Vic's Picks: The Best Video Games of Spring 2024
My picks for three video games from the last few months that are worth your time and money.
It’s been a busy past few months for me, so instead of releasing monthly sets of recommendations for Vic’s Picks, I figured I’d switch things up a bit. I’ll be doing a bit of a lightning round edition of media picks for the spring, separated by category.
In this edition, I’ll be focusing on three video games from the last few months that I have really been enjoying. I’ve got a lot to cover, so check out my picks below. And stay tuned for my other media picks coming later this week.
“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” – March
FF7 fans rejoice! The second installment in the “Final Fantasy VII Remake” trilogy finally graced Playstation owners on Leap Day after four long years since the initial remake. I’m going to keep it relatively brief–– I intend on writing a full spoiler review of “Rebirth” in the winter as it will most likely be my Game of the Year.
The plot of “Rebirth” begins right where 2020’s “Remake” left off, with our party of heroes leaving Midgar and making their way to the comfy rural town of Kalm. Cloud and the gang have just defeated the arbiters of fate and are continuing on their quest to find Sephiroth, hoping to uncover the mystery of his return and his plans for the world. “Rebirth” explores locations from Act 2 of the original 1997 game, including Cosmo Canyon, Junon, Nibelheim and more, with incredible visuals bringing to life some of the most most exciting locales in the FF7 universe.
The open world conceived by Square Enix exceeded every expectation of mine, expanding on areas from the original in ways I had always dreamed of exploring with modern graphics. I was worried that the boring side quests from the original would rear their ugly head once again in “Rebirth,” but the side content was so compelling that I found myself clearing every single world zone as soon as possible–– putting aside the incredible main story as I fought fiends and aided NPCs to my heart’s content. The addition of the Queen’s Blood card minigame was genius, and could easily be its own separate game that I would sink an embarrassing amount of hours into. And the soundtrack? Don’t even get me started. Nobuo Uematsu did NOT have to go that hard!
At $70, the content in “Rebirth” fully supports the AAA price. I thoroughly enjoyed my 90+ hours on the planet of Gaia as I tried to discover every nook and cranny of what the open world had to offer. Great visuals, fantastic combat and a captivating story make this game a must-have for RPG fans. An easy GOTY contender for me, bar none.
“Another Crab’s Treasure” – April
In recent years, the Souls-like formula has seen an explosion in popularity, with the tremendous success of “Elden Ring” in 2022 giving rise to incredible reimaginings of the iconic gameplay loop like “Lies of P” and countless others. Many of these reincarnations typically share the same gloomy, depressing atmosphere of the From Software games, but not “Another Crab’s Treasure.”
Right from the start, I was pulled in from the drastic change in visuals–– shifting from the grim From Soft setpieces we know and love to a gorgeous oceanic landscape filled with colorful coral reefs and seaweed forests. Littered about the game world are a cast of lovable, witty characters, from the wise old hermit crab Konche to the wannabe-capitalist overlord Firth (voiced by Michael Reeves). “Another Crab’s Treasure” also features an assortment of hilarious references to Souls games and pop culture alike (entering “The Sands Between” for the first time made me audibly chuckle), with a player costume resembling Mr. Krabs and even an emotional interpretation of the melody from “Crab Rave.”
The plot centers around Kril, a young hermit crab who just wants to be left alone in his shell on the shore. After a loan shark steals his shell, Kril embarks on a journey to reclaim his home that spans all the way from the bustling city of New Carcinia to the darkest recesses of the Old Ocean. The gameplay feels fresh, responsive, and surprisingly difficult at times, even for a Souls veteran like myself. However, those who feel particularly challenged can always visit the accessibility menu and just give Kril a gun if you get too frustrated.
I wish the game was a bit longer, as I think the final act is a little rushed–– but other than that, I’d highly recommend this game to any gamer, even if you have never touched a Souls-like game in your life. And given its $30 price tag with availability on all consoles and PC, it’s easy to get yourself hooked.
“Animal Well” – May
The first game published by “Big Mode,” the publishing company owned and operated by famous YouTuber “videogamedunkey,” “Animal Well” is a Metroidvania with a bit of a scare factor. Fully created and developed on every front by a single person, Billy Basso, “Animal Well” is chock-full of brain-busting puzzles and fascinating mysteries to uncover at every turn.
The retro art-style is easy to get lost in, with gorgeous pixelated biomes populated with a myriad of critters who can be either friend and foe. The main gameplay loop centers on the player character–– a little brown blob who finds itself in a complicated underground nexus of branching paths. Finding various tools throughout the map, including a frisbee disc, yo-yo and even a TV remote, the player must find the four flames and use their wits to escape from the dangerous well filled with animals and spooky ghosts.
Honestly, there were some parts of this game which were actually freaky, with a few creature chases in particular creating some genuinely exhilarating moments. I loved how the gameplay focuses on puzzle solving as opposed to combat, as instead of just fighting your way through enemies and obstacles, you must use your knowledge of your tools and the map itself in order to survive. The game does not hold your hand at all, and everything you learn about the map and the mechanics you must discover for yourself.
As one who has not played too many Metroidvanias, “Animal Well” was a phenomenal introduction into the genre for me, and I would recommend it to anyone. After playing this, I definitely want to try out some more great hits in the genre like “Hollow Knight” and “Dead Cells” and see what they have to offer, as the gameplay loop was extremely satisfying. Available for free with a Playstation Plus subscription, and for $25 on all consoles and PC, “Animal Well” is a wonderful game to experience if you’re itching for a bit of spooky puzzle solving.