Full disclaimer, my experience with Mega Man starts at the Classic series, and ends at X. So excuse me if I say Gravity Circuit is one of the best homages to the series I've played. Tight, responsive controls compliment its stellar level design. On top of that, it has some slick art direction, an addictive soundtrack, and some shockingly good presentation!

To be honest, the platforming in Mega Man has never been its sell for me; levels being an appetizer before the fantastic boss fights, but this has both in spades. As for the story, while it is simple at its core, its the delivery that sells it. The script never take itself too seriously, and every major character in this game is interesting and memorable.

Again, I do need to clock out the rest of my Mega Man backlog before I make any proclamations about this game, but all I know is that I had a damn good time with this one. If you've ever enjoyed a Mega Man game, check this one out.

This cute little open-world game is oozing with personality. Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is the second game I've played by snekflat, the first being Wuppo. You can definitely tell both games are related by their writing alone, though this world is definitely a little more grounded. The characters are charming, the world is full of little nooks and crannies, and pretty much every side quest I bothered with was fun. There's a sprinkle of social commentary in here, super subtle. That said, I love a game that's not afraid to draw parallels to real world issues through in-world metaphors, and it honestly goes hand-in-hand with open world games, from my experience. You can finish the main story in about three hours, which I think is a perfect length, though there is a ton of stuff to do post-game. I think it'll be a little too silly for some, but I'm personally happy with the time I spent in Sprankelwater.

Part of my brain wants to call this one a rail shooter, but you aren't moving forward during gameplay. So technically it's a SHMUP, but I felt it shares some DNA with its aforementioned cousins. Aim and movement are both restricted to the D-Pad, though the game is balanced around it, with your characters having a double jump and a dodge roll! It's got a Wild West setting with a sci-fi twist, which honestly left me thinking of stuff like Westworld, or even Mad Max. I think it was a fantastic decision, and leaves a lot of the game's set-pieces feeling memorable and unique. It's a little stingy with the lives, but continues are infinite, so I don't personally find it a big deal. Definitely not a must play, but it's only about an hour long, a lot of fun, and more chill than you'd think. I'd say give it a shot if you feel it looks interesting.

This is a cute little 3D platformer that doesn't slack on its "playing as a cat" premise. It honestly does feel faithful to its intentions, while still maintaining fluid controls. This is an open-world game, though it's a fraction of the size something a triple-A studio would cook up. I personally think that's a good thing. More doesn't always mean better, and Little Kitty, Big City sets realistic goals and succeeds at executing them. I was honestly encouraged to finish up a lot of the side-quests purely due to being charmed by the in-game world, despite having reached the end goal. More games like this, please!

I honestly do not get the hate for this one. While I can understand that Mega Man X iterated on the series in some fresh and exciting ways, and raised the bar overall, I think 7 does a great job at fleshing out the Classic Mega Man formula. It's also a little wild this was made in three months. For one, it's a chill game, probably one of, if not the most easygoing Mega Man entries (though the game still has its tough spots, mind you). Though what really surprised me is there's a lot of content to dive into, here!

You can clock the game out in three hours, though if you want, you can also dig around the stages and experiment with your arsenal. Oftentimes, you can open up new paths that lead to upgrades, making the game a little easier on you. It's all optional, though. If I was a kid getting this for my birthday back in '95, I don't think I'd be disappointed. There's a lot to do, the gameplay is tight, the art is gorgeous, soundtrack is rockin'. The game even has these little cute cutscenes chock full of charm, that make it feel like a Saturday morning cartoon. I can't deny that Mega Man X does it better, but that doesn't mean this game does it poorly.

This is no Super Mario World, but it's still a fantastic addition to the SNES library. Definitely not a groundbreaking release by Capcom, but a solid game. Enjoyable, and a bit replayable. If I was tasked with getting someone into Mega Man, I'd be pretty inclined to toss this one their way!

A cute, short Metroidvania. This feels like a love letter to both Monster World IV and Dark Souls, to be honest! Yet it's unique enough as to not feel solely derivative. It's got tight gameplay, pretty visuals, and a soothing soundtrack. It also doesn't overstay its welcome at a tight four hours. I will say, the story and world didn't really leave much of an impression on me. It's not bad, by any means. I wouldn't say this is a must-play, but if you're a fan of the genre, and you're looking for something you haven't played yet, Momodora is worth checking out.

I beat Planet Robobot last night, and I'm honestly ashamed I skipped on this one back when it was fresh. A few months ago, I said that Forgotten Land was the first Kirby game in a long time to fill me with awe. I'll admit, at the time, I had enough Kirby after Triple Deluxe, but in retrospect, I wish I had waited for Robobot instead. This has easily climbed my Kirby rankings, and is easily one of my favorite games in the series.

The premise is honestly killer. A space-hopping mega-corporation starts colonizing Popstar for profit, and Kirby's primed to stop them for his own well-being? I am surprised this wasn't done before, and it's such a great idea. I am not going to act like this game has some powerful social commentary; it is a kid's game, after all. Plus, the premise is swept aside at the end in favor of a larger, more abstract threat, which I wasn't a fan of. Regardless, it had its hooks in me all the way to the finale.

To be totally honest, I'm not a big fan of the Mech. Aside from the SHMUP segments; though those have always been a Kirby staple. That said, Mech gameplay isn't bad by any means. It's totally serviceable, and it's fun to experiment with different abilities while trying to get all the collectables. Still, I primarily play Kirby games for the core gameplay. Of which Robobot pulls from Triple Deluxe, which was already stellar. Mix that with fun level design, and exciting bosses, and I'd say the core Kirby gameplay is strong, here.

With the 3DS a quirky, legacy console, and the eShop defunct, I can't in good conscience tell anyone to find any way to play this one. It is a fantastic game, though, and if by chance, you have a 3DS, or are planning to get one, I'd chalk this one down on your list of games to acquire for it. Easily one of the best games on the handheld. It really does feel like the moment modern HAL finally got a grip on what made classic Kirby titles so great, and stuff like this and Forgotten Land has me excited for the future of this series.

Tomb Raider '96 has been on my bucket list for a few years, and it feels great to check it off the list! It's a thrilling cinematic platformer, with presentation I honestly feel still stands up overall, and still feels good to play! Platforming is the star, here; the combat is serviceable, though clearly an afterthought. This does sort of feel like Mario 64's estranged older sister. This is Core Design's answer to the "movement in 3D space problem", though with a d-pad, instead of an analog stick. It's honestly way too long for its own good, but other than that, I don't have any major complaints. Not a must play, though if you're curious about games from a historical perspective, I think this one is definitely worth checking out.

It's good to finally put this one to rest. I've owned it since its Wii release in 2010, always started it, but never finished a playthrough. Now that I've finished it, I can safely say I like it a little more than 9. I've never agreed with Inti Creates stripping Mega Man of his charge shot and slide, but this one isn't bad at all. Whereas 9 sometimes feels like a gauntlet built on the groundwork of its inspiration, 10 feels a little more balanced around their interpretation of the Blue Bomber. Great sprite work, interesting level design, and some fun boss fights make this a solid entry point into the Mega Man games (though 11 is a better one). Not quite as fun as the late NES releases, but still worth your time, if you're a fan of the series.

A silly, cute, short character action game that feels really good to play! The story is all fluff, though the world and characters are entertaining. You've got over-the-top villains, clumsy, yet dedicated protagonists, and light jabs at workplace culture. I have to mention the fantastic voice work. It really carries the entire experience. Though I wish for an English dub, as it's hard to read captions in the middle of combat. There's a bit of jank with the enemy AI from time to time, but the combat itself is designed so fluidly, that it wasn't enough to hamper my experience.

Honestly, this has my favorite locales out of the entire reboot trilogy. I think I enjoyed this one more than Rise, though Tomb Raider 2013 is, I think, the best overall. Regardless, I can't deny that this figures out a lot of what the series was trying to do, mechanically. Probably the smoothest experience, and the most fun to actually play. It's also really beautiful. For a minute, I thought game visuals had plateaued, but between this and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I realize now that I had spoken too soon.

I enjoyed parts of the story, but it does feel like a pastiche of several ideas stitched together. It was also a little funny that Lara is forced to consider both her privilege and behavior throughout both this game and Rise, uses her orphaned status an excuse, yet walks away from that conversation unchallenged. I don't really expect these games to have meaningful writing, though it's a bit hilarious how it's really close to having a great moment, but quickly crumples it and throws it in the bin.

A cute, sci-fi dystopian visual novel that dwells on the inhumanity of capitalism, and the difficulties of being thrust into such a system from a young age. Lovely world-building, and charming characters carry this experience. For most of it, the writing is really strong. Though within few moments, I feel like the plot meanders a bit. My thoughts on the soundtrack are complicated. Most of the time, it felt like stock music with no consideration for the scene at hand. Though a few tracks are really unique, and charmed me. Overall, a solid little experience.

Final Fantasy VII Remake overall succeeds in its goal of translating the 1997 classic into a modern video game. My favorite thing about this title is how it manages to be a technical showcase for last-gen hardware. Yet, it mainly achieves this through use of simple tricks a lot of early 3D titles would use to compensate for lack of processing power. The use of panoramas for huge vistas, and seamless transitions in and out of pre-rendered cutscenes, for example. While a good third of the game honestly felt like padding, in my opinion, the important part is that it manages to do essential plot beats from the source material justice.

It is a crime that Nintendo has let this one fade to obscurity. Wario Land '95 isn't just one of the best games on the Virtual Boy, I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best games in the series. An incredible platformer with astounding presentation, fantastic level design, tight controls, and a sharp runtime of about two hours. The art direction is top-notch, with wonderful pixel-art and detailed animation. The stereoscopic 3D is masterfully executed, and hasn't aged a day. If you have hardware that lets you experience this game as intended, don't miss out. It transforms an already gorgeous game into a visual dessert.

I've always had a weird relationship with the first Wario Land. There were things I enjoyed about it. Though I found it OK overall, and always wanted to like it more than I did. Wario Land VB cleans up the majority of its issues, tightens up the runtime, and elevates the visual presentation, resulting in a really solid, quirky platformer. It gives me the measured delight that a game like the first Kirby's Dreamland does. It's a shame Nintendo hasn't preserved this wonderful experience on any of their more recent hardware, but it's absolutely their loss. If you're a fan of platformers, find any way to experience this gem.

A eerily captivating horror point-and-click. Distant cousin to Hypnospace Outlaw; more railroaded than the latter, but still clearly related. Its roots are firmly seated within internet horror. Gemini Home being the clear inspiration, though genre staples like SCP Foundation also came to mind throughout my playthrough. Yet despite its inspirations, Home Safety Hotline manages to maintain its own identity throughout.

I went into this excited to dig into some neat world-building, but wasn't expecting the game to actually scare me. Some of the phone calls, especially those resulting from fail-states, sent chills down my spine. Absolutely stellar voice-work elevates the experience. Wonderfully creepy cryptid illustrations leave a lot to the imagination. The retro-PC UI allows for a couple of creepy moments through the removal of player autonomy.

We aren't even a month into 2024, and it's already started off with a stellar horror experience. Home Safety Hotline is a chillingly delightful surprise that doesn't spoon-feed you scares. Absolutely worth checking out if you're enjoying the current wave of independent horror.