David Lovato's Reviews
Anyone who loves city-builders and doesn't own a previous entry in the series will likely find a solid, valuable title in Cities XXL. It's not as snappy or attractive, or even as engaging, as some of its competitors, but it's a worthwhile endeavour in its own right.
From the gate it was clear that Life is Strange was a title to keep an eye on. It's now evolved into an experience over a million players are constantly on the edge of their seats to continue, and is poised to become one they'll likely never forget. Even a seemingly shorter, more linear episode like this one shines in all the right places; it's a visual novel with a choose-your-own-adventure twist in which choices matter, and consequences are finally catching up like the dark cyclone ever hurdling toward Arcadia Bay.
Atlus doesn't reinvent the Etrian Odyssey wheel with 2 Untold, but it does build on what made the first release so much fun, without making any readily apparent sacrifices. It features the original Etrian Odyssey 2, as well as a new story-based campaign, successfully separating itself from both the first Untold and the original sequel. While The Fafnir Knight could benefit from more inspired UI elements (especially in building the city and managing the restaurant) and maybe a little more life regarding the characters and NPCs, it's clear that this is a solid entry in a unique RPG franchise, and fans and newcomers alike are going to have a lot of fun with it.
There's a lot of risk in making an episodic, story-centric game, but Dontnod and Square Enix have pulled out all the stops, as shown in Episode 3 - Chaos Theory. Even if the next two episodes bomb, the first three have already crossed the threshold from "videogame" into "interactive experience," and whatever the future holds, Life is Strange is a title people will remember for a long time.
House of Wolves doesn't reinvent Destiny and might not appeal to people who aren't fans, but those who haven't picked the game up in a while will find a lot of new activities here, and those who play daily will have a lot more options for their continuous grind toward higher levels and coveted loot. The story is finally coming together, and House of Wolves sets the game up for bigger, better things to come.
The Shin Megami Tensei games strive to be cool and quirky, yet philosophical and emotional, and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 - Record Breaker achieves what it set out to do. It's a strong story with fun characters, clever tactical RPG and choice-based visual novel gameplay, an interesting, apocalyptic setting rich with Japanese culture, and plenty of replay value. It's tough but not impossible, it's long but not repetitive - there's no game quite like it.
The ending is far away, but the journey thus far has been excellent, and so far Life is Strange is proving to be an experience no gamer should miss.
It doesn't necessarily offer a lot that won't be found in other city-building games, but what it does offer is an open, friendly play-world where gamers can do what they want and have fun doing it. Cities: Skylines doesn't push its audience around or ask too much of them - where similar games might have forced online connectivity or reliance on fussy AI, Cities: Skylines instead opens its arms and asks players to come in, call the shots, and have a blast.
Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis is a good introduction to the game world and story. There's a clear direction, setting, and tone Dontnod is going for, but splitting the game into episodes means a lot of waiting to see if it can carry it through to the end. There's a lot of potential here, both for success and failure, but at the very least Episode 1 provides a great experience full of exploration and intrigue. The cliff-hanger ending serves the episodic nature well enough, but separating chapters by several weeks could prove to be the game's downfall.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is at times frustrating, but is mostly a fun, light-hearted, and immediately and consistently enjoyable videogame. The characters are loveable, the music is catchy, the graphics are solid, and the amount of care put into the game's setting is admirable. It successfully blends old and current philosophies of game design and execution, being reminiscent of classics like Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog but also striking out and standing firmly as its own series, and one that will hopefully be around for a long time.
Rogue Legacy is a unique game that will appeal to a specific set of gamers and probably frustrate the rest. Those who find it fun will enjoy it greatly, with hours of playability, fun aesthetics, and enough variety to ensure no two playthroughs are alike. Rogue Legacy is brutal, punishing even slight mistakes on the player's part, and demanding many, many attempts at getting even one room farther than the previous attempt at conquering the dungeon.