Destructoid

I've had a lot of fun with RAD, even though I can tell I've really only scratched the surface. Trying to work with suboptimal body modifications is pretty funny in and of itself, and discovering new mutations and lore has been intriguing. I don't think any studio other than Double Fine could have made the post-apocalypse this entertaining.

I could keep going on and on, but I'll make it simple. Ion Fury not only recaptures what made retro shooters so memorable, but it improves on them in a number of ways. While not as excellent as some other recent entries in the same genre, this is a game that fans of the past should not miss. It's brutal, lightning-fast, and always putting fun before anything else. Some nips and tucks here with a few more enemies there and we could have a real contender for "Queen of FPSes."

I had my doubts going into Dicey Dungeons, despite the pedigree present. I was worried the core reliance on random dice rolls would create a frustrating experience for the player. And while I've had those moments, I always felt that I could look back and say "that's where I went wrong" and not "the random numbers just didn't work out in my favor!" That alone is an incredibly feat. Stack it on top of six incredibly unique character mechanics, episodes that force the exploration of alternate playstyles, and an expertly crafted aesthetic, and you have another absolute slam dunk from Terry Cavanagh.

Whether or not the fanservice is too much for players or just a natural evolution of the boundary-pushing booby game genre, one thing that is certain about Omega Labyrinth Life is that it is not that good. The dungeon crawling, which is how you'll spend about 75% of your time with the game, simply isn't up to snuff with its contemporaries and tending to the Grand Garden lacks the depth an activity like that should have. It's just a top-to-bottom boring experience, and no amount of lady spray on my Switch screen can change that.

Ultimately, though, I'm just not as smitten with Electronic Super Joy 2 as I was with the first. The free price tag makes this a lot more palatable, but I do believe more could have been done here. It's a little disappointing, but still a fun time that fans of the first are sure to get something out of. Just don't go in expecting anything dramatically different.

Metal Wolf Chaos fulfills this criteria because of its unique premise that wouldn't be out of place in the late '80s, combined with From Software's penchant for mechicular (I just made this up) combat. If you hate old games and crave the newest visual advancements, avoid it. For everyone else: there is something here you can sink your teeth into that's more than just a novelty relic.

I'm so torn on The Blackout Club. The prologue is an amazing experience and the game itself, while drastically different, still kept my friends and I coming back. But it's not a good game. There are too many bugs and mishandled mechanics holding it back, in addition to a huge bait-and-switch on story and lore. I do think there is a lot of potential here, as The Blackout Club fills an empty void in the market, but dang it's just so disappointing in its current state.

Despite some unevenness, Forager is absolutely worth a look. If anyone ever asks me for a relaxing game that they can throw themselves into and become obsessed with for a week, this is my pick.

My only hope with writing this is that people honestly read the words I've put down. I really don't want anyone to take a quick glance at the score and go, "I knew it! My childhood is dead and these developers are jackasses!" I loved Turok as a kid and those games still exist as they were. I don't feel that Escape from Lost Valley is a betrayal of my youth or anything melodramatic. I mostly am just upset that this brilliantly adorable game turned out so shockingly poor.

A Short Hike is far from perfect, but it absolutely is unique and worth your time. It's also super fucking rad, and I love it. Warts and all. If you’re looking for something different, and you don’t mind the price of admission, I think this is more than worth the price of entry. It may not be perfect, but life never is, and that’s fine and beautiful in its own way.