Destructoid

A Long Journey to an Uncertain End is just such a well-intentioned game that it’s a shame that it’s so limp where it counts. You rarely see its sensitive approach to difficult topics in video games. Yet, when it’s time to engage with it as a player, it falls into a heap on the floor. The cast of characters and narrative themes help elevate it above simply being average, but it’s hard to get over the nauseating sting of disappointment when you discover that A Long Journey to an Uncertain End isn’t quite where it could or should be.

All in all, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a fine remaster of a wonderful title far too many people missed out on. Shu Takumi has stated another entry in this franchise might happen if this game sells well enough, but I feel like that’s a statement we’ve heard dozens of times over the past 10 years with little of anything to show for it. Whether or not we get another game in the series doesn’t really matter to me. What matters is more people now have an opportunity to play an absolute gem of an adventure game.

Pikmin’s unique premise and tight design have ensured that it remains rather ageless. Even the graphics, as aged as they are, still convey everything they need to. It’s every bit as enjoyable now as it was back in 2001. Pikmin nailed it so hard on the first try that its sequels could only really iterate on the concept.

It’s difficult to judge a Final Fantasy against the crystalline legacy of its predecessors. But Final Fantasy XVI takes a confident step into new territory and doesn’t slip. And for those who want an impressive, electrifying, enjoyable action RPG to sink hours upon hours into, you’d be very hard pressed to find a better option than Final Fantasy XVI.

It’s a bold move to go with a premium package on top of a season pass model with a smaller release like this, but that’s what we have at the moment. It’s hard to predict how Crash Team Rumble ends up in six months, but I hope it’s still around, and the team is able to just facilitate what is working without corporate meddling.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remarkable experience. It takes the classic farming formula and gives it a purpose beyond just seeing how many S-ranked tomatoes you can grow. With its focus on family, legacy, and living a good life, this is a farming sim where what you do away from the fields is as important as what you do when you’re tilling that land. It’s a game that encourages a healthy work-life balance, and there is no better lesson we need in our modern era than that.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is complacent. It’s great, but we’ve already seen its greatness. Eventually, it’s going to need to load something new into its cannon if it wants to get its dazzle back.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a masterclass of efficient design. A lot of breadth in gaming is achieved through padding, and a lot of depth is created through the layering of mechanics. It’s rare to see a game that achieves so much simply by polishing its core to an absolutely lustrous shine. It manages to earn its considerable longevity despite having a very tight loop. I can’t help but find it admirable.

It’s in higher definition, and it runs real well. It’s less blurry. Weirdly, though, smaller objects still pop in, which is just more noticeable in high definition. I don’t know how to illustrate this anymore clearly. This is absolutely the same game. The extra content is just kind of there.

When it comes down to it, Super Mega Baseball 4 is improved, but not that improved. I’m not looking to downgrade, and I kind of wish I was playing it right now instead of writing this. However, I still have a wishlist for the next installment. This one feels like such an unneeded upgrade. Most of it feels like it could have just been in a patch. The more appreciable additions weren’t must-haves, and some elements feel more rickety.