ZTGD

Vampyr is a game I feel a lot of people will be discussing in a few years. It will be remembered fondly with its interesting ideas and brilliant storytelling. I wish the hindrances were not so apparent though. I feel like a lot of people will be turned off by the poorly paced intro and combat. Still if you are like me and can look past those blemishes, Vampyr is an amazing ride well worth the journey.

It’s these kinds of practices that end up hurting an otherwise perfectly good game and go on to tarnish its reputation, oftentimes irreversibly. If only they had just waited to release with its full 40 characters glory a few months later to have proper individual DLC after the title was allowed to simmer in its release, we would be talking only about the quality of the game and nothing more.

The pieces surrounding the collection are also impressive. Seeing concept artwork and high-res images of characters in the museum entertained me for hours. I loved going through it all. As someone who has been playing this series for years, it warms my heart to see its evolution.This is a fantastic package. While there are some things that annoy me, it is impossible to recommend a better collection of these games to date. The addition of online for select games and the inclusion of some truly obscure ones makes up for its deficiencies.

After waiting all these years, it’s absolutely wonderful to see PixelJunk Monsters back once more, but the more I played it, I couldn’t help but feel a looming sense of disappointment at the lack of content and new ideas. It’s a game I hoped to love but walked away only liking, and that’s a shame for what is a follow up to my favorite tower defense game of all time.

ONRUSH is a great arcade racing game that scratches so many itches. I wish the single player was a little more drawing and diverse. I also wish some of the modes were a little more exciting, but as a new take on the genre, it feels fantastic. Don’t skip this one, it is a must-play for anyone that enjoys arcade racing.

Regardless of the faults that game may have, Moonlighter is a fantastic game, both in mechanics and in execution. The carrot-on-a-stick nature of the progression is superb, and the dungeon parts are both challenging and rewarding. That, along with the wonderful soundtrack and nice pixel art, make for a beautiful aesthetic that is both fun and nice to see in action.

Fox N Forests is a pretty decent game. The only real downside is the pacing and having to do the same levels over again just to collect seeds to continue the game. The game plays great, looks just how I wanted it to, and has that style that really gives off the nostalgic feel. People looking to scratch that 16-bit platformer itch will have a good time with it, and people looking to find nice 16-bit recreation will get something well done here.

If one was to ignore the technical issues and consider it in isolation, Pillars of Eternity 2 could be deemed a solid game. Whilst on the surface it appears to offer depth and choice, effectively the content is relatively simple and linear. Nevertheless, there are some great side quests and locations to engage with, and a large number of stories and peoples to encounter.

Sure it maintained that I had defeated certain bosses and unlocked certain things, but if I wanted to continue the game I would have to go through all the stages again to fight my way back to where I was. This game is the definition of okay. It’s not boring, there’s definitely enjoyment to be had, but what enjoyment there is is hindered by poor decisions.

All in all, this collection is fine. I can’t criticize the game selection based on what it’s not. It’s just tiring having yet another incomplete look at SEGA’s games for their most popular system ever. The games are still great, and for any newcomers to SEGA or just games in general I say buy this to experience these titles because it’s the most forgiving any of these games have been.