Story and the characters are right there, and there are some adorable yuri moments that will make fans blush, but that is all the quality that there's to be found in Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle, as the gameplay is sluggish and too simple for a modern 3D fighter. It is easy to take such gameplay for granted, but Burst Battle shows the danger of doing that. It could have done decent as a shorter visual novel, but sadly the action part cannot be saved by a couple of adorable moments and pretty art.
It is difficult to not get pulled in by the insane humour and fun, solid, gameplay delivered with Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder. It is both a perfect solo player game to play through once or maybe twice, and a great multiplayer game to pick up with friends on social gatherings. The simple, yet fun nature of it is like a good joke everyone gets and rolls along with, even if they have heard it before.
Splasher is a creative, fun, and competent 2D platformer. It takes a gimmick and runs with it as far as it possibly can in the best way possible. It keeps the player interested and the difficulty curve fair by slowly feeding new tools to change the environment and gameplay, ensuring the game stays fresh towards the end. It is, however, on the short end, and a special world with extremely challenging stages at the end of the game would not have hurt it at all. That said, when the only complaint is that the player is left wishing for more, even after a filling meal, it is a great testament to how good and solid Splasher truly is.
Samurai Riot is a wonderful arcade game, but a mediocre to, sometimes, bad beat 'em up. The arcade experience is very strong, especially in co-op, as the studio has nailed what people want in an such a title down to the letter, with unlockable alternative styles for characters, and multiple routes for higher replay value and routing for points to figure out where it is easier to rack up a neat high score. However, the core gameplay feels too simplistic, and the background could do a much better job at making it easier to see what is breakable or not, and thus make finding health and one-ups less tedious.
League of Evil does somewhat scratch that itch for challenging 2D platforming, but it does the bare minimum to do so. The gameplay is as minimalistic as it gets to the point that it hurts more than helps, and the graphics makes it too obvious that this is originally an iOS game with some years on its neck. While it has a neat level editor, it does not solve the too basic gameplay, and there are far better options out there for people pining for a challenging 2D platformer.
Ironcast is a daring title with a concept many would be terrified to touch. The reward is huge, though, as this might be one of the strongest match puzzle games on the market at this point, with depth unlocked thanks to the choice of theme. Every piece of Ironcast works together in a wonderful resonance between style and gameplay, and creates a unique and entertaining experience that fans of the genre will not forget in the near future.
God Wars: Future Past is a very traditional TRPG, and as such, it is built upon a solid foundation, and fans of the genre are going to like it. It does, however, do very little to stand out. It could also be helped a bit by balancing the jobs more. Some jobs just feel extremely underwhelming compared to others. The story and the gameplay in general are going to deliver what fans expect and desire, though: nothing less, and sadly, nothing more.
There is nothing ground-breaking about Crossout, and it has some flaws here and there. Despite all this, it is a solid experience that really captures exactly what the people who are going to be interested in a game like this are looking out for. It puts importance on everything in the game, and it is difficult to pick away specific aspects that aren't interesting when playing it. While it is the biggest strength of the game, it is also its biggest flaw. It is like a meal; you have to eat the veggies before getting the dessert, whether you like it or not.
While it is annoying that the Endless Dungeon farming option is unlocked extremely late in the game, that is a minor annoyance in an otherwise good edutainment title. The wordplay is wonderful, and the light RPG elements do just enough to keep the player hooked. It is a great arcade experience, as well as a learning experience. This makes Spellspire easy to recommend to both veteran wordsmiths, or just people who look to sharpen their pens and tongues.
It is easy to lose a lot of time in Portal Knights. The gameplay is really addictive and feels free, rewarding, and varied. It is, however, poorly balanced later on. It truly feels like the game at times artificially extends its own playtime, something that should not be required in an open world sandbox title, even if it has strong ARPG influences. The overall experience is so great, though, that it is easy to forgive it for that.
Creative and colourful are two words that perfectly sums up both the spirit and gameplay of de Blob. It is refreshing to enter a more open 3D platformer in which there are several ways to proceed through, rather than going on a preset route, or fail doing so. The challenges are neatly balanced with the rewards, and the way it is possible to instantly retry something without any requirements to do so means that even the more difficult challenges feels fair and rewarding rather than punishing. If looking for a game that plays with you rather than against you, this is a warm recommendation.
Chambara is a very strong local multiplayer title that catches some of the appeal of the late 90's deathmatch experiences, added with some stealthy hide-and-seek elements. While it's fun while it lasts, the fact that at least two players are required to play, mixed with the feeling of being one of those "in between" games that are played for like 10 minutes, makes it difficult for it to last as well as some of the older classics, and makes it hard to build up a great gaming night on its own, but the time it gets in the spotlight will be remembered fondly by those present, and will be revisited again and again.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII: Fame and Strategy Expansion Pack is a mix of many small and elegant changes that ultimately helps the core game becoming the best it can be - the best sort of expansion in other words. On top of that, there is the new meaty prestige system that really helps shape the officer life into a much more entertaining experience than in the core game and could easily have been sold on its own. This makes it a mandatory expansion to own for both veterans and new players alike if they are looking for the best possible experience.
Major\Minor does the major parts right in a lot of clever and beautiful ways. The world is fantastic, the art is wonderful, and the plot is filled with twists and turns. However, all the minor things it does wrong, from specific character traits that eventually builds up a cast comprised almost solely of Mary Sues, and the inability to save anywhere or easily read previous text boxes. These little flaws really pull what could have been a great visual novel down a couple of pegs. It is still a highly recommended read for anyone into the furry fandom, or who can stand a cast filled with Mary Sues, thanks to the story and the artwork.
Besides a neat level editor to share stages with friends, there is nothing to be seen here that hasn't been seen countless times before - and more polished. While fun for half an hour, Urban Trial Freestyle 2 has no lasting appeal on its own, but is truly reliant on the level editor and user generated content. Other than that, there are better options out there if looking for a game like this.
Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits is, at its stronger parts, a fantastic game about being young, curious, and free - a pleasant feeling most either feel or miss from their childhood days. Mixed with this is a huge feeling of impatience, fed by terrible gameplay choices to extend playtime during some of the worst sections of the game, which makes this sometimes feel like it is overstaying its welcome. Overall, it is a good catch 'em all game, but it is rough around the edges.
While Senran Kagura: Estival Versus has some content that will be repellent towards many potential consumers, the game is so honest about it that it would be unfair to hold it against them. Yes, this is a title that focuses mainly on Yuri fanservice, but it does it in a sometimes elegant and really nuanced way, offering some really solid gameplay and entertaining enough characters to keep the game entertaining, instead of just offering pure naughtiness.
While Touhou Genso Wanderer is not a game with wide mass appeal, it is exactly everything its fan base wants from a dungeon crawler.
It is refreshing to see something that feels fresh in a genre that often sadly feels all too similar, and the ingenious part is that the developer has simply taken familiar elements to do this. Anyone who has ever played any Magic: The Gathering-inspired TCG is going to feel right at home with the card structure, but the board adds much complexity in a form rarely seen in the genre. This complexity and single-player makes it a perfect game for both veterans and newcomers to the genre who want to dip their toes in the deep waters and get a fully competitive experience.
What could have been a great SRPG based on the Dynasty Warriors franchise falls flat, thanks to the decision to keep the density of units from normal Musou games in an SRPG where the player actually has to sit through the enemy's turn. Having plenty of enemies to slice through to feel empowered and strong works well in real-time, but in turn-based games it is more likely that the player will fall asleep than feel excited when fighting against armies of enemies.