RPG Site's Reviews
Metaphor: ReFantazio is an amazing game. I fully completed it in 75 hours and enjoyed it the entire way through. Though it may suffer from a few blemishes, such as its lackluster graphical fidelity in some areas and performance optimization issues, what it brings to the table is utterly compelling. It is a huge RPG adventure that celebrates Atlus’ history as it combines some of the best ideas from many of its previous titles into a lovely fantasy setting. The amount of detail put into Metaphor: ReFantazio’s worldbuilding and characters is captivating. Plus, the flow of its combat system’s interactions with the extensive Archetype job classes is a ton of fun. I’m always a big fan of when developers decide to tackle a brand-new IP, and Atlus knocked it out of the park with Metaphor: ReFantazio.
The result is a game that is the definition of a truly mixed experience - but if you take the rough and under-developed with the smooth and innovative, there’s a lot of fun to be had. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is perhaps a victim of being part of a series that has one of the highest batting averages of any franchise out there - what is ‘good’ by Zelda standards is great to many other franchises and publishers. This is by no means the earth-shaker that some Zelda games are - but it sits up there with many other classic 2D Zeldas just fine. I just wish Zelda herself felt a bit more defined and present throughout, given this is her first true playable debut.
Reynatis is, unfortunately like many other titles in FuRyu's catalog, an underwhelming RPG. In fact, FuRyu has continued to provide a good case study on why we probably shouldn't solely deify individual creators without acknowledging the full ensembles required to make beloved games. But as it is, we're left with an RPG that is average at best, messy & forgettable at worst. I've played most of FuRyu's output, continuing to look for a game that I can easily recommend to fans of the genre. While some games have been better than others, Reynatis doesn't break through the mediocrity. Maybe next time.
Capcom's done right by Ace Attorney in recent years, bringing it to modern platforms with a few convenient enhancements and in the doing, adding dozens of hours more of some of gaming's best storytelling to enjoy.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Isekai Chronicles strives to retell a chunk of Rimuru’s story, but does so through this medium to limited success. A relatively static presentation and repetitive combat system make this a difficult entry point for series newcomers, while fans of the series may question some of the design choices as missed opportunities to fully translate Rimuru’s adventure from page to screen.
More than just a blast from the past, Emio fully revitalizes the Famicom Detective Club series, making it better than ever before.
Visions of Mana is the first mainline Mana game in nearly two decades and, despite some issues, is a great step forward for the series.
Gundam Breaker 4 is like watching an old friend rebound from tough times. It may not be as great as its mainline predecessors in some regards, but it is a solid course correction from the last few dire entries. The repetitive stages and diluted weapon options are a noticeable step back, yet so many quality-of-life improvements to this new entry in the gunpla action RPG series make it much a smoother experience to play. While completing the main story took me roughly around 17 hours, I'm just about to reach the 60 hour mark because I keep making entire new gunpla builds to take on the highest difficulty stages on their own. It takes virtual model kit building to the next level and the potential of crafting something truly masterful, or horrific, is only limited by a person’s imagination.
Despite my unearned misgivings at the game's initial announcement, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader somehow became likely my favorite title so far from Owlcat Games. Likely due to a combination of well-designed turned-based gameplay, a better focus of gameplay systems that don't needlessly detract from the core experience, and simply waiting for a few additional layers of polish to give the title a chance to be represented in the best manner possible. While still a little uneven in terms of gameplay progression and technical proficiency, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an engaging game that's brimming with things to discover and a uniquely compelling narrative that is at times both hopeful and poignant.
Black Myth: Wukong is a beautiful, somber, fascinating tale to experience — you just have to muddle your way through a forest of problems to enjoy it.
It's a massive blemish on an otherwise fascinating game, unlike anything else I've really played. Not one that makes Kunitsu-Gami a complete non-recommendation, but absolutely one that tempers my praise somewhat. Capcom has still delivered something special with this release, even if the rough edges are glaringly evident - the artstyle, the story delivered without any dialog, and the rest of the aesthetic in tow; even considering the problems with combat, level design always had something unique up its sleeve, forcing players to think on their feet to protect the one hope of containing the Seethe. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a game that feels like it mimics the equally thorny path set upon its protagonists; despite whatever stumbles along the way, it's a journey you won't soon forget.
While it hasn't completely lost its luster, Dawntrail proves that it's about time for Final Fantasy XIV to change.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an approachable action RPG with satisfying combat but a narrative that unfortunately left little impression on me. While combat itself is enjoyable, battle variety is somewhat lacking, quests feel typical, and the narrative is forgettable.
This debut project from Austrian developer Microbird Games presents a charming title with creative, tightly designed dungeons that brilliantly utilize region-exclusive magical spells to interact with the environment in clever ways.
All in all, if you like action platformers, you’ll love Gestalt: Steam and Cinder. It’s a shorter affair, to be sure, but it explodes with love for the genre, and the developers have put a lot of heart and soul into crafting a world and story that is both equal parts fun and tense to explore. My nitpicks with the game aside, Gestalt was an extremely enjoyable experience and is definitely on a list of games I’ll replay from time-to-time. I’m excited to see where Metamorphosis Games takes the series in the future, and hope for plenty more adventures of Aletheia to come.
Despite my issues with some of the characters, Almata, and the underlying Xipha system, I still enjoyed my time at Calvard, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and I am eager to return to one of my favorite long-form fictional works.
Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is simply a fantastic visual novel to read from beginning to end. It is single-handedly the closest example of what a modern AAA visual novel would entail; the amount of care put into its production values is incredible in the realm of visual novels. The English localization does a magnificent job matching the tone, spirit, and meaning of its source material as every character’s personality shines through their dialogue brilliantly in English. A few blemishes in the clumsy nature of its flowchart navigation hold it back slightly, but I couldn’t be happier with how the official English release of the Tsukihime remake has beautifully turned out.
Bungie's conclusion to Destiny's first 10 years more than sticks the landing.
Shadow of the Erdree is an excellent expansion to Elden Ring. Poison swamps, giant swords, and fingercreepers return, better than ever.
Your enjoyment of Mahoyo will heavily rely on its narrative and characters. Despite lacking multiple routes found in later Nasu works, such as Tsukihime and Fate, Mahoyo's story remains highly engaging and is truly worth the long wait in English. If you're into the Nasuverse, do yourself a favor and give this game a read.