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Ufouria: The Saga 2 Game Review
Ufouria: The Saga 2 delivers a long-overdue comeback for a cult classic from the NES era, but can it live up to a legacy?
― Ufouria: The Saga 2 delivers a long-overdue comeback for a cult classic from the NES era, but can it live up to a legacy? The original Ufouria: The Saga was one that got away. Its North American release was canceled back in 1991, and even though the game made it out in Japan an...
Mario vs Donkey Kong Game Review
The most interesting part of Mario vs Donkey Kong is trying to figure out why Nintendo released this title, in this way, at this time.
― Mario vs Donkey Kong is fine. I should probably open this review by talking about the mechanics of the game, how much should or should not change in a remake, or if this title is worth its $50 price point; but, several hours after seeing the credits roll, I remain f...
Sympathy Kiss Game Review
Sympathy Kiss is guaranteed happy escapism despite its workday setting and sometimes awkward writing. This is a nice low-key treat for otome game fans.
― Some otome games go all in on the escapism factor, putting their playable protagonists in various fantasy or dangerous situations where finding love and survival go hand in hand. That's not the kind of game Sympathy Kiss is. Otomate and Idea Factory...
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island Game Review
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island could very well become someone's "forever" game: even if you reach the peak and obtain all the riches...maybe you'll be down for one last romp through the dungeon.
― In one run through the mystery dungeon, my sword and shield had been rusted to -1 stats by a ninja using water jutsu. I was low on health, and I had accidentally wandered int...
Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash Video Game Review
Cursed Clash is a retelling of the first couple of arcs from the franchise, and right off the bat, there is something undeniably cheap about the presentation.
― What's this? A 3D arena-based fighting game with tag team mechanics based on the current most popular shonen anime? Where have I seen this before? Cursed Clash is a game that will feel familiar to fans of anime video game adaptations that hav...
Granblue Fantasy Relink Video Game Review
Gorgeous visuals highlight Granblue Fantasy Relink as an ambitious title that is exceptional in most categories and solid in the rest.
― Granblue Fantasy Relink is an ambitious title that is exceptional in most categories and solid in the rest. At this point, there's a good chance that if you are plugged into the gaming space, you have heard of Granblue Fantasy in some capacity. Granblue Fantasy Reli...
Tekken 8 Video Game Review
Tekken's bombastic story continues in this latest franchise entry, coupled with an impressive soundtrack and a story that doesn't take itself too seriously.
― I love Tekken! It's such a fun, dumb franchise where the same three people constantly try to kill each other, but it's over-the-top fun in all the best ways. I have not played every iteration, but I wanted to dive into the latest installment si...
KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! Game Review
KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! offers plenty of wonderful content for existing fans of Konosuba but some aspects of the game make it rather unsuitable for newcomers.
― Are you the kind of fan who can not get enough Konosuba? Have you read the books and watched the anime—including the film and Megumin spin-off—multiple times? Did you even watch Ise...
Another Code: Recollection Game Review
What does it mean to die? What does it mean for the people left behind? What does it mean for a memory to die? These questions and more are answered in this remake of a 2005 cult classic.
― What does it mean to die? What does it mean for the people left behind? What does it mean for a memory to die? These weren't questions people were ready to answer when Trace Memory was first released in the United...
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Game Review
A strong contender for one of the best games in the series, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is most enjoyed not blitzing toward its credits but basking in the depths of its detours.
― As a fan of the Yakuza series, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth's announcement felt like fondling a Christmas present and trying to discern the quality of its contents by the grooves of its packaging. Although Infinite Wea...
Apollo Justice Trilogy Video Game Review
This is the perfect way to complete your Ace Attorney collection, with lots of extras and features that will delight long-time fans and give newcomers a look into all the talent and creativity that goes into these games.
― You don't know how to get into all the Ace Attorney games? OBJECTION! In 2024, there is simply no excuse not to play through the entire Ace Attorney catalog — every mainline game, ...
Anonymous;Code Game Review
Less beefy than it's Science Adventure predecessors, Anonymous;Code nevertheless introduces an interesting gameplay mechanic to keep players engaged.
― Anonymous;Code is the newest title in the Science Adventure series of games and is in the same world as Steins;Gate, Robotics;Notes, and Chaos;Head. If you've played any of these visual novels (or seen their anime adaptations), you likely know what to...
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC: The Indigo Disk Game DLC Review
The Indigo Disk features more narrative strength equivalent to what we saw in the main game with the right amount of foreshadowing in payoff towards the game's worldbuilding.
― The Indigo Disk DLC is some of the better post-game content in the franchise for a while. If the Teal Mask was a side story that you could check out at your leisure, then The Indigo Disk is the proper follow-up to the events o...
Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Game Review
After the pandemic mired Granblue Fantasy Versus' release, Rising is giving it a new lease on life with impressive gameplay upgrades and new modes to explore.
― Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising is a release I've been looking forward to for some time now, despite having next to zero knowledge of Granblue Fantasy. The original Granblue Fantasy Versus was sandwiched between unfortunate timing for real-wor...
Cuisineer Game Review
Approaching Cuisineer wasn't that different from reading an ingredients list before I'd begun cooking. With a bit of time and step-by-step instruction, the disparate parts begin to coalesce into a rather appetizing treat.
― Cuisineer is a delightful title that blends several disparate elements in ways both fresh and familiar, all in an affordable and adorable package. You'll recognize a lot of mechan...
World of Horror Video Game Review
World of Horror is like being alone in the computer room downstairs late at night, cautiously clicking through some danger-filled adventure game without hints about what lies ahead. World of Horror is every possible fear from that night.
― We're certainly at no loss for modern throwbacks, those games that expertly summon the aesthetics of pixel-built classics from the 1980s and 1990s. We have retro-s...
Little Goody Two-Shoes Game Review
With ten endings, yuri romance options, and unsettling horror Little Goody Two-Shoes deserves a spot in your visual novel library.
― The first thing you'll likely notice about Little Goody Two-Shoes is the name and its apparent juxtaposition with Elise's character. Today, we use the phrase "goody two-shoes" to describe someone who is sanctimoniously perfect, which comes from the 18th-century children...
Sonic Superstars Game Review
As a high-speed platformer, Sonic Superstars still doesn't play as well as the original Genesis games from decades ago, but it hits the realm of "close enough."
― From the creators of Balan Wonderworld comes the latest mainline 2D Sonic game...kind of? Sonic Superstars is more of a 2.5D title, but it is a continuation of the classic mainline Sonic games that started with the Genesis titles up until S...
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Game Review
The newest Mario platformer is oozing charm, thanks partly to surprisingly fresh level design.
― After years of New Super Mario Bros., we finally got a…new Super Mario Bros. game (I had to make the joke, I'm sorry). So here it is, the first original 2D Mario game for the Nintendo Switch, and it only took them way longer than any of us were expecting. However, given Nintendo's very open philosophy abo...
Detective Pikachu Returns Takes on Police Corruption
Detective Pikachu Returns interrogates humanity's fear of those unlike themselves, their willingness to subjugate others for a sense of safety, and the desire to assimilate themselves into those groups for power.
― In order to discuss important themes in Detective Pikachu Returns, this review will contain major plot spoilers. Detective Pikachu Returns is starkly political, from a franchise best known...
Sonic Frontiers: The Final Horizon DLC Game Review
New playable characters, a new ending, and expansive lore all make Sonic Frontiers: The Final Horizon DLC worth it, but players will have to overlook unsatisfying controls and grinding.
― This review contains spoilers for the base game of SONIC FRONTIERS. Sonic Frontiers was a pleasant surprise. In the world where SEGA seems to constantly struggle with what it wants to do with the spiky blue hedgehog...
Resident Evil 4 (2023) DLC: Separate Ways Game Review
Let's be honest here—the original "Separate Ways" mode was more of a fun novelty. What could CAPCOM possibly do with a $10 DLC to justify the double-dip? As it turns out, the answer is, "A hell of a lot."
― 2023 has been stuffed to the brim with incredible video games, so it may well warrant reminding you all that, even though it's been nearly twelve months since it released, the Resident Evil 4 rem...
Silent Hope Game Review
For a first attempt at a dungeon crawler, Silent Hope does a stellar job of capturing what makes these games so addicting.
― First and foremost, Rune Factory and Story of Seasons fans need to be aware that Silent Hope is not a farming game. Yes, those are Story of Seasons cows roaming around the hub, and farming and cooking are important systems. The main weapon types in this game even call back to t...
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC: The Teal Mask Game Review
An intriguing story can't hide how appallingly poor The Teal Mask DLC runs on the Switch system.
― It has been almost a year since the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It might not be my favorite game on the Nintendo Switch, but I have put the most time into it. As a Pokémon game, it does almost everything right to update the material and bring it to a new generation, only held back by the fact...
Samba De Amigo: Party Central Game Review
Sega diehards and casuals should consider adding Samba de Amigo: Party Central to their rotation of party games, along with Mario Kart and Wii Sports.
― Sega has finally seen fit to bring back one of their missing party-game favorites; Samba de Amigo: Party Central now exists in a world where Guitar Hero and Rock Band no longer dominate the rhythm game genre and where the most people can look forward...
Rune Factory 3 Special Review
Longtime fans will undoubtedly appreciate that Rune Factory 3 Special gives us all a second chance at a forgotten entry to the series
― Rune Factory 4 was long considered the crown jewel of the Rune Factory series, and fans were delighted to see it escape Nintendo 3DS Jail and receive updated ports across a variety of modern systems. XSeed and Marvelous decided to look back a bit further and give the...
Touhou: New World
There are moments where the game's "fan-made" status sticks out like a sore thumb, but there's plenty to do here for franchise fans with missions to repeat and stats to tinker with and max out until you're satisfied.
― It's been fascinating to see the progression of the Touhou franchise. Once an internal institution of the hardcore otaku crowd, where Western fans had to import (or download) its PC en...
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg
Atelier Marie can be clunky and might need you to be patient with its many peccadilloes. But also, it's a sweet, cozy sim game that reinforces the notion that everyone has a place in the world, and even the people in the dusty corners can be important.
― For 26 years, the Atelier series has delighted fans around the world with its comforting stories of charming alchemists working away in their little...
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE
The newest game from Danganronpa's Kazutaka Kodaka is here! Read our spoiler-free review before setting off on this rain-soaked mystery.
― Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is the latest game from Danganronpa mastermind Kazutaka Kodaka and character designer Rui Komatsuzaki. Fans of his earlier work will see similarities immediately, from neon pink blood splatter to the eccentric personalities of ...
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
While there are imperfections to the game's new lease on life, Ghost Trick remains the utterly unique, earnestly recommendable experience it was thirteen years ago.
― Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is one of those games that I have been harping on others to play for ages. For well over a decade. So, at last, I have this fresh opportunity to say that if you somehow have still not played Ghost Trick ye...
Charade Maniacs
I played it on the bus. I played it while walking. I played it after I got home from my day job and stayed up later than I should have. I was fully engrossed in the mystery and the characters.
― I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I have a major weakness for death game-style, social deduction adventure games. I'll choose to replay the Danganronpa or Nonary Games series in a heartbeat over the...
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
Just in time for the 20th anniversary, we have Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, an updated remaster of that beloved game. Does it live up to its predecessor's memory?
― Back before the Harvest Moon games had their complicated split, A Wonderful Life and its subsequent distaff counterpartAnother Wonderful Life became the introduction for many a farm-sim fan to the genre. While it wasn't too differe...
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble!
Overall, Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is a stellar little game. The puzzles are witty and addicting, the co-op mode is sure to ruin friendships, and the Space Invaders mode—while a bit sudden—is a fun surprise.
― Ah, Puzzle Bobble. What a delightful classic of the arcades it is. Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is similarly a delightful take on the old classic formula. While it's been a while since I've last...
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Are you a murder mystery buff? Then The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story should go on your “to-play” list immediately.
― Are you a murder mystery buff? Then The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story should go on your “to-play” list immediately. Borrowing heavily from the traditions of Golden Age mystery novels (roughly equivalent to the time between WWI and WWII), this is a game that both challenges and r...
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter Six respects what came before and, in some ways, effectively passes the torch onto a whole new generation of fighters.
― With its iconic characters and robust techniques, Street Fighter has gone down in history as one of the most influential fighting game franchises of all time. However, Capcom has not always treated it as such throughout the years, with the release of Street Fighter V...
Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord
With Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord, we return to the land of Fairies and Furies. How does the newest entry shape up?
― Compile Heart may be best known for the Hyperdimension Neptunia games, but their Fairy Fencer series has quietly chugged along in the background since 2013. With Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord, we return to the land of Fairies and Furies. How does the newest entry shape up? Well, for ...
Trinity Trigger
Trinity Trigger is a solid game with several interesting elements, held back by a somewhat lackluster and repetitive presentation.
― Trinity Trigger is a game from another time, often to its benefit but at times to its detriment as well. Trinity Trigger draws its line in the sand early: this is a throwback to the action RPGs of the 90s at its heart. If you've played titles like those in the Mana seri...
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a bit deceptive in its title. What we actually get is, for lack of a better phrase, weirder than that. Melon Journey is far more irreverent and yet bizarrely touching, all at once.
― Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a bit deceptive in its title. With a title like that, players expect a much more emotional journey about reminiscing on their past and maybe e...
Resident Evil 4 (2023)
RE4 was hailed as one of the greatest games ever made for a damned good reason. This remake takes everything that worked about that original game and makes all of it even better.
― For any of the youngsters or new fans that have only just recently been welcomed into the Resident Evil fold, it might be hard to believe that it wasn't even all that long ago that the entire Resident Evil brand was seen a...
Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix
Despite it's huge roster and customization options, Alice Gear Aegis CS remains threadbare in the story department and is hindered by repetitive combat.
― Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix is probably one of the most “ok” games I have ever played. It is perfectly functional and achieves everything it sets out to do. It is stable, runs at a consistent frame rate on the Switch, and has everyt...
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
Ryza is and always will be that charming, winsome alchemist with an eager smile and boundless joy for seeing the world. And it just feels good to explore the world with her and her friends.
― In the grand tradition of the Atelier games, the series is divvied up into subseries connected by protagonists. With Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, we not only see the end of the unpreced...
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
While missed opportunities keep PARANORMASIGHT from being a truly standout game, I still enjoyed the process of uncovering the story, even if it goes into some truly off-the-wall directions in its end-game content.
― PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a horror visual novel written and created for me, personally. I do not know how director and scenario writer Takanari Ishiyama tapped into...
FATAL FRAME: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse sadly never came to the United States to the disappointment of many fans fifteen years ago. KOEI Tecmo is here to right that old wrong, giving us the long-awaited localization. Was it worth the wait?
― Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse sadly never came to the United States in 2008, to the disappointment of many fans fifteen years ago. KOEI Tecmo is here to ...
Little Witch Nobeta
Little Witch Nobeta has a palpable sense of it being crafted out of genuine love for style and genre. That makes it easy to like, even as some Souls-like fans might find it too easy to beat.
― Part of me doesn't want to be this guy. I'm not even a games critic, specifically, but Little Witch Nobeta here still landed in my lap thanks to demographics and opportunity. So then I load into this thing and ...
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a hard-hitting action game that plays well with my tastes and sensibilities, but I'm struggling to objectively see how broad its appeal is.
― Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a hard-hitting action game that plays well with my tastes and sensibilities, but I'm struggling to objectively see how broad its appeal is. But first, some housekeeping. The term Souls-like gets bandied abou...
Like a Dragon: Ishin!
You cannot help but fall into the rhythm of daily life in Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and that immersion blurs the line between player and non-player characters, between the game being played and a life being lived.
― My wife and I order the same meal from the same restaurant every Friday. We share an order of fajitas from our favorite Mexican restaurant. It's part of our weekly ritual, where we get a spe...
Wild Hearts
Wild Hearts feels like a variant of Monster Hunter Rise, but does it offer enough to stand on its own two feet?
― Wild Hearts has to deal with a very obvious elephant in the room: with its heavily-Japanese-inspired aesthetic and open-world structure, it's going to be fending off a lot of “Like Monster Hunter Rise, but...” comparisons. This isn't a death sentence: the last time Koei Tecmo tried their ...
Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters
Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters isn't doing anything new in the JRPG space, but is it at least a fun ride?
― The Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise has been pretty extensive since 2010. Including the mainline games and the spin-offs, there have been over a dozen games released for the franchise spanning various genres, from online card games to side-scrolling action games to hack-and-slash games with rhyt...
Fire Emblem Engage
Fire Emblem Engage has had a rough time coming. The art style left a lot of people unconvinced, and it's coming on the heels of the widely-beloved Fire Emblem: Three Houses. How does Intelligent Systems' newest strategy RPG hold up?
― Fire Emblem Engage has had a rough time coming. The title was weird, the art style left a lot of people unconvinced, and it's coming on the heels of the widely-beloved ...
One Piece Odyssey
The presentation is top-notch the entire way through. There are plenty of gorgeous action sequences during combat, voice acting for a large majority of the game's dialogue, and a rich and beautiful world that is easy on the eyes.
― Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this game for the purposes of the review with the pre-order bonus DLC. Additionally, though I am a good ways into the main story, I...
Witch On The Holy Night
I can imagine kinetic novels being a tough sell for most gamers, but for people who are fearless of text in their stories, Witch on the Holy Night has lots to offer.
― Reviewing a kinetic novel is a curious thing. There's no gameplay to discuss or criticize, and there aren't any mechanics to discuss. What you have is a story. The good news is while Witch on the Holy Night is a prequel to Lunar Legend...
The 13th Month
This unique interpretation of Sleeping Beauty features beautiful artwork and an impressive voice cast. The only snag is some rather clunky gameplay mechanics.
― We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty, or at least the versions by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Walt Disney. The fairy tale known as ATU 410 tells of a king and queen desperate for a child who finally have one later in life. T...
Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered
With such an old installment being given new life in this modern age, is there something modern players can enjoy in this blast from the past?
― The SaGa series is considered a beloved classic franchise amongst many RPG circles. They've had mechanics that have been directly inspired by and have led on to inspire other popular RPG franchises. Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered is a remaster of ...
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
The new mainline title has sold over 10 million copies and is the fastest-selling game in Nintendo history. It has a boatload of innovative and call-back features for fans but...it also runs like garbage.
― Have you heard of the fable of the Monkey's Paw? Or the idea of having one's wishes granted but not in a desired form or manner? That is probably the best way that I can describe my feelings towar...
Gungrave G.O.R.E
The controls might be the biggest hurdle in Gungrave G.O.R.E, but once the more exciting locations and bosses appear, this action game has enough charm to smooth over its shortfalls.
― Wow, it's been 18 years since Gungrave: Overdose released on the PS2! Gungrave was one of many weird, mid-budget games you could find on that old console, the likes of which you don't see as often anymore. The thing yo...
Sonic Frontiers
The Blue Blur's latest foray into 3D shows promise for future installments but still lacks the polish fans were hoping for.
― Sonic the Hedgehog is a franchise that continues to impress me with its ability to persevere even in the face of constant frustration. Despite revolving around an anthropomorphic hedgehog whose main gimmick is running fast, it's almost impressive how often Sega has tripped ove...
Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose DLC
What ties this all together is a rather beautiful conclusion to Ethan's story and while that conclusion might be predictable, it is no less emotionally rewarding.
― SPOILER WARNING: As this expansion takes place after the major events of Resident Evil Village, there will be some story spoilers for the sake of context. Please do not try to play this expansion without first completing the base game. If...
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher
This game will surely please Ultraman fans with plenty of kaiju to discover. If only it was easier to pull our favorite monsters.
― Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is quite literally Monster Rancher with the beloved kaiju from the Ultraman series replacing the usual stand-bys like Suezo. As a Monster Rancher, you'll earn a breeding license to raise and train kaiju on your ranch. As you train your kaiju, ...
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 is a game of extremes. One moment, it is mind-blowingly awesome as you smoothly fight through hordes of enemies. The next, it is rage-inducingly frustrating as the game grinds to a halt mid-climax for a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
―
© Nintendo © SEGA published by Nintendo
Bayonetta 3 is a game of extremes. One moment, it is mind-blowingly awesome as you smoothly fight through hordes o...
Amnesia: Later x Crowd
On their own, these fan discs are pretty short but paired together they offer Amnesia fans satisfying, extended stories, especially for Orion fans.
― Following on the heels of the Nintendo Switch re-release of the classic otome game Amnesia: Memories, Amnesia: Later x Crowd presents two fan discs previously unavailable in English release. If you're not familiar with the concept, a fan disc is an offi...
Dragon Ball: The Breakers
Dragon Ball: The Breakers could use an injection of the excitement and intensity of its source material.
― Dragonball is one of the few media franchises whose iconic villains remain embedded in modern-day cultural consciousness, and games like Dragonball Xenoverse have fully capitalized on that lasting appeal to just run wild with the franchise's lore. In fact, if you're a fan of those games in parti...
Voice of the Cards: Beasts of Burden
The Voice of the Cards: Beasts of Burden is an effective, low-stakes concept with solid execution, with a lot of love put into it from creatives that had a lot of fun playing with the concept.
― The roots of role-playing games lies in tabletops, but it's easy to forget that with how elaborate their presentation can get. With all of the games that try to simulate the systems of a tabletop game, it's r...
No More Heroes III
No More Heroes III is like if I went into my backyard and dug up a time capsule from the early 2000s, opening it up to find all these old video games, arcade pictures, and VHS tapes of shows that I tried to record.
― The best way I can describe No More Heroes III is that it's like if I went into my backyard and dug up a time capsule from the early 2000s, opening it up to find all these old video game...
Amnesia: Memories
Anime viewers, if the show put you off from trying the game, you should give it a second shot. The game is far more interesting and engaging than the anime could ever hope to be.
― Back when I reviewed the anime version of Amnesia, I commented that it felt like watching someone play the game. Now, having played the game myself, I have to take that back at least in part: the game is far more interesti...
Gundam Evolution
Gundam Evolution has plenty of merit for people looking for an alternative to Overwatch. But what about Gundam fans?
― There's no beating around the bush: Gundam Evolution is a Gundam-flavored take on Overwatch, plain and simple. You've got the same general set-up: the famed mobile suits are stand-ins for Overwatch's heroes, the game rules are largely the same... about the biggest difference is that ...
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival
Taiko no Tatsujin is still a bit of an underrated gem outside Asia, but make no mistake: this is a safe party game purchase that deserves a space on every Switch owner's shelf alongside the likes of Mario Party and Mario Kart.
― A beloved arcade classic in Japan, the Taiko no Tatsujin rhythm game franchise has only been seeing consistent English-language support in the last half-decade. It's still a ...
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
I wanted to like this game, I really did. But as I write this review, I'm just glad I never have to spend another moment with it. And that's not something I should feel from an open-world game at all.
― What's the worst part about an open-world game that doesn't let you explore? The knowledge that you
could be doing something—anything—besides being trapped in interminable cutscenes and boring
argumen...
Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness
Does Made in Abyss make for a positively killer video game? The answer, as it turns out, is going to be based on how literally you want to take the word “killer.”
― I reckon that one of the first things people think after experiencing Made in Abyss—that is, once they've recovered from the awe-inspiring world building and the soul-crushing devastation of its story—is probably, “Gee, this whole premise...
Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions
Team up with Loid Forger, Kaiju No. 8, and more manga characters in this strategy puzzle game about how one boy's imagination gets him through trauma.
― Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions shouldn't be thought of as a Shonen Jump crossover. Not because crossovers are bad, nor because it's an “elevated crossover” or anything dumb like that. The plain and simple truth is that it isn't really a ...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is about as much JoJo as any sane person could ever ask for.
― JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has had a few fighting games in its 35-year-long legacy. Most might still clamor for the arcade classic that was Capcom's Heritage for the Future, but in the meantime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is about as much JoJo as any sane person could ever ask for....
Birushana: The Rising Flower of Genpei
Why just read about the gorgeous men of The Tale of the Heike when you could date them? Rebecca dives into this Nintendo Switch otome game of historical romance.
― Why just read about the gorgeous men of The Tale of the Heike when you could date them? Birushana: The Rising Flower of Genpei takes this timeless theme that has most commonly been applied to the Sengoku period and the Shinsengumi and uses...
RPG TIME: The Legend of Wright
Every page is a new adventure, dripping with love and care from a child who is just bursting at the seams with how much he wants to share with his friends.
― I realize I might be a bit too biased to properly review RPG Time, the new RPG from studio DeskWorks and Aniplex. It's not because it's steeped in JRPG lore or because so much of its iconography brings Dragon Quest to mind—rather, I see way too ...
Digimon Survive
I honestly feel a bit conflicted after playing Digimon Survive, because I truly admire the amount of passion and thought put into it. If you are a long-time Digimon fan, then this this is worth at least one playthrough.
― Last month, I had the honor of interviewing the producer of Digimon Survive, Habu Kazumasa, who expressed his desire to take Digimon in a darker direction and demonstrate his person...
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium
Capcom Arcade Stadium returns with a mountain of arcade titles from the ‘80s and ‘90s. How many stand the test of time?
― Capcom was born in the arcades. Yes, they made a name with Mega Man,Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, and other titles created for home consoles, but before any of that Capcom put themselves on the map with arcade games. So the Capcom Arcade Stadium series is a welcome roundup of thos...
Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series
The Phantasy Reverie Series gives us two games that harken back to the time where these fun, thoughtful platformers where these fun, thoughtful platformers had more resources available to them.
― Poor, poor Klonoa. The waking world was hardly fair to Bandai Namco's Dream Traveler. The first
Klonoa game came out just as the world was getting tired of platformers and 2D games, and the second
one came o...
Capcom Fighting Collection
The Capcom Fighting Collection delivers a lineup of Darkstalkers games and lesser-known arcade titles! What holds up and what doesn’t?
― The arcades of the 1990s never wanted for fighting games. Capcom's Street Fighter II saw to that, striking gold with its 1991 debut and inspiring wave upon wave of imitators. Yet that proved a burden whenever Capcom created an arcade game that wasn't Street Fighter....
Pocky & Rocky Reshrined
A shrine maiden and a tanuki take on monster hordes in this extensive remake of a classic Super NES shooter! Do Pocky and Rocky still have the magic?
― You don't need to know anything about Pocky or Rocky to enjoy their latest game, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. You don't need to know how their series began with the Taito arcade game Kiki Kaikai or how it reached its greatest international popularity when...
Fault StP: Lightkravte
Lightkravte features gorgeous art and is interesting both as a prequel and as a game in its own right.
― The fourth game in Alice in Dissonance's fault series, Fault StP Lightkravte may raise a few eyebrows since it's being released ahead of Milestone Two: Side Below, meaning that series fans have to wait a bit longer to continue the main story. (On Steam, the developers have said that staffing issue...
Metal Max Xeno Reborn
Metal Max Xeno Reborn can be a lot of fun, but it does make you work for it. Its oblique objectives and wild difficulty curves can definitely be off-putting—and yet there's fun to be had in driving around the wasteland, scrounging for scrap metal, and blasting away mobs of cannon fodder.
― Fans of old PS2 JRPGs might remember the obscure Metal Saga; what you might not have known is that it's one in a...
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix+
Hatsune Miku is back, with over 170 songs and customizable outfits. Does the Vocaloid gang still bring the charm in this PC game release?
― With how much a certain blue hedgehog and a would-be reformed Japanese gangster dominate
Sega's limelight, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that Sega also plays host to the video game exploits of
Hatsune Miku, the famed digital singing platform musicians have use...
Cotton Fantasy
Cotton Fantasy serves up a complete course of the “cute-‘em-up” flavor of 2-D shooting game, and it turns out light and breezy yet surprisingly filling.
― The Cotton series is nothing if not a survivor. First appearing in 1991, Cotton introduced the horizontal shooter genre to a cute little witch with a cuter, littler fairy sidekick, and it never wavered from that. The 1990s brought sequels and ports...
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising
Suikoden was never an action game, and now that series creator Yoshitaka Murayama returned to it with Eiyuden Chronicle, what better form for its prequel to take than a side-scrolling action title with some RPG trappings?
― Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising makes a certain degree of sense. It's a prequel to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which is itself the spiritual revival of the Suikoden series that s...
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Forgotten Land represents more than anything else, an opportunity for HAL Laboratory to break out of the side-scrolling mold and expand Kirby's horizons.
― In my eyes, Kirby games have always been defined by their astounding visual and musical artistic direction that is somewhat held back simple yet serviceable side-scrolling platforming gameplay. Forgotten Land represented, more than anything else, ...
Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness Game Review
But what about the players who don't have fond memories or excessive fixations surrounding that particular era of video games? What does Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness offer them? As it turns out, plenty.
― There's no shortage of modern creations that evoke the look and sound of late 1980s games. Not so much as those games actually were, but as players fondly remember them—with bigger characters,...
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition
Chrono Cross returns with a remastered treatment and its never-before-translated predecessor, Radical Dreamers! How do these follow-ups to the cherished RPG classic Chrono Trigger endure after all these years?
― The best way to approach Chrono Cross is to forget that it's a sequel to Chrono Trigger. It is, of course, but Chrono Trigger—an inventive, marvelously crafted time-travel romp that's tied wi...
Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! TRPG
Grant tries his hand at the tabletop iteration of the hit anime and light novel series. How does Kazuma Sato's adventures translate to the TRPG world?
― Ah, finally a review that leans into both my lifelong hobbies: anime and tabletop RPGs (or TRPGs in short). I'm always curious to see what happens when the two worlds entwine, but beyond my personal interest, this being an official English release of...
Rune Factory 5
Some technical issues aside, the latest installment in the village-making RPG brings it all together in the end. What will you do with your time in Rigbarth?
― It's a little hard to talk about the Story of Seasons games (and their Rune Factory spin-offs). Not because of the complicated legal snarl involving the Story of Seasons and Harvest Moon branding, but because on the merits that most games woul...
Chocobo GP
Chocobo GP is a big improvement and an even greater risk. It's sharper, tighter, more enjoyable...and now competing directly with the latest Mario Kart on Nintendo's home turf.
― The original Chocobo Racing was not an astounding game, but it was a cleverly-positioned one. It offered the PlayStation owners of 1999 an answer to the Nintendo 64's Mario Kart while dusting itself with Final Fantasy refere...
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Review
Now that Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is out on modern platforms with a massive adoption rate, the question is how much is in here for a single-playing Persona? The answer is an inspiring "Quite a bit!"
― The rerelease of 2014's Persona 4 Arena Ultimax finds itself in an odd situation for such a thing. The fighting game scene has ballooned into an even bigger, better place in the eight years since, so put...
Jujutsu Kaisen: Escape From the Cursed Spirit of the Abandoned School
Gojo assigns you to a mission to help the first-year students investigate a creepy abandoned school. Can you and the others use your techniques -- and your smarts -- to exorcise the cursed spirit before it's too late?
― When you think of an anime world you would want to live in, Jujutsu Kaisen probably isn't at
the top of your list, if it is even on the list. But it's possible you've dreamed of going...
Atelier Sophie 2: Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream
The Nintendo Switch struggles to handle this new entry in the Atelier franchise, but beyond its technical issues the world of Erde Wiege introduces players to characters that quickly come to feel like longtime friends.
― There are three things I've come to expect from the Atelier series: cozy atmosphere, charming character writing, and breezy combat. The series is content to dwell within that realm, ...
The King of Fighters XV
The King of Fighters XV doesn't find the series at its prettiest, boldest, or most densely populated and varied in characters. Yet this might be the most accessible it's ever been.
― If anyone ever asks you how many The King of Fighters games there are, resist the temptation to say fifteen. That may be the number on this latest flagship entry, but this is a vast and complicated series with many, many...
REVIEW: Pokémon Legends: Arceus
While the plot left much to be desired, Pokémon Legends: Arceus brings new energy and possibilities to the franchise.
― For years, it seems the big ask of Pokémon fans has been that the franchise innovate
itself in a meaningful way. Pokémon Legends: Arceus seems to be Game Freak's response to
that request, and I'd go out on a limb to say that it's exactly the sort of thing we've been waiting
for. It ...
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
As a fan, it pains me to see an entry to one of my favorite franchises fall to such low lows. But what exactly are the decisions that got us here?
― Unlike animation, video games are in large part a disposable medium. Games once hailed as era-defining breakthrough titles upon their release often become antiquated and awkward within a little less than a decade. And so we see a plethora of remakes and ...
Clockwork Aquario
The arcade game Clockwork Aquario finally arrives on modern systems after disappearing twenty-eight years ago. Is it a mere relic or a true deep-cut gem?
― Some games are delayed. Others are canceled. And then there's the unique and bizarre journey of Clockwork Aquario. Westone, creators of the Wonder Boy and Monster World games, tested this colorful side-scroller in arcades several times back in 199...
Metallic Child
Metallic Child's narrative is instantly compelling and the dialogue that accompanies its characters is entertaining to boot.
― I initially wasn't expecting much from this quietly released indie “rouge-lite” game, but found myself sad to see it go by the time I reached its ending. The greatest appeal of Metallic Child comes from the way it applies the aesthetics of the Japanese Action-RPGs without hol...
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