ZTGD

Bloodstained is great. More content is promised for the future. I sunk way too much time into it when I had other games to review. It’s addictive and likely making my top 10 this year. I hope it does well enough that this isn’t the last we see of Bloodstained.

Judgment tells a compelling story of a disgraced defense attorney turned detective and his obsessive search for the truth. Unfortunately, the half baked nature of the investigative mechanics as well as a slew of pacing issues holds it back from escaping from the Dragon’s shadow.

Citizens of Space is a solid follow-up to a truly unique RPG experience. There is little else like it, especially on Xbox One. It is a game that can be played without having to worry about the first title and it is definitely worth the time. I just wish it took a little less of it. It feels padded in the places that make it drag on occasion, however the writing and performances pick up the slack, making this one diamond in the rough that should not be missed.

In my opinion, there are only a handful of games that can be categorised as a system seller for Sony’s headset; something that would make it worthwhile laying down the cost of VR. Games like Beat Saber and Astro Bot have proven themselves at making VR work in its own right, and now you can add Blood & Truth to that list. And if you already own a PSVR you would be doing yourself a disservice by not going out and picking this game up.

My Friend Pedro is as wacky as the name suggests. In a sea of games it is hard to make a splash, but Switch owners would be wise not to skip this fun romp. While it has some issues the pure joy of bouncing a bullet off a frying pan and into the skull of your adversary outweighs that frustration. I wish Devolver would put their games on more systems right out of the gate, as I think this game could easily make a splash with just about every gamer.

Gato Roboto is a great game that is designed well. I just wish there was more. This better not be the last we see of Kiki. I could definitely have spent another three or more hours in the world of this Gato Roboto. I hope if a sequel comes around we get to see some different mech types and some more power ups, but for $8 I have to recommend this game. It’s bite-sized Metroid and that is the highest of compliments I can give.

Finally, the look and the overall presentation of the game are really well done. Everything is very colorful and pops off the screen, and the music is both catchy and fits right in with the cutesy look of the characters and board. Everything is unlocked from the beginning, so progression is pretty much limited to the ranked play.Puyo Puyo Champions is a fine puzzle game. It leans heavily into the multiplayer aspects of the game, and while it may turn off beginners or people out of practice, for the price, you still get a really good puzzle game.

American Fugitive is a neat take on the top-down crime drama. I like a lot of its ideas, while others hold it back. I would love to see more from this team with these ideas in mind. Clean up the padding and add fast travel and this game could really be something special. Also, give me the option to zoom the camera out a little more, as it stands it feels a little too close to avoid oncoming traffic.

For being handed what I would consider a horribly tainted license, Choice Provisions did well combining their expertise with it to make something pretty good. I would still recommend their own Runner series before recommending Bubsy: Paws on Fire, but any fan of those titles looking for can’t go wrong with this game. Bubsy: Paws on Fire is hands down the best Bubsy game. Anyone with any nostalgia for this despicable bobcat should find enjoyment here, even if in only short bursts.

It was also nice to see many of the characters realized in 3D for the first time, and even though this isn’t Gust’s best work from a visual standpoint, each character’s individual charm shone through the art style.Instead of a glorious celebration of all things Atelier, Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists comes off more like a misguided attempt at creating a spinoff by toning down all the elements that makes Atelier games enjoyable in the first place.