Justin Celani's Reviews
Hidden Dragon Legend is the classic example of a game trying to be bigger than it's potential budget or development. There is a great idea here marred by too many issues for me to really recommend this to anyone except the hardcore action or indie supporters. There is fun to be had, but it comes with serious caveats.
I love what the developers are going for here, but it feels like a huge squandered opportunity.
I’d rather watch the news than play Action News Heroes and that says enough.
Never a good thing, but these games live and die by their storyline hooks. What started as really intriguing for me ended up growing dull in the long run. As far as a game goes for the genre, it’s not horrible or broken, and I’m sure some folks will really enjoy the story being told here, but for me it’s too little all around.
It's the epitome of being a game for fans and only for the fans "if" they like the gameplay loop, otherwise all that's left is a story to follow and if that's all the fun, the game might as well have been another visual novel.
It’s a shame to say, but Toy Odyssey disappointed me almost from the start, but in a very conflicting way. I immediately could tell the core action and platforming where rough, but I enjoyed the visuals and story elements. A game that quite frankly walks a straight line right down the middle for me. As a game, I grew frustrated with it, as an idea I wanted to like it more.
Bard Gold is a decent little indie title, but it’s one specifically aimed at people who are into these roguelike games. Side scrolling, with a little dose of death and progression goes a long way to keep the game entertaining enough, but it just doesn’t do enough different or interesting things to garner much attention.
What we have is fast and fun, but limited. If the core elements here don’t keep players entertained, there isn’t much to bring them back later aside from some free DLC levels coming in the near future. There is the sense that this was a quick and dirty project, created for who knows what reason, but here it is, and it’s only recommended for players extremely curious.
Everybody's gone to Rapture… but sadly not everyone will like it.
Bedlam is an interesting experience, and one that older gamers can probably appreciate a bit more than the younger generation today. Even with my experience of older games, this is an experience that reminds me how much gaming has evolved over the last few years, and for the better. It's a nice idea, and in a world where gaming could use more inventive narratives, it succeeds. It just isn't a very fun game to play, and that's honestly missing half the point. If the idea behind the game interests you enough, read the book it's based off of instead.
Two steps forward, one step back. I want to like Homefront Revolution more than I do. It's got a good heart and some solid ideas buried behind the mess, and most players won't be willing to put up with it. Those that do will find some solid moments of gameplay strewn throughout, but if it's worth their time is ultimately up to them.
There is a very solid idea and set up behind Republique but it's one that I'm constantly pulling my hair to get through. The camera angles I can usually deal with but with the required accuracy for stealth and needing to control both Hope and the static cameras prove to be too infuriating. Republique has a great dystopian style world and a set up that had me hoping to overlook its simpler graphics, dated animations, and odd stuttering moments but the one thing that could have pushed this over the edge is fun factor, and that simply wasn't there.
Kerbal Space Program is just that, a program concerning space and the computations of getting a craft in space and making the trip alive. There is plenty of room for human error and it can also be a bit trial by error, but if it's a genre that players can appreciate or get into, there isn't anything quite like it on consoles. That said, it's a tough to learn, it's rough around the edges, and there isn't really an easy way to get accustomed to the game even with the tutorials. Recommend only for the most hardcore of space simulation fans and patience is a must.
Subject 13 isn’t a horrible game or experience, it’s was just an extremely tepid one for me. Hard to recommend to anyone except those craving for more entries in the genre when most other options are exhausted.
Zenith is a game I wanted to enjoy more, and there are plenty of times I did have fun, but the combat was the most un-fun and unfair aspect of the game, and that’s what players will be doing the majority of the time.
Rodea the Sky Solider has an interesting story and cast, with a colorful world that is fun to fly around in. Yet that flying around should feel even better, and it just lacks that polished feeling. It's a unique game and one that reminds me of early era games I played back the Playstation or Nintendo 64. It's 2015 though, and I can't overlook all the various issues that bring the experience down, making it feel like more of a relic then a new game released today. It's tries to do new things and soar high, but it ends up staying rather grounded and is only recommended to folks looking for a unique but flawed experience.
There is a unique vision here for the world at play, but the design decisions, along with frustration, just didn't leave me with a great experience. It won't last players more than a few hours, but maybe that's for the best.
The idea behind Albedo is a cool one, but it's one that doesn't feel like the idea fully panned out. I appreciate everything the game does offer, especially as I hear it was created by a one man team. I just wish it had more polish and felt better to player.
I had fun with the game in limited capacity, but overall every time I was getting into the grove, the lack of lives or just the boring story took me out of it. Granted there are a few other modes besides the story, including a true endless runner mode which I got the most fun out of, but it's ultimately a game that I wanted to enjoy more then I actually did.
The best part about Bee Simulator is just how unique of a concept it is. The game has a definite sense of style and by that I mean, it feels like the player is truly in the world we know but so much smaller. Running around and popping balloons with my stinger gave me the best sort of smile every time. The game also teaches players about bee’s and other interesting facts making this a game for the entire family. I don’t think Bee Simulator is going to blow anyways away, but at the same time I can see a lot of families and kids really enjoying this one. It’s just a simple, smile inducing title that stands out unique enough to give players something different to experience.