Benjamin Bell's Reviews
Although Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is the black sheep of the series, each title is unique enough to stand on their own, and offer a different gameplay experience along the way. The Last Revelation is tomb raiding at its finest, Chronicles is a more relaxed experience with self contained levels, and The Angel of Darkness is a crazy twist of a story, with classic PC adventure game elements mixed in with its stealth gameplay; none of them are bad games by far, and they each offer dozens of hours of content to complete. While some may prefer the original Trilogy over it, others might be surprised to learn the second half is their true favorite.
Although BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is not my favorite entry in the series, the game is easy to pick up, and simply a lot of fun. It has a great cast of characters, outstanding song choices for the background music, Rollback Netcode for smooth online play, and plenty of content for offline play as well. It is a fighting game that everyone interested in 2D fighters should at least give a chance, but it is not a replacement BlazBlue: Central Fiction, and that is important for fans to know before jumping in.
Looking past the toned back RPG elements, Final Fantasy XVI is a solid entry in the series, that also might not be for everyone. It has fun and addicting combat, the Eikon fights will leave a lasting impression, the story is interesting enough to keep driving you forward, and the New Game Plus mode gives players a reason to come back for more. Even so, some fans might have a hard time looking past it being an action game, and that will ultimately decide if it is worth playing or not. Still, it is a game I recommend checking out if you are interested at all, as there is in fact a lot to love here.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central is a game I really like, but it also has many missed opportunities. This is the first Samba de Amigo game that has been accessible since 2008, and instead of serving as a replacement for the original, it does something completely new. This is fine of course, but not seeing the vast majority of songs return is a bit weird. It is clearly a game that wants to fully stand on its own, and still allow players to enjoy the original release, but playing the original isn't as doable in today's world. Looking at Party Central as a stand alone entity, it really is a lot of fun! It has an interesting soundtrack, the gameplay becomes very addicting, and it is also quite the workout!
Escape from Mutation Station is going to be one of those puzzle games I'll always remember playing, but it also isn't one I will be returning to anytime soon. Like with most escape rooms, once you know the answers, it does ruin the fun of solving it... And without randomizing puzzles, there isn't really a way to counter that. Even so, if you have a few dollars to spare, this is an escape room you will not regret playing. It is short, yet fun, and the puzzles are unique enough to help the game stand out from others. So do yourself a favor, and give it a chance when you can!
Green Hell VR is a game I was very unsure of, but ended up having a lot of fun playing. While in the process of writing this review multiple major updates were released for the title, and plenty more are planned for the near future. This is an ever expanding game, and because of that I was unable to experience "everything" the game has to offer... And that is a good thing!
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a classic 90s platformer through and through. This remaster didn't fully reinvent what we once had, but it did do a lot to make it feel like a modern platformer. Initially the levels are pretty short and straight forward, but the game quickly ramps up the difficulty and that alone greatly expands the playtime. Those who simply want to rush through the main levels are given a reason to go back and find all of the collectibles, and the challenge levels are even harder yet! While the game doesn't do anything too crazy by today's standards, that doesn't stop it from being a fun simple platformer from days gone by.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a solid entry within the Monster Hunter series, and a great game for fans and newcomers alike. Long time fans might be annoyed or put off by the on-rails story the game forces you to finish, but once you get to High Rank it is a return to form. Meanwhile this same intro is perfect for easing new players into this universe, and there are some interesting moments that really stand out. Is it the greatest story ever told? Of course not. But it was at least entertaining.
Macross Shooting Insight has a lot of missed opportunities, but it still manages to be a fun game with the content it does offer. There are better Macross games out there, but not in English, and there are better shoot em ups out there, that are in English. Even so, I found myself enjoying this game for what it is, and I will keep coming back to it for years to come. It has a lot I like, but it also has disappointments. I love the music, but I also wish they added at least a few more tracks. I like the characters, but I wish there were at least a few more. The stages are fun, but I wish we had more than just ten.
Robobeat does a great job making you feel like an action hero. Dying might be frustrating at times, but when you get a cool new weapon to go all out with, it is a complete blast!
Monster Meals surprised me, and hooked me with its unique twist on the whole restaurant simulation genre. Some of this was familiar to me, but actually going out to hunt food while managing the kitchen was a completely new concept to me! At first it was a bit overwhelming, as I've usually failed at memorizing in these types of games, but the game slowly eased me in and gave me the tools I needed to actually succeed.
Snowman Story is about the life of snowmen, the humans who build them, and an attempt to escape Spring. There are some surprisingly touching moments, and that ending completely caught me off guard. And I loved it!
The Exit 8 and The Exit 8 VR is a short experience. You can finish it in 10 to 15 minutes I'm sure, or you can be like me and spend over an hour in there. There isn't much to the game, but it is an interesting experience that tests your powers of observation. I can't compare it to other walking simulators as there isn't anything else quite like it, but those looking for a short puzzle will most likely enjoy it.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a unique game, and anyone interested in it should understand what it is first. Does the game have jump scares? Yes it does. But is it really that scary of a horror game? No, it isn't. The ghost stories are fun and creepy, but the game itself is a massive puzzle with hide and seek elements thrown in. It requires a lot of outside knowledge to solve some of the puzzles, and the game gives you little to no direction when playing on normal or harder. Ultimately it is a game you want to learn how to play before you play it normally, and that can take outside research as well as playing the game on Very Easy or Easy first.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a very fun action RPG. The game has a fun and addictive combat system, plenty of unique characters to mix it up, really fun special abilities, and can be as easier or as challenging as you want to make it. It is a great game for anyone who loves action games in general, and its story is interesting enough to keep you engaged from start to finish. The game is also packed full of content, and rewards you for exploring every single nook and cranny. If you are a Ys fan there really isn't a reason to skip this one, and newcomers will get a general idea of what the series is like from it.
AWAKEN: Astral Blade is a fun Metroidvania. Is it perfect? No. Does it reinvent the genre in any way? Not really. But did it need to? Of course not! It is a great game for both newcomers and long time fans of the genre alike, but there's no denying that there are better ones out there. Even so, I still recommend it.
Resident Evil Village is a solid entry in the overall series. The story is a continuation of VII and finally provides answers to the mysteries left open by that title, and the new setting is a fun throwback to Resident Evil 4.
The Bridge Cruse 2: The Extrication is a short but fun horror experience. My initial impressions didn't leave me too enthusiastic about what was to come, but I'm happy to say that things changed pretty fast. While the first encounter felt like the game wanted us to be afraid of the security guard, which I wasn't, it's what came next that was truly scary. Once the game started diving into the history of the school, the events that lead to ghosts haunting the halls, and the overall mystery of it all; I was hooked!
Sugar Mess is a game I really enjoyed playing, and it is a game I can see being a mainstay on my Meta Quest. It is a game I can show to friends, and keep coming back to in order to beat my high scores. It really isn't an "adventure" though like I originally expected, and it isn't a massive game by any means... But that is okay! It isn't anything more than it needs to be, and I commend it for that.
Alyx is a solid entry within the Half-Life series, and a lot of fun! It has plenty of replayability, and the gameplay is solid. While the annoying puzzles holds it back a bit, it isn't anything that actually ruins the experience, which is a blast from start to finish. It is a game that anyone with a VR headset should really give a chance, but it's important to note that it does have horror elements as well. It isn't a game that everyone can get into because of that, nor is it a game that everyone can get into simply because the fact it is VR exclusive. If you can play it though, and can get past the horror (or have someone to help force you to get past the horror), then you will not regret your time with this one.