HIGH The latest Virtua Fighter 5 edition, with rollback, finally available on Steam.

LOW The single player component is pretty barebones.

WTF Kage’s flying headbutt down attack looks absolutely lethal — to himself.

Rejoice, ye faithful, for the grand Virtua Fighter resurgence is nigh! Hooray!

For those who missed the recent news, Virtua Fighter 6 has finally been announced after almost two decades of waiting, so what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than for Sega to release a new version of Virtua Fighter 5 on Steam — along with some swanky new rollback netcode, a new intro song by legendary Sega vocalist Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and assorted balance changes? It may not be a brand new game, but still — nice.

Despite being based on a title that’s almost two decades old at this point, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. looks amazing. Stage design in particular is downright spectacular, offering sweeping grasslands, vibrant rain-slick cityscapes and a raft that carries players past soaring pillars of rock as players attempt to dunk their opponent into the drink. Characters are large, well-defined and sharply rendered to take advantage of modern 4K displays.

In fact, the presentation is generally great overall with big, colorful menus that hew closely to PlayStation’s Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown release from three and a half years back. It pops just a little more vibrantly, however, and seeing the main menu screen rolling continuous high level matches that can be enlarged at the touch of a button is as fantastic a feature now as it was back then, as a great way for new or learning players to see how certain characters can operate in skilled hands.

Speaking of characters, there’s a roster of nineteen playable characters, all with distinct and viable martial arts styles on offer. From MMA and Jeet Kun Do to Bajiquan and Drunken Kung Fu, there’s a style to suit nearly every taste. Though, let’s be honest — anyone who isn’t using Vanessa Lewis is probably doing it wrong, as her grapple-based beatdowns are poetry in motion.

The beauty of Virtua Fighter is that all of these fighting styles somehow feel reasonably authentic to their source material, even when someone’s being uppercut six feet into the air and punched five times before they hit the floor. It just works and feels strangely realistic, though arguably filtered through the lens of a Hong Kong kung fu movie.

Additionally, there’s a purity to R.E.V.O.‘s pugilism that’s downright refreshing at this point. In a genre where progress seems to be trending towards tacking on as many Supers, Rage Arts, Drive Rushes and Heat Gauges as possible, it turns out that there’s a lot to be said for simply focusing on the fundamentals. It’s all easy to understand on a visual level too, with no lingering hurtboxes or similar idiosyncrasies throwing players for a loop. Controls are simple – a punch button, a kick button, a guard button and various combinations thereof are all that are needed to delve into an extremely precise fighting and technical experience.

If I had to summarize Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. ‘s matches in a single word, it would be ‘explosive’. It’s not a game that rewards all-out aggression, but when fighters do clash their health gauges can be stripped down in astonishingly short order. However, there’s less of a focus on rushdown than in some competing games as defensive options are strong, most non-specialized attacks won’t hurt downed opponents, and maneuvering around the arena is also incredibly important. A huge lead doesn’t mean much if a player gets sloppy and winds up being tossed out of the ring.

As for the balance changes, they’re subtle. Weight classes have been tweaked so Taka Arashi’s a little more vulnerable than he used to be, and Eileen isn’t such a temptingly lightweight target. Some older moves have been returned to a character’s repertoire, and it’s all just a little more balanced than ever. Not that it was badly tuned before — quite the opposite — but nearly twenty years of digging away at a game’s core will often result in uncovering a few rough edges.

While it’s an excellent offering overall, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.‘s biggest weaknesses tend to occur outside the fighting. Namely, as a modern fighting package, it’s lacking in extras needed to lure in casual players. Not everyone wants to spend all their time online, and aside from a training and arcade mode, there’s not much else for solo players other than watching high-level matches stream in through the main menu. There’s nothing here on par with the extensive single-player offerings seen in recent titles such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and recent Mortal Kombat titles, and even character customization options have been pared back significantly since the days of the original Virtua Fighter 5 release.

Worse, though, for a title that focuses so much on online competitive play, there’s no cross-platform play with the PlayStation version of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, which has already been updated to maintain balance parity with R.E.V.O. Steam may be a huge platform, but with an older game like this Sega really should be casting the net as far and wide as it’ll go — and that includes an Xbox release too. Get everyone in on this party, dammit.

With those foibles noted, Virtua Fighter 5 is still a peerless fighter even after all this time, resulting in a game that’s still a joy to play. It’s the best version of a legendary fighting experience, and even if it doesn’t check all the expected boxes of a modern fighting game package, it still kicks ass.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is currently available on PC. A similar version is available on PS4 and PS5, but is missing certain new additions such as rollback netcode. This copy of the game was obtained via paid download before a key was provided by the publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 3 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed with multiple characters. 7 hours of play were spent in multiplayer modes. Furthermore, I’ve played a lot of VF5 over the years in its various forms.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T and contains Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, and Violence.  The official description reads as follows: This is a fighting game in which players choose from a large cast of international fighters to compete against others in one-on-one matches. Players punch, kick, and throw opponents as they attempt to drain their health bars. Combat is highlighted by impact sounds, cries of pain, and brief replay sequences of knockouts. These replays are shown from various camera angles, some of which are slightly zoomed in. Some female characters are designed with revealing costumes (e.g., deep cleavage, bikini-like tops); one character is depicted in a mannequin-like style with nipple-less breasts and buttocks. One character is described as using “Drunken Kung-fu” as his fighting style and can be seen drinking from a gourd during fights; some of his moves reference his drinking, letting players know how many drinks are needed to perform those attacks.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. Characters have a few intro and win quotes delivered in various languages, none of which are necessary to enjoy the game or story. After all, there is no story aside from the background lore. Some audio cues can help discern certain moves, such as a swooshing noise signifying that sidestepping certain attacks isn’t possible, but there’s no need to rely on them. It’s a very visual game.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.

The post Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Solid racing and a gorgeous retro aesthetic. 

LOW Slight rubber-banding.

WTF Sega needs to get back into the racing market. 

Back in 2018, Brazilian developers Aquiris Game Studio released Horizon Chase Turbo — a solid arcade racer with a retro style. Taking inspiration from classics like Sega’s OutRun or the original Top Gear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, this title tasked players with competing in different races around the world, from the sunny vistas of Los Angeles to vibrant Dubai. Now, after a little over five years and some exciting DLC releases (including one based around the late Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna), Aquiris returns with Horizon Chase 2. 

Initially released on iOS in 2022 and the Switch in ’23, this retro-themed arcade racer finally makes its way to Xbox and Playstation consoles. Following the first entry’s well-polished formula closely, players race through several events spanning the world. the races are either standard runs, or a few laps against eleven computer-controlled racers. 

The cars handle like a dream, with snappy braking allowing for some over-the-top drifts around corners and a solid boost mechanic that’s limited to three uses. Every race sees the player competing to place in the top three, but other challenges are present, such as collecting tokens scattered across the course, beating certain times or attempting to complete races without using boosts. 

Vehicles range from supercars, pick-up trucks, SUVs and even coupes, modeled after real-life brands and models. Players might also recognize cars that look eerily similar to a brand new Ferrari or a pick-up that parallels Toyota’s Tacoma line.

Every car has its own set of stats that can be upgraded by earning XP from completing races. Other rewards include coins that let players change cosmetics, like car liveries or new rims. The varied garage and mix of car attributes meant that I didn’t stick to just one car during my playthrough, but instead I experimented with different ones. For example, the size of a pickup passing through other racers much easier, while the small form factor of a coupe made it easier to drift in tight corners. 

There are a few gameplay quirks here, of course, like some inconsistent AI during the main World Tour mode. There were more than a few instances where I came close to taking first place, only for a nearby opponent to suddenly gain an almost impossible burst of speed. It feels… odd… but it wasn’t an issue that took too much away from my enjoyment.

Horizon Chase 2‘s presentation is as refined as the gameplay, and the colorful aesthetics of each track coming alive. Palms trees and sunshine dress the beaches of the Florida Keys with impeccable summer vibes, while Death Valley features shortcuts along its desert roads and barren vistas. This strong palette recalls some of the best racing from the 16-bit years, only now rendered in 3D. The music is just as good, and those who enjoy retro-style synth are in for a treat. 

As this version is a port of a Switch title, Xbox and PlayStation players can look forward to performance improvements. I played the original Switch version at launch and loved what I played, but framerate drops on the handheld were abhorrent, and soured the experience. Thankfully, those issues are remedied in this release, and a solid 60 FPS running speed finally delivers on this great game’s potential by making it as smooth as silk.

While it doesn’t revolutionize the groundwork set by its predecessor, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 remains a great racer that gets plenty right. With a solid career mode, a varied,, colorful garage and some of the best retro aesthetics ever, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 is an easy winner for arcade racing fans. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Epic Games and developed by Aquiris Game Studio. It is available on Switch, PC, XBO/X/S, PS4/5 and iOS. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed but the game was previously played and completed on Nintendo Switch. There are multiplayer options but no time was spent on them.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. No rating information is online but the game is quite harmless. Parents should note that there is nothing in this game other than racing. No car wrecks and no violence here. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are speech bubbles that randomly pop up throughout gameplay but they cannot be adjusted. No subtitles either (there is no dialogue) but pop-up boxes containing information are present. Other visual cues are on screen as well, making this game fully accessible. 

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped but there is a control diagram. 

The post Horizon Chase 2 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Scratches the itch for a modernized 2-D Sonic, plus new combat mechanics.

LOW The story and hub sequences drag, uninspired early-game boss design.

WTF Why can’t the player advance the story dialogue themselves?

Freedom Planet 2 is a ’90s style 2D platformer with strong Sonic the Hedgehog influence.

I haven’t played the original, but it doesn’t seem necessary for the plot. The Freedom Planet series is set in a world inhabited by various demi-humans. The primary antagonist here is Merga, a water dragon who seeks revenge on the earth dragons for committing genocide against her species. For much of the campaign, the player is fighting on the side of the earth dragon kingdom – but it can feel a bit uncomfortable considering that’s the side that perpetrated genocide. (FP2 does eventually interrogate earth dragon history, but I wished it got there more quickly.)

Speaking of the writing, there are a lot of story scenes in Freedom Planet 2. While I appreciate that the makers are invested in its world and lore, I didn’t love the script. Many of the plot points related to water dragons were rather dark, and the writers didn’t seem comfortable handling such weighty issues. In many cases, a serious character beat would be introduced, then swiftly deflated by a jokey comment or comedic plot point. These tonal shifts lessen the impact of the story, and it especially plagued me because FP2 is fully voice-acted and the player can’t speed up dialogue.

Fortunately, the action in Freedom Planet 2 is better than the writing. The graphics are bright, charming, and generally appealing in a 16-bit Sega Genesis sort of way. The characters are visually distinct, and their sprites move in ways that reflect their personalities.

Most of the stages are designed similar to those seen in Sonic the Hedgehog – players run on a 2D plane and can take different routes through each stage while running at a fast pace.

There’s just something viscerally enjoyable about zooming through the world, and there are a lot of stages. A handful were a bit long, but overall, the running and platforming were joys.  I especially appreciated that FP2 improved on traditionally irritating designs, such as water levels, by adding gravity bubbles and speed-boosting paths.

In addition to the speedy platforming, there’s also some light puzzle solving. For example, some stages require certain conditions be met, such as turning on power in multiple rooms to proceed. In a more frustrating case, the player must hit balls into sockets to open doors, which required luck (or brute force repetition) if the player didn’t know about one of its intricacies.

There’s also some variety in how the player progresses, depending on the character selected. There are four characters total, and each can only be selected at the start of a run because they all have their own customized path. Lilac the dragon feels like the ‘default’ heroic character and has the fastest running speed and an invincible dash that can be used when she has a full power meter. In contrast, Milla the hound is slower, but can charge projectile attacks and fly.

That the characters each feel distinctive and affect the feel of play so much is impressive and adds replayability. Choosing Lilac makes FP2 feel like a Sonic clone, while playing as Milla provides more flexible offensive options, lending it a vibe closer to something like Mega Man X. However, regardless of who’s chosen, all characters have a dodge button that makes them temporarily invincible, which is a great idea that offsets issues with enemy attacks feeling like cheap shots.

Speaking of which, as much as I enjoyed the stages, I found several of the bosses frustrating. I completed the game with Lilac, who sometimes felt ill-suited to handle these encounters since she does not have a lock-on for her dash, and it can only be used when her gauge is full. This combination could be frustrating because it was not only hard to hit mobile bosses, but after missing a shot, I often found myself standing in corners and dodging attacks for several seconds while my dash gauge refilled. I found that other characters didn’t have the same problems, as some had more range with their basic attacks and didn’t have to rely as much on a power gauge.

On the standard setting, Freedom Planet 2 will be a fair challenge for someone familiar with these kinds of platformers. However, an unusually tough boss forced me to engage with the item system, which allows the player to slot in two power-ups and a potion, effectively serving as a way to mitigate difficulty.

These item slots offer boosts like a higher max HP or adding damage-over-time to one’s attacks. The potion slot can allow the player to boost or augment stats, such as increasing attack or restoring HP by hitting enemies. If the player wants to further decrease challenge, menu-based accessibility settings can be adjusted.

Overall, Freedom Planet 2 is an excellent (though imperfect) love letter to Japanese ’90s style platformers, and anyone who enjoys either old-school design or platforming in general will find it worthwhile thanks to solid mechanics, plenty of content and strong replayability via the different characters available. Maybe skip the story, but don’t miss it.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

– Heather Rees

Disclosures: This game is developed by GalaxyTrail and published by GalaxyTrail. It is currently available on XBO, XBX/S/PS4/PS5/Switch/PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS4. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated Teen, and contains Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes. Some of the plot points of the story are mature in nature (mentioning of child abduction, genocide), but the handling seems appropriate for a teenage audience. The characters mainly attack robots, and occasionally each other but the violence is not graphic. 

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. The game is playable with no sound and visual cues are primarily used to indicate attacks or important things on the screen. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.

The post Freedom Planet 2 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Dondoku Island

LOW Dondoku Island ends

WTF I don’t know how to tell my friends on Dondoku Island that they’re terrifying

I have written numerous reviews for the works of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio on this site, and I’ve occasionally opined about when this stupendous developer was finally going to reach market saturation. While I am about to write a whole bunch of words explaining in adequate detail how badass Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is, I think we might have finally reached that point.

This, their most recent work, is the seventh game I have played of theirs on current-gen hardware.

It is the third Like a Dragon game (We’ve made the pivot from Yakuza at this point) that has been released in the last ten months.

I now need extra shelf space for the shelf designated specifically for this developer’s titles.

Don’t get me wrong, despite the quality of this title and the fact that I am overjoyed at the continued success of what has become one of my favorite franchises, I am ready for RGGS to make something not involving Japanese organized crime.

Set a couple years after the momentous events of the first Like A Dragon, we are once again in the shoes of everyone’s favorite lovably earnest idiot, Ichiban Kasuga. He’s trying to make it as a regular guy — as are the vast majority of Japan’s yakuza population — who also have found themselves out of work due to previous events. Eventually Kasuga gets cancelled in a rather hilarious turn of events, and loses his job at the local employment office. Shortly thereafter, he gets a good excuse to go to Hawaii and, without spoiling anything, goes on a brand new quest. He makes a whole bunch of new friends because how the hell could you not be Ichiban’s buddy, and also runs into franchise legend Kazuma Kiryu. Turns out he also happens to be on the exact same quest as Kasuga, so they team up to unravel a mystery worthy of the twist-heavy franchise LaD spawned from.

As mentioned earlier, franchise fatigue is perhaps starting to set in, but what keeps Infinite Wealth going is the old ’70s TV trope “when in doubt, go tropical”. Hawaii is a fantastic setting not only because of its distinct environment, but the rich shared history between it and Japan leads to great cultural crossover for the developers to work with. It allows the characters to visit a wildly different locale without relying on a lot of the typical “fish-out-of-water” stuff one might expect.

Once again, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has shown the ability to write believable humans in bonkers scenarios, and Infinite Weath has yet another cast full of wonderfully developed party members that I loved palling around with. They are flawed, they make mistakes, but there is good in all of them, and Ichiban’s relentless optimism ties the whole thing together by bringing out the best in everyone. Infinite Wealth, in line with the previous Like a Dragon, has also turned up the goofy to a level usually reserved for the sidequests in Yakuza, and it’s quite successful at it. This stuff is legitimately funny, and good comedy is hard to come by in this medium.

The only downside to this narrative (without spoilers) is that it ends a little on the messy side, with too many absurd circumstances tied up into too many perfect bows. Furthermore, everything involving Kazuma leads to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion considering this is supposed to be his big send-off. It still ends better than some others in the Yakuza series, but considering how astoundingly impactful the end of The Man Who Erased His Name was, this doesn’t hit the same heights.

Outside of a generally well-told story, Infinite Wealth also excels because it’s just a better JRPG than the first Like A Dragon. While the combat was good enough in the previous entry considering the developers completely changed genres, it wasn’t the smoothest transition. Thankfully, many of the kinks have been ironed out to leave a solid, traditional JRPG that expands on most of what was good last time.

For example, the environments that battles take place are more fully integrated, allowing for characters to pick stuff up and bash peoples’ brains in. Positioning is also important, items are more useful and interesting, and the job system has been dramatically expanded with a wonderfully Hawaiian-themed flourish. There are now jobs like Pyrodancer and Aquanaut which have some spot-on costumes reflecting the locale.

That same Hawaiian flourish seeps into most of the side content as well. First off is the Sujimon — a shockingly deep monster-collecting minigame with random hobos becoming cogs in an underground fighting league, complete with ranked trainers. It’s nuts and I love it, but my heart truly goes aflutter at the mention of Dondoku island, where Kasuga has to beat up pirates and piles of trash with a baseball bat while also managing a dying island resort. Both of these chunks of content are huge and will take hours to finish, so I guess instead of making new games, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are just gonna put more games into their games.

Infinite Wealth also maintains the exceptional production values the studio is known for. While this engine is nearly a decade old, the strengths still shine through. These are good-looking humans with expressive faces and good detail. The hair, clothes and skin all look right, and while it’s obviously not the most graphically-intensive title on modern hardware, it runs well at a solid 60FPS and stays sharp.

I cannot speak to the quality of the English dub outside of also wishing to pile on Sega for hiring some nasally, smut-peddling dweeb to play Kazuma Kiryu, the biggest B.A.M.F. on Earth, but this franchise is so wholly Japanese that it’s one of the few I wish to play in its native tongue. The Japanese voicework is outstanding, and I appreciate the goofiness of the English spoken dialogue in the Japanese dub — don’t forget, Infinite Wealth takes place in Hawaii, so Ichiban meets plenty of people who don’t speak Japanese. I don’t know if this is the case in the English dub, but there’s a real “it’s 1997 in Japan and we hired our foreign drinking buddies who work in the Eikaiwa across the street” zest to line delivery here, and I am 100% here for it.

As far as criticisms go, it’s still profoundly annoying that a Game Over is triggered whenever Ichiban is KO’d, especially considering I have direct control over characters who have revival spells and healing items, but that’s something one can easily adjust to from a gameplay standpoint.

More serious is the controversy involving the game paywalling New Game+ behind a deluxe edition. While NG+ isn’t generally something that’s a big issue for me personally, it’s a common feature that many players expect, and charging an extra $20 for such while also not making it easy to upgrade into later is highly questionable.

With that said, Infinite Wealth is another fabulous title from one of the best developers on Earth. The necessary improvements to combat have been made, it tells a great story centered around a fantastic protagonist, and Hawaii is a spectacular new location for the franchise. Even though the New Game+ situation outright sucks, there’s still an astounding amount of content in the base game, which helps alleviate the pain. With this release, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has successfully closed the book on Yakuza, and will let the Like a Dragon flag fly free for the foreseeable future.

2024 is off to a great start.

RATING: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game was developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by SEGA. The game is available on Steam, PS4/5 and XBO/X/S. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PS5. Approximately 63 hours of play were devoted to playing the game, and the campaign was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M  and features Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Partial Nudity, and Sexual Themes. This one is an easy ‘no’ for parents. All of the ESRB warnings listed previously are very much in effect here. The script is extremely crass, there is extensive nudity, and sex toys are bountiful. Infinite Wealth also has some incredibly violent scenes even for this franchise, so it should probably be kept from the young ones.

Colorblind Modes: The game features Three colorblind modes: Green Color Blindness, Red Color Blindness, and Blue-Yellow Color Blindless. There is also a slider to turn up/down its intensity

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game features voiced cutscenes, and the dialogue is presented in white font. The size of the text is not remappable. All dialogue and instructions are provided in text, and there are no necessary audio cues. Especially given the nature of it’s turn-based combat, I’d say it’s fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The game’s controls are fully remappable

The post Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Refined gameplay and gorgeous visuals.

LOW Late-game difficulty.

WTF Recognzing so many references and having no one to tell.

It’s no secret that I’ve come to love the Sonic The Hedgehog series. Come good or bad, I’ve followed the blue blur through it all — be it live-action films, a bevvy of spin-off titles, and even some solid compilations. Last year Sonic Frontiers blew me away, reinvigorating the franchise in a bold way that signaled great things for the future of 3D Sonic games — and maybe 3D platformers in general.

Of course, the advancements in the series’ 3D design left me wondering whether similar steps forward would be taken with Sonic’s next 2D platformer, Sonic Superstars.

A side-scrolling platformer, players control Sonic and friends as they seek to stop Dr. Robotnik from kidnapping giant animals from across North Star Island.  As one might expect from the vaguely familiar premise, it’s a fairly standard return to 2D platforming gameplay and not the innovation we might have thought, but this return is still a welcome one, thanks in part to how great it feels.

Since Superstars is presented in 2.5D style (3D models on a 2D plane) I was initially worried that the controls would feel off, but I’m happy to report that movement is incredibly smooth. Sonic’s weight when running, jumping, and spin dashing feels just right, and is supported by some excellently responsive animation. It’s so tight that it feels like the 16-bit sprites from the Sega Genesis games were translated into 3D models, even down to Sonic’s idle animation. 

Spread across 12 zones, gameplay consists of running to the end of each section. Along the way are loops to barrel through, rails to travel on, falling platforms to jump from, and other obstacles to avoid. Since Sonic usually speeds through these levels at a great pace, most players won’t see everything there is to offer on their initial play. However, the hallmarks of Sonic level design are varied pathways and smart methods of traversal, making repeat visits an absolute must.

Sonic Superstars also ups the ante by introducing new, level-specific elements that force players to navigate every stage in a different way.

One piece set in a cybernetic world has players transforming into a voxel-like version of Sonic and traveling through wires as if he was in Tron, while another retains the classic pinball paddle-like platforms of past entries, only this time including obstacles that can break momentum if certain jumps aren’t timed correctly. One of my favorite (and most stressful) levels was an industrial junkyard that was on a constant slow countdown to blow up. Throughout this stage were buttons that I had to jump on to stop the clock, which forced me to slow my pace and carefully think about where I wanted to go.

While the gameplay is certainly pulled from classic, Genesis-era titles, I appreciate the developers not wanting to retread old territory — each level feels distinct and varied. A shining example includes the lack of Green Hill Zone, the first level of the first Sonic The Hedgehog. It’s been a staple of the series for decades, but its omission is a great way to flex creative design muscles. There were also some cool bits in other areas that played with gravity, made used of the foreground and background, and even completely flipped levels upside down.

Unlike the excellent Sonic Mania, which remixed older levels with a few new ones, Superstars never failed to surprise me, and I always looked forward to the next new thing it was ready to throw at me.

Another huge change comes with being able to choose from one of four characters. Players can switch between Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy at any time via the menu, although there are some story-required sequences.

Each one has their own abilities, like Knuckles being able to glide through levels and latch onto walls anywhere, but story-specific levels usually have elements that make use of the mandatory character’s special ability. For example, an “Amy” stage was littered with giant fruit. Every time she jumped, she did a spin move and attacked with her hammer, which made clearing the level entertaining. I also like that every character feels distinct enough to make a player’s choice matter, although they all control similarly enough to Sonic on a base level that simply speeding through levels is just as satisfying.

Also new to the formula are the addition of Chaos Emerald power-ups.

Scattered throughout each level are bonus stages that Sonic and friends can stumble into. These usually task him with swinging through a 3D environment and avoiding hazards while trying to finish within a time limit. If he manages to nab the emerald, he’s rewarded with a special ability, ranging from being able to send out a barrage of Sonic clones, to seeing hidden items around the stage.

These abilities are cool, and add depth to both level navigation and attacking enemies. One of the abilities turns Sonic into water and allows him to travel up waterfalls, while another turns him into a fiery ball that can launch in any direction. That ability I mentioned that allows him to see hidden items around every stage? That reveals secret platforms that led me to to the location of Chaos Emerald bonus rooms.

I loved how these moves were incorporated into the level design, and they came in handy with bosses as well. One of the earliest bosses I fought went down easily after I sent him a barrage of Sonic clones to attack. I also really appreciated the touch of animating bosses to react to these specific moves, which made it all feel cohesive.

Speaking of bosses, Sonic Superstars is full of excellent battles. Much like the scale of the “titan” fights in Sonic Forces, that same sense of scope is felt here. Most usually involve Robotnik piloting a giant mech while players avoid damage and dodge projectiles. Several have great twists in both design and gameplay, like one early fight involving a robot that would extend its giant arms across the screen, requiring Sonic to run on them in order to reach the foe land a hit. Another was based on running away from a boss giving chase while avoiding projectiles and obstacles that appeared in front of Sonic. I won’t spoil any of the late-game encounters though — there are some incredible fights that use scale in impressive ways and change gameplay significantly.

As for the difficulty these bosses, I found myself dying more frequently than any other 2D Sonic. My guess? It might be a little easier for those taking advantage of the co-op mode. Four players can be onscreen at once throughout the entire campaign, which sounds great. Unfortunately, as of the time of writing, I wasn’t able to test it out. I am excited, however, to see what kind of chaotic enjoyment can come from playing through Sonic Superstars with friends.

I touched a bit on the presentation of each level, but I can’t overstate how gorgeous every inch looks. Every area is bursting with color, from the dark greens of the jungle to the muted blues and whites of a snowy mountain. That also extends to character design, as they pack so much personality into simple things like the way they move, or how they’re animated. Sonic is expressive as he runs, mimicking facial animations from his back catalog classics and feeling like key art come to life. It’s funny to play a game with absolutely no dialogue after the rather talkative Frontiers, but it still packs the same amount of charm.

While it’s certainly familiar, the amount of variety on display makes Superstars feel like a proper follow-up and evolution of the old school entries, rather than just a simple retread of those past ideas. And in a way, that’s what I love about Sonic Superstars — it knows what the fans want, but it’s not content with playing it safe. Rather, it introduces new ideas to the well-established, crafting one of the finest 2D platformers around. If Sonic Frontiers set a new standard for what 3D Sonic should be, then Superstars is arguably the new blueprint for his 2D adventures.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Sega and developed by Sonic Team and Arzest. It’s available on PS4/5, XBO/X/S, Switch and PC. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player, and the game was completed once. No time was spent in the game’s multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E for Mild Fantasy Violence. The ESRB states: This is an action platformer in which players assume the roles of Sonic and his friends as they zoom around colorful zones and attempt to defeat Dr. Robotnik. As players speed through whimsical environments, they can jump on enemies’ heads, causing them to transform into small creatures; Sonic and friends react to damage by losing coin-like rings and falling off-screen when defeated. Boss battles can depict more protracted combat, with cartoony explosions. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not  present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are no cutscenes that have dialogue and as such, no need to worry about subtitles, but there are visual cues throughout the game, like icons on screen alerting players of different things around the level. These cannot be adjusted. In my view, this game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped.

The post Sonic Superstars Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Game Gear!

LOW So we’re still doing 16:9 only, huh?

WTF Can I beg for 32X and Dreamcast ports now?

Last year I reviewed Sonic Origins, a compilation of classic Sega Genesis-era Sonic games. It’s a neat little collection offering a comprehensive look at the blue blur’s history thanks to a bunch of bonuses like production photos, music and even new hand-drawn cutscenes. 

It was flawed in its presentation and had some weird DLC options, but I was still satisfied with the final product. Even so, I lamented the lack of other features, like non-Genesis games. Funny enough, it seems like Sega had the same idea. Sonic Origins Plus is a new package that can either be bought as DLC for existing owners of 2022’s Sonic Origins or as a complete package with the original game. 

Everything in the base game is the exact same, including the title list. Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD are all included, now with the added bonus of being able to play as Knuckles in CD and as fan-favorite Amy Rose in every game. It’s cool that every entry has been retroactively tweaked to work with each character’s playstyle — new pathways are available in CD to accommodate Knuckles and his gliding, climbing and digging ability, for example. It’s a neat feature giving newcomers a chance to play with their favorites while giving vets a refreshing new way to play. 

On the other hand, the same issue of the presentation being stretched to fit 16:9 screens in Anniversary mode is still present, and I’m bummed Sega didn’t give me an option to play in a much-preferred 4:3 aspect ratio. It’s not a dealbreaker, but for those who had hoped for updated visual options are going to be disappointed.

Despite that, the absolute best new addition and the main star of this DLC are the Sega Game Gear titles now included — they are the very thing I asked for in my previous review, and the results are interesting. For those who might not know, the Game Gear was Sega’s 8-Bit handheld designed to compete with the GameBoy. Reception of the machine was mixed at best, but Sega enthusiasts still hold it dear to their hearts, and the included titles in this collection are a great history lesson for Sonic fans and retro gaming nuts (like me!) 

The 8-bit versions of the first two Sonic games and Tails Adventure are delightful, if simple, platformers that deserved a proper place to experience them. Even oddities like the Sonic Drift series offer an early look at how the Game Gear could handle a kart racer. Sure, a lot of these experiences aren’t the deepest (although Puyo Puyo and puzzle fans might get addicted to Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine — I did!) but the fact that there’s a decent collection to simply preserve these older titles is a good thing. I hope Sega considers more collections for their other legacy systems.

While I don’t think Sonic Origins Plus will convince doubters of the initial release to convert and I still have my qualms over some of the presentation choice, there’s no doubt that Sega managed to make a solid package even better.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Sega. It is available on PS4/5, PC, XBO/X/S, and Switch. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 5 hours were spent in single-player and the games were not completed. There is multiplayer but it was not tested for this review. These games were previously played and 8 hours were spent on the initial release. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E for Mild Cartoon Violence. This game is perfectly fine for young children, as the violence is very minimal. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: I spent most of my time playing the game on mute and found no issues. Everything has some visual cue, though there’s no way to resize text. As no audio cues are needed for play, this game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and but there are control diagrams for each game. Most consist of moving a character with a d-pad/stick and the face buttons handling jumping and other relevant functions.

The post Sonic Origins Plus Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Saigo Kichinosuke’s meeting with a small dog.

LOW The combat takes just a touch too long to get going.

WTF One of the final bosses was born around the corner from me.

Like a Dragon: Ishin takes place in the mid-19th century during a turbulent time in Japanese history. The way of the Samurai and the Shogunate are nearing their end, and the Western world is knocking on the gates of Japan very, very loudly. The threat of civil war looms, social inequity permeates every aspect of life, and only a historical hero blessed with the face of Kiryu Kazuma can pull everything back from the brink by the edge of his sword.

That’s right — Like a Dragon: Ishin has finally been translated and released in the West. Hooray!

Following the exploits of Sakamoto Ryoma as he tries to uncover the murder of his adoptive father, his journey will take him on a complex tale of political backstabbing, brotherhood, countless violent confrontations, serving udon to hungry customers and more. The name may have changed to better reflect its Japanese title, but Like a Dragon: Ishin is still what we know as a Yakuza game through and through.

With little information to go on regarding his father’s killer other than the rare style of swordsmanship used in his assassination, Ryoma heads to Kyo(to), changes his name to Saito Hajime and joins up with a brutally efficient special police force known as the Shinsengumi in the hopes of crossing swords and unmasking the culprit. It’s a longshot, to be sure, but that’s how these things go.

As an accomplished swordsman from the start, Ryoma has access to four distinct fighting styles to switch between on the fly, from an unarmed stance focused on parrying and a well-rounded swordsman posture to mowing unarmored enemies down at range with an infinitely reloading revolver, or just going all in and dual wielding a katana/gun combo while pirouetting around the battlefield like a gymnast in the Wild Dancer style. None of these styles make the others obsolete, so frequently swapping around to suit the situation is encouraged.

The third-person realtime combat initially seems a little flat compared to the head-cracking violence of Kiryu’s Yakuza adventures, especially as Ryoma’s sword slashes and gunshots have a surprisingly limited effect on his enemies, but once the player unlocks additional moves and ‘Heat’ options (Like a Dragon‘s name for spectacularly violent special moves with a cinematic flair) both the spectacle and the quality of the combat ramp up considerably. It may not be the tightest or most finely-tuned action out there, but flipping an enemy into the air and unloading a revolver into them before they hit the floor satisfies every single time.

Less successful is the introduction of Ishin‘s ‘troop’ mechanic. As a Captain in the Shinsengumi, Ryoma can recruit underlings to permanently help out in battle. These underlings don’t actually have a physical presence, instead being reduced to cards which confer bonuses and special effects when activated. While they don’t detract from the overall experience, they don’t add much to it either, aside from an irritatingly large portion of the screen being filled with their portraits during battle.

Another interesting feature is the re-purposed characters from the main series such as Goro Majima and Koichi Adachi. While we’re already acquainted with characters and how they act from previous titles and they generally slot into thematically similar positions here, there are certainly exceptions in how they may be expected play their roles in Ishin. Previously friendly folk might be a little more conniving this time around, and sworn enemies of Kiryu may be more sympathetic to Ryoma. It’s not an epic subversion of expectations based on who we formerly knew these people as, but it’s enough to prevent players from knowing exactly what a character’s role is upon first encountering them.

The Yakuza series has always been exceptional at providing non-Japanese players with a bit of virtual tourism in the way it whisks them into modern-day Japan, and Ishin goes one step further by transporting them into a different age entirely. It’s frequently beautiful to behold, with the only downside being a few too many 90-degree angles in the architecture and brief texture pop-in as a result of switching from the Dragon Engine to Unreal. On the whole, though, it’s a visual feast that historians and fans of Japan alike are guaranteed to appreciate. Standing on the Kyo bridge at night and staring off into the darkness is a thing of beauty.

This sense of place is further bolstered by Ishin offering a wide variety of side content for players to while away the hours in. One of the most substantial is a homestead simulator where Ryoma has to help pay off the debts of a familiar looking orphan in order to prevent her from losing her home. This opens up a variety of new ways to make money or create powerful items via farming, cooking, adopting pets, upgrading facilities, selling produce at market and even more. Unsurprisingly, Ryoma’s search for his father’s killer screeched to a sudden and immediate halt once these features unlocked for me.

In the end, Like a Dragon: Ishin is yet another strong entry in an exceptionally strong series, finally having been translated into English and lovingly reworked for the current generation almost a decade after its initial release. The combat’s showing its age around the edges and there are other minor quibbles to be sure, but this is still a trip to the past that’s well worth taking.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Ryu ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is currently available on XBO/X/S, PS4/5 and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 45 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Violence. The official description reads: This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a man (Sakamoto Ryoma) searching for his father’s killer in Edo-era Japan. Players explore open-world environments, interact with characters, infiltrate gangs, and engage in frenetic combat with rivals/enemies. Characters mostly use swords and pistols to slash and shoot each other; some sequences prompt players to box/punch their way through fights. Combat is highlighted by gunfire, screams of pain, and large blood-splatter effects. Some cutscenes depict slow-motion effects as characters are stabbed. The game contains suggestive material: a mini-game depicting Sakamoto in his underwear shooting a heart as moaning sounds are heard; a mini-game depicting videos of female figures posing suggestively (e.g., stroking a pipe); close-up camera angles of cleavage. Players’ character can engage in a drinking game, attempting to keep Sakamoto’s hands steady while consuming sake. The words “f**k” and “sh*t” appear in the game.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are present.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles can be altered and/ or resized. From what I can tell, the entire game is completely playable without audio, with plenty of visual indicators onscreen to support any audio based effects. Furthermore, there’s a commendably wide range of accessibility options on offer. I’d say this one is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Certain functions are remappable. Movement’s going to remain confined to the stick, but buttons can be swapped around.

The post Like A Dragon: Ishin Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH An ambitious change to the Sonic formula.

LOW A few technical issues.

WTF Tails making me cry.   

I just turned 25 and I already have two Sonic-related reviews posted at GameCritics this year. In the summer, I took a look at Sonic Origins, a solid compilation of Sega Genesis-era Sonic games that reminded me how much I loved the series. There’s no sense denying how big a fan I am at this stage of my life.

And now with this, the first new fully 3D Sonic game in five years, Frontiers changes the formula in significant ways. The most prominent comes in the form of level design. Frontiers feature large-scale, open-ended islands that act as hub worlds for Sonic to explore. Played from a third-person perspective, Sonic is tasked with saving his friends after being separated by them via a wormhole. 

The worlds are structured like standard, free-roaming 3D areas, and players are tasked with exploring the islands for specific collectibles that move the story forward. The end goal of each level is the same — save Sonic’s friends, collect the chaos emeralds and defeat a final boss.

Along the way, players will interact with different elements across the game world. For example, Sonic can solve puzzles and play minigames that reveal secrets across the map. At first, it’s weird seeing the standard triple-A style open world in a Sonic game. I mean, I was basically doing the same thing I was doing in games like Assassin’s Creed or even Far Cry, but now as a mascot platforming character. However, it never became grating or boring, and part of the reason why is because the traversal is just so damn good. 

Similar to how intuitive it feels to swing as Spider-Man in the Insomniac Spider-Man games, throwing Sonic into an open world and giving him some space to run rules. Zipping around large swaths of land and covering them in seconds never gets old, and catching some air to do tricks adds spectacle to the whole thing. The simple act of moving is enjoyable in its own right, which is something that few games nail. 

Scattered across the map are various towers that allow Sonic to enter “Cyber Space.” These play out like the standard “boost” segments that have been prominent in the last few 3D Sonic titles. These sequences have players running in a straight line toward a goal. Every level has set parameters and goals such as completing the level under a certain or collecting a set number of rings, and each one unlocks a key ultimately used to collect a Chaos Emerald located in a tower on the map. 

Another major activity comes in the form of fishing, which might be my favorite part of Frontiers. Here, Sonic joins fan-favorite character Big the Cat in an angling minigame. It’s a nice little distraction that nets (pun intended) some great rewards, like keys to the Emeralds and more. Not only is it enjoyable to catch these creatures, but I also love how expressive Sonic gets every time he catches a bizarre one, like a giant squid, golden bass, or even an alligator. 

I am definitely underselling just how big and packed the world in this game is. After about 20 or so hours, I still have a few Cyber Space levels to complete, side quests/minigames to seek out and so many collectibles left to find. Hell, I still need to replay the game on the hardest difficulty to see every phase of the final boss. There’s truly enough here to keep anyone busy for a while.

One of the other major changes aside from the open-world format and sidequests comes in the form of combat. Frontiers puts a major focus on fighting and even includes a dedicated skill tree full of new moves. It’s simple but effective, offering a lot of flashy visuals reminiscent of character action games. There’s even a combo meter that builds up and allows Sonic to unleash a flurry of finishing moves on enemies scattered around the map.

That solid combat translates into the bombastic boss sequences. Each island has a main foe called a Titan. These titans are giant, robotic enemies that require Sonic to use the Chaos Emeralds to become Super Sonic in a very Dragon Ball Z-like energy-filled powering up. These bits were a highlight for sure, as seeing a golden, flying hedgehog unleash hell on anime-style giant robots is just about the coolest thing in the world. 

All of this great stuff is complemented by the exceptional soundtrack. The series has always been known for great music, and Frontiers might be the peak of both the series and gaming soundtracks for the entire year. The audio includes everything from ’90s-sounding Cyber Space music, the first major boss song, and the kick-ass end credits music. It all adds so much personality, and even the mellow, incidental music that plays in the open world is great, perfectly setting the tone for discovery. It’s a shame that there are no new Crush 40 tracks to jam out to, but what’s included in the package is excellent.

The overall presentation is fairly good, though a few graphical elements are less than stellar. Some textures are rough, and there’s pop-in as Sonic is cruising through the world. I assume this is an issue because the devs had to scale the game back for the Nintendo Switch version, but it doesn’t look great. I played on PS5 for this review, and while the art style was exceptional, I feel like there’s a better-looking version of this work coming in the future. The framerate was rock solid, thankfully so I couldn’t complain too much. 

A lot of past Sonic games have some solid (if a bit weird) stories. The narrative ambitions in Frontiers truly caught me off guard, however — but in the very best way.

Without spoiling anything, it takes a much darker and more serious approach to the usual world-ending stories the series is known for. Sonic and his friends are well-written, and while there are still clichéd and anime-esque elements common to these titles, this one made me emotional. In some ways, it feels less like just another Sonic story and more like a celebration of the series. The callbacks to other entries like 2017’s Sonic Forces are a nice touch, and I especially appreciated that they didn’t all explicitly rely on nostalgia. 

Sonic Frontiers is the best 3D Sonic of the last decade, and it’s easily one of the best platformers I’ve played in recent years. The changes to the classic formula, coupled with some of the best music video games has to offer makes it a real gem, but what made it truly noteworthy is the ambition on display. I believe Sonic Team and Sega have finally made the game they wanted to make ever since the failure of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) and we now have a worthy successor to Sonic Adventure.

It feels good to have our Blue Blur back in the spotlight. 

Disclosures: This game is published by Sega and developed by Sonic Team. It is available on Switch, PS4/5, PC and XBO/X/S.This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 20 hours were spent in single-player and the game was completed. There is no multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10 for Fantasy Violence. The site reads: This is an action platformer in which players follow Sonic and his friends as they battle mechanical Titans. From an overhead perspective, players zoom through an alternate dimension while collecting items (e.g., rings, power-ups) and battling enemies (e.g., bouncing on them). Boss battles prompt players to climb giant robots while targeting weak spots and engaging in timed button presses for specific actions (e.g., energizing a punch, prying a robot’s jaw open, pushing back against a giant sword). Some sequences depict slow-motion effects and explosions.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: Subtitles and visual cues representing sounds are present, but neither can be resized or adjusted. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and there is no control diagram, though there are tutorials to show off how movement and combat controls.  On PS5, the X button is used to jump and select menu options, square is used to attack and confirm an action, circle is used to dodge and back out of menus, triangle is used to active the Cyloop, the left and right bumpers are used to sidestep, the right trigger is used to boost and the left is used to unleash an attack during a combo.

The post Sonic Frontiers Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Sonic.

LOW Sonic (with one slight problem in its presentation).

WTF Sonic (I really love this series).

Look, Sonic the Hedgehog needs no introduction at this point. Ushering in the 16-bit era, Sega’s blue mascot was Mario’s most significant rival throughout the ’90s, thanks to a swarm of legendary games released on the Sega Genesis. Racing through hundreds of levels to fight Dr. Robotnik with his friends Tails and Knuckles, these adventures have clearly resonated with folks over the last 30-plus years. 

Now, with the recent release of the Sonic the Hedgehog films and the solid remaster of Sonic Colors that came out in 2021, Sega has released Sonic Origins as a way to introduce new fans to the Blue Blur’s early adventures and give old fans a trip down memory lane at the same time. 

Collecting the first four Sega Genesis and Sega CD titles in the series — Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), Sonic CD (1993), and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (2011) — Origins is basically a crash course in Sonic. Each of these platformers follows the same formula in that players run across 2D levels, collect a few items like rings and chaos emeralds along the way, and then fight a boss. It’s super simple stuff that’s aged well, thanks to solid gameplay and bright aesthetics. 

Each of the games is presented in two formats, Anniversary and Retro modes. The former removes lives, is played in a 16:9 aspect ratio, and has a brand new series of animated clips that play before and after each game. The latter lets players experience every game as they came out originally, with a letterboxed 4:3 aspect ratio and limited lives.

A few other neat improvements in gameplay include being allowed to play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles in any game (with the exception of Knuckles in CD). Being able to fly over obstacles as Tails rules, and being able to change characters in places where it was never possible before adds so much replay value. There’s also an option to play these games in one “story mode” allowing every game to be played in sequential order with animated cutscenes breaking down the story in style. 

The easier Anniversary mode is where I spent most of my time, as the frequent autosave really helped me out during trickier levels. I do wish that there was a way to play this modern mode in the old aspect ratio, however, since a lot of these older games don’t look as good stretched out to fit modern TVs without a bit of cleaning up. It’s not a dealbreaker, but coming off of how great Sonic Mania looked, it feels like a major downgrade. 

Regardless, what matters here is the fact that all these games are together in one package. Hell, finally being able to play Sonic 3 & Knuckles for the first time in a compilation rules, as many consider it to be the peak of the series.

However, the biggest draw for me was the supporting content included like music, artwork, and even a few videos. As players go through the games, they earn in-game coins that allow them to buy museum items like songs or even animatics from the animated Sonic Mania shorts. Being able to watch the gorgeous opening movie from Sonic CD (animated by Toei) and hear that great theme song was a treat, as was seeing the different box art from every region the games were released.

It does irk me a bit that there are other tracks that can be bought as DLC (which isn’t available to access as of the time of writing) but the package still feels fairly complete overall. Unlike other game compilations I’ve reviewed, there’s a lot of charm and personality here — the menus are vibrant, the bonus features feel like they cater to fans, and the presentation is solid overall. Like a Criterion Collection release, there’s clearly a lot of love here and I do hope Sega considers other, non-Genesis console ports of Sonic games, either as DLC or a separate collection down the line. It would be cool to see stuff like Knuckles’ Chaotix, Sonic Drift, or even Tails’ Adventure on modern consoles. 

While I have my qualms with the way the graphical presentation is handled during gameplay, I have to commend Sonic Origins for delivering on its promise. It’s a great collection, and one that got me passionate about the series again — immediately after playing, I downloaded Sonic Mania, Sonic Colors, and Sonic Forces to keep riding this high. With any luck, Sega continues the trend with other classics. 

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Sega. It is available on PS4/5, PC, XBO/X/S, and Switch. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player and the games were not completed. (These games were also previously played on past consoles.)

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E . This game is perfectly fine for young children, as the violence is very minimal, there is no sexual content, nor any swearing.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: I spent most of my time playing the game on mute and found no issues. Everything has some visual cue, though there’s no way to resize text. Overall, this game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and but there are control diagrams for each game.

The post Sonic Origins Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH It’s Monkey Ball!  

LOW I cried over Monkey Ball. 

WTF I only want to talk about Monkey Ball. 

On Christmas Day in 2003, “Santa” brought me a Nintendo GameCube. This was the very first console I ever owned, and it came with a bundle of Zelda games I never cared for. however, the title that really had its hooks in me was Super Monkey Ball.

Created by Toshihiro Nagoshi (who would go on to develop the popular Yakuza series), Monkey Ball had players navigating through abstract levels and race tracks using a monkey encased in a glass ball. The object was to reach the end of a level without falling off or letting the timer run out. However, rather than controlling the monkey directly, players tilted and shifted the levels themselves, using gravity to channel the ape-ball along. 

It’s a simple concept but it gets increasingly harder, thanks to hazards like gaps, folding platforms, and narrow paths that require tricky maneuvering. Beating a level is a thrill unlike any other, especially if one takes several tries. It’s as close to a perfect experience as a game can be, and debatably one of the finest ever made. 

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series, Sega has released Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, which contains remakes of the original title, its superior sequel Super Monkey Ball 2, and the 2005 compilation of both games subtitled Deluxe. This represents well over 300 levels now playable on modern consoles, and even includes SMB 2’s delightfully weird story mode in which an evil baboon (named Dr. Badboon) threatens to steal the main character’s girlfriend. 

Gameplay is nearly identical to the originals. In the singleplayer modes, players will navigate through different levels while avoiding various pitfalls. As I mentioned, the premise is incredibly simple, but like any good puzzler, getting better requires patience and practice. Even after spending dozens of hours, I found myself struggling to beat specific levels, some of which I remember being frustrated with as a child.

That frustration didn’t last long, though. before I knew it, I felt like I was six years old again and grinning from ear to ear. These titles have been repackaged perfectly, including the option to play each of the main cast in classic GameCube style and having the choice to able to swap the main menu music to the original track.

New content includes things like costumes and photo mode filters, but the absolute best thing is the array of new characters. The likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, and even Yakuza’s own Kazuma Kiryu can be used in the singleplayer levels. Hell, I thought there was no way the formula could be improved until I played as a literal Sega Dreamcast in a glass ball.

Also included is an abundance of party games for up to four players to play locally. Fan-favorite Monkey Target is here, in which players roll down a large ramp, get launched in the air, and have to glide their way onto targets in the middle of the ocean. Others include Monkey Race (four players race around different tracks and use items they pick up) as well as Monkey Fight, a boxing minigame played from a top-down perspective, in which players use an oversized boxing glove to knock opponents out of an arena. Playing these minigames with family were some of the best memories I have of my GameCube.

Like most games from my childhood, I tend to get emotional when talking about them, but Super Monkey Ball is a different beast altogether, as it was the very first console game I loved, and it’s what made me love the medium. Without these simians in glass balls, I wouldn’t be writing about videogames today.

Nostalgia and fond memories aside, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania delivers an experience that’s always been amazing, and now it comes complete with a fresh coat of paint and a bunch of extras. To any one who hasn’t yet tried these titles, I say… Go bananas.

Disclosures: This game is published by Sega and developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. It is available on PS4, PS5, XBO/X/S, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XSS. Approximately 15 hours were spent in the single-player and the game was not completed (still playing). Over 5 hours were spent in the game’s multiplayer mode. Over 50 hours were spent across the original GameCube releases of each game. 

Parents: According to the ESRB this game is rated E for Cartoon Violence. The site reads: This is an action platformer in which players control monkeys on a quest to retrieve stolen bananas from a villain. As players roll through each stage, they avoid traps/pitfalls, collect bananas, and compete in various party games against other players/characters. In one-party game, players shoot at incoming enemy ships from a first-person perspective. A Monkey Dogfight mini-game allows players to fire pineapple missiles and cartoony bullets at other characters; explosions, cries of pain, and screen-shaking effects highlight the action.

Colorblind Modes: There are colorblind modes available. 

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Subtitles and on-screen instructions cannot be adjusted but the sound is not required to enjoy the game thanks to an abundance of visual cues. This game is fully accessible. 

Remappable Controls: No the controls are not remappable but there is a control diagram.

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