Lisa: Definitive Edition

I had to choose whether I would continue to fail miserably and hope I could take them down, or I could take a 45-minute detour to recruit Mad Dog, swap my party around, buy better gear, and reattempt the fight. If I die, I have to redo everything. It’s a time sink that I have to invest in to stand a chance against Rakeem and Cherry, which is only a real issue in Pain Mode.

With a deceptively linear quest and extremely accessible challenges, it is unsurprising that Hob: Definitive Edition, like RiME, is not the most cerebral challenge. It is, instead, a gorgeous journey that dutifully sweeps you away into another world. It continues to be a charming tale and Panic Button has smoothed out many of the original’s irks. The Joycon controls, the touch screen additions, enhanced UI, and much-improved loading times mean that Hob is an adventure you will want to take ...

In truth the hardest thing about LISA is talking about it because it's just one of those titles that's really better experienced. It's dark and depressing, but has an amusing sense of humor that makes it easy to smile through the suffering. It's a title that benefits wildly from making frequent saves, so when Brad gets to an unskippable segment where he has to watch his entire party die through a chance of luck, it's easy to go back and try again with a hopefully better outcome the next time around. There's slews of ways to approach a lot of scenarios which makes for unique outcomes as well an...

Lisa: Definitive Edition tells a story that's just as relevant now as it was in 2014. A prescient, necessary revival.

This game might not be for you. It absolutely wasn’t for me, in spite of its fascinating premise and snappy writing. LISA: Definitive Edition is a clever, cruel, well-crafted game that I couldn’t stand. It turns out that I have no patience for this specific sort of emotional landscape. I hated this game, in other words. On the other hand, it might be exactly what you’re looking for. LISA is a brutal experience that I found fascinating, though not exactly enjoyable.

LISA: Definitive Edition packages two titles that are sure to make the player feel some emotion. With familiar gameplay and a grim plot, there is sure to be a classic under here for a specific audience.