unlock everything and earn all achievements. The best levels are in the 4th film, though there are a few gems in the others. One thing I like about this title is that it doesn’t try to be 100% faithful to the movie experience, and adapts many parts thinking about how they would be fun as a game. This particular LEGO game feels more childlike and has a greater focus on interacting with the environment’s objects and collecting collectibles, which may not appeal to everyone. It’s definitely not the best LEGO title, but if you’re a fan of the formula and the Harry Potter universe, you should find something here to enjoy. It’s worth mentioning that the PC port randomly crashed/broke a few times.

ArcSys is already a well-known name in the fighting game market, and this is yet another gem published by the company. It features a vast and diverse roster of playable characters. The game includes more traditional and simplified mechanics and moves compared to others in the genre (but still allows for extensive combos), which helps newcomers ease into fighting games. The soundtrack follows the familiar 'rock' style of other anime fighters and does not disappoint. The arcade mode includes dialogues that help players understand who the characters are and what motivates them (they can be skipped if you just want to jump straight into the action). It's a shame that the original arcade resolution (720p) wasn't upgraded in the PC port.

This Lego Star Wars works as a sequel to The Complete Saga, improving gameplay, mechanics in certain types of levels, combat, and graphics. In terms of story, it focuses on the animated series Clone Wars, which takes place between Episodes II and III, but honestly, you don't need to watch it to have a fun experience. It’s worth mentioning that, in addition to combat, the "ship" levels have improved a lot. The level selection lobby in this one works like a "small open world" (it’s fun, interactive, and has a lot of content to unlock). I really liked the improvements, but I don’t think it’s better than The Complete Saga. That’s because the previous one has more of a focus on puzzles and environmental interaction, while this one is more focused on combat. There’s also a new type of level that didn’t appeal to me, which attempts to deliver a strategy/RTS game experience but ends up making the experience repetitive and boring. Finally, the story doesn't hold up as well in relation to the movies. Fans of the original should find something enjoyable here.

This game had potential, but it definitely wasn't fully realized. It somewhat reminds me of the classic Zelda games, but it strongly targets the younger audience that loves the movies (probably kids between 8 to 10 years old). The adventure's environments consist of a few islands, which vary in appearance but are almost "empty" (you spend most of your time walking back and forth, cutting bushes and boxes). Some islands have "puzzles," but they’re very simple and quick to solve (definitely designed for children), and the variety of enemies is quite limited. There's a slight "open world" feel, where you can explore optional islands of the campaign by flying on your dragon (which is kind of cool). The battles aren’t horrible (but they’re not exciting either), and they’re quite basic: dodge, defend, and one-button combos, but you can switch between the Viking and the dragon (who has different powers that you unlock as you progress). I have to highlight that the AI of your partner doesn’t help much in battle (and this happens with enemies as well, sometimes they get stuck and do nothing). The game has a character upgrade system, but it doesn’t feel worth the effort (I managed to finish the final bosses easily with just the first-level upgrades). The storyline and dialogues are childish, so they won’t appeal to everyone. The graphics are still "okay" for 2025, probably because of the style used. Finally, the soundtrack fits the context of the adventure. What really hurt this game was the "emptiness" of the islands, where walking back and forth becomes tedious.

To begin with, this is a review focused on the "single-player" mode of Star Wars Squadrons (since I couldn’t find anyone to play online with in 2025). I bought this game thinking about the childhood memories I had of Rebel Assault, and the possible feeling of piloting ships in a more focused and precise way. Star Wars Squadrons delivers on that feeling, but focuses exclusively on combat (unlike Rebel Assault, which also has phases focused on piloting challenges), which I didn’t enjoy. The developers managed to include many cool mechanics that help with the immersion of feeling like an actual fighter pilot (whether from the Empire or the Rebellion). The graphics, soundtrack, and voice acting are great, as are the **** for the campaign, as mentioned earlier, it has a total focus on combat, which ends up becoming very repetitive (I gave up around the 6th mission). The combat is well done within the proposed context, but the problem is that, personally, I didn’t find it fun: you end up spinning a lot from one side to another trying to hit someone, and it gets boring (and even makes you dizzy). Plus, since it’s in first-person, it’s hard to tell where enemy shots are coming from (of course, that’s part of the design, but it’s not very fun). It’s a very niche type of game, with its own audience, but it didn’t appeal to me (maybe the experience of playing it in VR or multiplayer would be better, but I didn’t have the opportunity). The more "arcade" approach of the third-person ship battles in the older Star Wars Battlefront games is more fun.

I think this was my first twin-stick shooter, and I really enjoyed the experience. The game is very straightforward and has an "arcade" vibe. The introduction is basic and quick, briefly touching on the storyline and immediately teaching you the basics (mainly how to use and upgrade your weapons). This type of game has a repetitive premise (essentially destroying various types of enemies that get harder as the stages progress, forcing you to upgrade your weapons to finish the game), but it's also **** has a colorful steampunk theme, with graphics that still look good for 2025, and a solid (and even discreet) soundtrack. It also features local multiplayer, which makes the whole experience more fun, as well as a "horde" mode (where the challenge is to face waves of enemies, like in other **** you progress through the stages, the background story slowly unfolds, but always keeps the focus on action. The boss battles are fun and creative. Overall, the difficulty is well balanced in "normal" mode, except for the final stages that really put your skills to the test.I only encountered one bug in one of the final stages, where the level should have ended after defeating all enemies, but it didn’t (I had to replay it a second time).

Garfield Kart Furious Racing is not a bad game; it manages to create a decent kart racer, but it doesn't stand out (mainly due to a lack of inspiration in the tracks and the few playable characters). The track design is pretty simple, and some tracks are quite similar to each other (it lacks the creativity and diversity seen in other games of the genre like Mario Kart 8 and the Sonic titles). The soundtrack has an animated vibe but also doesn’t stand out. The controls are generally good and **** for the characters: there aren’t many, and only a few stand out, while some have strange graphics. The vehicles are nice, offering a slightly more realistic feel compared to other games in the genre. This game draws heavily from Mario Kart, especially when it comes to preparing your character's vehicle for a race (you can select parts and accessories to customize the kart to your preference). The vehicle upgrades add a lot of replay value to the game, but the difficulty of the AI can be frustrating (starting from medium difficulty, it becomes somewhat unbalanced: you might stay in first place the entire race, and suddenly multiple enemy power-ups start hitting you out of **** game has an issue with refresh rates that aren’t multiples of 60 Hz (it gives a feeling of slowness only during races, even though there aren't actual frame rate drops). In this case, it’s better to lock the frame rate to 60, 120, etc.

I had heard about this game years ago, but only now in 2025 did I give it a chance... and I was pleasantly surprised. It's not just a well-made "chess with guns," but it also features an entire section dedicated to base/operation management, involving strategic decisions on research and resources, construction of various improvement-focused facilities, anti-air defense, and more. The beginning of the campaign might leave you feeling lost with so many things to think about at once, but the first steps are guided through tutorials that don’t take away your freedom while covering a little bit of everything. It's inevitable to feel a bit lost at first, and the difficulty is quite unforgiving, but at least the game allows you to save your progress at any moment (both in battle and at the base). This save feature is essential for completing the campaign for the first time without too much ****, about the battle mechanics: you can command up to six soldiers, each belonging to different classes (sniper, heavy, support, etc.). You can customize their outfit, entire body, name, voice, equipment, and more. Each class has specific abilities and can only use certain types of weapons, so it’s up to you to balance the number of soldiers from each class in your squad and make the best use of their strengths in the various campaign battles. Additionally, they level up as battles are won, and new abilities can be unlocked (which are essential for completing the campaign). But there’s a crucial point: keeping them alive. This directly impacts how long it will take you to finish the game (or if you’ll even finish it at all). If a soldier dies, you must recruit a new one, who starts from level one.There is a good variety of enemy classes, and when combined on the same map, they can become a real problem. There are also different types of missions within each map, and while they are not extremely diverse, they do add an extra layer of spice to the battle **** interesting aspect of this game is the level of pressure it puts on the player through the "panic level" of the countries that support the initiative against the aliens. These countries provide you with resources (money, scientists, engineers, etc.), and if you lose one, you can't get it back. Certain moments in the campaign force you to save one country over another, which can increase the panic level in the country you didn’t choose (or even cause you to lose it entirely). So, one of the biggest challenges, especially at the beginning, is stabilizing the panic levels across all countries.Overall, the graphics still hold up well in 2025, despite being dated, and they didn’t really bother me. The CPU difficulty is well-balanced most of the time. The main bugs/issues I noticed were shots passing through objects depending on the soldier’s angle and the movement performance of a specific enemy (Berserker).XCOM is the kind of game that makes you lose track of time, constantly thinking, "I'll just tweak this one last thing and then stop", but you keep going. I only started feeling a bit fatigued towards the end of the campaign, and it took me around 28 hours to finish it.

The beat'em up genre was all the rage in the 80s and 90s, and this collection from Capcom brings some of the best titles of the era in their arcade versions, which usually had better graphics, the possibility of more simultaneous players, and of course, unbalanced difficulty. For those who have never played an arcade title before, you need to keep the following in mind: they were made to generate money for the establishments that acquired the machines, which means that generally, the games weren’t very balanced in terms of difficulty, and they made people buy a lot of tokens to complete them (especially when playing alone). In this collection, you won’t have the token issue. It also lets you play online, access a gallery of images for each game, and offers some image filter options (it’s a shame there’s none to reduce the pixelation). Multiplayer is what shines for this type of game (especially local). Despite having some of the best games, two significant ones are missing: Cadillacs & Dinosaurs and Alien Vs Predator (they probably didn’t make it due to licensing issues). The 3 best in my opinion: The King Of Dragons, Armored Warriors, Warriors Of Fate.

The DLC "Revelations" is nice because you play as a different character, requiring a different combat strategy, different abilities, more elaborate puzzles, and it focuses entirely on the castle (which is the highlight of the game). The story revolves around an unexplained part of the campaign, complementing the experience. It’s a shame it’s short (about 3-4 hours).

Lords Of Shadow 2, unlike the first game, has a dark and melancholic tone, with the main villain of the series as the protagonist. The premise seems tempting, but the execution was not the best. It’s not as grand and epic as its predecessor... it has a more limited scope, focused on two parallel worlds: a city in the modern world and Dracula's castle. The moments in the city didn’t appeal to me much (they don’t fit well with the Castlevania universe, in my opinion). However, the missions in the castle are more interesting (especially the sequence with the puppets). The good combat mechanics from the predecessor are still present, as well as the boss battles, which are fun and challenging (without making you pull your hair out). The voice acting and soundtrack are good. The story isn’t anything special and almost feels complete. One downside is that it guides the protagonist in certain lines of thought and then discards them at the end (which doesn’t make sense). They tried to enrich it with a wide variety of scrolls containing accounts from survivors of Dracula's castle, but most of them have long and uninteresting content (I stopped reading them halfway through the campaign). Despite the games in this series focusing on combat (hack and slash), they also feature some platforming, puzzles, and even colossi (a la Shadow of The Colossus). In this second title, they removed the colossi and replaced them with stealth moments, which, although they make sense at the beginning of the campaign, lose their relevance by the end (and aren’t interesting compared to other games focused on this theme). The puzzles are quite simple. They made this one with a sort of "open world" concept that, in my experience, didn’t make much of a difference: the game is very linear, and the "open world" is more about collecting certain items that couldn’t be collected at certain points due to lacking a specific ability (a la "Metroidvania"). They also added an "item shop" on the map, which, in my experience, I used once! (it was unused for 95% of my campaign time). It doesn’t sell anything very significant that you can’t get with minimal effort. Lastly, regarding the graphics: there are still some eye-catching environments and characters, but overall they feel a bit dated for **** DLC "Revelations" is nice because you play as a different character, requiring a different combat strategy, different abilities, more elaborate puzzles, and it focuses entirely on the castle (which is the highlight of the game). The story revolves around an unexplained part of the campaign, complementing the experience. It’s a shame it’s short (about 3-4 hours). It’s hard to recommend Lords Of Shadow 2 compared to the first one. Fans of the series may find something to enjoy here, after all, you play as Dracula this time. Despite its many shortcomings, it’s not a bad game overall, and the campaign kept me engaged until the end.

Good game. The plot is interesting, and it kept me hooked until the end. I would say it's almost a science fiction set in the Middle Ages, but due to certain elements, it leans slightly towards fantasy (you won’t find wizards, dragons, elves, or other extraordinary creatures). The mechanics work well, with a focus on stealth, a bit of combat, and rare (and simple) puzzles. The environments are beautiful and well-made, as is the soundtrack and the graphics in general, which provide good immersion in the historical period in which the game takes place. The characters were well thought out and designed. The protagonists, being young and naive, sometimes irritated me a bit (I don’t see this as a problem, given the context of the narrative). The voice acting is good and fitting with the moments/actions (though the characters’ facial expressions don’t always match). It’s not a difficult experience: the focus here is on the setting and the narrative, although the last levels can be a bit challenging. I liked the evolution system proposed, even though you have to stay alert to collect scattered items throughout the levels. I encountered a few bugs and inconsistencies that didn’t hinder my immersion in the adventure.

This game is controversial... it had a turbulent launch, but it improved after a few years. To begin with, I played a lot of the classic Battlefront series games when they were released years ago (especially the second one), and when EA launched the first in the new series (2015), it was a shock because, despite the new graphics, the game had overlooked many features that were already present in the classic series (as well as the Republic era). This game came to try to fix the first one and bring a "definitive" experience to the series, with the 3 movie eras (so far), a campaign, and some new game modes. Overall, I think it made great strides, but I can't say for sure whether it surpassed the classic series. I'll continue with this review focusing on the campaign and **** campaign is well done overall, with a storyline focused on events starting at the end of Return of the Jedi. Like other Battlefield series games, it doesn't work as well as other FPS games focused on campaign with a bonus multiplayer mode (here it's the opposite: multiplayer is strong, and the campaign is so-so). The cutscenes are well-animated, the characters are well-developed and voiced, and the plot is well-explained and interesting. It tries to bring "different" stages from the standard game mode, with some working and others not (like the "stealth" ones). At some point, it starts to feel repetitive, and the "expansion" of the campaign isn't really worth it (it had already wrapped up nicely, and it was more of an addition to tie in with the controversial Disney **** multiplayer mode (both online and offline) is quite fun, well-made, and balanced. I missed the freedom to hop into any vehicle (like in the classic series), but that might have been a balancing point considered by the development team. The heroes are also more balanced. The main negative aspect I see is the connection issue with EA's servers, which sometimes don't work, and you need to restart the game.Battlefront II is good. Fans of the series and the films won't be disappointed with this one (except with the EA launcher, as with other games).

To start the conversation, this is an analysis focused on the offline campaign of Titanfall 2. This is an FPS that will surprise you: in addition to the basic gameplay, it introduces platforming mechanics, light puzzles, and robot/mecha battles (with their own mechanics). It borrows ideas from great games and sci-fi works, mixes them, and makes it work in the end. The campaign's storyline is nothing extraordinary, focusing on an interplanetary military narrative, but the execution makes all the difference. The graphics are still beautiful and cohesive (for 2025), the gameplay is precise, the mechanics work well, the sound effects are decent, and the voice acting is good. The campaign has several memorable moments despite its short length (I like the idea of "less is more," but in this case, it left me wanting more). The standout feature is the interaction with the Titan: not only the action parts, but also the conversations. The default difficulty level is pretty easy for those familiar with the genre. The only downside I noticed a few times was that some common enemies can be a bit "dumb" (but this is common in games of this genre). Titanfall 2 is a gem of FPS; don't miss it.

This collection consists of the arcade versions of the Street Fighter titles. This primarily means that the difficulty would be unbalanced by default due to the monetization system these versions of the games were designed for. The problem is that, despite offering a difficulty selection option for each title, it doesn't really work in a balanced and decent way (in some titles, even selecting the lowest level will still make it tough). I'm the type of player who likes to casually finish arcade mode, so for me, this collection doesn't work given the difficulty level that stresses you out more than it enhances the fun. They added an option to "save the game" at any time (the famous "save state" from emulators), which is nice and can alleviate some of the frustration of the difficulty, allowing you to try again with a fresher mindset. Despite offering some image filter options, none of them aim to smooth the pixels for higher resolutions. I liked the gallery mode, which includes artwork and the story behind each title. The Alpha series and Street Fighter III are the highlights of this collection without a doubt (especially Alpha 3 and Third Strike). I would recommend it only to fans who want the original arcade experience or those who are aiming for local multiplayer (online is pretty much dead now in 2025).

This is another great KOF. It's more balanced than the previous ones, has a wide variety of characters and game modes, an image gallery, an animated ending for each team, online/offline mode, and simplified combos for beginners. What could be better? The character graphics bother me a little: they're not ugly, but they have a somewhat plastic-like appearance (they look like action figures)

KOF 98 is great, and the PC port is one of the best in the series. It brings the essential features for fighting games such as: move list, arcade mode, practice mode, and offline/online multiplayer. It also includes some image filters that, like in KOF 97 Global Match, are useful but basically just slightly blur the pixels. The difficulty control is also present, but it’s not very well implemented (even on level 1 of 8, beginner players will have issues). Compared to KOF 97: it has prettier graphics, is more fluid, the controls have been improved, and it also features a larger roster of characters. However, it lacks an image and character gallery (with details about each one). Being a "dream match", it doesn't have a storyline (it focuses solely on bringing a larger number of characters from different timelines to battle). I also liked the option to play the original NeoGeo version (it even has some extra animations).

KOF 97 is still a good fighting game, and the PC port is okay (but it could be better). This port includes a move list, image gallery, online multiplayer mode, filters (useful, but they mostly blur the pixels and prevent flickering... it lacks a decent HD filter), and difficulty settings (which are far from the best, but it's common for arcade ports to have poorly implemented features like this). For me, one of the biggest shortcomings was the lack of a practice mode, which is extremely helpful in fighting games. The arcade mode has a minimal story with animations that add an extra touch. Despite its age, you can still see the level of detail that was put into each stage and character. The final fights in arcade mode are quite unbalanced (level 1 or 2 difficulty is a good starting point for those who’ve never played the series). It also lacked a character gallery explaining a bit about each one. I don’t think this is the best KOF to play today (2024), and I wouldn’t recommend it as a first option (unless you’re a fan of the series).

This is a 2024 review. It’s difficult to talk about this game. I've loved the Bomberman series games since I was little, but this one is problematic. Although it has nice graphics, and local multiplayer is still a lot of fun and can lead to good laughs, the problems end up overshadowing the overall **** game features a campaign for those who want a solo experience. The stages follow formats like destroying all enemies, saving certain characters, or surviving for a set amount of time. The formats themselves aren’t bad, but in each world, you repeat the same ones multiple times across 8 stages (not counting the bosses). The boss battles consist of two parts: fighting them in their “normal” form (which can take quite a while and gets boring), and then in a “larger” form where the battle becomes more interesting (because it focuses on interacting with the environment and weak points). The "defeat" system isn’t great because the difficulty isn’t well-balanced (every time you lose all your lives, you have to redo all the stages of the world unless you pay a large amount of in-game coins... more on that below). The storyline is very simple, and the animations are very childish and **** multiplayer part follows the standard formula without mistakes, but it doesn’t bring the cool mechanics from the environments that were present in previous games. The local mode with other players is always fun, but I can’t comment on the online mode because it’s been dead for years.Finally, we can touch on the problem with the in-game coins: you can earn some by playing the campaign, very few in offline multiplayer, and I suppose more in the online mode. Coins are used to buy stages, characters, and "continues" in the campaign. The issue is that these items are very expensive, and today it would take a long time to buy **** the end... the old games are worth more than this one in its current state (unless you buy it on a good sale and your focus is to play casually with friends at home).

The Last Blade really is a great fighting game forgotten by time. It’s reminiscent of Samurai Shodown, but with faster gameplay and less punishment. The game features a decent cast of characters with distinct personalities and fighting styles. The pixel art graphics are still beautiful and well-crafted for today's standards (2024), and the animations are outstanding. The stages are lovely, with soundtracks focused on environmental sounds (as well as the friction of weapons and fighter strikes). The game lets you choose between two fighting styles when selecting a character: POWER (attacks deal more damage, but quick strikes and combos are left out) and SPEED (focused on faster, more aggressive gameplay, with combo possibilities). The story, like many games from that time, isn't very detailed, but at least it reveals a bit of each fighter's personality gradually and rewards you with a unique animation for each one upon completing the story mode. What didn’t work well in this specific PC port: performance (they probably took the arcade version and put it behind an unoptimized emulator. It doesn't disrupt the game too much, but frame drops are noticeable at times); the story mode has 9 limited credits (if you lose them all, you have to start over… a clear sign they didn’t modify much from the original version used here); the list of commands isn’t directly accessible for the character you're using (you have to keep looking for it every time); the sequence of commands to perform special moves is complex and hard to pull off (just like in other SNK games). One feature I missed was the option for filters to reduce the pixelated effect. Despite these issues, it's not a bad port, and it’s definitely worth checking out.

The focus of X6 seems to be the same as X3: innovation through excessive and poorly thought-out difficulty over fun. Of the 2D era series games, this is undoubtedly the worst. The stages contain poorly designed sections focusing on difficulty, the excessive dialogues from X5 are still here (but this time slower and with voice acting), the acquired abilities system is broken (there is no description of what they do or how to activate them, and to enable them you need to save characters in stages, which often results in losing a life), the "extra playable character" is unlocked only in the middle of the campaign (which makes a difference in relation to the imposed level system, not to mention the issue of "hearts" that aren't shared like in the previous game), and finally, the final stages feel like a "thorn bush" and "force" you to obtain a specific armor if you don't want to get too frustrated and throw the controller at the screen. Mega Man X6 is a complicated game, and it makes me question if it had a quality assurance team before being released. The improvement I saw compared to the previous game was making the excessive explanatory dialogues during stages optional. I liked the new armors: they have a unique design and characteristics. I can't recommend this game.