Benjamin Bell's Reviews
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is an impressive step up from the previously released Rune Factory 5. The streamlined farming and city building system, mixed with the greatly enhanced social elements and RPG aspects, makes this one of the best entries in the series to date. Those who are here for farming may be let down by this faster simplified system, but the rest of the game more than makes up for it!
Scar-Lead Salvation had the potential to be a really good game. Its core gameplay is fun, the first patch greatly improved the difficulty and bosses, both the character dialogue and story are interesting, the anime aesthetics are visually pleasing, and there are some fun customization options to play with! In theory this game should have everything going for it; however, it is greatly held back by extremely repetitive gameplay.
Mario Kart World is an outstanding new entry in the long running series, and it is a worthy launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. Its unique gameplay prevents it from being a replacement for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and allows for both games to exist on the same console side by side. Anyone who enjoys Mario Kart should for sure give this one a chance, and it is the perfect introduction for new players as well.
If you are a fan of sci-fi post apocalyptic stories, and enjoy space management simulators, then IXION is a game you do not want to miss out on! It provides countless hours of fun, and serves as a great distraction from your everyday life.
Mostroscopy is a fun indie fighting game, with a very interesting art style and great character design. Every character is unique, and the simple combat system allows even newbies to fighting games to pick up a controller and combo like a pro. It has some rough edges, but it is a good start to something that has the potential to be great. It lacks in main single player content, and has a handful of smaller issues, but it is still a fun game to sit down and play with friends. If the developers continue to expand upon the game, then the series can easily have a bright future.
FUGA: Melodies of Steel isn't like other RPGs on the market. There is no exploration, no level grinding, and you basically spend the entire game inside of a tank. While it lacks other RPG standards, it more than makes up for this with its solid gameplay, great cast of characters, and interesting story that leaves you wanting more. It has a learning curve players will need to overcome, but once you do, the game becomes extremely addicting and trying out different character combinations is a lot of fun. While the gameplay might not click for everyone, those who enjoy deep strategics turn based battles will find a lot to love here. If this sounds like a game you'd enjoy, then do yourself a favor and check it out as soon as you get the chance.
Ghost Frequency is a mini horror experience that has some pretty good ideas at its core. I would love to see this be developed into a full title, as it feels more like a prologue to something bigger, but I can recommend it to any horror fan who has a little extra cash to spend on a few hours of entertainment. If you are looking for something more substantial, then there are a lot more options out there, but I personally liked what I played… It just left me wanting more.
The Abandoned Planet is a fun callback to classic PC adventure games, with a unique retro art style, and a variety of puzzles to solve. Each act throws something new into the mix, and by the end you will find yourself exploring larger areas with multi-step challenges to overcome. It is a little on the easy side, but it is entertaining from start to finish.
Dunk Dunk is a really fun party game, and that is exactly how it should be approached. It isn’t a game that expects you to play for hours at a time, but instead, it is one that wants you to simply jump into it from time to time when you feel like it. It is one of those games where you turn it on, play a handful of crazy rounds, and then move on with your day. Things can get very hectic, which it makes it a perfect party game with friends, and the handful of gameplay modes are more than enough to keep you busy.
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.