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It’s atmospheric, unsettling, and just challenging enough to keep you hooked from start to finish. If you grew up with fixed cameras, ink ribbons, and limited shotgun shells, you’ll feel right at home. But if you are like me and have outgrown tank controls and fixed cameras, then this is one mystery that is better left unsolved.

Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny more than likely won’t compete with the likes of Diablo or Path of Exile, but it doesn’t need to. Its goal is smaller and more focused: to give Nickelodeon characters a new stage to play on while delivering a lighthearted RPG that works for both kids and nostalgic adults. On that front, it rolls a nat’ 20!

I really feel like Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire had the potential to be a charming and engaging RPG, but it falls short in many areas which keeps it from getting airborne. The clunky controls, repetitive gameplay and numerous tech issues make it a really frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable one. Don’t be tricked by the fantastic ‘Studio Ghibli’ visuals because sadly its all smoke and mirrors with this one; the visual design just isn’t enough to save this game.

Roots of Pacha on is a delightful farming simulation that stands out for its unique setting, charming art style, and engaging gameplay. It’s a game that invites you to slow down, connect with a vibrant community, and experience the joys of ancient agriculture. Whether you’re a seasoned fan of the genre or new to the farm, Roots of Pacha is a wonderful game that offers a rewarding and heartwarming journey into the past.

Horizon Chase 2 is a solid sequel that adds some new pieces that make it a worthy sequel. I do wish the track design was a little better and the upgrades worked across all cars instead of having to dedicate it to the one I am driving. Still there is a lot to love here, the soundtrack, the speed, and the pure arcade excitement. If you have any reverence for games from the arcade era, this is a no-brainer. Definitely worth checking out.

I came into Astor: Blade of the Monolith with all the hope and promise simply because it was NOT a souls game. I still love it for that, but as much as I enjoyed the bright and colorful vistas, the vivid and detailed graphics and the cute characters; I just can’t get past the clunky feeling of the combat. Late game weapons and abilities make things feel better but never perfect. Despite the combat and the forgettable story, I did have some fun in Astor: Blade of the Monolith at the end of the day; the cuteness of the characters won the day.

I enjoyed Adore for the things that it did differently with its creature collecting and real-time combat, I could have done without the roguelike systems. But even with that going against it I still had a great time playing Adore, collecting creatures, theory crafting for that perfect team and the combat system still has its hooks in me, despite the overused roguelike system.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider stands out among the pack of games looking to capture that 16-bit nostalgia. It is not just an art style. There are so many pieces that go into making a modern retro game and JoyMasher continues to prove they are better at it than most. I highly recommend this game and don’t let it slip through the cracks. It is definitely one of the better ones available.

I really love Fobia. I know my review focused more on the negative but I can’t really go into puzzles without entirely spoiling them and that is where I got most of my enjoyment. I’ve never finished a game for review before and started it back up immediately to enter a New Game + mode, that is how much I love Fobia. I had some technical issues in the later portion of the game that I assume is because I am playing on an original model of Xbox One and they were easily solved by simply saving the game and restarting it. Anyone who has played Resident Evil: Village and is looking for an inexpensive, well made horror game that was clearly made by fans of the genre will likely find a lot to enjoy. I also still think anyone who likes metroidvanias should give this a shot too. I can’t wait to see what Pulsatrix Studios does next.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a solid alternative to Smash, and it is on basically every platform. It won’t overtake the king or even make it worried, but for the lower price (I have seen it on sale for sub $20) it is more than worth checking out. I had a ton of fun with it and just wish it had a bit more content and a bright future.

Those are small complaints though. The Eternal Cylinder is a fever dream of a title that satisfies a lot of my tastes: exploration, puzzles, survival, lots of different abilities, truly alien landscapes, geometric shapes that desire uniformity through destruction of all of life, and hoarding. Oh, and quite a bit of heart. Nothing here feels so alien that I can’t feel something for this world except the familiar but nightmarish servants that stand out in this world. I think ACE Team has something really special here and I really can’t think of anything else that does all of what The Eternal Cylinder as good as The Eternal Cylinder does.

Operation Blackout nails the nostalgia. Everything about this package is incredible for fans of G.I. Joe. The problem is the game play itself. The shooting is not fun and for a game that revolves around that, it is hard to ignore. I kept playing wanting to love this game and simply could not. I hope the developers tweak and fix these issues as this game is begging me to love it. As it stands though it is a disappointing trip down memory lane. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go back to playing it in hopes that I can find enjoyment in nostalgia.