2025 has been a year full of banger games. One after another, it seems like we’ve just had an avalanche of amazing titles coming out. Sometimes, we just want to chat about what makes a game so special. Games like those that we’ve listed below in our Waypoint Mini Review Roundup. Titles we can play with friends or alone, or those that are going to make us use every ounce of brain power. There’s always something new coming out, and we’ve got some smaller reviews ready to help you decide if these games are worth your time and money.
It’s Time for the Mini Review Roundup Once Again
‘PEAK’ IS FRIENDO GAMING AT ITS HIGHEST ALTITUDES – Mini Review
If you’ve been paying any attention at all to the indie scene for the last five years, you already know the absolute powerhouse that Landfall Games is. With titles like Rounds, Content Warning, and Clustertruck, they’re responsible for some of the silliest and funniest moments you can have with your pals. When Landfall announced they were partnering up with Aggro Crab, the studio responsible for indie darling Another Crab’s Treasure, I already knew the magic they’d eventually create. It’s the joining of forces that’s always meant to happen. Dillon and Dutch slamming palms and bumping biceps. It’s, dare I say.. (WARNING: OVERUSED CLICHE MEME INCOMING).. Peak.
Peak is the latest in unhinged co-op hilarity, bringing players together to persevere against impossible odds. It’s also full of moments that may have you crying from laughter – a style of game so effective, it’s spawned a new term to describe it. “Friendslop”, they’re calling it. That’s right; if your game is designed to put you and your friends in funny situations, you may be accused of deliberately making your game too fun.. I guess. Personally, I think if your decision to enjoy a game is based on how clippable it may or may not be, you’re a tool! Maybe that’s just me, though. God, I hate streaming culture.
SCOUT’S HONOR
Anyway, Peak throws you and three other wilderness scouts into the ultimate test of survival. After boarding a flight for a trip (presumably after selling a lot of peanut brittle), your plane crashes onto an unknown island. After composing yourself, collecting whatever belongings you can find, and grabbing Bing Bong, you must move forward. And the only way forward is up. Peak will have you climbing up various mountains in differing biomes. Each day, the layout of each map changes, introduces new paths, new obstacles, and new hazards along the way. To make matters even worse, a chilling fog steadily creeps inwards, slowly engulfing the island behind you. You’ve got to keep moving.
The magic in Peak is in the way you interact with your pals. As you grow more hungry and exhausted, you’ll need all the help you can get to scale upwards. That’s where your buddies come in, who can reach forward and give you a helping hand to lift you up to their level. You’ll need to help them, too, especially when they start getting a little too tired. Sometimes, that doesn’t work out, and that last little push forward isn’t enough to lock hands. Have you ever seen a thousand-yard stare? Once gravity starts doing its thing, you will. That face that once trusted you, now shrinking. The whites of their eyes were disappearing in the thick fog. Their blood-curdling screams, growing more and more faint by Peak‘s brilliant usage of proximity voice chat.
The things I’ve seen, man. Things no scout should see.
Anyway, Peak is amazing. Play it!
VERDICT: BEST IN ITS CLASS
A code was not provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, ‘Kathy Rain: The Director’s Cut’ Ain’t Boring – Mini Review
I talked about Kathy Rain a while back in the middle of my rediscovery of point-and-click games. That also happened to coincide with my full-blown dive into the Thinky Game space. Of course, I’m all for mystery games and even more so for them when they feature a sarcastic protagonist. Kathy Rain herself is a very well-written character with a clear past that is part of the overall experience. The more time I spent with her, the more interested I became in her motivations. This extends to the supporting characters as well, even the asshole sheriff and his deputy that can’t seem to stop shooting his shot at Kathy.
Gameplay-wise, the puzzles are woven into the narrative very well. There is an early picture-related puzzle that I got stuck on that eventually devolved into me just clicking on the screen until I finally hit the right spot. Despite that one hangup, everything can be solved just by paying close attention, and maybe even taking some notes of your own outside of Kathy’s notepad. I did love a suitcase-related puzzle that made me think I had the solution, just for Kathy herself to mention that it couldn’t be that easy. And here I was believing that I was thinking outside the box.
Overall, the story is well told, and the puzzles do a great job of stumping you just enough to make you pay that extra bit of attention to a clue or dialogue you may have missed. I’ll have a review for the sequel down the road, as I was told that this game was a bit of “required reading” to really be able to dig into Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer.
Verdict: Highly Recommended
Kathy Rain: The Director’s Cut is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.
Big Mommies. Scary Monsters. Stay up With the ‘Servants After Dark’ if You Dare – Mini Review
Earlier this month, I wrote about Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark. This Metroidvania game, built as a side-scrolling spin-off to Gal Gun, didn’t catch my eye because of its challenging action-adventure gameplay, where a pair of demon sisters must traverse through platforming puzzles and challenging bosses. No, it was because the game features a big giant dragon lady whose breasts jiggle when you attack them. Call me shallow, but I’m nothing if not genuine as a lesbian.
Anyway, I played through a good chunk of Servants of the Dark after writing my article, and I have to say: This game is great. Yes, the sex appeal is prevalent with the giant female bosses on display, but it’s more than just a Castlevania-like with fan service. The game offers legitimately engaging boss fights, platforming segments that are sure to make you sweat, and pretty stellar art design across the game’s characters, enemies, and worlds. Also, giving an anime demon girl a gun to shoot goblins in a fantasy setting?
Now that’s just sick. Servants of the Dark isn’t perfect, as its fast travel system is a bit awkward to navigate, and save points are occasionally placed at points that feel more frustrating than challenging. But Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark definitely offers more than just cute girls fighting sexy monster girls. It’s worth grabbing during the Steam Summer Sale while it’s 20% off.
Verdict: Recommended
Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A code was not provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Is A Noir Detective Adventure That Will Give You Your Persona Fix on Switch 2 – Mini Review
I went into Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army completely blind. Despite being a massive Atlus fan, I somehow missed this classic when it debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. While Raidou still mostly holds up today, its divisive combat and simplistic formula might not be for everyone. The best way to describe battles in this game is to say it’s a mix of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and SMT. And I actually mean that! In combat, you throw out two demons who spam magic attacks against enemies automatically. While this is happening, you control Raidou, who can run freely around the battlefield while engaging in hack-and-slash combat. I think you can already understand my comparisons with the 2022 Pokémon title.
At first, Raidou Remastered’s combat is an exciting twist on the Persona and SMT formula. While demons constantly drain your magic bar, Raidou gains back MP for every sword slash he lands. This creates an interesting synergy. Unfortunately, combat kind of just descends into chaos the further you progress into the story. And because the RPG can become extremely easy if you accidentally overlevel, battles can sometimes last a few seconds. There were even some late-game bosses that I took down in under a minute. So by the time you know what’s going on, all the intricate mechanics of combat become meaningless. All this to say, most battles in Raidou turn into single-button smashing, while your demons sometimes attack the way you wanted them to do.
At Least The Game Isn’t Soulless After All
However, where the game really shines is its presentation and story. Raidou Remastered feels very Persona-coded. In fact, I had to do a double-take when I thought I heard songs from Persona 4 Golden in the game. Which makes sense, given that legendary Atlus composer Shoji Meguro has created the soundtracks for every SMT, Persona, and Raidou game. But despite its darker narrative, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army always has those cozy Persona vibes.
The only gripe I have is that the game’s levels are pretty linear and small in scope. And even the demon gimmick used to solve detective mysteries is on the simple side. All this to say, I wish the game had more complex dungeons and mechanics. Still, Raidou’s story is interesting enough that it had its hooks in me. For all its flaws, I couldn’t put Soulless Army down, and enjoyed the 35 hours it took me to beat it.
Verdict: Recommended
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is available now on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. A code was not received by the publisher for the sake of this review. Reviewed on Switch 2.
If You’ve Got the Time To Devote to ‘Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening’, You’ll Find an Incredible Game – Mini Review
Strategy games and I don’t exactly get along. So when I was asked to review Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening on Nintendo Switch 2, I was immediately overstimulated. Countless menus, flying on the screen at any given point. Beautiful landscapes, overrun with mountains of text. After playing through Assassin’s Creed: Shadows earlier in the year, I’ve found myself craving more information about Nobunaga, and what better way to find out his ambitions than to jump into a game aptly titled after that? The Nobunaga’s Ambition franchise has been running for longer than I’ve been alive, and the latest entry, Awakening, is a joy to play on the Nintendo Switch 2. But only if you’re willing to play with the mouse controls.
A game as complex as this is very difficult to play with standard controllers. The Switch 2 mouse controls, however? That’s a completely different story. It took something that I would likely find hard to recommend, even to the biggest strategy buffs, and made it the best way to play it on any console. Is the game still dense as all hell? Yes, 100%, and it can be a bit difficult to play if you’re hoping to take it on the go. But if you’re eager to get into some grand strategy on the couch, there’s no better way to make it happen.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening is a game that will require a lot of your time. If you find yourself struggling to stay seated and interested in a game for a long period, this may not be the one for you. But if you’re hoping to learn more about grand strategy and conquer the lands before you? Grab a seat and dive in.
Verdict: Recommended
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening is available now on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.
The post Waypoint Mini Review Roundup Episode 7: ‘PEAK’ing, Sneaking, and Point-And-Clicking. A Little Grand Strategy for Good Luck, Too. appeared first on VICE.
