ZTGD

The game just doesn’t work in the ways I wanted it to. I never felt compelled to keep going forward. Whether it was a glitch or just subpar writing Rustler never managed to draw me into its world. I struggled to finish the game and had little desire to return and mop up any side quests afterwards. There is a fun game buried underneath all of its issues, but Rustler never manages to achieve what it sets out to do.

Cruis’n Blast is a fantastic trip back to the past with some modern luxuries to round out the package. This is not a game for everyone. It can be maxed out in a day and the replay comes from the enjoyment of the races and tracks themselves.

The story is bland and forgettable, the combat is downright atrocious and doesn’t work half the time, and multiple times I ran into issues with the game not progressing. I killed everyone in the area, did everything I needed to, and a door just won’t open because it didn’t trigger – this wasn’t the same instance of this, mind you.

Deathloop is a great game and worthy of a playthrough wherever you choose to experience it. Deathloop is probably one of the best examples of really blending those rogue-lite elements into an otherworldly and excellent story, freedom of choice, tight controls and a delightful cast of characters all wrapped in a beautiful package.

Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions isn’t a bad game it just feels like an incomplete one. With only three real modes to play the game (one of which is the training) it just feels empty. The training mode is not mandatory and unlike most games you don’t receive a tutorial while playing the Arcade mode.

No More Heroes III is a wild ride through a psychedelic warzone that begs to be experienced. The technical issues and slog of an open world drag it down at times, but it never stopped me from wanting to see it through.

Recompile is not an awful game by any means, but it is not much more than the sum of its parts. While the exploration works, its hindered by the spotty level lighting; you have a good assortment of weapons but putting them to use is underwhelming.

The game even warns players before venturing to it to be prepared. It didn’t help that it had been a while since I played the original, so I had to get myself back into the swing of combat. There are new enemy types, but the most impactful are the Shamans.

The level design is wonderful and the visuals give off that nostalgic flare. I do wish the game was a little more high-fidelity just so navigation wouldn’t be so confusing at times. I do appreciate the change of scenery from the first game though. Instead of dark corridors, we get outdoor environments and plenty of snow. The music is stellar.

The eclectic cast of characters, the grungy yet colorful setting and the bass thumping, bad guy busting soundtrack really help to encapsulate that 90’s vibe the developers were going for, they have managed to not only make a solid side scrolling arcade game but they also delivered a fun and unique story at the same time.