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No trial necessary. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, developers of the beloved Yakuza (Like a Dragon) series, have delivered an enthralling spin-off with Judgment , a detective noir that exudes style. It’s a slight departure from their normal formula, yet it retains the studio’s signature blend of thrilling action, compelling drama, and quirky humor. While it might not rewrite the genre, Judgment delivers a thoroughly satisfying episode by leveraging a well-crafted protagonist and a meticulously realized world to great effect. Publisher: Sega Developer:   Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on June 25, 2019 for PS4; Released on April 23, 2021 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S; Released on September 14, 2022 for Windows PC. Featuring an all-new cast of characters, we get to see the Yakuza world from another perspective. Protagonist Takayuki Yagami is a particularly fresh breath of air, offering an alternative personality to the oft stoic Kiryu or the sincere-but-oafish Ichiban. A disgraced lawyer turned private eye, Yagami navigates the back alleys of Kamurocho using his street savvy and polished fighting skills. Along his journey, he must deal with his past disgrace as a lawyer and forge a path towards redemption, all while encountering new trials and tribulations. Yagami’s journey into a web of conspiracies — centered upon a series of grisly murders — is both engrossing and emotionally affecting.  Other characters, such as the tough Masaharu Kaito or the clever Fumiya Sugiura, keep the cast balanced out — offering their own backstory and quirks to uncover. The main cast is lovable, and even the side story characters get some bright moments in the spotlight. Each character feels like a layered or complex individual with their own sets of ideals and purpose, and that shines through in their conversations and in the cutscenes throughout the game. Kamurocho is itself a character, serving as the beating heart of Judgment . The neon-lit streets, the bustling arcades, the hidden alleyways — every detail is rendered with care. The city feels alive, with NPCs moving about, people visiting shops, and even enemies prowling the strip to find you. This is owed, in part, to Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s continued re-use of the setting. While there are differences from game to game, Kamurocho feels like an old friend. The stores, people, and streets are ever so slightly growing and aging with time, akin to features like wrinkles or gray hairs — but that spark never fades, and those old memories are a bright spot in the tapestry of the ongoing narrative of the series.  There's a real sense of a lived-in space in Judgment. Kamurocho is not the only recurring item, as the battle system from the main series (prior to Yakuza: Like a Dragon , at least) makes its return as well. The combat lacks mechanical depth, but remains playable and fun in spurts. Yagami’s two fighting styles — the fast-paced Crane and the heavy-hitting Tiger — keep each fracas dynamic. "EX Actions" — a staple of the Yakuza series — allow for spectacular takedowns, but are generally situational; you’ll need specific items, meet certain conditions, or be in a particular area for the actions to appear. Each brawl is an absurdly cinematic spectacle, but is a bit weaker in other aspects. For example, tougher enemies in the colosseum and late game bosses have ‘super armor’ — a sort of resistance to long combo strings or juggling — that can take the fun out of the melee by not allowing you to deal consistent damage. The enemies, on the other hand, are extremely strong and deal high damage in the late game, which might then require you to frequently pause the action to take consumables mid-fight. By contrast, the sounds of the game are a net positive. The voice acting, whether in English or Japanese, is superb, bringing the characters to life with nuance and conviction. Sound effects from objects or attacks are sufficiently punchy, and cars driving in the background breathe life into the city. To top it all off, the music keeps things moving with some varied electronic and rock rhythms for the more exciting moments in the game, but knows when to slow things down for the emotional scenes — and those emotional scenes are frequent. Whether you're drawn in by the story or the wacky sidequests, there's always something here for you to engage in. While the story might occasionally tread familiar ground, it's executed with the same sincerity that the Yakuza series is also known for. The twists and turns, though sometimes predictable, are delivered with a sense of drama that keeps you hooked. The game's exploration of themes like justice, redemption, and the blurred lines between right and wrong is handled with a mature and thoughtful approach; not every choice is an easy one for Yagami to make, as the greater picture of the plot is rarely black and white. Even the side stories are worth engaging in. Perhaps the tales here are not as zany or off-the-wall as some of the side stories in Yakuza: Like a Dragon , but many are extremely touching — once again highlighting what RGG Studio does so well — balancing those action-packed fights and silly situations with true sincerity and earnest messages of love, acceptance, and even forgiveness. As for more concrete examples of mini-games for players, the SEGA arcades are available to Yagami, meaning he can try his hand at some classic SEGA titles, like Viruta Fighter 5 Final Showdown or Motor Raid . There are other staples around, of course, like darts, mahjong, the batting cages — a veritable mountain of stuff  is present for you to enjoy. There’s even a new drone mini-game, or dating mini-game for him to partake in. You’ll never feel like you’ve run out of things to do. All-in-all, I had a very good time with this one. Judgment  is a tense detective story, a stylish action game, and a heartfelt look into the lives of the ordinary people of Kamurocho, all wrapped in a beautifully crafted package. It's a testament to Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s ability to mold stories filled with memorable characters and compelling events. I know there’s a second one already out, but I hope we get to see even more of the characters here, and I’m excitedly awaiting my next rendezvous with Kamurocho. Verdict Judgment  is a must-play for fans of detective stories and action games alike. It boasts a charismatic protagonist, an exciting combat system, and a visually stunning presentation. Despite hitting some familiar beats, it delivers an enjoyable and deeply moving escapade.   Image Credits: Taylor Rioux

I solemnly swear that this game kicks ass Note: There are some minor early game spoilers in the images for this article. I’ve been a big fan of Obsidian’s work for a long time, and I don’t really want to skirt around that fact. There’s just something about the way they deliver their stories and develop their worlds that just speaks to me on a fundamental level. From games like Knights of the old Republic II  and Fallout: New Vegas, to more recent entries like the Pillars of Eternity  (the first CRPG I ever played) and Pentiment , Obsidian has never failed to deliver an interesting experience for me. So, when I first heard Avowed  was being developed and would take place in Eora (the same world as the Pillars games), I was definitely excited. But I was a little nervous, too.  For starters, being in the same world as those Pillars of Eternity games carries a lot of baggage on its own. Would Avowed  be set before, during, or after the events of the previous games? Would those events matter in any way? Would the world be handled with the kind of care I felt they should be? Second, I don’t typically love first person games, and first person sword fighting (melee combat in general) is so frequently boring, I had concerns about the type of game we’d be getting — despite third person perspective being an option. In retrospect, some of these concerns feel a bit silly. It’s not my world, so what does it matter if they handle it differently than I would want? Plus, Obsidian has delivered fun first person adventures in the past with games like The Outer Worlds , so that concern is a bit unwarranted. I don’t really know what I was expecting, as I purposefully avoided much of the lead up to the game, but I don’t think I was prepared for just how much I would end up loving this game. Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Developer:   Obsidian Entertainment Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on February 18, 2025 for Windows PC and Xbox Series X/S. Avowed is a story-driven RPG in the same vein as other Obsidian classics, with a heavy focus on roleplaying and choice and consequence. As the envoy to the Aedyran Empire (lovingly referred to as The Envoy), the player character is on a mission to find out about and ultimately put an end to a mysterious disease plaguing the Living Lands, known as The Dreamscourge. As the journey unfolds, The Envoy fights more than just disease — lizard people, fascists, and even the land itself are all out to kill them. Something I really admire about this game is that it never pulls its punches. Dialogue may sometimes be long-winded, but it never feels out of place by explaining things to the player. In-world events or terminology that your character would know about are highlighted in the text, with the option to pull up a side menu to catch up on the vocabulary, but the world assumes you live in it. Rather than characters constantly pulling you aside and explaining things you would definitely already understand, the game leaves it up to the player to explore these events and ideas. This is not the first time I’ve seen something like this implemented, but it may be the best version out there. This facet of the game is also just plainly useful, even beyond making the dialogue flow more naturally. For players new, old, disabled, disadvantaged, or otherwise unaware, this spot lookup function becomes an excellent tool for keeping track of events as you explore the Living Lands. All of this allows the player to experience the story and dialogue scenes in a more meaningful and immersive way. The Envoy becomes a party to the events unfolding, instead of an outside child who needs their hand held at every turn. As so many of the events within the game are serious or dark, it allows the player to engage with them earnestly. That’s not to say that the game is devoid of levity, in fact it’s quite the opposite — sarcastic companions, absurd journal entries, and even dialogue options for the player litter the entirety of the game. The dialogue options are particularly refreshing, frequently offering you the option to outright dismiss or berate even important NPCs. Without going too far into the particulars of the game’s events, I will say I really enjoyed the story experience. Even beyond the overarching plot of the Dreamscourge, there’s a lot of mystery, adventure, and intrigue to be found. While it may not be the most reactive game ever made, I did enjoy how often dialogue choices or actions in a quest might shape the way a quest develops or how factions of people might treat you. Those choices feel impactful in the moment, and resolving some side quests can have big impacts on how major events unfold. The companions will comment on events in your chats with them, or even offer asides during a dialogue to give you a little more info or just chime in with their opinion on the situation. Journal entries and notes that you find in the Living Lands will give greater context to not only the events happening around you, but also the world at-large. Obsidian has crafted something special here. A world that feels truly lived in — not just by the inhabiting NPCs, but by the player character, as well. It’s a world full of events and goings on outside of the player’s immediate vision or control. That goes beyond the text, too. Tarps hanging over the streets for shade, stalls peddling goods or gossip, farms on the outskirts of a city — every bit of this game is built to make it feel like The Envoy is a part of the world, not its focal point. And it's a world that is exciting to explore through gameplay as much as it is through those texts and dialogues. I hear you, girl. There’s an intentionality to the way every street or cave is built in this game that astonishes me, even now. Nothing feels out of place or haphazard. The parkour system lends itself beautifully to this design ethos, with every aspect of the word begging you to look for hidden alcoves, or to try and find your way around a cliffside to scale it and find something neat. Avowed also has a level of verticality to the world that is rarely seen in RPGs like this — it’s built for you to climb, jump, and play around in it. Even your combat abilities can help you in your exploration with moves like a charging attack being used to traverse large gaps, or ice spells freezing water so you can walk on it. This exploration is also instrumental in upgrading your gear, with crafting materials or unique items strewn about the world. In fact, the game may be a bit too reliant on this exploration and collection aspect. Upgrading your gear is wildly expensive resource wise, and even if you break down every piece of normal equipment you find, you’ll never have enough resources to upgrade all of your unique items. This leads to some tough decisions early on, as you’ll have to decide which unique items to break down for rarer materials and which ones to build into early. And you do need to upgrade your gear. Even beyond the flat numbers of damage or damage reduction, the game’s gear system works on a rarity scale. If your gear is a lower rarity than your enemies’, you’ll take more damage and deal less as a percentage. The way to avoid this is to upgrade early — especially your unique gear, as upgrading those has the added bonus of forcing all future unique gear you find to be at the same rarity level or higher. There are caps to this, of course, with some materials only being available in specific areas, so you can never outpace the zone you’re in. As the quest unfolds, you will inevitably come across enemies of a higher gear level than what you have, despite all of your best efforts, so it’s here you will have to make the choice of whether to tough it out or run and come back later. It is possible to beat enemies of a higher gear level, it just becomes a test of your patience as enemies will take much longer to kill and your companions will constantly remind you to upgrade your equipment. I’m a completionist at heart, so this isn’t much of a pain point for me, but I do wonder how it goes for those who would rather just play the main story or only a few side quests. Speaking of the combat — it is phenomenal. Fast, fun, and often frantic, the battles are a real test of your awareness. Large groups of enemies swarm you, priests stand in the back line to heal and try to run from you to keep their buddies up, and environmental hazards or effects are always present for you to be aware of. Managing your own abilities and those of your companions in real time can be a bit tricky, but bringing up the ability wheel will pause time and allow you to select your next move more carefully. I love the battles here. There are so many abilities and spells to try, and with so many different combinations of spell effects and weapons to wield, you’re never out of options. You’re not locked into any one build, either. You can change your points spread across attributes or abilities at any time — for a price.  The exploration, combat, and story are the three major pillars of the game — and all are excellent. I should point out that the way the attributes work in Avowed is probably quite different than what many RPG players are used to. Might is the damage stat for all characters, even mages, Dexterity increases action speed and so on. All attributes are beneficial for all classes, to some degree or another. A full spread across all attributes is a totally viable way to build your character. I put points into everything except for constitution, as I played an evasive style and rarely got hit.  The art direction in Avowed is also top-notch. Stunning vistas, colorful flora, fauna, and clothing, bits of graffiti, and even the architecture — all of it left me in awe. You can really tell the team behind the game cared about this world. I can’t tell you how many times I exited a cave only to stand on a cliff and just take in the view of cities and seas in the distance. The way the visual style and world collide conveys a clear focus from that art team in making something look so cool. I have read that this is meant to be a smaller scale game and take less time than your average open world RPG, but I ended up with around 70 hours played when credits rolled. It is by no means a small game, but it is focused. Avowed  knows what it wants to do, and does all of that exceptionally well, but it doesn’t sweat some of the small stuff in ways that may or may not be missed. There are no theft or jail systems, not every object in the world is fully interactable, and not every NPC is a plaything for the players’ whims. Instead, Avowed offers a closer look at a specific place in a developed world with colorful characters and an interesting story to tell. The more I play it, the more I end up loving it and appreciating what we have here. I think that’s more than enough. Verdict Avowed is a game full of exploration, wonder, intrigue, and laughs. You can get lost in the world in so many ways — whether it’s the story that draws you in, the deep characters you fall in love with, or the parkour that keeps you playing, there’s so much to see and do. It may not have the most expansive map in the history of RPGs, but this adventure contains interesting exploration paths that are open to player creativity. While the combat and characters were the most arresting portion of the game for me, real lore sickos are in for a great time, as well. Avowed  is a tremendous game with a clear focus, and does what it sets out to do exceptionally well. It’s proof positive of Obsidian’s continued greatness, and I hope to see more of Eora in the future. Image Credits: Taylor Rioux

These boots are made for huntin' (and also out of the bones of my enemies). Seven full years after the massively successful Monster Hunter: World  seemed to take the gaming world by storm, Monster Hunter Wilds  arrives on consoles and PC, attempting to recapture that mainstream success. While Monster Hunter Rise  released in-between the two on Nintendo Switch (and eventually PC) to great success in its own right, Wilds is unambiguously a spiritual successor to World , sharing many design similarities – sometimes to its detriment. Publisher: CAPCOM Co., Ltd. Developer:   CAPCOM Co., Ltd. Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released on February 28, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S Monster Hunter Wilds starts off with a very brief introduction — opening with a group of people fleeing from a then unnamed, unseen monster, taking refuge in a cave. It’s here that a child, Nata, is sent further into the cave alone, in order to give him a chance of escape. Nata is eventually free, and makes his way to the edge of the desert, where he is found by some hunters. A short explanation and monster attack later, and you’re off to the races. Riding a big dinosaur-bird-thing (Seikret), you’re chased by a horde of worm-like monsters and trying to save a little girl. While this first scene is an exciting introduction into our new world, it also shows us a bit about how the game will play out. See, despite the show of it all, and despite the tutorials introducing you to some mechanics as you go, nothing that happens here matters or is really under your control — you don’t have full control of the seikret and your attacks are meaningless. It’s truly unfortunate that most of the story plays out in much the same fashion. Long sequences of forced walking through new environments are spent with the player unable to control their own direction or movement — slowly plodding along as your handler gives you the latest exposition dump. For a game with such large and lovingly-crafted maps, it sure spends an awful lot of time making sure you can’t play it. This seems to be a holdover from World , as it also forced these walking segments on you frequently, while Rise  did away with them in favor of more read dialogue and cutscenes. The game does also have more traditional cutscenes, and they’re frankly so far beyond anything else the series has done, I’m almost shocked they were as sparse as they were. In some respects, that makes the moments sweeter — if you see a cutscene happening, you’re almost guaranteed to get something worthwhile. Those walking segments aren’t the only regression, either. Scoutflies have made their return, serving as the most boring solution possible to the question, “what if a player got a bit lost in our big maps?” The answer, it seems, is to just have glowing lines and an auto-pilot to bring you to where you need to go. While Rise  opened up the combat and movement through switch skills and wirebugs, respectively, Wilds  goes back to more traditional Monster hunter roots and avoids the question of playstyle customization entirely. That’s not to say there is no evolution in gameplay from World ; every weapon has new moves or combo routes, and new skills show up on decorations. The ability to swap weapons on the fly is also a nice change, but rarely seems to have any use case outside of niche elemental swaps during a fight or for swapping in a great sword to wake sleeping monsters. The cutscenes in Wilds look amazing, and are by far the best they've ever been in the series. Some other changes have come to Wilds  with varying degrees of success. Monster parts are now much more abundant due to the ‘wound’ system in place. Attacking a monster generates wounds that take more damage, which can then be manually burst through focus mode attacks, or repeatedly targeted with normal attacks for more damage. Once a wound has been destroyed, an additional monster part is generated, and the monster is often staggered. This has some broader implications on optimal play, but even at a cursory glance you could understand how this may affect weapon and armor crafting systems. This is compounded by the fact that, when compared to previous games, weapon trees are smaller and the required materials per craft appear to have been reduced. It's not unheard of to only have to fight a monster two or three times to craft an entire gearset, which is a substantial change from the loop the series is known for. Despite any issues or annoyances I have with these changes, it is unquestionably true that Monster Hunter Wilds just fuckin’ rips , man. This game is just so much fun — it feels nearly impossible to put down, especially once you actually get through the story and you just get to play . It takes too long to get there, that much is true, but when you do, Wilds opens up in ways that none of the other games in the illustrious series could dream of.  The environments are flush with interactables, collectibles, and monsters roaming around fighting each other — all while being engaging to explore due to twisting pathways and multi-tiered design. Varied weather patterns allow for different monster spawns or quest availability. Those same weather patterns also affect endemic life that appears throughout the land, what sort of collectibles you can gather, and can even change what type of drops you can collect from monsters in specific circumstances. World  has some of this, but Wilds turns it up to 11, creating a more natural, lively world. Wilds is visually breathtaking, but the real beauty lies in the deep gear customization. Equipment options are varied as usual, but the ease of getting decorations and charms makes building sets a much easier task, which in turn opens up a lot of room for equipment experimentation. Whether you’re suited up for comfort, style, or something in-between, there are more ways to get what you want, and it’s easier to do than ever before. Layered armor (equipped armor taking on the appearance of some other set of your choosing) returns and is available as soon as you make it to high rank quests, which is welcome as sets rarely visually mix and match particularly well in early ranks. In some respects, the fashion aspect may be the endgame loop for many players. With the abundance of materials and ease with which decorations are obtained, there are very few things to chase long after you complete the main story. There is a semi-customizable weapon series, known as Artian weapons, that you can chase for optimization. The parts needed to craft the base version of each Artian weapon are plentiful, appearing as rewards in essentially every late game quest you’ll take on after the main story, so the only thing to do is get the materials for reinforcement. Unfortunately, getting those required materials is a bit slow-going as the trading options and collection aspect of it are time-gated, so it’s more a passive endeavor. Unless you are specifically looking to craft those weapons for every element of every weapon type, you’ll get what you need eventually. All of this is to say that the only things worth actively chasing are related to cosmetic items or to check everything off your list. For some, this may be a negative, but for me, it allows me to just start or join quests to fight monsters for the sole purpose of ruining their life. I fight them because it is insanely fun to do. Learning their movesets, trying out new gear and weapons, playing with friends and hunting gold crowns — I found so much joy in just playing the game, unburdened by the chase of optimization. Because of this, fighting the monsters became the purpose versus the process, and boy do they deliver. Monster hunts are intense and thrilling. The monster hunts are a spectacle to behold. From the protective veil of Uth Duna, to the flaming mantle of Nu Udra, each monster has a unique flair and moves to watch out for. I do feel like the roster is a bit small, but the different monster types and varied movesets between each enemy keep the fights fresh. Many foes have huge area attacks that light up the screen, or interact with the environments in interesting ways, such as the cephalopod Xu Wu using tiny holes in the environment to escape, or the aforementioned Uth Duna swimming in the water out of bounds to launch a large breaching attack at the player. New moves for the player are a nice treat, as well, with many being impressive-looking in their own right. The combat is both showy and exhilarating in many ways, but I think it's a bit easy. This is the part that is hard to quantify or really parse for me, but I never carted until late into the story, and I have yet to fail a quest even though I’m now over HR 100. It’s hard for me to really say why this one feels easier than older titles. Sure, I now have 20 years of monster hunter under my belt, but that was true with Rise  as well. I suspect it has something to do with the seikret providing invincibility in a pinch and wounds being extremely powerful tools in keeping up aggression on the monster. I’m looking forward to seeing how the fights evolve as the title updates drop in the future — they always come with a sharp up-tick in difficulty. In the end, Monster Hunter Wilds  is a delightful and worthy addition to the Monster Hunter franchise, only held back by its frequent insistence on not letting you actually play it for the first 20 hours or so. Is it the perfect starting point for newcomers? Hard to say — some mechanics may remain obtuse for starters, but it is certainly the most accessible the series has ever been. While I can’t imagine what the changes mean for new players, as a long-time veteran I am more than happy enough with what we have, and I can’t wait to hunt more monsters in the future. Verdict Monster Hunter Wilds starts slow but is worth the wait. Bombastic battles and diverse equipment ensure you’re always either working on something or enjoying the ride when you play. Wilds retains many of the quirks and systems that the series has been known for over the last two decades, but this is the most accessible the series has ever been. While many of the series’ edges have been sanded off, it still remains a rewarding experience, overall. Image Credits: Taylor Rioux and Capcom.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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