More video games are being created now than ever before. That means that there are also more games than ever before that need reviewing. The Waypoint Mini Review Roundup tries to bring the best of both worlds, delivering a compact and concise review for eager players, all while keeping our sanity intact. After all, sometimes, the shorter the review, the better it can be. Grab a seat and take a peek at what we’ve got ready for everyone here in this new edition of Waypoint Mini Review Roundup.
Welcome to The Roundup Once Again
‘Lab Rat’ Proves The Cheese is a lie – Mini Review
As I continued my reintegration into puzzle gaming, I ended up begging Dwayne to get me a code for Lab Rat. This was before I knew the term Sokoban (Thanks, Joseph). But that is exactly what this game is. A block pushing puzzle game with narrative elements that borrows a bit from Portal while making the experience entirely singular.
You are basically being experimented on, along with everyone who is playing the game. As you complete puzzles, you’ll get actual updates on the percentage of players who have completed them. You’ll even get an occasional congratulatory screen showcasing various emojis left by players who have already made it to that point. It’s legitimately hilarious to see what people pick.
The puzzles themselves are both challenging and forehead-slappingly simple once you know the solution. You can push, pull, and stand on top of the blocks. There’s also a charge element that prevents you from touching the block on any side that isn’t similarly charged. I’ve had many puzzles pop up that had me stuck until the very obvious solution came to mind. I’ve had way too much fun getting stumped and having the in-game AI question my decision-making. – Anthony Franklin II
Verdict: Highly Recommended
Lab Rat is available now on PC and Xbox Series X|S. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.
‘Breath of Fire IV’ Is One of The Best JRPGs Since Final Fantasy 7. Thanks to GOG, It’s Back and Better Than Ever – Mini Review
As a lifelong JRPG fan since the 90s, I’m a little ashamed to admit that I somehow missed out on Breath of Fire IV. The game originally launched on PlayStation back in 2000. However, for many players, they have not been able to access the classic Capcom title due to it only getting a PC release in Europe in 2003. Making matters worse is that said port was never updated and eventually became broken with future Windows releases. Thankfully, Breath of Fire IV has been rescued through the GOG Preservation program and is now available on PC for the first time in 21 years.
To get this out of the way, Breath of Fire IV (2025) is not an HD remake. At its core, it’s a faithful port of the original game. Most importantly, GOG has updated the JRPG so that it runs on all modern PC hardware and will continue to be playable with future updates. While not a full-blown remaster, the new Breath of Fire IV release actually comes with a handful of major upgrades that make this the best version of the game to date. For starters, the PC port has a clearer image presentation with a built-in DirectX renderer. And after fan requests, GOG has also patched in a point-sampled filter, which allows Breath of Fire IV’s incredible art style to really shine.
‘Breath of Fire IV’ Breathed New Life into My RPG Journey
Additionally, the beautiful soundtrack by Yoshino Aoki has never sounded better now that it can be played on modern systems. In many ways, the new PC release made me realize just how far ahead of its time Breath of Fire IV was. Its blend of fully rendered 3D environments and hand-drawn 2D pixel models looks absolutely beautiful in 2025. In many ways, I even think it holds up better than Final Fantasy VII, which had a more polygonal look to its characters and environments. GOG really did an incredible job restoring the classic JRPG and giving it the love and care it deserved.
While Breath of Fire IV is a pretty standard turn-based RPG, the game has a couple of mechanics that make its combat system still hold up today. One of my favorite features is the ability for characters to learn skills from enemies—think Blue Mage class from Final Fantasy. To do this, an enemy needs to attack you with a learnable skill while your character is blocking. The game also has enemy weaknesses that can be exploited with certain spells or attacks. Did I also mention Breath of Fire IV has gorgeous 3D-rendered levels, which you access from an overworld map? Yeah, you wouldn’t know that this game came out over two decades ago. Hopefully, with its new PC release in 2025, the classic Capcom JRPG can be played by a new generation, as the game should definitely be talked about as much as its contemporaries. – Brent Koepp
Verdict: Best In Its Class
Breath of Fire IV is available now on PC Windows through GOG. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.
‘Street Fighter 6’ Is Hot To Go, And Now, It’s Available on The Go – Mini Review
Everything you’ve heard about Street Fighter 6 since it launched is true. It’s an incredible game. And despite my love for Mortal Kombat, playing SF6 on Switch 2 for the first time, I can see that it was the best fighter of the year. But this time around, you get the entire Year 1 and 2 package in one shot.
The World Tour mode has caused the most chaotic version of me to come out. I can’t stop challenging random characters to fights. I never would have thought a mode like this would work in a fighting game, but it absolutely does. Street Fighter 6 is the game that might actually get me to put in more time in the franchise. You’ll probably do best with the Pro Controller, though. The game runs well, but playing a fighting game with the Joy-Cons is a tough ask. – Anthony Franklin II
Verdict: Highly Recommended
Street Fighter 6 is available now on Nintendo Switch 2. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.
‘Date Everything’ Lives up to Its Name, but Sacrifices Some Quality for the Sake of Quantity – Mini Review
Well, more than anything else, Date Everything really does live up to its name. After starting a new job for a tech company and subsequently getting laid off just a few days later, you receive a mysterious package in the mail. Inside, a pair of glasses awaits you, and after putting them on your face? A beautiful woman appears in front of your eyes. Tall, with pink, flowing hair and shades of her own, she explains what these glasses do for you. They bring the world around you to life, allowing you to interact and date your stuff. It’s a goofy premise, and the game knows that from the start.
The dialogue is the strongest part of Date Everything by far. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in this house, is DTF. By that, I mean down to furnish. Wait, what did you think I meant? Chatting with anything from the Electrical Box to a Treadmill is always a joy, and the fantastic writing makes Date Everything something that any visual novel fan can enjoy. The only problem here is that, due to the overwhelming amount of things you can date, some of the relationships feel a little half-baked by the time the credits roll.
Sure, it’s a novel concept. You can also date a novel, if you want. But I would have rather seen fewer objects that I could try and rizz up, and the dating aspect of the game expanded upon a bit more. Some characters talk about how they prefer monogamous relationships, but don’t seem to care if you’re dating 57 other objects at the same time. These little inconsistencies do lessen the impact of the world around you, but if you’re just searching for a goofy good time, you can’t go wrong with Date Everything. – Shaun Cichacki
Verdict: Recommended
Date Everything will be available on June 17, 2025, on PC and Nintendo Switch. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.
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