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http://www.defunctgames.com The latest articles from Defunct Games. http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1804 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a perfect reminder of why movie fans fell in love with the Hollywood hero in the first place. This is a return to form for Dr. Jones, who is once again on another globe-trotting adventure, complete with memorable side characters and one of the franchise’s greatest villains. This is a game that not only looks and feels like a classic Indiana Jones movie, but it gives us all kinds of fun reasons to use his iconic whip. Do I wish I could switch to a third-person perspective? Yes, but the first-person hand-to-hand combat is visceral and the perspective helps to set it apart from the Uncharted and Tomb Raider games. If you missed out when Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hit Xbox and PC, get ready to dig up its secrets on the PlayStation 5. Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/267 Proving that we always need to be on our toes, Nintendo surprised everybody by dropping a Nintendo Switch Online game on a Monday. That’s right, Expansion Pack subscribers, you can play Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones for the Game Boy Advance right now. That’s super cool news, but is this game actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Edge and more classic magazines that reviewed The Sacred Stones back when it first came out. I hope you’re ready to go to war, because this is going to be a very strategic episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1803 Take a trip back through a life full of mistakes, regret and self-doubt in the compelling new puzzle game Leila. While it won’t be for everybody, this all-too-brief adventure is ready to show you parts of the human experience we rarely see in video games. Sure, some of the puzzles are a bit obtuse and I wish there was a little more to it, but there’s no doubt that first-time developer Ubik Studios has created the kind of special game that will resonate with certain players for the rest of their life. In a world where every triple-A game has to appeal to a broad audience, I love that smaller, personal stories like Leila can exist. I want to see more games like this. Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/266 Need something to do when everybody is out enjoying Easter? Then I have good news for you, because Sony just added two classic games to PlayStation Plus, including the PlayStation 2 kaiju fighting game War of the Monsters and the survival horror scare-fest Alone in the Dark: One-Eyed Jack’s Revenge. Okay, so maybe Sony forgot the Easter theme, but I still need to ask: Are either of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games, Next Generation and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to huddle in the corner, because this is going to be an extremely destructive episode of PS Plus Review Crew. Fri, 18 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1802 It’s man vs. machine vs. monsters a post-apocalyptic fight for survival in AI Limit, a new action/adventure from first time developer Sense Games. While it borrows liberally from the Dark Souls playbook, AI Limit finds its own voice with a compelling new hero and a whole bunch of world building. Sure, the combat is a bit simplistic and the bosses kind of suck, but the levels are fun to explore and I’m a big fan of the enemy designs. AI Limit may not be in the same league as Elden Ring, but it’s an entertaining stop-over as you wait for the next big adventure game. Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/265 While you were busy throwing birthday parties for Steven Seagal and Haley Joel Osment, Taito was quietly uploading full-motion video games to Steam. You heard me right, both Time Gal and Ninja Hayate (also known as Revenge of the Ninja) are back, and now with an HD makeover. While American gamers missed out on the LaserDisc versions in the arcades, we did get Sega CD ports in the early 1990s. With these new versions available to buy, I wondered what the reception was like back in the day. To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Hyper and more classic magazines to see what the critics said when these games first came out. Prepare to jump through time and be a ninja in this episode of Taito Review Crew. Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/264 Did you know that it has been 134 days since a Genesis game was added to the Nintendo Switch Online service? Thankfully, that drought ends today with three classic 16-bit games straight from Sega’s vault, including the shoot ‘em up sequel Super Thunder Blade, the action-packed ESWAT: City Under Siege and the seminal two-player beat ‘em up Streets of Rage. That’s exciting news, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Mean Machines Sega, Mega Play and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready for another love it or hate it episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew! Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1801 Karma is an intriguing new adventure game that sets up a lot of compelling questions and one hell of a twisted mystery. It’s visually sharp, taking us from one surreal moment to the next, each more memorable and exciting than the last. Although it’s clearly inspired by 1984, Twin Peaks and maybe even The Cell, this debut release from Pollard Studio rarely feels like a rip-off. It paints its own dystopian world and offers a story that is appropriately over-the-top, given the outlandish set-up. Best of all, the voice actors manage to sell all of this with complete conviction. It could use a few more puzzles and there are times where it’s being surreal just to give us a cool visual, but I’m not complaining. Karma: The Dark World takes us on a roller coaster ride unlike anything I’ve seen before on a game console. Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1800 Games like River Towns make the job of being a critic extremely easy. While it is certainly influenced by classic titles like SimCity, Tetris and maybe even Rampart, this addictive new puzzler manages to stand on its own with a clever premise and a wide variety of challenges. Easy to pick up and learn, this is the kind of game that invades your thoughts and dreams when you’re not playing. And even when you complete the lengthy campaign, there’s still user-generated stages to tackle. You wouldn’t know it by the unassuming look and name, but River Towns really is one of the year’s best games. Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/263 If you watched Nintendo’s hour-long info dump about the Switch 2, then you already know that GameCube games are coming to the Nintendo Switch Online. That’s genuinely exciting news, but we’re going to save those games for closer to the system’s launch. For today, we’re going to look at a couple of oddball 3D platformers from the 1990s that are being re-released on modern consoles, namely Glover and Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. Yeah, those are a bit unexpected, but are either of them actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Computer & Video Games and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Look, I know you were expecting me to talk about SoulCalibur II, but try not to be too disappointed by this episode of 3D Platformer Review Crew. Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1799 Atari’s newest Breakout update flips the classic brick-smashing game on its side. Literally. Breakout Beyond uses the wider screen to create longer and more complicated stages, complete with new obstacles and a nice variety of power-ups. Through 72 increasingly difficult levels (as well as a new infinite mode), this reboot takes what worked fifty years ago and updates it in some fun and clever ways. While a little repetitive and not quite as good as Shatter, Breakout Beyond is a must-have for fans of this style of action game. Recommended. Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/262 You would think that it would be impossible to miss a giant mech the size of a skyscraper, but that’s exactly what happened. While I was busy looking at those Koei strategy games on Nintendo Switch Online, I completely missed that three Armored Core games from the PlayStation-era were uploaded to PS Plus. I’m talking about the 1997 original, Project Phantasma and Master of Arena. That is genuinely cool news, but are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Fan, Incite Video Gaming and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Strap in, because this is going to be a slow and lumbering episode of PlayStation Plus Review Crew. Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1798 Shadow of the Orient is a throwback action game that fundamentally misunderstands what people liked about Ninja Gaiden and other action/platformers from the 8- and 16-bit eras. It looks good and I like the enemy designs, but you’re going to have to put up with a whole lot of cheap hits until you grind enough to upgrade your heavenly hero with new weapons and abilities. And even after you’ve done that, you’re in for a whole new batch of problems, including some of the worst slow down and freezing I’ve ever seen. The single-digit frame rate and inconsistent gameplay turns regular platforming challenges into rage-inducing death traps. It may look good, but you’re better off leaving this game in the shadows. Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1797 Genre fans who have been waiting thirty years to get their hands on this late-generation 16-bit shooter are in luck, because Rendering Ranger: R2 Rewind is a loving package that does an excellent job of bringing the action game to a whole new audience. By mixing run ‘n gun gameplay with traditional shoot ‘em up sections, this long-lost classic manages to stand out, even if it never hits the same heights as Contra III or Gunstar Heroes. I may have some issues with the gameplay and design decisions, but Rendering Ranger: R2 Rewind is a great re-release of a so-so action game. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1796 The case is afoot, and everybody is pointing the finger at Verity! Help her clear her name by finding clues, spreading gossip and maybe even pinning the crime on somebody else. But watch out, because this caper is full of fun twists and turns that you won’t see coming. While replaying the day can get a little repetitive after a while and some armchair detectives will solve the case long before Verity has all the information, Expelled is a wonderfully written mystery that is dripping with style. This Overboard! sequel is a great reminder that Inkle truly is one of the best developers working today. Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/261 Get ready for what is sure to be the year’s most polarizing Nintendo Switch Online update. Just in time for spring, Nintendo will be adding a bunch of war-themed strategy games to their subscription service on March 28th. I’m talking about Nobunaga’s Ambition, Lord of Darkness, New Horizons and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire. That’s a whole lot of Koei, but the question remains: Are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Nintendo Power, GamePro, Fusion and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. I sure hope you’re planning three steps ahead, because this is going to be a very strategic episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew! Fri, 21 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1795 Depending on how much you like bullet hell shooters, Lilac 0 will either be the most exciting action game of the year or a maddeningly frustrating ordeal. I fell in love with the gorgeous pixel graphics, the minimal colors, the wide variety in locations and the deceptively deep gameplay. Made for the kind of gamer who loves a good challenge, this is a game that definitely won’t appeal to everybody. Despite constantly dying, I found Lilac 0 to be a rewarding and satisfying experience. I loved it, but this is one of those times where it pays to know what you’re getting yourself into before diving in. Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/260 Yesterday, I reviewed the new beat ‘em up based on the classic comic book hero The Phantom. It’s a lot of fun and you should check it out. But that got me thinking about the cartoon version of the Phantom that they released in the mid-1990s, set in a far-flung future where robots and evil inventors ruled the world. Phantom 2040 would go on to become an action game released on the Super NES, Genesis and Game Gear, and has a bit of a cult following these days. Now, you may be wondering, how does that old game compare? Well, to answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Super Play and more classic magazines that reviewed this game back when it first came out. So get ready to see what others cannot, because this is a very purple episode of Phantom 2040 Review Crew. Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1794 I’m not sure the video game version of The Phantom moves faster than lightning and is stronger than a stampeding elephant, but don’t let that stop you from playing this thoroughly enjoyable brawler. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn graphics that look like they were ripped right out of the comics, this globe-trotting swashbuckler is full of cool locations to fight in and exciting car chases to survive. Unfortunately, the sluggish gameplay, repetitive enemies and frustrating bugs hold this game back, but fans of The Phantom, brawlers or both will be more than satisfied with this adaptation. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see Kit Walker don the purple suit in a video game. Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1793 If you’ve ever wanted a Star Fox roguelike, then Whisker Squadron: Survivor is about as close as you’re likely to get. This is a fun and exciting action game filled with random stages, tons of disparate power-ups and furry heroes with a lot to say. While I wish the boss battles were more impressive and the upgrade progression could have been sped up a bit, fans of this style of shoot ‘em ups will be impressed with the amount of modes and the variety found in this deceptively simple game. Whisker Squadron: Survivor is an easy shooter to recommend. Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800