Search Results

March 10, 2025 — AbleToPlay , a game discovery platform by Good Trouble , is now live in public beta. The platform aims to make it easier to find games suited towards an individual's unique accessibility needs. How does it work?   After creating an account, each user will have to set up their own accessibility profile, which is broken up into 6 different categories: Vision, Mobility, Auditory, Cognitive, Triggers, and Other. Each category is then broken up into sub-categories (i.e. Game Visuals, sight) with their own selections. Within these sub-categories are multiple selections, which can then be set to ‘Need’ or ‘Prefer.’ With a list of 93 available accessibility tools, the choices are quite comprehensive — ranging from more ubiquitous selections like subtitles, to things like arachnophobia toggles or content warning preferences. As an able-bodied gamer myself, I still find use for many of the options presented here — accessibility options are plainly useful for everyone! Being able to see which games have which specific options, or to receive suggestions based on your preferences is just a phenomenal tool to have at your disposal.  The way AbleToPlay presents them to the user is worth praise, too. After making accessibility selections, you then have the ability to search for a game by name, or allow the tool to make suggestions for you. Game types/genre are selectable via dropdown (fighting, puzzle, music, etc.), and the games themselves are shown in descending order, based upon an assigned score for how closely the options align with your own accessibility selections. Clicking on the game will bring up another page for that title, showing you the platforms it is available on, who made it, and how it matches each category of your preferences (once again assigning a score).  There are a large number of options available for each profile's accessibility preferences. What's the use? While the tool is still in public beta, it is already proving to be extraordinarily useful for finding games tailored to a person's needs. AbleToPlay is free to use, and the information you provide is private — it isn't shared or sold anywhere else.  It is not possible for another user to see your needs or preferences, or to somehow tie your identity to any interaction on the platform you have not explicitly intended to make public. Additionally, the information per game on the site is updated constantly through user support and submissions, ensuring the information available is current. How the information will be verified, or what future updates are in store remains to be seen, but both will be hugely important for its viability going forward. I'm so excited to see where this thing goes. Hopefully this can be of use to gamers and developers alike for a long time. AbleToPlay Can be found here ( https://abletoplay.com/ ) and is usable on mobile and desktop/laptop computers.

Streets of Rage 4  renews the classic beat-'em-up series with beautiful hand-drawn visuals and a phenomenal soundtrack. The fluid combat mechanics, combined with the varied characters available to select, are a playground for experimentation, offering a lot of room for player creativity. While some may find the difficulty intimidating, the satisfying combos and co-op action make it a superb encounter. Pros Gorgeous art style.  Excellent music. Tight gameplay, with responsive controls. Co-op is a lot of fun. Several game modes to choose from. Cons(?) Difficulty can be steep. Limited story. Short campaign. Publisher: Dotemu, Playdigious (Android, iOS) Developer:   Dotemu, Lizardcube, Guard Crush Games Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on April 30, 2020 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One ; Released on November 12, 2020 for Linux, macOS; Released on July 21, 2021 for Stadia, and May 2024 for Android, iOS.

Going rogue, safely. As a surprise drop, Warriors: Abyss  ambushed fans with a trailer and release on the same day as the Playstation State of Play it was revealed in. Coming off the success of Dynasty Warriors: Origins , it seems it’s time to cash in on the brand while it’s hot again. But is this mix of roguelite and musou a match made in heaven or hell? Publisher: Koei Tecmo Developer:   Omega Force Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on February 12, 2025 for PC, PS4/5, and Xbox Series X/S; Released on February 14, 2025 for Nintendo Switch. The game starts off in an all too familiar way — the player has been whisked away to another world by a powerful entity (Enma) to serve as their champion and defeat their Nemesis (Gouma). To complete this task, you’ll choose a character to play as from a somewhat limited (but still rather large) roster of characters. More characters to choose from are unlocked as you play the game and earn Karma, a currency you earn and keep through your runs. Each of the 100 characters has a unique moveset (lifted from Dynasty Warriors 8 or Samurai Warriors 4, depending on the character), so trying to find the right one for your playstyle or comfort might be a task unto itself. In many respects, the core gameplay feels closer to the classic warriors experience than any sort of notable roguelite/roguelike. Hundreds of enemies appear on screen for you to decimate, and your moves follow the same light attack/heavy attack structure that the series is best known for. There are major differences, though, with enemies frequently bombarding the field with AOEs and boss monsters lighting you up (while they remain impervious) until you break a stagger gauge. Perhaps the most interesting addition to the standard formula comes in the form of the summons and Assembly mechanics. As you advance through the floors, you can form an alliance with other characters from the Warriors games, allowing you to summon them after your combos to unleash a special move. Assembly is a mechanic whereby you fill another gauge and unleash all of your summons at once, at the end of which you may use a special assembly musou — if you have the meter for it. This is all fun enough for a few runs, and the large cast does help, but the actual game never really evolves or changes as you advance. More enemies appear and they more frequently unleash massive area attacks that you must dodge or interrupt, but enemy types are limited, and the few boss battles that exist are a major slog, spending most of your time ineffectually whacking away at a bar just for the opportunity to do some damage to the boss. There are no unique ways to build your characters, and no changes to the loop, even as you advance in difficulty levels. The difficulty levels really only change how frequently enemies attack and how much punishment they can take — something extremely detrimental to the overall experience. Visual clarity is a real problem, but it is manageable in the long run. More AOE attacks from enemies means even more visual clutter, something the game was not lacking in even on early runs. This problem can be further exacerbated by the fact that one of the major element types of your characters/summons shares the exact same coloration as the enemies’ frequent death zones. It would normally be prudent to just dash out of the way to avoid these in moments where there’s not much clarity, but dashing is on a cooldown AND can only be upgraded to include more dashes mid-run . In some respects, it feels as if the game expects you to take some of these hits, as the lack of clarity, infrequent dodging, and relatively low damage from the attacks don’t lend themselves to or necessitate frame-perfect gameplay. In reality, the game is quite easy and requires very little thinking or planning on the player’s part. The best summon option at any given crystal is generally the one who makes your battle power number go up the most. Formations are another way to increase your combat power and offer their own unique benefits, like attack power or defense, but much like every other choice, the automated option is most likely the best. There are some decision points for the player that can’t really be left to the computer, however. It becomes very clear as you play that a few stat type upgrades are nearly mandatory. Emblems like skill and speed are essential for unlocking baseline competency for your avatar, increasing your combo attacks available and dodge effectiveness, respectively. Additionally, if you’re going for specific elemental synergies, it can often be beneficial to take characters that add less benefit now, and provide a larger boost down the line. The game has a massive roster to choose from, but little in the way of activities to do with them. In spite of all of its problems, the battles are still relatively fun and remain the best part of the game. That is not true of any other aspect of Warriors: Abyss . The story is stick-thin, and consists of nothing more than some little anime guy talking at you for a few lines between floors. Occasionally you get to choose a response to whatever he’s yapping about, but it is entirely inconsequential. There is no other character interaction — no hub or story to unfold. Just a single unlock screen where you spend your currency (karma) to unlock characters and formations for use in the game proper. While Warriors: Abyss  has more valleys than peaks, I did enjoy most of my 30-ish hours with the game. I like these characters, and I enjoy the Warriors brand of combat of mowing down thousands of enemies at a time with flashy attacks. It is by no means an exemplar of either genre it attempts to mash together, but it’s a good time all-around. Warriors: Abyss plays it safe in just about every aspect, with Omega Force taking no big swings — in gameplay or otherwise. If you like roguelikes/roguelites, or are already a big fan of Omega Force’s Warriors games, this one is worth a closer look. Verdict Warriors: Abyss  is light on story and gameplay systems, but succeeds in delivering a somewhat fun loop. While there is little variety in the enemy types or overall gameplay systems, the massive roster of 100 different characters helps alleviate some of the monotony. The lack of visual clarity and the limited dodging do not lend themselves to the fast-paced, engaging gameplay that it is attempting to ape, but the game is easy enough to avoid derailing because of it. If you enjoy the Warriors games, or otherwise like roguelikes, it may be worth a look. Image Credits: Taylor Rioux and Koei Tecmo

I Love You, Colonel Sanders! is a free-to-play comedy dating sim centered around the premise of forming a romantic relationship with famed KFC mascot Colonel Sanders. Unfortunately, they forgot to put in anything funny or romantic. The game contains only vague gestures at character archetypes rather than real characters, and the player has the unenviable task of navigating the haphazard dialogue to attempt a relationship with the titular character. The game has boldly chosen to go with a sort of pass/fail choice system, where you either flirt with the colonel or have to reload. This thing is an affront not only to dating sims, but video games in general. Pros It's Free Cons Shallow gameplay, with limited decision-making. Shockingly boring and unfunny. Uninspired character design. Developer:   Psyop Publisher:   KFC Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability: Released on September 24, 2019 for Windows PC and Mac.

MagicCon: Chicago 2025 is underway and will continue through the weekend. As part of the larger ongoing event, Wizards of the Coast put together a preview panel for upcoming Magic: The Gathering sets. Here's what we learned today: Tarkir: Dragonstorm Magic: The Gathering 's next set will see a return to Tarkir, one of the most beloved planes in the franchise. For this romp, the clans will each have new mechanics, but are said to maintain some functionality with the previous mechanics for the clans. This set will release on April 11, 2025. Some highlights from this portion of the presentation include: New cards such as Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, Skirmish Rhino, and Shiko, Paragon of the Way were revealed. 5 new commander decks, one for each clan, have been announced. No deck list has been revealed yet, but they will include some sought after reprints as well as new-to- Magic cards. Siege cards make a return, starting with Barrensteppe Siege. Final Fantasy The debut for Final Fantasy is going to be at PAX East on May 10th. Edge of Eternities While we did not get any specific cards revealed for Edge of Eternities, we did get some clarification on the themes and direction of the set. This set is not only sci-fi, but will feature Magic staples like knights and pirates. This portion of the panel mostly showcased some art, so here's a look at some items: Universes Beyond: Avatar the Last Airbender A new set featuring Avatar: The Last Airbender will see its release later this year. That's all for this year's preview panel! If you would like to watch the entire thing, you can find it here .

Oooh, Romance. They say time heals all wounds and Koei Tecmo Games and Omega Force are relying on that adage to mend their reputations after the disastrous Dynasty Warriors 9 . But time doesn’t just heal, does it? No, over time, things erode and decay. Things change in ways that make them impossible to maintain or revive. I’m not really sure which of these Dynasty Warriors: Origins falls under, but big changes are in store for the series moving forward. Publisher: Koei Tecmo Developer:   Omega Force Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on January 17, 2025  for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S Playing as the silent, memory deficient Ziluan – a man who is somehow both a nobody, and the most important person in the world – we take a trip through the Three Kingdoms period of China, beginning with the Yellow Turban Rebellion and ending with the battle of Chibi. With Ziluan’s special eyes, only he can see through the illusions of the magician Jhang Jiao, only he can see the winds change direction, and only he can see the special incense that guides the player to their objective. Bringing a “chosen one” into the mix is not really something I was clamoring for in terms of a mainline Dynasty Warriors game, with original characters usually reserved for spin-offs like the “Empires” games, but it does afford some opportunity for role-playing through the events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.  Throughout the game, Ziluan has the opportunity to form bonds with the famous officers of the period, participate in notable battles, and even rewrite history. I’m not sure how useful talking about the older games will be for new players, but in a long-running series that has generally relied on iterative design decisions, it feels impossible to avoid comparisons. While there have been many changes to the games over the course of the last few decades, there are a few major ones here in Dynasty Warriors: Origins  which may irrevocably alter the series going forward. Character models look great, but their personality leaves something to be desired. Gone are the days of massive rosters of unique playable characters, each with their own move sets, stories to tell, or events to experience. In Origins , the player takes control of only one person, Ziluan, with moments of playing some other major characters in specific battles. Unfortunately, these major characters all share the same exact move sets as the equipment types the player character uses, with no variation. While Ziluan has the option to swap out battle arts (special moves that consume stamina) to help with variety, this is not true for the companion characters, making their playability even more restrictive than the limitations we already have on our protagonist.  Ziluan is a blank slate in combat and out of it, completely molded by the actions you take and gear you wear. That blank personality is detrimental to some of the more emotional moments in the game, where your character just kind of stands there, staring in the distance as the other characters attempt to mourn those they lost or give impassioned speeches. There is a sort of flattening effect happening across the entirety of the game, I fear. Origins  attempts to take all of this material deathly serious, even when much of the material (and even the history of the series) has been anything but. Returning characters with big personalities are now just regular guys who all want to serve their chosen lord, so having three one-on-one scenes with them and the silent protagonist makes for some really uninteresting side content. Unless, of course, you find yourself in some of the extremely suggestive scenes. Oddly enough, it seems there were plans for some romance content within the game that never made the cut, but much of the dialogue persists in forcing romantic adjacent situations upon you – even without your input much of the time. It’s just a constant stream of the most boring people in the world lining up to tell the player character that they want to be together forever. Perhaps the largest deviation from the old formula is the combat itself. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is much more reliant on counterplay and timing than any of the older games in the series, but still manages to balance that more grounded approach with the spectacle we’re used to. It’s here, in these massive, complex battles that the game really shines. It’s harder to cut your way through large groups of enemies, since officers have super armor that prevents long combos or juggling, but in its place we get a more interesting back and forth between the real players in the battles. Timing your parries and Battle Arts is essential to your success, and makes for a more mindful gameplay loop than the series has ever seen. And when you finally build up a full musou gauge to unleash the ultimate moves, it’s all the more satisfying to see hundreds, if not thousands, of enemies sent flying to their doom in grayscale.  The battles themselves are well designed, with unique map layouts that offer different avenues of approach, or even specific tactics and objectives that can change the tide of the battle you’re in. That’s true for the story fights, at least – not so much for the smaller scale excursions, which often repeat maps and objectives, and only last a few minutes each. The game stumbles here, as many bonding events force you into these battles as a means to further advance your relationship with the characters. Thankfully,  Dynasty Warriors: Origins  is also pleasant to look at – another departure from the norm. I was actually quite shocked to see the character models on display, as I’m used to the more low-quality effort of past titles. It’s not pushing the boundary of what’s possible by any means, but looking as good as it does visually enhances those large scale battles and does at least provide some comfort in the bonding scenes.  True to their roots, these battles are massive and flashy. I do want to touch on the voice work a bit, as I fear this is going to come up a lot over the years. I quite like the delivery, but I grew up on old martial arts film dubs. This is very much giving 80’s dub, with awkward pauses, or rushed lines all the way through. I mean this sincerely – it pokes at my nostalgia for these things in a way I would not have expected appreciating. I have to believe this is deliberate direction (whether by necessity or choice, I don’t know), as many of the actors here are more than capable of offering stellar performances in more traditional work. If those films are not a touchstone for your own lived experience, it may leave a negative impression on you. Playing through two of the three story routes in their entirety, I clocked in at about 60 hours. I would say that for the first 50, I had a lot of fun with it, but that last 10 really started to wear on me. The bland characters, more serious tone, and smaller slice of the period than we normally get just ate away at the goodwill I had during my first run through the story. There is some hope for the future, however, owing to the games shocking early success . While the old Dynasty Warriors may be washed away by the sands of time, this new entry is a good starting point for further iteration – something the series has historically handled quite well. If the intent is to take these systems and expand upon them (along with covering more of the period itself), I am looking forward to what comes next. As it stands, Dynasty Warriors: Origins  is a good game with good bones. It’s just a few tweaks away from becoming a great one, restoring the former glory of his storied dynasty. Verdict Dynasty Warriors: Origins  is a departure from the long-standing series’ formula, but offers a worthwhile experience all the same. Combat is still flashy and fun, but Origins  offers a more deliberate, measured approach to the fights that keeps things engaging for longer. The game covers only a slice of the well-tread Three Kingdoms period of China’s history, and does so by hyper-focusing on a few notable characters and events – often to the detriment of its large cast. While it can feel lacking in gameplay variety and character depth, there is enough here to keep you entertained for hours. Image Credits: Koei Tecmo and Taylor Rioux

Final Fantasy, the iconic video game series, is making its way to Magic: the Gathering this summer — June 13, to be exact.  Featuring the stories and characters of the iconic franchise, Magic: The Gathering —FINAL FANTASY will contain over 100 creature cards across the entire release, including 55 borderless character cards. While some new mechanics have yet to be revealed, we have seen popular summons brought to life as Saga creatures — a combination of a creature card and a saga card, with the functionality of both. We also see the return of double-faced cards, Emet-Selch being one such example. Emet-Selch, Unsundered turns into Hades, Sorcerer of Eld once his conditions are met. What’s Inside? The first items on the docket are the 4 commander decks, Magic: The Gathering— FINAL FANTASY Commander (FIC) : Revival Trance  (Terra, Herald of Hope),  Limit Break  (Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER), Counter Blitz  (Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian), and Scions and Spellcraft  (Y’shtola, Night’s Blessed). These commander decks will tell the story of their respective games through the cards, so we’re looking forward to seeing the decklists as they are released. The commanders for the new commander sets: Terra , Herald of Hope, Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER, Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian, and Y’shtola, Night’s Blessed Next, we have Magic: The Gathering —FINAL FANTASY (FIN) , the standard legal set. This set will feature cards representative of all 16 mainline Final Fantasy titles. We’ve already seen cards such as Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir and Jumbo Cactuar  revealed, but there are many more exciting and storied characters on the horizon. Also revealed are FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages (FCA) , a Commander-, Legacy-, and Vintage-legal set, Play Boosters (sealed and draft curated sets) and 3 new secret lair drops to be revealed at a later date. FINAL FANTASY Through the Ages (FCA) will showcase iconic Magic  cards with FINAL FANTASY artwork, with pieces done by legendary artists such as Yoshitaka Amano and Tetsuya Nomura. Featured in (FIN), cards like Jumbo Cactuar and Sephiroth are sure to open interesting avenues of play. Where to Buy? The set releases on June 13 and is available for preorder now at local game stores, online retailers like Amazon , and elsewhere Magic products are sold.

Polyamory, puzzles, and poltergeists make this a match-3 to die for. I really am such a sucker for a great visual style. There's just something about a game with a unique or interesting artistic flair to it that initially draws me into it in ways that a great story or combat may not and Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To has so much style. But don't let those gorgeous visuals trick you — this game is coming for your soul. Spirit Swap is an action-puzzle match-3 game with role-playing, romance, and room decorating elements. While those disparate ideas or genres may seem like a questionable fit, Soft Not Weak has managed to combine them beautifully, creating an engaging (or addictive - depending on who you ask) yet relaxing ride.  I was lucky enough to receive an early version of the game, of which this review is based on. Publisher: Soft Not Weak Developer:  Soft Not Weak Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on February 3, 2025 for PC, Mac, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Spirit Swap has your standard shape-matching for the genre, but keeps itself fresh by introducing a few unique mechanics (spells), and combines them with more common ones (combos, called cascades). The aforementioned "spells" are abilities you can use by arranging shapes into specific patterns on the board, such as an 'X' or a diamond shape, but these moves require meter to initiate. It is noteworthy that there's no penalty for moving the shapes without matching, somewhat atypical for games like this, so you can easily plan things out as you go. The spells are earned throughout the story mode, and can be switched out for other abilities from Samar's room. Meter is gained by doing your normal matching process, but you earn more for larger arrangements of shapes, or 'cascading' into combinations — that is, when you match pieces and the space left by their erasure causes more pieces to match. These combos will also create "garbage," unusable blocks that must be removed by creating matches adjacent to them, for your opponent to deal with. Once your opponent's pieces (or yours) reach the top of the board, the round ends. In the main story, three round wins accounts for a match win. There's a lot of room here for layered and thoughtful strategy. Game modes are pretty limited, overall, with Story, Endless, and Versus being the only options available at the time of its release. Story is a short-but-sweet mode where you follow Samar as they try to figure out what is causing the surge in spirit appearances. Samar will spend some time with friends, and do some 'swapping' with them to eliminate the spirits from an area. The main scenario is quite short — only took me about an hour to get through — but the bulk of the game actually plays out after that. In the post-game, you can meet up with your friends, go on dates, do a little more swapping, and earn more décor for your bedroom. You can skip story and puzzle match sections if you are feeling overwhelmed or just want to move on. In contrast to the more open format of the story mode, Endless and Versus are exactly what they sound like — Endless being a simple board without an opponent and no time limit, and Versus is a mode where you can face off against a friend using local multiplayer. Currently, there are no puzzle modes or challenges or anything of that nature. I wouldn't say it takes away from what is here, but it's not a super robust game, if that's a major concern for you. There are difficulty modes and speed sliders, however, so you can somewhat fine-tune just how relaxing this is for you. I started on Chill (lowest difficulty), bumped it up to Sheesh (highest difficulty), but eventually landed on Spicy (middle difficulty) in the end. That was my sweet spot, but your mileage may vary here. The story mode as a wide array of things to engage with. Spirit Swap takes obvious inspiration from the popular lofi youtube channels and videos in its naming structure, but you'll notice some other similarities, as well. For starters, the game is heavily centered around its use of lofi music, or music characterized by its relaxed feel and intentional 'imperfections.' While lofi music has most prominently been used as relaxing background noise in service of completing other tasks, you don't really have that luxury when playing a game. Instead, Spirit Swap leverages the phenomenal soundscape provided by Meltycanon to create a sort of dream-like quality to the gameplay itself. There were a few sessions where I lost track of the time just vibing to the music in endless mode while I shifted the little pieces around. The inspirations don't stop there, either. If you pay attention throughout, you'll notice other nods or references to popular games within its own genre — or even games outside of it. For example, after starting a romance with a character, we started a swapping battle and a voice called out "Get ready for the next date" in a similar cadence to a Tekken announcer, with character portraits and a VS screen to solidify its intent. The developers have stated that Panel de Pon was an inspiration for the structure of the story mode, but other similarities present themselves, too. It's a nice nod to the games that shaped the creators of Spirit Swap . I do want to take a moment to just gush about some things in this game that I love, but don't fall neatly into its gameplay systems. To start, I really cannot express the depth of my appreciation for the artwork and visual style of the game. The character portraits are obviously gorgeous, but even things like the background images and cool effects that pop up on screen during events floored me. I love a game with style, and Spirit Swap kept impressing me more and more as time went on. During major events, you get these beautiful, intricate images to accentuate the happenings on screen. I mean, look at this thing: Truly phenomenal stuff on display here. Beneath the breathtaking visuals also lies earnest, natural, and heartfelt writing. Everything is so smooth — the dialogue flows from one moment to the next so seamlessly, so nothing ever feels forced. This is exemplified in the way the LGBTQ+ cast is both represented and referred to. I am so glad to see the care that has been taken in presenting these stories and perspectives. It probably shouldn't shock anyone that most of the people on the team behind this game are trans themselves, and they deliberately chose to hire trans and/or non-binary performers for the excellent voicework in-game. I find this commendable. Especially during a time when trans people are constantly under attack. Planting your flag down and saying, "We're here and we're not going anywhere" is a necessary form of protest against the hate and vitriol seen daily. I do have some minor quibbles with the game, but as this is an early build, I'm not sure how much will remain on launch, or what might be coming at a later date. There are some minor performance hiccups here and there — nothing major or frequent — and the occasional bug. I think these things will be sorted out in short order, but the game is more than playable right now. Spirit Swap 's limited game modes are probably my biggest issue, as I'm accustomed to seeing challenge modes or puzzles in this type of game. I also disliked being unable to update (or even view) settings while in the game proper, except under specific circumstances. Developer Soft Not Weak has indicated there are plans to update the game with more content as time passes (there's even a pop-up in game that says as much), so I'm optimistic we'll get the opportunity to spend more time with these wonderful characters, and hopefully have some more puzzle-solving madness to go along with it. Verdict Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To is a vibrant and unique action-puzzle match-3 game that has left me craving more. Boasting an eclectic cast of characters and varied gameplay systems, it stuck its claws in me immediately. Strong representation, excellent music, and the awe-inspiring artwork are commendable, and if you're a fan of match-3 style games, you can't go wrong here. While it is not without some faults, I hope you'll give it a try. Image Credits: Soft Not Weak and Taylor Rioux Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To was reviewed using a promotional code on PC provided by the publisher.

No Prom-ises here The idea of prom and what it represents is probably familiar to most American students. From an early age, we’re exposed to media (movies, tv shows, cartoons) that depicts prom, and often centers it as a major, magical life event. There’s a lot of fervor in the lead up to prom — getting the decorations settled, finding the right attire, and (perhaps most importantly) finding the right date. All that pressure can be crushing for young people. Monster Prom  takes what is often perceived to be a frightening or overwhelming event during your high school years and asks, “what if everyone were (real) monsters?” Set three weeks before prom at Spooky High School, you’re on a mission to make your chosen mark fall for you — lest you risk going it alone. With 6 potential dates to choose from, the player (and up to 3 other friends) must go through a series of events to woo whomever you have set your eyes on. Luckily, no matter which creature you choose, it's all dazzling. Publisher: Xelu, Those Awesome Guys Developer:   Beautiful Glitch Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on Apr 27, 2018 for PC, Mac, and Linux (Steam), and on May 21st, 2020 for Nintendo Switch The three-week journey starts off with a short quiz that will determine your starting stats: SMARTS, BOLDNESS, CREATIVITY, CHARM, FUN, and MONEY. Stats correspond to what answers your character can successfully select, and serve as thresholds for your prospective dates. You’ll need to meet certain criteria by the end to pair up with your chosen one, but it’s a fairly easy process. To start, you’ll select an area of Spooky High School you’ll go to, where an event will play and you’ll increase the stat associated with that room. Following this, another event will show up, featuring two of the classmates. It is here where your answers will determine who you impress (if anyone) and what type of stat bonuses you can receive for the “right” answer. Generally speaking you can either cater your answers to what the monster you are wooing likes, or choose the option most closely associated with your stat distribution. There are also some other things to be aware of that don’t directly relate to raising affection. There’s a shop you can visit, which can offer items to boost stats, or serve as totems necessary for secret endings and encounters. There are non-romanceable characters you can speak with who may provide you with items or bonuses as well, so it’s always a good idea to explore and get a feel for how things work in-game. Truthfully, the first few runs felt a bit like the wild west in that I did not understand the exact mechanics of the game. It seemed as if anything was possible – as if the meetups were random and the answers I chose were always going to be right for somebody. When I discovered the more “gamey” aspects of it and understood the systems a bit more, the game lost a bit of that luster for me in the ‘surprise’ department. That said, I also gained an appreciation for just how wide open the game still remained. With hundreds of possible events and nearly 50 secret endings, there’s a lot to discover, even if you know how to game the system. Heavily stylized art lends a lot of character to the scenes throughout the game. This is doubly true for the multiplayer component. I played this game with my wife a few times, and while no run was the same, they were always a blast. Multiplayer differs in a few distinct ways from the single-player experience. First off, you’re competing (or supporting one another) for the cast’s limited affections. If you each have your eyes set on the same person, it becomes a race for who can woo the monster first. Stat requirements for success are lower in multiplayer, so that part is less of a concern than when you’re going solo. A major highlight is a challenge you can initiate for your group between rounds. A prompt displays on screen that asks players to say an object, person, or animal out loud. The actual challenge is revealed only after each player has spoken up, and players will need to discuss amongst themselves who has won the challenge. Players will then determine the player order for the next round.  To give you an idea of how it works, the game might ask you to name an object, only for the game to then ask players to rank answers based on which object is most likely to be used as a plot device in a caper story (this is not a real, specific example, just an approximation of the format). Some of the fun here can probably be attributed to my wife being hilarious, but I think the writing itself leaves a lot of space for creativity.  To be honest, the writing throughout the entire game is so charming. Yes, it is often juvenile, but it is also fun. It is creative, vivid, clear, and conversational. It carries a distinct and consistent voice all throughout the journey, both in terms of overall tone, and for each individual character. Despite the light-hearted nature of the game, I am impressed. Or maybe I am more impressed that the game is able to so creatively express these moments while maintaining that levity. However, if you’re looking for a strong, personal narrative, you probably won't find it here. There’s no overarching story aside from your upcoming prom, and the characters don’t go through major development arcs — that’s just not what they’re aiming for in this title, as it's a parody of the genre. What it does aim for is style. A game with great visual style always leaves a positive impression in my book, and Monster Prom has more than enough to spare. Character designs are bright, simple, and fun — using thick lines, sharp angles, and basic shadows to cut a distinct figure. The backgrounds and other artwork share those same features, creating a vibrant scenery that makes every event pop. Even the UI feels fun, with elements featuring uneven lines, wacky patterns, and emotive pop-ups throughout. This is all used to great effect for the characters (who are all pretty one-dimensional archetypes) by allowing their emotions to be loud and immediately recognizable. That light, poppy art style, combined with the simple mechanics and fun dialogue, melds together and creates an experience a little different than your usual dating sim. It’s not meant to be heavy. In that respect, it is better described as light reading, or even more of a party game than your usual fare. It often turns into an effort to plan around your competitors, making turn order even more important than you might initially suspect.  There is a simplicity to the underlying mechanics that make this fairly easy to do, and the game seems to accommodate the player by pushing the monsters you’re going for into your events as you progress. Whether you succeed or fail, it's a lot of fun to deal with the eclectic cast of characters. That simplicity cuts both ways, though, as the basic loop remains the same in not just every playthrough, but each act of an individual run. Go to a room, get stats, see an event, choose your answer — rinse and repeat. The large variety in events and endings does lend itself to multiple runs, but the monotonous nature of the gameplay itself wore on me quickly. Seeing repeated events is not out of the question, especially if you’re aiming for the same monster as a prior run. This is unfortunate, as the writing is so clever and enjoyable, and I would much rather view something new in any given scenario. When you do reach the end of the road, you finally get to ask your chosen date to prom. Whether they accept or not and what ending you get will be determined by your choices throughout. Thankfully, this process is much less nerve-wracking than its real-life counterpart, and even the rejection scenes can feel rewarding — if only because they end up being very funny most of the time. Overall, Monster Prom  is a more light-hearted take on the dating sim format, and not meant to be taken too seriously. While I do have some quibbles with the gameplay loop, the chaotic nature of multiplayer and the excellent writing keep the game amusing throughout each run. The variety of events and endings keep things fresh enough to keep you going, and maybe even asking for more. I think this game would be a great choice for someone just getting into the dating sim genre, or even someone who is just looking for a more light-hearted, satirical rendezvous with some wacky characters. Verdict Monster Prom  is a more light-hearted take on the dating sim format with a poppy art style, simple mechanics, and fun dialogue. Boasting 47 secret endings, 400+ events, and 1500+ outcomes, there’s a veritable mountain of things to see. If you’re looking for something a little more breezy for you and some friends to join in on, this laugh-out-loud escapade is as good a choice as any. Image Credits: Taylor Rioux

There’s always time for tea. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a game of many faces, whose name is just as indicative of the gameplay direction as it is of the plot. Splitting time between tactical, grid-based battles, base and inventory management, and forming relationships (romantic and otherwise) between your main character and the secondary cast (and between the cast members themselves), Three Houses  runs the risk of losing focus and falling apart. Not only does it stand strong in the face of these disparate identities, but each facet of the game helps prop the others up to reach some truly excellent highs. Publisher: Nintendo Developer:   Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo Platform:  Played on Nintendo Switch Availability: Released on July 26, 2019 for Nintendo Switch The three leaders of the monastery class houses, from left to right: Claude of the Golden Deer, Dimitri of the Blue Lions, and Edelgard of the Black Eagles. The opening chapters of the game feature your player character, whose name and sex you can determine, teaching classes in a massive monastery to a group of students from three separate kingdoms — the Adrestian Empire, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Leicester Alliance. Each of these kingdoms has its own ideals and representatives within your class. Edelgard is the calculating (and oftentimes cold) leader of the Adrestian empire, Dimitri is the seemingly kind and passionate prince of Faerghus, and Claude is a cheerful and warm fellow, whose surface demeanor belies his true nature as a calculating and shrewd tactical mind.  The fate of each faction, their leaders, and even their subordinates depends upon who you side with, the relationships you’ve formed, and your actions in battle. There are 4 main paths in the story: side with the Empire, Faerghus, Alliance, or the church, with each having its own story, characters to recruit, and battles. For my playthrough, I went with the Blue Lions (the monastery house populated by students from the Kingdom of Faerghus), and have come away satisfied with my decision.  At its heart, the central conflict of Three Houses  is a battle of ideals, not just the nations in play. Each main faction leader has complex motives or things they strive to uphold, and that puts them in conflict with the other houses, even if they’re friendly on a personal level. The way these ideals are presented in-game is a bit surface-level, but there is so much going on in the background that you can read up on. With such a deep history of the world to explore, you can get much more out of the game’s events if you make the effort to dig a little deeper. The game strays away from the more grounded, political aspects a bit in the back half — opting instead for a more standard fantastical approach and introducing a “these are very obviously the bad guys” group, but retains much of its charm throughout. Tea dates offer multiple choices to further the conversation. Strong bonds with characters leads to support conversations, which can be funny, sweet, or even sad. A large part of that appeal is the “support” portion of the game. This is the part of the game that revolves around your character forming bonds/relationships with the other characters, and fostering similar bonds between the supporting characters themselves. This is done in myriad ways – engaging in combat with said character close to you or having them set as an adjutant, giving them gifts, and even inviting them to spend time with you (tea parties, eating meals, etc.). When two characters get enough affection for one another, they unlock a support scene in which they converse, after which their rank goes up – conveying benefits specific to that support in combat. Additionally, while characters may leave you during the second half of the game under normal circumstances, recruiting them early on in the game and forging bonds with them allows you to recruit them in the second half. For the main character, some characters can also be romanced, which culminates in a sweet, unique scene between you and your love interest. I would say that a large majority of the gameplay experience revolves around this part of the game. Most of my time was spent running around, doing errands and bonding with the characters to level up relationships. I often dragged out battles in order to set up situations to gain more affection between characters, and went on little tea dates with the entire crew. It was fun. That said, it is a bit disappointing that most of the characters come off as one-note. A majority of the cast falls into your usual anime archetypes, with little or no growth as the game goes on – even if you level up their support, or pair them with other characters. That’s not really a big issue, though. The cast is so large and varied (with multiple story routes in play), it feels interesting enough to see how these characters play off one another, rather than forcing any specific changes or growth. Separately, the combat ties into the overarching narrative and relationship-building quite well. In fact, combat is the convergence point for basically every other aspect of the game. While the structure of the battles is rarely anything beyond ‘kill x enemy,’ your actions in battles can have severe consequences – killing an enemy you may not need to could prevent you from recruiting them or upset your party members, moving too slow may lead to reinforcements appearing for the enemy and cause you to lose a unit, and so on. On top of this, the supports you forge outside of combat can play a role within it, with link attacks or other benefits arising from those strengthened relationships. All of that effort you put into building up your forces, running errands, and instructing your class is demonstrated through the battles you face. It’s impressive how cohesive all of this is. While the battles may be tactical, the scenes that play during each attack or ability keep the action visually engaging. If you’ve played a Fire Emblem game before, the way these battles work will be familiar to you, with Three Houses  returning with the turn-based, tactical combat and weapon triangle the series is most well-known for – albeit with some tweaks to the formula. Most notably, Three Houses  features battalions, which are small squads attached to one of your units that can then be used to assist you by performing gambits — moves with special effects that are used in lieu of your normal attacks. Gambits can also be empowered by performing them near allied units – just another reason to keep your team close. Combat skills have made their return, but now cost weapon durability, rather than health. Every action you take in combat will grant some experience and progress toward certain skills, which is all a part of your growth and power-scaling. Also notable is that there’s a way to improve your unit's capabilities outside of combat through tutoring and weekend lessons. In these sessions, you choose a study focus for your students by assigning goals and activities, and then can help them improve on certain skills like riding or swords. These skills improve not only how your unit performs on the field, but also act as breakpoints for changing classes by gaining certifications. With so many systems in play, it can seem daunting to just jump in, but I think it’s more than doable. Despite carrying on the Fire Emblem legacy, Fire Emblem: Three Houses  exists within its own lane, being detached enough from the other games in the series to be a fully functional work alone. There are references and nods here and there that will be recognizable to longtime fans, but ultimately this is a standalone adventure that welcomes newcomers with open arms. Thankfully, the entire game comes together nicely for players new and old, creating a rewarding and thrilling journey to put your heart into. Verdict Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a deep, complex, and ultimately enthralling Strategy RPG. With so many different characters to engage with, and ways to approach combat, you’ll never feel like you’re running out of things to do or see. While the characters may be mostly one-dimensional, I find them endearing, and trying to curry favor through little dates is probably the biggest draw for many players. I was ultimately most impressed with how thoughtful and well put-together all of the disparate systems seemed to be, with nothing feeling like an afterthought. If you like strategy RPGs, games with dating mechanics, or both — this is an excellent choice.  Image Credits: Taylor Rioux

As an eerie, weird, and unique third-person shooter that will always keep you on your toes, Control knows all the right buttons to press. It is a tapestry made up of one part mystery, one part thriller, and another part horror, and there's a thread to pull at every turn. While some elements of the game become tiresome near the conclusion, the breadcrumbs kept me on the trail until the end. Pros Cool powers and interesting guns make combat initially engaging Superb acting and presentation Interesting cast of characters Story and side quests are all high quality, and can be very creepy Cons Story drags on a bit near the end Combat begins to feel a bit samey near end of main game Verdict Developer:  Remedy Entertainment Publisher:  505 Games Platform:  Played on PC Availability:  Released Aug 27, 2019 on PS4, XBOX One, and PC, Oct 30, 2020 for Nintendo Switch, and Feb 2, 2021 for PS5, and Xbox Series X/S Genre:  Action-adventure, third-person shooter

A unique concoction that is one part fishing game, one part inventory management, and two parts eldritch horror. Dredge is a game that is at times mysterious and frightening, and at others very calming. The terrors of the deep will keep you on your toes as you work to upgrade your boat. Relatively short, Dredge never overstays its welcome, staying interesting throughout the ghastly journey. Pros Fishing is relaxing and simple during the day, but tense during the night Story is adequately spooky Cast of characters is varied and mysterious Cons Puzzles are too simple Most quests are basic fetch quests Verdict