Meg Pelliccio's Reviews
InKonbini: One Store. Many Stories offers a short but very sweet slice-of-life game that makes you value the quiet moments and fleeting conversations you have with strangers. Much like our favourite convenience store snacks, it offers plenty of flavour in a bite-sized chunk that keeps our appetite satiated until the next eye-catching game comes along.
Directive 8020 offers a few changes to the series template, and all for the very respectable reason of wanting to evolve and iterate the core gameplay fans know and love. Turning Points is a fantastic new addition, but the new stealth sections quickly became repetitive. Still, you can see the promising seed of what that idea could grow into in future games.
Masters of Albion’s little quirks and British humour make it endearing and funny, adding some much-appreciated details to what makes it stand out, like its crafting and odd building mechanics.
You’ll be perfecting your monstie team long after you’ve rolled the credits, and I’m hoping it will have the same amount of post-launch content as the last title for us to throw our monstie teams at, because the game is so good that I just want even more of it.
It raises the bar when it comes to puzzles and challenges, while giving us some much-anticipated answers as to where Mui came from and the more technologically advanced society that existed in the ancient past. Lana is more grown-up here, and so the darker story feels right at home as we continue this journey with her, and I’m now left in anticipation of her next chapter.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a strong follow-up to the first title, continuing the gorgeous art style and unique gameplay system, and cementing the series as the peak when it comes to supernatural puzzle visual novels. While the puzzles could have been more balanced throughout, the narrative and characters outshine those of the previous game and make for a deliciously moreish game that kept me captivated from beginning to end.
Overall, Yakuza Kiwami 3 is now the best way to experience Yakuza 3, especially since this retcon will likely now be the established canon. There’s no arguing that it has improved on the original in many ways, not only giving it a much-needed facelift and tinkering under the hood to make for a smoother experience, but adding a whole host of new content to whet our appetite. While I lament some losses during the creative overhaul and I am notably disgruntled by one major change, I can’t deny that the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Rue Valley is a clever puzzle game that uses its time loop foundations to not only present a unique challenge for players but also to craft a rich narrative that will tug on the heartstrings.
Bananza was a great game because it allowed you to play at your own pace, destroying layers, exploring every inch, and uncovering every collectible. Putting a time limit on it to simply smash and grab against the clock just didn’t feel as appealing to me, especially when there doesn’t seem to be much payoff for doing all this.
Unrestrained from the restrictions of the Nintendo DS and with a new lease of life thanks to new features, refinements, and an overhauled presentation, Grand Bazaar finally manages to live up to its full potential.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is capable of doing the same. Pop it on when you next go to see Grandma, and find out which minigame she excels at best.
Whether I stick with it because the narrative and gameplay steal my attention (and my heart), or whether I bounce off because I get too frustrated by monetisation roadblocks remains to be seen. But, for the time being, I’m a fan of The Phantom X.
Level-5 has come back swinging with Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, improving on the original in every way and offering a smorgasbord of gameplay ideas without ever feeling like it’s trying too much at once. It balances this level of depth with a laid-back, cosy approach that makes it all too easy to enjoy for hours on end.
I have been left wanting more, but not because it didn’t deliver enough. The whole adventure was so moreishly enjoyable and the world so intriguing that I just want even more of such a good thing.
Life sim fans are certain to lap it up with gusto, providing they can overcome the graphical barrier. The real test of whether InZoi will reign as the life sim king will come with time, as long as regular updates happen and Krafton delivers on the promise of all it has in development.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a fantastic game for those who appreciate short story collections that encompass all things weird and creepy. I played it on my Steam Deck, curled up in bed with it much like I would with one of my folklore books. Just don’t forget to check under your bed before you get into it.
Pirate Yakuza goes all in on making Majima the most charming, endearing, and downright loveable rogue he’s ever been. It takes everything Majima and ramps it up to a million, throws in some added pirate spice and soul searching for the main man, and has him performing stunts and smacking down enemies as if he’s a character in his prime, not a 60 year old fast approaching retirement.
Wall Town Wonders is one of the most creative uses of mixed reality I’ve ever seen and it has quickly become one of my favourite VR games. It’s easy to slip into for a few minutes to check on your town, or you can play for hours as you delve through your favourite minigames to grow your little civilisation more quickly. The detailed world you’ll find living in your walls is utterly charming and you certainly won’t forget it in a hurry.
Yakuza Kiwami remains one of the best stories that RGG has ever told, and showing its age a smidge doesn’t diminish that. Showcasing Kiwami on another platform to welcome new fans into the fold can only be a good thing, and it’s impressive just how well it runs on Switch. Most importantly, now Majima Everywhere can really be everywhere as he just became portable.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a new peak for Atlus. It takes so much of what was great about Persona, refines it, and throws that powder into an exciting fantasy setting with incredible lore, well-developed characters, and a fresh new battle system.