Prime Gaming May 2023

Last month when I knew there were SNK games on offer, I thought it was just a reminder that the previously announced bundle was still available. Instead, the house Jeffrey built is offering more games that are either as old as you are or older. So, if you’re in the mood for some Metal Slug, Ninja Commando, KOF, AOF, Fatal Fury, and so on, it seems you’ll have the entire library by the end of the year. Oh yeah, and you can get all the free-to-play freemium guff too if you’re like that.

May the 4th dishonor you and your Klingon house, or something like that. The N64 and PC-centric Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D from 1998 puts you in the seat of Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and R2-D2 as you bomb missiles with your Y-wings and completely ignore the A-wings. For someone that doesn’t like Star Wars all that much, I do have a preference for ships, and I’m right about the horrid-looking A-wings.

Before I get castrated by people who own lots of plastic glowsticks, the next week delivers the poorly dated Planescape Torment: Enhanced Edition. A tactical RPG crossed with the finished manuscripts of A Song of Ice and Fire, the 1999 D&D-based fantasy is the precursor to Disco Elysium. Planescape is a game so dated and dense that I’m sure the printed script would fall faster than a cinderblock thrown from the top of the Burj Khalifa. In concept, I love the madness but heaven forbid that I want to do human things like eat, sleep, and maybe look at something less crunchy.

Also available from the 11th: The soft, colorful, and downright charming Lake. Play Postman Paulina in this beautiful slice-of-life narrative as Meredith Weiss moves back to her sleepy little hometown to explore and meet the people of this tale told in Oregon. Charming and joyous, the simple task-based gameplay and homely narrative are matched by a gorgeous art style that is nothing but inviting. That is something that can’t be said for my adjective soup when describing Gamious’ wonderful Lake from 2021. Anyway, Thanks Jeffrey for something decent in my Birthday month.

From here on out it is mostly indie corner, starting with the alliterative Kardboard Kings: Card Shop Simulator on the 18th of May. You run the Worst-Store-Ever in the form of a trading card emporium, made on knock-off Pokémans, Yu-Gi-Wake-Me-Up-Before-You-Go-Gos, and Marvel Snap, Crackle, and Pops. I’ll admit that my jokes are made out of disinterest in the card-battling aspect and caring more for the strange art, interesting management, and novel concept overall. From one of the developers of the strange sci-fi action-adventure, Desert Child, I’m certainly interested in Kardboard Kings.

Also available on the 18th and aimed more for a casual gameplay aspect, Happy Volcanos’ The Almost Gone is a mystery puzzle title from 2020 with reasonable positivity surrounding it. From the developers that would later go on to the title I tell my neighbors about far too often, You Suck At Parking, this point-and-click puzzle game is good, even if it is a little bland. Short and minimalist, The Almost Gone does enough right and enough wrong to balance out but nothing noteworthy enough to write a full paragraph about.

For the 25th, you’ll be able to pick up Monolith of Minds’ April 2022 release, Lila’s Sky Ark. As a typical Zelda-influenced action-adventure with pixel art, it is easy to see why some might glaze their eyes over the descriptions. Though the simple yet colorful art direction and sci-fi/fantasy direction of the story are eye-popping, dominated by purples and washed-out yellows, it is difficult to shout about given its own descriptions aren’t exciting. Most complaints seem to stem from combat woes, taking Lila’s Sky Ark to be entirely combat-centric.

Rounding out the month on the 25th alongside Lila is Agatha Knife. This is the answer to the question “What would happen if My Chemical Romance had a point-and-click tie-in game where you use Agatha on your wrists over veganism;” Before it is said that joke is inappropriate, the game itself is noted for being a dark indie comedy that purposefully looks like it came from 2005 and reads The Guardian. In theory, I think 2017’s Agatha Knife could be interesting in that adventure novel game way, but to end the month on it seems like an odd choice.