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Deathbound is a game that has a lot of great ideas that seem amazing on paper, but few of them actually end up hitting the mark. The clear high points of this game pretty much all relate to the setting, the story, and the characters presented, but even this is marred by the goofy vocal performances and the frequency of the swearing in a bid to seem edgy and cool. But in the end, the game is dragged down by a wonky multi-character combat system, a messy health system, an all-round unresponsiveness, which is a death warrant in a Souls-like such as this, and the fact that the game's performance is enough to make you throw in the towel before you even have a good reason to write the game off. It feels like a game that would have benefited from pivoting to an all-out hack-and-slash format because, despite labeling itself as one, Deathbound simply doesn't have the polish or the attention to detail needed to truly call itself a Souls game.

Dicefolk has truly amazing combat that makes great use of its rotation and dice mechanics, and it's bolstered by a ton of impressive designs in the Chimeras, each packing their own skills that are fun to experiment with as you craft your dream team and playstyle. Unfortunately, the lack of any interesting story hinders the experience and can easily leave you wanting more. Still, as long as you desire a unique spin on the traditional creature-collecting formula and the battles associated with it, Dicefolk can still be worth checking out, even if the odds of you enjoying the game for longer periods may boil down to a dice roll.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider conjures the spirit of the golden age of 16-bit gaming. Everything from the graphics to the soundtrack perfectly recreates the essence of early ’90s gaming, while the gameplay mechanics feel contemporary enough where it hits the sweet spot in blending modern with classic. The most important element that Moonrider recreated is making a modern 16-bit game that is just as fun and exciting as the titles that inspired it were back in their heyday. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a retro-inspired title that shows just how fun a trip to a dystopian future can be.

PopSlinger is a tremendous game and one that may not be for everyone, but everyone who plays it will find something to love about it.  The ’80s/’90s retro look has been done a lot, but rarely done better than it is here due to how well it manages to blend keeping the detail level high while also using a VHS-style filter over everything. It controls well across multiple controller setups, although a regular d-pad still feels like the best overall control method despite a left stick option being available. It plays like a dream, looks gorgeous and its ’80s-infused new wave tunes are top-notch. Those who grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, or just have an affinity for that timeframe, will love the look and feel of PopSlinger as a whole.

No one can argue that G.I. Joe: Operation Cobra is anything but nostalgia bait. It’s designed to pull down the rose-tinted glasses of middle-aged Gen-Xers and keep their kids mildly entertained. But considering that the developers were working with a limited budget, it’s actually halfway decent nostalgia bait. The levels might get reused once or twice, but there are decent lighting effects and some of the areas are smartly designed and fun to explore. There’s a decent enough variety of mission objectives to keep from getting boring over the modest play time. The motion comics, voice acting and sound is done at the perfect level to bring back those memories of the Reagan years, when us kids didn’t understand what Iran/Contra was, but the game Contra was cool. If it weren’t for bad gunplay and aiming mechanics that have to be surmounted, Operation Blackout would be an easy recommend for the interested. As is, it does require a patient and forgiving player. Those that can find their way around this issue, though, will have a better time than the poor kid who got the Radar Rat.

Hellbound may not be great but it’s a short, sweet thrill ride while it lasts.  The action is nice and fast with the guns packing a solid punch, and all the weapons earn their place in the arsenal.  The length of the game means its limits don’t have a chance to feel grating and the sameness of the enemies is nicely offset by the personality of the levels.  Even after the game is over there are still a handful of arena levels to play in, trying to survive as long as possible to claim a spot on its leaderboards.  Hellbound may be restrained by its limits but there’s no question it does a lot within them and it’s good bloody fun while the ride lasts.