Chris Penwell
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The PS1 generation of retro 3D platformers is a delight, with many heroes like Crash, Spyro and Rayman making their way into the mainstream. One character that's also on that list is Croc, a mascot from Argonaut Games that spun off from a Yoshi platformer pitch to Nintendo. Croc Legend of the Gobbos is worth bringing back as it has stellar 3D platforming, but has hang-ups due to its age.
WWE 2K25 is one of the biggest leaps in the series so far. While the Island is disappointing, the sheer amount of content in this game is unmatched. You have over 300 wrestlers with more DLC on the way, plenty of fun modes like the highly improved MyGM and the story-focused MyRise, and gameplay that still feels satisfying to pull off, even if the animations can be weird at points. It’s just the microtransactions that really pull this game down.
Two Point Museum is one of those games that will suck up your entire day and you have no idea where it went. The loop of getting new displays to show guests, raking in the money and customizing how your museum looks is exciting, especially for simulation fans. Unfortunately, there are roadblocks on your path to museum dominance. Repetition does set in after a while, some of the money management can be confusing and a few goals that are asked of you can be difficult to overcome. Do these stumbling blocks spoil the overall enjoyment of Two Point Museum, though?
Yu-Gi-Oh has been a staple in many people's lives for years now, and it's back again, but this time leaning on some of those earlier years with a collection of some of the first games. For better or for worse, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection mostly leaves the games untouched. This means that you'll need to draw each card automatically to your hand in earlier entries and deal with some unattractive UI decisions that can leave some scratching their heads. For example, the Game Boy titles in this collection irritate my brain as you can't set your monsters into defense mode and have to leave them facing up and then switch them to defensive mode.
After a lengthy delay, Dontnod fans can finally check out Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, a new narrative adventure from the original Life is Strange developer's Montreal division. It's had some disappointing releases, like Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror, so many have hoped that the developer can return to its roots with a prolific narrative experience, especially after the tepid reception of Life is Strange: Double Exposure from Square Enix and Deck Nine. Does this new game deliver?
Marvel Rivals is a stellar multiplayer game that has plenty of potential in the years ahead. It sounds like it has a great content plan, as the game just added the Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic into the game a month into the game's launch. When you keep that in mind alongside the stellar gameplay and team-based mechanics, Marvel Rivals is likely to stay for many years ahead.
Overall, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a delight to play. Purple Lamp did a fantastic job of remaking the game from scratch with grand visuals and the addition of a double jump makes the game more playable than its Wii incarnation. The paint and thinner mechanics are a true highlight of this Disney adventure, and the overall atmosphere of the game is both creepy and upbeat. It would be a real treat to see if Purple Lamp could make an Epic Mickey 3 in the future, as this game shows the Vienna-studio's talent of making the Wasteland come to life.
Overall, Quidditch Champions gets tedious quickly, but in short bursts, it can be fun. The different roles one can take are well done, especially with the seeker, but the lack of skill shots or moves does hamper the enjoyment. Getting new unlockables might be the lifeblood of the game as they feature fun references to the movies for the fans. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep the game forward with a solid player base, despite its repetitive nature.
Unfortunately, Flock is hard to recommend. The game design is repetitive and confusing, not leading players enough to where they're supposed to go or what they should be doing. There's a lot of beauty to be had with Flock, which will attract many, but don't expect a fun game behind its beautiful exterior. This is a game I wish I could have liked more but found myself scratching my head, even raising my voice for a few moments.
Overall, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a fantastic remaster with beautiful visuals and remade music. Hopefully Ubisoft follows this with stunning remasters of other classic series like Rayman. Beyond Good & Evil still has engaging characters, fun puzzles and stealth sections that make you think. The world is also glorious to explore and shows Beyond Good & Evil was ahead of its time with how it built Hillys with multiple creatures, cultures and species of people. Unfortunately, the lack of manual saves and camera issues do let down this 20th Anniversary Edition.