New Nightmare is not a perfect game, it has its flaws, certainly on the technical front. The music compared to the Dreamcast/PS1 versions of the game seems horribly compressed for no good reason, the game has re-spawning enemies which can make the early manor section a chore at times. There's gameplay problems too, boss fights arent exactly intuitive since they can range from bullet sponges to "What should I look for in the environment to end them?", the final boss fights being more frustrating than they should for this reason. I could talk more about some puzzles left me stumped and wandering around the environments, but thats just something I had with this series since its more complex in terms of puzzle solving than arguably Resident Evil was. Yet in spite of that, I enjoyed my time with the game, even though it is not a perfect title. The environments are absolutely gorgeous, and I love the use of native american imagery used throughout. The mansion itself genuinely exudes a creepy atmosphere, and the scares in this game still hold up. While combat can take some getting used to, it's still fun and never too frustrating outside of bosses, and though the puzzles can be confusing there's some really neat ones when it relies on the light for example. The story itself though cheesy at times, genuinely had me interested in seeing how it would unfold, and I loved piecing together what happened on Shadow Island. Not my go-to horror game as it lacks replay value and the PC conversion isn't great, but still a decent horror title that, like the rest of this series, is sadly underappreciated and forgotten by time. Definitely worth picking up on sale at least.
Gurumin is an adorable action-RPG reminiscent of old N64 era platformers, feeling similar to Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon mixed with a 3D version of Ys. The story essentially feels like a childhood fairy tale, with a young girl going to live with her grandfather and discovering a village of friendly monsters who can't be seen by adults. It never gets too serious and keeps things light hearted and comical throughout. The game oozes charm and personality, with a cute artstyle and an unbeat soundtrack and well delivered chuckle worthy dialogue, which is good as so many games like it can end up feeling boring and repetitive these days. Gameplay wise you essentially have Ys in 3D, combat isn't overly complex though it is quite enjoyable. You can use different headgear for abilities like being able to swim without losing health, gain more money, stuff like that. It isn't that challenging so much as it is a relaxing title to kick back and play similar to the Kirby games, though the game is long enough to where you feel like you'd get your money's worth. If I had to find a few complaints it'd be that the environments aren't that varied, it is a handheld game at heart, and the few times platforming is involved it can feel a bit too slippery, but those are just minor nitpicks. The game also has controller support and also thankfully has been patched to add proper mouse and keyboard support. Gurumin can easily be picked up for a song and dance, even at the 10 dollar asking price I doubt you'll walk away disappointed. If you're into charming action adventure games or simple relaxing games I'd say it's totally worth a buy.
