Xanadu Next is probably a bit different from what anyone coming into it is expecting, but as a diablo clone with the occasional puzzle it's a solid old title. The gameplay is simple but reasonably satisfying, the bosses are very different and mostly enjoyable and how the levels intertwine and unlock new paths is expertly done. The last dungeon in particular is monolithic and figuring out the best way to get back through it without wasting resources is a lot of the fun. The atmosphere of "being alone" is also decently conveyed. There are some annoyances- you'll probably need to grind a bit. Equipment takes very specific stats which means if you want to equip nice stuff there isn't much wiggle room on your build. Most of the guardians are kind of useless. The plot is nothing special in even if it starts out promisingly. The puzzles are somewhat rare. The UI is antiquated and switching stuff in and out is a pain. Stabbing things in the back over and over isn't that exciting. Enemy AI is definitely nothing to write home about these days. Still, if you're looking for a punchier diablo that you can play entirely, 100% with the mouse with the occasional puzzle and has enough meat without overstaying its welcome, do check out Xanadu Next. Falcom did a good job on this one.
While M&M VIII is not considered the black sheep of the latter years of the series like IX is, it's certainly one of the games that truly shows its age. While some interesting features were added, most of them are a bit half-baked (racial classes) and generally don't make up for the lost of content, sense of free-roam exploration and cohesion that its two predecessors had. In my opinion of this engine-trilogy, M&M7 is the sweet spot. 6's enemy count is out of control, like some sort of stress test, while 8's spread is a bit meager outside of the unicorn forest. There's fewer areas than in the previous games, very little dichotomy or in the way of path choices, and very little in the way of new music or enemy sprites. The fifth character helps with the gear carrying, but it's mostly a crutch due to the poor skill spread and lack of multiple class-ups. I wouldn't recommend this one until after at least 6 and 7 are exhausted, and by then you'll probably have had enough retreating and firing bows for one lifetime. Mediocre features, story and content don't stop Day of the Destroyer from doing its job, but it's a half-assed job it does.
I'd not played or even seen Sam & Max as a kid, so nostalgia's not too strong on this one. It's a fun, funny and inventive point-and-click with wacky puzzles and great dialogue/voice acting. However technically, it holds itself back. The wacky puzzles are, uh, nearly impossible to think up, even if it's not hard to get two thirds of the solution. A puzzle where you need Max to take something involves a dialogue option that doesn't fit on the screen, a circumstance when you light up a cave seems like everything you light up should be interactive, you need multiple looks-like-background items to complete the game, there are often times when no one has any useful advice for you and getting to the game's last screen is actually such a messy clickfest that I didn't even know it existed. So it's a flawed classic. It's beloved for good reason, but it's definitely got these shortcomings.
Although unfinished, Galak-Z is a great action game about dashing through tunnels in a spaceship and causing mischief between three enemy factions. The first part of the game is pretty limited, but if you can make it through the mechanic you get really opens up your strategic options. Although the game is "meant to be played" with long periods between saves, I found the mission saves to be much nicer given that even if you don't have to start everything over again there's a fair amount of repetition. Looking forward to episode 5.
