Noah Kupetsky's Reviews
The Lunar Remastered Collection finally gave me the chance to experience two of the best JRPGs from the SEGA CD, and I was not disappointed. The story and characters carry the experience, and both Lunar 1 and 2 hold up in this regard. I was taken by the world, and while the gameplay feels a bit generic and UI clunky compared to today's standards, it isn't aggravating and has its charms. It's a good idea to keep the fact that this is a remaster of a 25+ year old game in mind, and if you can, you will not be let down. The game also runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, easily hitting 60 FPS with under 8W of battery drain for over 8 hours of battery life. There aren't many settings to change, but there isn't much that needs to! This is a Best on Deck game, and one worth playing on the go.
Promise Mascot Agency is a great game with loads of charm that can feel repetitive the longer you play. The story and characters are fantastic, making the gorgeous town of Kaso-Machi more enjoyable to travel around and discover. The gameplay is enjoyable, and I like the open-world collecting mixed with business management, but it gets a little too repetitive as your agency grows, discouraging me from sending mascots on more jobs. Still, I had a blast playing the game, and it's definitely worth experiencing. It also runs really well on the Steam Deck, which is a nice touch. It definitely has some wiggle room to enhance the experience, but once done, it's the best way to enjoy the game!
Blue Prince is an outstanding game that feels like a fantastic mesh of roguelikes and puzzle games. The layers of strategy piled on each other, coupled with the puzzles and the way each room has information for another, make this an addictive experience. I found it hard not to come back to. It could get a little obnoxious having to backtrack, and some puzzles are a bit too difficult, but once you get the hang of things, it's an experience like no other. It's absolutely worthwhile to experience this for yourself, and I really recommend having a notebook to jot down notes on. It's also a blast to play on the Steam Deck. There are no settings to change, but with a framerate limit of 45, we can curb minor drops and save on battery. This is a great game to play on the go, and I can't recommend it enough!
Koira is a beautiful game wrapped in a simple package. It tells an emotional tale about bonding with a dog and how they can affect us as we go through hardship. It's heartwarming to see how the friendship develops, and is highlighted by the gorgeous world and soundtrack. The gameplay is on the simple side, and it isn't perfect, but it does the job and keeps the story front and center. It runs extremely well on the Steam Deck, getting to 90 FPS with ease and sticking around a 10W battery drain. This is definitely a perfect game to play in bed when you want to relax, and I can happily recommend it.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of the best games in the series in a long time, and is one of my favorites. The Japanese setting fits perfectly within the context of the game, and the world feels more alive thanks to the physics and changing seasons. The combat is very engaging, both in close quarters and when assassinating, and I looked forward to each fight. The story is a bit predictable, but the dual protagonists have very interesting character arcs that make them feel more compelling. Shadows isn't perfect, and it feels like more of what we have seen in previous entries, but the good outweighs the bad. As for playing Shadows on the Steam Deck, I am truly amazed that it is playable at all. I wouldn't expect anything above 30 FPS with a high battery drain, but the fact that it is playable and mostly stable is quite amazing. It won't be 100% stable, but if you have no other way to play, it will be enjoyable on the go.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a fantastic experience with engaging mechanics and a solid story. Synthesizing items is addicting, the story is interesting, and the activities around the open world are fulfilling. Combat gets enjoyable later on, but it can feel a little floaty in general with basic attacks. Apart from some minor issues traversing the landscape, I didn't find much I disliked about the game, and I would recommend checking it out if you enjoy the series or just like JRPGs in general. Playing on the Steam Deck is almost completely solid, with a fluctuating framerate. But outside of some areas in the first region and some very flashy combat, we can get a stable 30 FPS with the game looking quite solid. It needs some compromises, but in the end, it is playable and enjoyable.
Monster Hunter Wilds may have had a bit of a slow start, but it became one of my favorite experiences afterward. The game retains what made it a sensation after World and adds some great new mechanics to keep the long, arduous hunts engaging and exciting. The world and quests feel dynamic with one of Monster Hunter's best stories. While I don't play this series for the story, some parts were quite intriguing. It's an addictive gameplay loop with fantastic progression that only gets better the more you play, and it's truly a joy when playing with others. Even with some of its low points, Monster Hunter Wilds has become one of my favorite games that I have ever played, which had me addicted to grinding and getting more and better materials to master what it took to hunt monsters and make myself more powerful. If you have a more powerful PC or console like a PS5, this is a must-have game.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a fantastic entry in the series, and while it doesn't reach the heights of Infinite Wealth, it's still a joy to play. The story is filled with great moments and a cast of memorable characters, along with solid gameplay mechanics and a ton of activities to partake in. The progression systems were okay, with ship navigation and crew formation feeling a little underwhelming, but the choices you have and activities to do make up for it. For a spin-off entry in this franchise, RGG Studio succeeded in creating an engaging, gripping experience that paid off in the end. And while there are some compromises needed, Pirate Yakuza is a fantastic time on the Steam Deck. It is optimized enough to be very versatile, whether you want a high framerate for smooth gameplay or the highest quality settings with upscaling, all while retaining its visuals. I am so glad it runs as well as it does, and I can happily recommend it to anyone who would mainly play this on the go.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage has a lot of great moments with just a few outliers that keep it from being an amazing experience. The story is great, which is elevated thanks to a wonderful cast and an interesting way of telling it. The basic gameplay for these kinds of games is here again, but with an intriguing Memoir feature to record different objects to create your own mini-videos. I wish the magical elements and finale were a bit more impactful, but I feel the narrative had enough to keep me interested in how they would continue the tale. It is also playable on the Steam Deck, albeit with some compromises. I wish I could get it to a fully stable 30 FPS without major visual downgrades, but with a game like this, the short drops down below weren't the end of the world. This is still going to be an enjoyable portable experience, and I had a blast playing it on the go.
Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered is a fantastic remaster of some of the classic Tomb Raider titles that makes them as playable as possible. Aspyr's enhancements have made these titles much better looking and easier to enjoy, with great new features like the wonderful photo mode and fly-by camera for cinematic shots. The original games do have some quality-of-life features to make them more playable, but there are still some issues with controls and speed that still keep them feeling more like a slog for newcomers. Still, this is easily the best way to enjoy the games currently, and they can be a ton of fun if you have the patience. They all run especially well on the Steam Deck too. The Last Revelation and Chronicles run better than The Angel of Darkness, but they're all a joy to play on the go with solid battery life and an easy 60 or 90 FPS.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is quite possibly one of the best non-linear RPGs I have ever played. No game has ever made me feel like anything could actually happen based on my choices to the degree this game has. The story and side content are both varied and enticing, making me want to stop and just go experience all the side quests I could. The combat and progression mechanics are also solid, and I even loved the more realistic mini-games like smithing or alchemy, which give a nice break from the fighting and running around. There are some minor issues here and there, like getting stuck on terrain and the pre-rendered cutscenes taking out a little of the immersion, but these are small in the grand scheme. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a fantastic game through and through, and it would be a shame not to have this one in your library.
Sniper Elite: Resistance is a wonderful new adventure in the Sniper Elite franchise that doesn't break the mold the series has perfected, but it doesn't need to. The fantastic sandbox-like gameplay and excellently crafted levels make it feel like I could replay them multiple different ways, with it still feeling fresh and exciting. With customizable weapons, skills to unlock, different tools to use and set up traps, different collectibles, different game modes, and co-op and competitive multiplayer, there are many reasons to come back and play more. Resistance does feel a lot like Sniper Elite 5, with some aspects like the gameplay mechanics and UI being near identical. It does have different levels, story, and new tools, which do help make Resistance feel worthwhile, especially if you just want more Sniper Elite. I also encountered some bugs that ended up getting me killed, but it didn't happen often. Even with the glaring similarities, I had a blast playing Sniper Elite: Resistance and happily recommend it to fans of the series and someone who wants a great third-person Action-Stealth experience to enjoy.
Tales of Graces f has become one of my favorite games in the series. The combat feels amazing and addicting thanks to the fast-paced action and great progression depth with the Titles and Dualize system. The story isn't the most surprising, but the cast of characters is fantastic and carries the plot as it continues. The visuals hold up nicely, too, thanks to the cel-shaded aesthetic. It can be a little obnoxious to run from place to place, and the story is predictable at times, but it's still an incredible way to experience one of the best Tales games in existence. It also runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck, with only some minor issues here and there that are inconsistent. Since the issues don't always pop up, I would say this is a safe bet to play on your Deck without problems, and I recommend setting the TDP limit a little lower to save on battery without compromises.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins grew on me the more I played it, and it quickly became one of my favorite entries in the series. The focus on a singular character was one I didn't expect to enjoy so much, and Koei Tecmo did a great job with the progression system to keep me playing with the variety of weapons instead of just settling on one. The battles are just as intense as ever, and with the new mechanics and more cinematic angles, I was having a blast. I also appreciate the overworld map with the smaller Skirmishes and other missions, so I didn't have to battle the larger ones all the time. They are great ways to break up the story moments with some solid rewards. However, I do wish the story revolving around our protagonist's back story was more fleshed out. Some of the mechanics that are locked until you beat the game should really be usable before beating the game, but it does give a good reason to come back and play more. I was also quite impressed with how well it runs on the Steam Deck. It isn't perfect, but the preset for the settings works quite well, and it doesn't need upscaling, which keeps everything looking sharp. For a game like this, it is essential, and because of the optimization they put in, it's very playable on the go. I love playing this in the palm of my hands, and even with the sacrifices to battery and frame rate, it's still very worthwhile.
Freedom Wars Remastered is a wonderful upgrade over the 2014 original, but there are a couple of components I wish had some quality-of-life changes to get rid of some of the stiffness. Fighting against giant robots and ripping them apart is a blast, and I enjoyed the story and setting of this totalitarian, post-apocalyptic world. However, navigating through menus, moving around, and fighting against the smaller bots and human fodder didn't feel as great, and how often you need to do all of that affected my enjoyment overall. Playing on the Steam Deck is my favorite way to play the game, and it fits right at home. It does seem like there may be some engine limitations for multiplayer, which are causing some issues with performance, but it's still playable and can be configured to save some extra battery, which I appreciate. Freedom Wars Remastered definitely won't replace Monster Hunter, but the pros outweigh the cons, and I still had a blast playing.
On Your Tail is a great cozy detective game that succeeds in almost every aspect that it needs to, with only some minor inconveniences sprinkled throughout. The core gameplay loop is solid, and I really enjoy the way you both get clues and figure out the timeline of events. The mini-games are also a great way to break up the loop, and the world itself is amazing and colorful to explore. It is a bit difficult to navigate sometimes, and using the Chronolens isn't the easiest, but it doesn't change how enjoyable the game is. And it is wonderful to play on the Steam Deck. The default settings look great and perform well, and with some slight changes to framerate and refresh rate, we can enjoy the portable experience, making this easily the best way to play.
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension has a lot of pros and cons to it, and while it isn't perfect, I highly recommend picking it up if you are a JRPG fan. I really enjoy the combat mechanics and dimension battles, and the world is just downright gorgeous with a great mixture of real-life dioramas and digital 3D models. It made me think of the older Final Fantasy titles often as I traveled throughout the world. I do wish the progression systems came into play earlier, and the story was a bit tighter, but it does the job and still felt satisfying as I played through the 40 - 60 hour experience. Playing on the Steam Deck is a joy, and I have no complaints with the performance. Outside of controlling your character as you run through different camera angles, which would be an issue playing with any controller or gamepad, it's a perfect experience on Deck. Even with its issues, this was a wonderful experience, and I think anyone who enjoys RPGs or JRPGs should pick it up.
THRESHOLD is an interesting and creepy tale that succeeds in creating an intriguing tale, even if it has some minor issues here and there. The story is extremely entertaining, and I was taken aback throughout the game when I figured out what was going on. It is a bit short, and the gameplay is very basic, but it does the job and, with the fantastic visual style, complements the story which absolutely shocked me. I do wish the experience was a bit better with a controller and on the Steam Deck, and some optimization on both fronts would have helped a lot. It's still playable, but I wouldn't consider it the best experience. It's an awesome game, and may still be worth it given the short time it takes to complete. Hopefully these smaller Deck/controller issues can be fixed through patches!
Sorry We're Closed is a unique experience with a great story, wonderful writing, and engaging gameplay. It successfully invokes the games that inspired it while also carving its own path. The shifting from static camera angles to first person when aiming to attack and how the third eye works are both very enjoyable, while it was easy for me to get very invested in the story and its characters. The controls are a little bit hard to grasp at first, and it is a shorter game compared to others, but it's one worth playing through. The game also runs almost flawlessly on the Steam Deck, hitting 90 FPS with a very low battery drain. It's a near perfect game to play on the go, and I highly recommend it.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is a fantastic re-imagining of one of the best entries in the Dragon Quest series, even if it misses some quality-of-life improvements I would have loved to see. The game is drop-dead gorgeous and has a solid gameplay loop that I enjoyed. The extra features to speed up battles and automatically let your team fight helps with late-game grinding, and the vocation system is a joy to play around with. The new content is also a nice touch, and I particularly enjoyed playing with the new Monster Tamer vocation. However, there are some little nuisances here and there that I wish were touched on. Some of the text can take a long time to read, with some unnecessary pauses, which is in stark contrast to how fast-paced other parts of the game are, and it ends up feeling like a nuisance. It's small in the grand scheme, but it happens in almost every battle or whenever you need to save, and many other JRPGs go a lot faster when doing something similar. However, Dragon Quest 3 is a joy to play on the Steam Deck. The small compromises don't hinder the performance and playability of the Steam Deck, and it deserves that Verified badge it has. Regardless of how you play it, whether you want better battery life or 60 FPS, it will be wonderful no matter what.