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Other than a few issues with the camera, which were able to be adjusted in the options, Banana Rumble provides a nearly endless amount of fun. The laughter of playing in split screen with a friend is perfection, and the challenge levels of the game itself are well-balanced. I was impressed at how in-depth the Adventure Mode can be, as well as the different assistance features and motion-sickness-reducing options. Whether someone has played a Super Monkey Ball game in the past or not, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is absolutely one that should not be overlooked by anyone looking for a cheerful, fun time.
This feels like a game obviously made by fans of that era, spinning the style into a contemporary mode that stands on its own. Here’s hoping the very worst of #BLUD's bugs get promptly squashed, because the more novel aspects of the game – the Perch app, a static map which slightly changes over time, or the clever fast-travel system – deserve a stable experience to best appreciate. #BLUD is a beautiful animated action-adventure with plenty of vampires to bash, but it needs more polish.
If you love Elden Ring it's hard not to recommend Shadow of the Erdtree. New NPCs, items, questlines, enemies (fans of Jarburg, brace yourselves), and everything else you'd expect from a FromSoftware expansion are all to be found here. The $40 price tag seems steep but feels fair when considering the amount of content on offer and I know for a fact that, despite the frankly unhealthy number of hours I've put into the game already, there's still a lot more I have not found yet. Shadow of the Erdtree is an excellent expansion of Elden Ring's world - just turn off ray tracing before hopping in.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape is a poignant tribute to the franchise's journey since its debut in 2014. It breathes new life into the existing classes with the versatile Prismatic subclass, introduces fresh enemies and locations, and weaves a narrative that'll likely tug at the heartstrings of even the most casual players. With more seasonal and story content on the horizon, Destiny 2: The Final Shape propels the series to new heights, solidifying its position as one of the top PVE multiplayer shooters in the gaming world.
However, Atlus certainly knows how to create an engaging challenge and an ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance requires a substantial time commitment and is geared more toward those in search of a hardcore JRPG, meaning it isn’t going to be a hit with everyone. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance offers more than enough to encourage both returning and new players with an interest in visiting this new addition to the SMT lineup and is the definitive way to experience this grandiose tale of the powers of good, evil, and revenge.
The game feels like an escape into nature where players are also able to make meaningful change at their own pace, and is a lovely way to wind down at the end of a long day. It's certainly not a cozy game that can be played indefinitely - or, in truth, even for more than perhaps 10 hours at the very most, depending on how fast players opt to progress - but the time that is spent is overall quite endearing. With charming visuals, calming music, and a bevy of adorable frogs to be adopted and given silly names, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge offers a fun, amphibious twist on a well-trodden format.
The gameplay is solid, and everything feels as though it is polished and fun, but without much to truly capture the attention of the community, there is a concern that after the initial hype dies off, the matches could begin to struggle with maintaining an active player base. That said, this game does have a lot to offer, particularly for Star Wars fans, being a well-crafted entry into the genre of competitive arena combat battles. Especially being free-to-play, Star Wars: Hunters is a fun game that is absolutely worth a try.
It's a funny, refreshingly unique take on lifestyle simulator games, and one which is absolutely worth playing if you like the idea of Elite: Dangerous but can't be bothered with all those multi-hour space treks and weird landing pad requirements.
While the game isn't quite an Oscar winner, it's certainly good enough to be nominated, bringing a fresh take on classic mechanics in a very satisfying way. It offers so much room for players to be creative, and with future plans for new features and content packs, that potential has even more room to grow. For long-time fans of the genre, Blockbuster Inc. is arguably a must-play, and newcomers will likely find a lot to enjoy too.
Each round lasts exactly the right amount of time, and each MultiVersus character has a distinctive enough set of skills that many players will find one they connect with. MultiVersus is definitely a game worth checking out, even if it wasn't free-to-play, and it's accessibility makes it an even bigger recommendation.
F1 24 is another excellent entry in the franchise from Codemasters. It's not the most exciting update of all time, lacking any major changes that give a wow factor, but those tweaks that have been made work well and provide players old and new alike with something substantial to enjoy. It might not be a necessary purchase for those who have owned an entry from the last couple of years, but Codemasters once again proves its ability to make the best racing games on the market.
Between the random loot, different character builds, and varying maps, the thousandth match feels as fresh as the first. Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game perfectly captures the spirit of the movie, while innovating on the games it takes inspiration from.
Overall, the current patch is a huge improvement from the content presented in the previous update, Version 4.5. The combination of strong story quests and a beautifully designed underwater area to explore along with a powerful new playable character make up for the unremarkable events in the update. The update is surprisingly good considering it is a late-year patch that is filling in some content gaps before the massive update that will see the release of Natlan in Genshin Impact later this year.
Capes is an excellent foundation for what could be a fantastic tactics franchise. Thanks to its excellent mechanics, squad-based dynamics, and progression, Spitfire Interactive's debut game will no doubt find plenty of love from those who appreciate small-scale strategy games that emphasize positioning and clever teamwork - it's just a pity that its writing, voice-acting, and animation vary so dramatically in quality that it's difficult to really appreciate its story.
It may not be a perfect deckbuilding game, but Zet Zillions still creates a very engaging atmosphere through creative mechanics, bold aesthetics, and fantastic music. For only $10 it's arguably still a fair amount of bang for one's buck, and is worth looking into for roguelite fans looking for something new.
Fans of stylish and fast-paced adventure platforming games should give RKGK a try because, despite its shortcomings, it's a fun installment of its genre. While the main story can be completed in around 10 hours, finding all the collectibles, defeating time trials, and winning each challenge will take more time and practice to accomplish. RKGK may not be a revolutionary take on the genre, but it sticks the landing enough to be worth a look.
Horrifying, uplifting, and visually splendid, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is a marked improvement over the first title that helps build upon the meaningful and complex concepts presented in the first game.
Still, pitting it against the mountains of similar roguelite releases to dig through every month, Harvest Hunt stands out with its great style and unique concept. While it's not yet announced as Steam Deck compatible, the game plays perfectly on the handheld thus far, with a smart controller configuration to match. Harvest Hunt remains worth checking out for anyone into folk horror, roguelites, and asymmetrical games – just try and poke the game's bear whenever possible.
Rumble Club feels like a natural evolution of streamer-oriented games, with quick matches, inoffensive styling, and no real skill requirement. Everything that makes it go down easy has the side effect of making it uninteresting, sadly, and its lack of distinct appeal is compounded by a number of sticking points that become apparent all too quickly. There's no reason that Rumble Club won't work within its intended context, but for anyone seeking it out with the expectation of a memorable experience, there are far better places to look.
While more content additions would be welcome, the small improvements - mostly ease-of-life additions that helps clean up archaic systems or UI - do at least amount to something, and the graphical improvements are jaw-droppingly beautiful, provided you're a fan of the art style in the first place. This is the definitive way to play Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and, beyond that, the definitive Paper Mario game in a franchise spin-off that should look to the past to discover its future following this remake.