Jeremy Schepper's Reviews
Elden Ring is a fantastic experience from beginning to end. I feel that it is the ideal jumping on point for anyone intrigued by the Souls genre. This game feels like what FromSoftware has been working toward and striving to achieve. While the game doesn't hold your hand, there are vast amounts of resources online for people that are confused or needing assistance. The game itself also tries to provide some features like summons or co-op to give struggling players a leg up. While I don't think Souls games are for everyone, Elden Ring comes the closest to being a Souls game that I think anyone could find some real enjoyment with.
If you're a Harry Potter fan, this is probably the game you've waited your whole life for. It fulfills the dreams that so many of us have had since first seeing the movies all those years ago. Between the exploration of the iconic setting, the phenomenal combat and the obvious care and attention to detail put into this game, you can tell it came from a team who wanted to nail it, and they did so in a spectacular manner. Even if you're not a Harry Potter fan, and you just like open-world action-RPGs, I really think that you'll find this game to be engaging and highly entertaining. Supposedly a sequel is in the works, and I can't wait to see what this team is cooking up.
If you're curious about Souls games but have always been intimidated by them, like I was, I can definitely recommend Dark Souls III as a good starting point. It is a genuinely difficult game, but with a lot of patience and learning, and some likely necessary experience farming, you shouldn't have too much trouble.
I really enjoyed my time with Ruffy and the Riverside. I don't think I quit smiling from the time I booted the game up until I finished it. Between the adorable characters, the intriguing story, the incredibly delightful world to explore, and the inventive and fun game mechanics, I think Ruffy is a very special game that absolutely deserves your time and money. I don't think you'll play anything like this again for some time, maybe until Zockrates Labs develops a sequel, which they definitely should. I believe they've maybe created the next indie gaming icon here. I think they should look into doing sequels and spin-offs, getting into RPGs, kart racers (or hay bale racers), maybe even a full-blown skateboarding game: Ruffy Hawk's Pro Hay Bale Riding. In all seriousness, I genuinely hope to see Ruffy become a full-fledged franchise. The game was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it.
Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a solid experience. It's a little long for me, and there's some very annoying progress hindrance where they want you to revisit stages in order to move the story forward and collect more Golden Spatulas (this game's equivalent of Gold Stars/Shine Sprites/Power Moons from Mario games.) If you enjoy exploring this world though, it might not be frustrating to you to have go and complete more missions and see more of the game. It's a fun, lighthearted jaunt of a gaming experience, and I think if you can find it on a sale, you'll be in for a good time, especially if you're an established fan of the franchise.
Space Marine 2 has been an absolute blast to spend time with. The game is graphically gorgeous, with a staggering amount of detail put into the world. The wild gameplay is like nothing else, truly providing the most fun I've had with a game in years. Everything about Space Marine 2 is the product of a studio who cares about authenticity and crafting a wonderful, action-packed thrill-ride of a game from beginning to end. I'm still pinching myself that this game even exists, and the fact that we're now getting a third one feels like I'm living in a dream.
RuneScape Dragonwilds has a very promising base game even this early on. Despite all of my issues I brought up I have honestly had a blast with it and I am impatiently waiting for updates so I can adventure even further with friends. I would say though that if the game is worth in its current form and asking price heavily will depend on if you like this genre. However, if you're unsure I would say wait a few updates before you deep dive into it yourself, but I can definitely recommend the game as is already.
There really isn't much more to say about the game. I don't want to spoil the twists and turns of the story, as it's already pretty limited. But. if you're a Sonic fan and you enjoy a decent visual novel, you should consider checking this game out. With it being free, you're not really out anything but your time if you don't like it. It's a cute game though and a fun idea for a Sonic spin-off.
I highly recommend checking out Kingdom Rush, if you like tower defense games. The careful balancing act of rationing your gold, choosing your Towers, their locations, their upgrades and where to locate your troops to maximize your effectiveness, and then flawlessly navigating your way through a nail-bitingly tough level is insanely satisfying. I couldn't put it down until I got through the whole game and I'm literally thinking about booting the game up again right now.
Gameplay is king, as the saying goes. That's the case in probably ninety-nine percent of games. It ultimately doesn't matter what the game looks like or how it sounds; people just want to know how it plays. Then occasionally, this phrase gets turned on its head by some game that is so beautiful or stylish that it almost doesn't matter how it plays. Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is one of those games.
Bat Boy never outstays its welcome or makes anything feel impossible, as long as you’re willing to think outside of the box in relation to your abilities or just hone your skills to the point of being pixel perfect. If you enjoy some of the greatest platformers that we’ve ever been blessed with, that list of stone cold classics that I have mentioned a couple of times in this review, then do yourself a favor and pick up Bat Boy, as it absolutely knocks it out of the park and into a league of its own.