Mashing together the challenge of Dark Souls with the platforming and combat styling of Castlevania makes for a challenging but highly rewarding formula
A deep and thoughtfully designed progression system provides many hours of discovery
A thrilling variation on the formula that harkens back to genre roots, even if the song catalog lacks the catchy replayability required
Deep and satisfying in the early hours, but a tremendously lengthy and tedious grind gradually slows down the fun in the run-up to the conclusion
A strong new entry, but veteran players may feel like the series has moved away from some of its previously established pillars
An exciting new take on the genre hamstrung by a frustrating interaction model for getting and playing the songs you want
A slick and engaging way to enjoy interactive music, albeit with fewer bells and whistles than Rock Band 3
A fun and visually impressive trip down memory lane, even if some of the shooting mechanics feel dated
Best when played with friends, N++ is a retouching rather than a reinvention, and is squarely targeted at players interested in precision platforming challenge for its own sake
An artistic tour de force of limited interactive complexity
A heady mix of action and tactical puzzle solving that's worth playing for the intriguing combat loop
A fantastic tactical RPG for players looking for a deeper and more complex story and gameplay experience
An intriguing twist on long-running Final Fantasy tropes, but the experience is ultimately brought down by repetition and lackluster storytelling
A good arcade game that is outdated by some of its own successors
A beautifully realized world that sacrifices more involved gameplay in the name of cinematic presentation
A thoughtful story with some great missions, but fundamental problems in control, balance, and tech hold the game back
Better gameplay pacing and more interesting level designs might have kept this from being such a missed opportunity
Simple and unabashedly joyful, Fantasia is a game unafraid to explore new ways to interact with music
A challenging and fascinating adventure in emergent gameplay, but not without growing pains
Even with several missed opportunities, Destiny is enormously fun, and only gets more engaging as you play