Tech-Gaming

• SWITCH
• 77%
• États-Unis

If you ever wished Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Yazuka series shunned the playfulness and delivered art-house poignancy, Fading Afternoon might be worth a go. Yeo is a solo developer, so don’t explore the breadth or high-def verisimilitude of SEGA’s beloved franchise. But there’s a palpable soulfulness here as an aging yakuza member determines how he wants to spend his last days.

• SWITCH
• 81%
• États-Unis

Much of Sweet and Spicy Darling is a continuation of Cupid Parasite tasty storytelling, offering epilogues with the game’s six bachelors and the likable lead. Like most fan-disks, a reading of the original visual novel is essential, establishing the foundations that are devotedly built on here. If you appreciate quirkiness, Cupid Parasite’s wit and whimsy might just be an arrow to the heart.

• PC
• 68%
• États-Unis

Battles in Crown Wars: The Black Prince can be determined by minutiae. If you’ve properly kitted out your soldiers and created a well-balanced party, victory is always within reach. Likewise, if the game can mend some of its imperfections, success seems likely. As long as the Artefacts Studio’s battle plan involves a long-term commitment of listening to feedback and making necessary modifications, Crown Wars has the potential to become a minor hit.

• PC
• 80%
• États-Unis

If you’re looking for some pulpy sci-fi with a likable cast, Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER beats most of its contemporary peers in film and television. Like some of the genre’s best works, it’s an exploration into what makes us human. Smartly, the blend of visual novel story-telling and light puzzles balances seriousness with the intermittent instance of childlike playfulness. Likely, this one could generate some positive memories.

• PS5
• 45%
• États-Unis

A reoccurring goal in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series is saving gaming from imminent disaster. But ironically, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution demonstrates some of the real-life ailments of the industry, with a lazy spin off built around salvaged concepts and sloppy combat. Undoubtedly, Nep Nep and the rest of the Guardian Goddesses deserve far better.

• PC
• 79%
• États-Unis

Given Sony’s practice of shutting down their storefronts, Class of Heroes 2G is destined to join the digital hereafter. In its wake, Class of Heroes 2G Remastered Edition offers a way to visit the dungeon crawl. You’ll forgo any kind of manual and deal with some minor bugs that were never eliminated. But the tension of facing a party wipe remains rousing years later.

• PC
• 49%
• États-Unis

Like any respectable first-person shooter, Phantom Fury provides some imaginative weaponry. Outside of the middling firefights, the rest of the game is a chore built around bad design decisions. From hunts for colored-colored gate keys to scanning faux emails for passwords, most of Fury is either tiresome or tedious.

• PC
• 89%
• États-Unis

• PC
• 68%
• États-Unis

With components that factor in details such as pilot stress and ability, Lunar Lander Beyond takes the Atari property to noteworthy places. But the use of the 45-year-old arcade title as a foundation is an encumbrance that keeps this revival from truly soaring.

• SWITCH
• 59%
• États-Unis

With an unresponsive control scheme when playing with Joy-cons and a slapping mechanic that’s a bit too simple, the Rose & Camellia Collection is a novelty that feels like it’s stretched too thin. Expect the fun to dissipate faster than the sting of an open-handed smack.

• PC
• 71%
• États-Unis

Beyond bundling a trio of racing titles and a rom hack-style inclusion, don’t expect much from Top Racer Collection. Yes, the individual titles are fairly evergreen, balancing the fundamentals of driving with light racing management duties like determining when to pit. But the general lack of curation is moderately disappointing. When quarter-century old films arrive on physical media, they’re usually accompanied by a host of ancillaries. But here, QUByte Interactive just delivers the basics. At least the games speak for themselves.

• SWITCH
• 73%
• États-Unis

With a cast of playable characters with their own assorted arsenals, Freedom Planet 2 reveals GalaxyTrail’s franchise moving away from the Hedgehog’s shadow. While there are a handful of blemishes that can detract from the fun, the game’s blend of action and platforming should satisfy anyone with a fondness for retro gaming.

• PC
• 68%
• États-Unis

With 3DS hardware becoming increasingly cost-prohibitive and emulation growing progressively thorny, a remastering of The Legend of Legacy is a welcome proposal. Nearly a decade on, FuRyu’s RPG remains involving - thanks to its non-traditional character development and emphasis on exploration and discovery. But know that the title lacks the sophistication and sheen of most contemporary role-playing efforts.

• SWITCH
• 68%
• États-Unis

While an improvement upon the original PC releases, Dungeon Drafters still has a few lingering issues. From boss balancing issues to a script that desperately demands proofreading, you’ll encounter frustration Yet, for all these faults, there is potential in the mixture of grid-based movement and the sheer abundance of card-based attacks. Maybe another patch is in the cards.

• PC
• 64%
• États-Unis

Look past the game’s beguiling ‘arts and crafts’-inspired visuals and Ufouria: The Saga 2 is woefully unmarkable. Exploration, combat, and the game’s dialog are all just adequate, rarely producing the kind of enjoyment delivered by Ufouria 2’s peers. 33 years in the making, Sunsoft’s follow-up is tragically unessential.

• PC
• 68%
• États-Unis

As much as I enjoyed nurturing my digital garden, I got a bit burned by the game’s Western European design. At present, there’s DLC that supplies recycled decorations such as fairy lights made from plastic bottles and tires that enjoy a second life as planters. But if you’re looking to duplicate the Hanami of Shinjuku Gyoen or Ueno Park or the horticultural allures of Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, you might have to look elsewhere for your botanical pleasures.

• PC
• 84%
• États-Unis

Indie developer Zu Ehtisham layers the references thickly, offering nods to Mega Man, Azure Striker Gunvolt, and even Sonic the Hedgehog. But despite the occasional feeling of familiarity, Berserk Boy’s frenzied action is distinctive and delightfully rhythmic. Anyone with an affinity for the 16-bit era should give the demo a go.

• PC
• 79%
• États-Unis

With design decisions that keep the battles lithe and a difficulty that’s forgiving, Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions is one of the most accessible grid-based strategy games around. If you don’t have the time to delve into Disgaea or get impatient by the pacing of Fire Emblem, this is a viable alternative.