With the involved and great story, lovely art, and multiple paths and outcomes, there is little doubt as to the quality of the game. It is a wonderful story, packaged up as the third part in a much larger, epic tale. It feels a bit short at times, but makes up for it with multiple paths and several ways to handle situations.
It's really sad to see scores slowly slide down like this, but with Crusader Kings II seemingly starting to get stuck in a rut due to a lack of a desire to release things like new maps (hint: China/Japan or a fantasy-style alternate campaign), there wasn't really anywhere for Conclave to go that wasn't 'sequelitus.' As a content patch it would get an A, but as an expansion? Sadly, not so much.
Sorry Neptune, but with this shortage of content (though what is present is at least 'decent'), and outside of the map variety, there isn't much choice for a score. This isn't a PC game. It's a port of a portable title and it shows. Maybe some of the flaws, such as character variety, will be fixed later on through DLC, but… the water is warm and, while people may be more than willing to welcome Hyperdimension Neptunia into this new field, this seems more than willing to just sit on the edge and let its feet dangle into the pool than anything.
As a game, Tales of Symphonia is still the shining gem it once was… in regards to story, that is. The story that was so strong, the characters that became so beloved, and so much more, are all present and correct. However, as an update, this feels like it was lazily done, with only a small amount of effort put in.
Does Dark Cloud hold up and withstand the test of time? Yes, it does - quite well in fact. The problem is that, even at its launch, while it was fun from an objective viewpoint, it had some problems. In no way is it bad, though, as, quite clearly, everything is made competently and enjoyable. Just that its age lines are quite clear and the rising standards of the industry will make this title an interesting throwback worth playing, but perfectly fine to ignore as well.
While Infinite Space III doesn't do anything wrong, it also doesn't do much at all. Even bad games, while bad, at least do something to make them be distinct in one's memory. This game lacks even that. It almost feels like a bargain bin game found for only a small amount of money, surrounded by clearance copies of Bejeweled knock-offs, multiple variations of Mahjong, and that one odd Barbie game that seems like someone should have bought or thrown out but has been there untouched for several years.
The game is solid. It's not going to be legendary in any aspect, and has a few problems such as broken abilities, but is enjoyable all-around and nice to play. Effort was put in and it pays off in the form of actually feeling like its own unique title instead of just another rip-off even if the occasional flashback to fighting aliens happens.
The primary issue with The Age of Decadence is that it feels as if all its problems could be fixed with one simple patch, but weren't. Giving a bit more detail in the quest journal? Would help a lot but not available. Mini-map? Nope. A bit more colour along with some more definition? Sorry. Clothes that don't restrict AP so that streaking wouldn't be the requirement for high-AP combat? Not an option. In its current state it's unpolished at best, but has some potential; potential that, sadly, seems like it has been denied. It shouldn't be avoided, however, as it would be average and, potentially, even enjoyable with these issues ironed out - but it currently feels more of a bore to play, with little to keep interest from tediously running back and forth because it couldn't be bothered to mention where an NPC might be.
The real problem with this expansion is that the amount of content doesn't feel balanced. The Chinese campaign might have been fine, but it didn't even touch on the four prior civilizations and didn't feel like it expanded the world. The added civilization is great and it's nice to see the game grow after such dormancy, but it's also overpowered. The good more than outweighs the bad, however, and, with luck, the 'Age of' series will return in full-on glory!
Sorcery! Parts 1 & 2 has a great story through and through, and the weight of the various choices and potential outcomes does, indeed, feel very heavy and involved. If nothing else, this will be worthwhile to play purely as a story. However, its short length is its real weak point, as the adventure will be over too soon, but at least there is the chance to try all of the various other paths to add some longevity.
There are many upsides to Prison Architect. From its smooth and easy controls, strong gameplay, and the chance for anyone to test how they would react when placed at a position of power. Of course, the game is not without its downsides either, such as the way it can end up fairly monotone once the game is mastered, but, as a whole, it's very worthwhile.
Those who are interested in Sakura Swim Club will likely know already what it is and have their minds decently made up about if it should be purchased or not. As a visual novel it's flat and basic, but it does manage to avoid being frustrating and isn't really 'harmful' in any way for its audience. People not interested in this "genre" will be just fine skipping it, as it holds no desire to deviate from it.
What little Blood Bowl 2 does wrong is more a result of its unconventional mix-up than any technical shortcomings of the game. Combining sports and RPGs is a tricky thing at best, and while Blood Bowl 2 pulls it off well, to say the mix is perfect wouldn't be right. This is fun to play through and through, even if the audience might be limited.
Tales of Zestiria, despite its pointless attempt to reinvent the wheel, holds its own very well and is a solid and enjoyable RPG. Some longtime fans may end up being disappointed due to the attempt to fix what wasn't broken, but it all ultimately fits together and works well enough. This might not be the King Arthur of the Tales series, but it's still at least present at the Round Table.
On its own, Life is Feudal: Your Own is little more than an interesting experiment. The sort of game to pick up once or twice and then put down in favour of others. The reason is the sheer starting cliff that must be scaled to get anything of merit and value going even for a group of players. On the upside, when everything works together, it leads to an interesting and thriving community where even the non-combat jobs can be enjoyable. On the downside, there needs to be quite a few people around to make it work in the first place.
When Clandestine works, it becomes wonderful. Two players working together to try and tackle a mission neither could handle on their own, trying to communicate in order to bolster teamwork; and it works more often than not. However, it struggles against some glaring flaws as well, such as the cumbersome controls, and the frequency of situations where one player will end up waiting around for the other to finish their bits. It's a good concept and core idea, and with a bit more polish, could be great.
In the words of Sadie: "I hurt you, I heal you, I hurt you again. That's the pattern." That is the best summary of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3: V Generation. It's following the pattern, and both the things that used to hurt and be wonderful remain the same. Those who were not already fans won't likely be charmed in by this one. Those who loved it will remain enthralled. It knows its strength, which is in its humour and characters, and doesn't even attempt to deviate from that path, for both the better and worse. It's a great title on the whole - just don't expect it to stray from the pattern.
If basing it on the combat alone, Rebel Galaxy fares high. Story and the like need consideration, though, and they are lacking. It's like having a fancy car with a low tank; fun while it lasts until it sputters down and out (due to the grind), and it takes a tediously and pointlessly long time to get up and going again, by which point the fun may have worn off.
[I]t's a bright flash of enjoyment that simply won't last for long once the main campaign is completed, due to a lack of alternate features. Having a friend can certainly prolong the enjoyment, but its downfall is almost certain in the end.
If the measure of a game was purely its story Tales from the Borderlands would be an unquestioned dominator. The problem is that its gameplay is almost non-existent, with some of it feeling more obligatory than purposeful. Making some of the dialogue options timed also really hurts the game as it pushes the player to act rashly and in a manner they wouldn't normally do if they had just a few more seconds to ponder their preferred choice. However, the story more than holds its own. People looking for more action in their games may be disappointed, but those who simply want an active and pleasant adventure story and are fine with the setting will thoroughly enjoy their time spent.