Tech-Gaming

• PC
• 83%
• États-Unis

Antonblast’s cartoonish world is brimming with disorder and noise. Its intent is to consume your senses, which it often does with fanatic platforming action, a wealth of on-screen activity, and sound design filled with shouts and screeches. Paradoxically, you might find tranquility within the layers of madness.

• PC
• 71%
• États-Unis

Sunny Syrup Studio’s inaugural outing is ambitious, drawing inspiration from a catalog of retro classics. Occasionally, the run-and-gun or melee-based action isn’t balanced, and your summons can mindlessly punch at the air. But the sheer quantity of different mechanics makes up for the intermittent lapse in quality.

• SWITCH
• PS5
• PS4
• 76%
• États-Unis

Undoubtedly, Touhou Spell Carnival is one of the more creative spin-offs for Reimu, Marissa, and the rest of the Gensokyo gals. Elevated by a battle system that merges the property’s lavish projectile patterns with several layers of strategy, every showdown manages to feel fun and frantic.

• PC
• 73%
• États-Unis

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate tosses Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael into a Hades-style roguelike. While performance is solid and the inclusion of co-op is welcome, a deference to formula is regrettable.

• PC
• 73%
• États-Unis

Attempts to blend a variety of different genres together can often feel disjointed and aimless. Certainly, Farmagia’s mix of Pokémon-like monster cultivation, real-time strategy battles, and visual novel-style storytelling isn’t faultless. But the game’s various components feed into each other agreeably, creating a compelling and occasionally inspired gameplay cycle.

• PC
• 71%
• États-Unis

A metroidvania released in 2024 should have at least a few fresh qualities. Although Voidwrought is mostly mechanically competent, it’s conceptually dull, with a moveset that you’ve probably used a dozen times before.

• PC
• 87%
• États-Unis

Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is agreeable when you’re performing fetch quests and grows enjoyable with its trolly cart racing component. But the deep-seated delight arrives when there’s no obvious goal and you’re just soaking up the splendid scenery. Here, exploring the Akita prefecture and a town of hospitable folks feels like a bathtub full of warm contentment.

• SWITCH
• 82%
• États-Unis

Peer past some forgivable anachronisms and Critical Games manages to capture the sanguine charms of early console role-playing games. Occasionally, attempts to capture retro appeal can lack authenticity, becoming the equivalent of an unexceptional ‘80s cover band. But here, Joshua Hallaran and the team hit almost all the right notes.

• PS5
• 73%
• États-Unis

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition different ingredients blend together agreeably, mixing everything from deck building, resource management, and even options for romance into its shopkeeping simulation. With this new recipe, even the bitterness associated with the in-game competitions and been remedied.

• SWITCH
• 80%
• États-Unis

Confusion might affect Misa, 9 R.I.P.'s main character. But if you appreciate a capricious tone and the ability to sinuously shift genres, there's no reason for indecisiveness. Otomate's latest is a devilishly good time.

• SWITCH
• 63%
• États-Unis

RPG MAKER WITH certainly isn’t for everyone. But if you’re ever longed to craft your own adventure and have a surplus of free time, this (along with SmileBASIC 4) can turn your portable console into a robust dev kit. The benefit over RPG MAKER MV is the ability to share components WITH others.

• PC
• 48%
• États-Unis

As a collaboration between FuRyu and Natsume Atari, Reynatis is crammed with interesting ideas. But like a chef who couldn’t resist holding back on the number of ingredients, the result is a muddled mess. An action RPG starring oppressed wizards has potential, but Reynatis waters down its ambitions under a layer of ununified mechanics.

• PC
• 78%
• États-Unis

Undoubtedly, there’s an overabundance of action roguelike on Steam. But Ravenswatch’s selection of literary-based characters boast hearty arsenals that make combat absorbing. At present, fighting bosses in single-player games can feel tedious, so grab a group of buddies, if possible.

• PC
• 3.3 / 5
• États-Unis

Yars Rising delivers a notable deviation from the original Atari 2600 title. Here, Howard Scott Warshaw’s classic is imaged as a hacking mini-game placed inside a metroidvania adventure. While these transitory throwbacks and their variations are absorbing, the principal play between them is too lifeless.

• PC
• 77%
• États-Unis

Games built around item collection often succumb to tedium or a level of challenge that’s more exasperating than engaging. Caravan SandWitch lets you roam its sunny, sandy local without the inconvenience of enemy encounters or the threat of a ‘game over’ message.

• SWITCH
• 3.4 / 5
• États-Unis

While titled Firework Thrower Kantaro is undoubtedly entertaining, SUNSOFT is Back’s other offerings probably won’t hold your attention for long. If you’re obsessed with owning a trio of localized Eighties-era oddities, Retro Game Selection might be worth a look. But for most players, there’s other eight-bit titles more deserving of your time and money.

• SWITCH
• 72%
• États-Unis

Miku and her Piapro peers inject personality into Fitness Boxing’s workouts. But like the previous entries in Imagineer’s series, a pair of Joy-Cons can’t provide much feedback on your form. As such, Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku is diverting but probably won’t become part of your routine.

• PC
• 3.6 / 5
• États-Unis

Although Gori: Cuddly Carnage is built from an inventory of familiar concepts, it doesn’t feel like most contemporary games. Instead, Angry Demon Studio’s title feels like one of those underdog PlayStation 2 games that publishers would take the irregular chance on. Sure, the title has its flaws, but grindy combat to dull dialog. But if you’re in the mood for some claws-out bloodletting, where enemies pop like piñatas, give Gori a go.