Brandon Howard's Reviews
Mordheim: City of the Damned is stacked with every odd against those who live in its ruined streets. While a fun, challenging, and sometimes all too dehumanising experience, a steep learning curve and tricky management systems can make for a meaty dish locked behind a very tough shell. Still, it's definitely more than worth the time it takes to learn its systems, and strategy and tabletop gaming fans should definitely take the time to look at this excellent adaptation.
While not a narrative that would be found in a larger-scale RPG, the story is engaging enough to make keeping track of all the various factions and personalities not only worthwhile, but entertaining. By itself, the gameplay is enough to keep the action moving at an excellent pace, and the mission length is perfect for long grinds, or quick sessions on the go. The adjustable difficulty curve and "easy to learn, hard to master" combat makes it a great starting point for those just getting into turn-based strategy titles, and a point of mastery for genre veterans. Image & Form really showcases its ability to tackle new styles of play, and succeeds on nearly every level with SteamWorld Heist.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon has a really rough start. It tries to set itself up for a grand adventure, but comes across as plodding and aggravating for the first several hours. While not an absolute deal breaker, it does make for a hard sell for those who aren't totally committed to the series. For fans of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, however, there's a bevy of new customisation options, new Pokémon to meet and recruit, and new challenges and dungeons to explore. It may not be quite the comeback some were expecting, but it shows that the series still knows its roots, and that there's still room to grow from here.
Yo-kai Watch is definitely an all-ages RPG. Everything from the dialogue to the battle system feels very light-hearted, and that's definitely not a bad thing. With a huge amount of media related to it out there, being accessible to anyone who might want to play through it is a major strength. Despite its kid-friendly appearance, there's a lot to like here, either for fans of the animated series, or just for someone looking to pick up a low-stress RPG. With hugely appealing characters and highly addictive gameplay, Yo-kai Watch has really set itself up for long-lasting success as a franchise.
This War of Mine: The Little Ones is not a happy game, or even a particularly enjoyable one. It's a painful, gruelling experience that really illustrates the horrors, choices, and atrocities present in war. It's not "fun" by any standard that is usually associated with playing a game. What 11 Bit Studios has done here, is create a masterful experience that lets players share, in a very small way, what it is like to live in a country torn apart by war. While it might be hard to think of This War of Mine in the same sense people think of other titles based on the subject of war, it might just paint the most vivid, terrible picture about what conflict does to those embroiled within it. It's a painful experience, but it's one that is ultimately worth having.
While Final Fantasy Explorers isn't exactly a first, either for the series or RPGs, it's still an enjoyable game that can be experienced either alone or with friends. Some of the controls do hold it back, and there definitely could have been a bit more effort put into the storyline, but there are some very interesting and deep mechanics to experience here. Despite being a bit of a grind later on, it's definitely worthwhile when that perfect skill combination is found, or a flawless set of gear is crafted. Whether alone or with friends, Explorers is a worthy investment for those looking to scratch that RPG itch.
Frankly, nothing about Sayonara Umihara Kawase makes it a welcoming experience. The controls might be tight, but a platformer where the physics are a constant battle, and the levels restart so slowly, make for an extremely aggravating adventure. While the mechanics might make it work better at a puzzle platformer, this still demands cat-like reflexes so often that this simply isn't an option. As far as challenging platformers go, this definitely sets the bar high, but even the most devoted fan of the genre will have trouble looking past the glaring issues present here.
Alphadia isn't exactly terrible, but it isn't doing itself any favours, either. The battle system never provides any meaningful challenge, and doesn't function differently enough to really strike a unique chord. The characters all feel extremely flat and one-dimensional, and there isn't a compelling reason to feel engaged in their quest. While the foundational elements are all here, ultimately, there are bound to be JRPGs that are more worth your time.
There's something that definitely seems to be missing from Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest. The challenge is certainly there, but it brings its own sacrifices, as well. Ultimately, the narrative feels a little worse off for its separation into three parts, and despite each telling a complete story, there's something nagging about the "What if?" that always seems to come to mind while playing. Despite that, the characters and the challenges provided give so much that, aside from its shortcomings, it's still a compelling story, and an excellent role-playing game.
Action Henk is definitely worth looking into for those who miss the long gone days and blistering speeds of, well, certain other platforming giants. While perhaps not quite as polished as it could be, with its definite lack of variety in level design and relatively short length, it's still a solid pick up for fans of those racing-like platformers. There's a lot of character built into the world, with references to other games and long-loved in-jokes. Even if it's not perfect, it's fast, it's fun, and it's a genuinely good time.
It's hard to imagine exactly who the target audience of Gunscape would end up being. Given the messy nature of the controls and physics, it's hard to see FPS fans of any rank eager to hop on board. While the level creator does make building levels more accessible than the modding community of more polished shooters, these tools don't really make up for the lack of reward implicit in playing through the levels a player will build. For all its good ideas, solid level building, and robust variety, this ultimately fails to deliver on its core mechanics, and that alone makes it a really challenging sell.
For those who like the original game, Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is like the ultra hard mode expansion to that. It's an extremely challenging experience that doesn't really build on its predecessor so much as it takes the difficulty of it up to eleven.
Despite its flaws in narrative presentation, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation is far and away the definitive experience for people who have fallen in love with the characters of the trilogy. It provides some new challenges for those more engaged in the strategy aspect of the series, but it doesn't have the fine tuning needed to set it apart in this regard. It brings to rest a lot of the questions raised in the storyline, but it asks its own questions, and these never really get resolved. While there may be DLC in the future to answer these, it still leaves behind a slight feeling of disappointment. Regardless, it's a worthy entry to the series, and one undoubtedly worth replaying time and time again, just to revisit old friends.
République doesn't do itself any favours through its control system. It's definitely not the pinnacle of stealth gameplay but, luckily, it doesn't have to be. The characters and story are all interesting enough to grab attention through all five episodes, and each has its own unique elements of suspense and intrigue. It might be sometimes frustrating to play, but there's something utterly compelling that it's hard to want to put it down.
Dance Magic has some really unique and interesting things going for it, and it's easy to come back to the battle system over and over just for how addictive it is to string together musical combos. That being said, the core game does struggle with occasionally imprecise inputs, and the actual tracks don't really feel that great to listen to again and again. While there's a lot to like here, it's definitely a title more geared towards fans of its core rhythm genre; the ones who don't mind delving into a more combative style of dancing.
The Banner Saga 2 is an absolute joy, with its simple, yet deep, strategy, and its hard-hitting narrative. Not only is it a worthy successor to its predecessor, but it honestly can stand on its own as an introduction to the series. It is a lot to get into at first, and the barrier for entry might be a bit high for those unfamiliar with the genre, but it's absolutely one of the most compelling strategy titles out right now, for those willing to get their feet wet.
Guilty Gear 2: Overture blends strategy and action in a way that ultimately diminishes both aspects. While the base mechanics of both systems are solid, neither really comes across as defining, making the entire experience feel a bit half-baked. A serious push to take the game in either direction might have yielded better results, but as it stands, it's hard to imagine an audience that would really enjoy the experience this title provides.
Ultimately, Cutie Pets Pick Berries feels grossly unsuited for its platform, largely through an input method that doesn't suit its fast pace. While there is some fun to be had by creating perfectly constructed combos of fancy fruits, the lack of direction and explanation behind the mechanics make it hard to pick up. While it might (and that's a big might) be hard to put down after that initial stage, the eventual aggravation behind a lack of endgame and its painful controls make it an outing best left out in the woods.
Aesthetically, Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus is a beautifully crafted undertaking. While the sprawling maps are gorgeous, the level design falls a bit short from a purely gameplay standpoint, and the combat, while well executed, doesn't really add much to the core exploration. It's missing a few seams, but overall it's a very well put together adventure. Even with its flaws, it's definitely one fantastical adventure, and one that's absolutely worth playing.
Despite some minor flaws in its controls and systems, Good Robot is still an immensely enjoyable experience. The visuals and sounds all play together harmoniously, and it manages to blend two very different genres in a way that's not only fun, but completely approachable for newcomers. Easy to pick up and hard to put down, it's definitely worth a look.