RYAN JOHNSON
Vessels of Decay (Xbox) Review
Vessels of Decay is an intriguing story steeped in Scandinavian folklore that is very interesting, but some of its graphical and control scheme issues make it difficult to work through. If you approach it with a very Dark Souls “Git Gud” mentality, you may be able to overcome some of the frustration and appreciate the quality work underneath.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (Xbox Series) Review
Ender Magnolia is a sequel to Ender Lilies, and a wonderful Metroidvania that respects the time of the player by allowing for fast travel. The beautiful artwork and creative way that you can build your character using the abilities of the Hominculi make for an engaging video game that is worth a look.
Super Crazy Rhythm Castle (PS5) Review
Super Crazy Rhythm Castle is a neat little game so long as you see it as a party game akin to Overcooked or Moving Out instead of a true rhythm game. Reviewed on what it is intended to be, it’s a quality, fun little title for plenty of laughs for up to four friends.
Yars: Recharged (PS5) Review
Yar’s Recharged is another game in the “Recharged” line, bringing classic games to modern times with enhanced graphics and gameplay. Yars’ Revenge lends itself well to the arcadey, shoot-em-up feel.
Freshly Frosted (Switch) Review
Freshly Frosted is what I think a utopian cell phone puzzle game would be. No freemium game will ever be able to respect your time, patience, and brain cells the same way.
Rover Mechanic Simulator (Switch) Review
Rover Mechanic Simulator is one of the hardcore sim games, attempting to make it feel like you are truly in charge of repairing Mars rovers. It can get tedious at times, but that’s right up some gamer’s alleys.
Vagante (Xbox One) Review
While it is nice to see a roguelike expand the feel of progression a bit more, it’s frustrating to put time and effort into that character to see them die easily. Vagante tries to do it’s best to bridge the gap and make levelling and progression fun while also maintaining the heart of a roguelike.
Windjammers 2 (Xbox One) Review
Windjammers 2 is a sequel decades in the making, and Dotemu does an excellent job of creating a new entry and giving it a modern twist. Players will find a true-life arcade experience in this title, which unfortunately means that they’ll have to figure out some things on their own. Presentation is amazing and learning the title will make it worth your while. Fans of the original will only find more to love.
Heavenly Bodies (PS5) Review
Heavenly Bodies is a bizarre game in which you haphazardly control a cosmonaut as they float weightless through a station to complete tasks. It becomes more fun the more people you have to enjoy it with.
Subdivision Infinity DX (PS5) Review
Subdivision Infinity DX originated as a mobile game, and that is inherent in it’s overall genetics. It’s a great game, with beautifully upgraded graphics, but some of the gameplay loop requires some excessive grinding. As a standalone space shooter, the combat and controls are tight and a lot of fun.
The Colonists (Xbox One) Review
The Colonists evokes classic city building and world constructing games like The Settlers. It feels like the classic games of old, but also comes with some of the classic problems inherent in the genre. True fans of the gameplay will be able to overlook such issues and enjoy a wonderful and well-made title.
Star Renegades (PS4) Review
Rougelikes and RPGs are a strange mix, as the reset style of a rougelike doesn’t sound like it would mix well with RPGs and their long-term growth and planning. Star Renegades tells a unique story of multidimensional battles, where people flat out DIE and the only choice is to let go of an entire dimension and move on to the next.
Golden Force (Switch) Review
Golden Force makes some “old school difficult” design choices that, when combined, can lead to frustration. It is perfect for people looking for a Dark Souls/Super Meat Boy combination of challenge, but sparse checkpoints and cheap hits will deter more casual players.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game - Complete Edition (Switch) Review
Scott Pilgrim is back for the game’s 10th anniversary. An excellent celebration of a lost digital title returning from the dead, the game in itself is a love letter to retro brawlers and easily earns a spot in your collection.
Chronos: Before the Ashes Review
Chronos: Before the Ashes is a non-VR rerelease of the prequel to Remnant: From the Ashes. It’s an excellent way for people to get more lore for Remnant from a niche title that was only available on the Oculus Rift. It may lose a little bit of it’s unique flair by ditching it’s special VR camera, and you can tell where it would have been, but it doesn’t stop Chronos from being an excellent Soulsbourne-light style game.
Monster Truck Championship (PS4) Review
Monster Truck Championship is a wonderful game that brings a more mature feel to the world of monster trucks. With over 50 tweaks to streamline and perfect your truck and tons of race modes, don’t let the lack of an official license steer you away from this monster of a game.
Ultracore (Switch) Review
Ultracore is a game that should have released in the 1990s on the waning Sega Genesis. Literally slated for release back then , it has been resurrected and finally released nearly 30 years later. Had it released originally, it would have been an amazing swan song for the Genesis, but being released now it gets lost in the myriad of indie action games on the Switch.
CrossCode (Xbox One) Review
CrossCode is a love letter to 16 bit gaming, with an awesome amalgam of traditional RPG tropes, fast-paced combat, and Zelda action.
Desperados III (PS4) Review
Desperados III is a return to a 14 year old PC series, bringing stealth to the Western genre. With plenty of strategies, a quick save that helps players through the title, and plenty of challenges to come back to, Desperados offers loads of content for new and old fans alike.
Dread Nautical (Switch) Review
Dread Nautical is a strange amalgamation of survival horror and tactical RPG. Touchscreen control support proves that the Nintendo Switch is the superior system to play on, though the game’s unique mixture can be enjoyed by gamers on all platforms.