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.
Save State: Revisiting Night City and the Best Switch 2 Upgrades
A deep discount pulls columnist Vincent Mahoney back into Cyberpunk 2077, where the surprisingly strong Switch 2 port sparks a broader look at upgraded editions across Nintendo’s newest system.
The Rumble Fish 2 Proves Old School Fighters Still Pack a Punch
The Rumble Fish 2 finally makes its way to modern platforms with a Switch 2 upgrade, bringing its deep, meter-heavy combat and flashy anime style to a new audience. While newcomers may struggle without tutorials, fighting game veterans will find it an arcade classic with incredible fighting mechanics.