Krista Noren's Reviews
If you're interested in something new to spice up your local gaming get-togethers, or want a staple online title that'll be something you can keep coming back to, then Duck Game is the answer to all those questions and more. The Nintendo Switch is the perfect home for multiplayer fun, with a near-endless library of fun games to pick up and play with your friends. This makes it the ideal platform for Duck Game, a game stuffed with charm, hilarious fun, and just the right amount of insanity.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a beautiful modernization of one of gaming's most beloved RPGs of all time. It preserves what made people fall in love with the game in the first place, while flawlessly bringing other aspects into the modern age.
It's easy to sound trite by saying that Pokemon Legends Arceus is a breath of fresh air that the Pokemon series desperately needed, yet it's also entirely true. For the first time in ages, I'm excited by, and fully invested in a Pokemon game.
There is a ton to see and do in Bravely Default II, and it definitely lives up to the original games in all aspects. Things really open up in the final chapter and that's when the variety really shines brightest. Without a doubt, fans of jRPGs will find plenty to enjoy. Performance issues will pop up now and again, in both handheld and docked, however they're not glaringly prohibitive due to the turn-based nature of the game. More a minor annoyance on the eyes. Still the pros far outweigh the cons to create a genuinely fun overall experience suitable for a great range of people.
PlatinumGames' influence on Final Fantasy's action combat is a massive step in the right direction. That, combined with a thrilling war epic narrative and interesting characters makes for one fantastic game.
Lies of P is one of the best games i’ve played this year. With an interesting and compelling story, a beautifully crafted world full of life, and an outstanding soundtrack to prop it all up. This is not a desolate world mostly devoid of life. You will find people, learn small things about them, notice things about others. See how the conflict has caused so many survivors to lose their minds, or what they’ve done to retain what sanity they have left. And of course, come to understand what caused the puppet uprising, and the true nature of the puppets themselves. All of the worldbuilding in Lies of P is excellent. Each boss fight feels epic, every weapon acquired was exciting, and any chance to extract a piece of the story from this world left me wanting more. For anyone who wants a true Soulslike experience, or you just want a fantastic and well crafted videogame, Lies of P is exactly what you’re looking for.
While it doesn't outclass its predecessor, Steins;Gate 0 is an excellent game, and a is a worthy addition to one of the best visual novel series ever written.
Massive's dedication and care to development have resulted in The Division 2 definitively being one of this year's best games thus far.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gets its time to (cat) shine, now that it's finally on the Nintendo Switch.
Dishonored 2 takes everything that made Dishonored 1 great, and improves upon nearly every aspect. With a wealth of different ways to play, as well as fantastic level design dotted with collectibles, this game is sure to please returning fans and newcomers alike.
Boasting top-notch writing, visuals, and gameplay, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is one of the 3DS' finest titles and an experience well worth your time.
Dragon Ball Z is a video game franchise that has many beloved entries, from the Legacy of Goku series, to the Budokai and Tenkaichi games. However, these games have always been targeted to its niche fanbase. Dragon Ball FighterZ is different; it's a fighting game that everyone, including veteran DBZ fans and newcomers alike, can enjoy wholeheartedly.
Code Vein is a brilliant evolution of the soulslike style. With fun combat, a well done AI partner system and a wealth of build options. Each area permeates that distinct desolate feeling, while still managing to remain unique. Even the story manages to keep being interesting enough to continually draw the player forward to discover more, with an elegant system to experience memories of past events to flesh out the story. Anyone who enjoys both anime style games, and soulslike games has plenty to enjoy in Code Vein.
This is exactly what a new Crash game should feel like--as though it was created in the 90's, but with enough modern touches to keep it from feeling outdated. Crash 4's levels and mechanics are incredibly fun, and the whole game feels at home with the other 3 entries that came before it.
An overwhelmingly positive experience. Combat is satisfying from start to finish, with a large variety of content for the player to dive into. A fun and unique take on the typical Three Kingdoms setting, with plenty of familiarities drawn from KOEI's other games. While it has its flaws, they're mostly minor and really does nothing to diminish the overall experience. Team Ninja clearly learned from their mistakes, so anyone hesitant because of Nioh has nothing to worry about here. It's time to grab a weapon and fight for the future of the Three Kingdoms.
Last Epoch is a very high quality product, that is clearly the reward of many years of hard work and dedication. Despite not being at the finish line yet, this title in early access far exceeds many in its genre on multiple fronts. It’s a wonderful and full package, and it’s exciting to realize there’s more yet to come. Development is clearly active, releasing a major patch between writing this review and publishing it. I have no qualms recommending it to fans of action RPGs, you will find much to enjoy in this title. There’s no doubt in my mind i’ll keep coming back to try new classes, and new builds. And i’ll definitely get the damn squirrel helmet! So if you’re a fan of this style of game, it’s time kick some dinosaurs in the teeth whilst you journey to the ends of time itself.
Leifthrasir is an improvement of the original Odin Sphere in every way imaginable. If you were a fan of the original game, love beat-em-ups, or just want a game with solid combat, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a must-play.
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is a departure from what one might expect from the series, but it proves that those changes make for an overall fantastic "next-gen" game.
All in all, Trails of Cold Steel is a very solid experience. It takes the groundwork from other popular series in the genre, and although it doesn't do anything outstanding with that, it's still a great game.
Although the ending might not be one that fans expected, Zero Time Dilemma is a great game, with a lot of shocking twists and turns within its story. And being able to even have a finale to the Zero Escape series proves that we’re all in the best possible timeline.