Crimson Desert Is One of the Boldest RPGs in Years
With spectacular combat, a massive world full of distractions and more systems than most action RPGs would dare attempt, Crimson Desert offers a bold and often thrilling adventure even if its story does not always keep up.
Save State on the Secret to Unlocking Powers Earlier in Crimson Desert
Returning to Crimson Desert with more knowledge and better routing, Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney finds that some of the open world action adventure’s most exciting elemental powers can be earned much earlier than expected.
Save State Enjoys the Explosions of Confetti and Coins in Vampire Crawlers
Save State’s Vincent Mahoney takes a look at Vampire Crawlers, a stylish first-person deckbuilder from the Vampire Survivors team that trades brutal challenges for big combos, fast progress and the joy of feeling wildly overpowered.
Guards II: Chaos in Hell Delivers Fast and Fiendish Strategy
With easy-to-learn mechanics and its smart mix of turn-based strategy and auto battler gameplay, Guards II: Chaos in Hell offers a fast and satisfying descent into tactical combat that is perfect for both veteran players and those new to the genre.
Save State: Pokemon Champions Brings Competitive Pokemon Battling Online
Save State’s Vincent Mahoney writes this week about Pokemon Champions, a stripped-down but enjoyable online Pokemon battler that makes competitive play more accessible while still leaving room for serious team building.
Circle Empires II Puts a Fresh Spin on RTS Combat
With randomly generated maps, quick-fire strategy battles and a simple but satisfying loop of expansion and conquest, Circle Empires II offers an accessible RTS that still leaves room for smart play, strategic planning and deep customization of a player’s combat forces.
Save State: GB Operator Brings Game Boy Cartridges to Modern Devices
Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney this week writes about Epilogue’s GB Operator device that made trying his old childhood Game Boy Advance favorites surprisingly seamless on modern devices.
Tales of Berseria Remastered’s Enhancements Make Velvet’s Journey More Enjoyable
Bandai Namco’s remaster for Tales of Berseria does not radically transform one of the best titles in the Tales series, but quite a few strong quality-of-life upgrades and a still-excellent core adventure makes it easy to recommend.
Save State: Going Back to the Start of the Star Ocean Series
Star Ocean First Departure R proves that developer tri-Ace had big ideas from the very start, even if some of the original version’s older design quirks still show through.
Lovecraft Meets Power Washing in Sunken Engine
Sunken Engine blends relaxing repair simulator gameplay with creeping Lovecraftian horror, creating a strange but addictive Early Access experience where cleaning ships might cost you your sanity.