Destructoid

Trails through Daybreak has the best side quests in any game I’ve played. I mean, I cried like, three different times. And these are just optional moments, too. The sheer storytelling and world-building alone makes this game worth a look. Overall, this is a great foundation for the next era of this series.

If you enjoy visual novels and games very similar to this like the Coffee Talk franchise, then this is absolutely for you. It’s a slow burn that doesn’t speed up or see you getting into scenarios you could describe as epic or turning points for a universe, though. This is a game for those who want a genuine answer from friends when they ask how they’re doing, a visual novel you can take your time with and leans much more into making you feel something instead of blasting you with impressive fights, fates, and fantastic visuals.

It would be extremely difficult not to be charmed by the graphics and animation in Luigi’s Mansion 2, as the passion behind them is practically tangible. Even the central focus of puzzle solving and ghost-catching are fun on their own. However, I cannot possibly overstate how much of the joy gets sucked out by its strict adherence to a completely linear chapter progression. It’s like a hospital painted in vibrant colors. It does a lot to brighten things up, but you can only do so much to counterbalance the sterility.

Part of me wishes Another Crab’s Treasure predated the Souls games, just so we would have to refer to genre offshoots as Crablikes. The sauce is certainly thick on this one, and I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time. Another Crab’s Treasure pulls off exactly what it set out to do, and it’s going to be a favorite for many. Thanks to some of the less palatable late-game moments, it didn’t quite get to that level for me, but I very much appreciate all the shell-bound friends and pelagic puns I met along the way.

Rocket Knight Adventures is an underappreciated classic, and you should definitely play it. The two Sparkster games are more Sparkster, but more disposable and with a feeling of cynicism. Whether you wait for a sale is your decision. Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection is fine, just play Rocket Knight Adventures already.

Still Wakes the Deep blends this terror with genuine human flaws. Outside of Dredge, I don’t know if a game has felt so uniquely Lovecraftian. This is a game that everyone should play just to experience once, and thanks to its deathless story mode, you can. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s noteworthy and a game you’re not going to stop hearing about for a long time, and it scratches the itch you’ll have been feeling since playing Alien: Isolation.

Even though my expectations were high, Shadow of the Erdtree still managed to exceed them. From Software probably could have just added more Elden Ring and that would have been solid enough, but instead, Shadow of the Erdtree is yet another innovative iteration of the genre.

I came into The Final Shape expecting to be underwhelmed, and the launch reinforced that. However, as is the nature of live service games, it is possible to turn things around. I simply wished Bungie didn’t wait until the eleventh hour to wow us. Destiny 2 has long been a game where many players have seen the potential and subsequently frustrated by decisions to deliver the minimum viable product. The Final Shape is the epitome of Destiny in many ways, both good and bad, Light and Dark, but I’ll be damned if Bungie didn’t pull it off.

If you’re looking for a complete and fun time with a horror game, then this is it. It’s also the perfect jumping-off point for anyone looking to get into indie horror games without needing to get into something meaty or overly complicated. Its themes and atmosphere are better than those of some AAA titles in the genre, and The Glass Staircase easily stands amongst the classic games that inspired it while simultaneously paying homage to them.

Minishoot’ Adventures may be simple, but it’s a blast. The story is thin and occasional bugs dampened some moments, but the experience remained amazing overall. Most of that is thanks to the moment-to-moment gameplay having some of the best shooting and exploration I played in a long time. It’s pure fun, and I honestly can’t ask for anything more from a game.