Ganbare! Super Strikers is simply let down by the limitations of being a micro-indie game. It has a host of good ideas, and the action on the pitch is fine.
The appeal of Langrisser I & II is quite limited, and I don't think it's going to grab the attention of the Fire Emblem new converts that the developer was probably hoping to. With that being said, for the nostalgic, and people who like their traditional tactics JRPGs, there's a lot to like here.
Kingdom Rush isn’t even that great by tower defence standards.
Hero Must Die has a lot going for it – a strong, immediately compelling theme, a lovely, melancholic aesthetic, and a simple elegance to its systems. Unfortunately, the development team really struggled to find a way to marry the form and function of the JRPG, and the narrative that the mechanics are meant to support.
Ultimately, Wanderlust succeeds in being an inspirational work about the power of travel.
If you love your historical strategy for the history that they depict, then Romance of the Three Kingdoms delivers. Everything about it is a perfect reflection on what that book was on about.
My one real concern with Katana Kami is that I’m not sure just how well it conveys its themes to people who aren’t already deeply into this stuff.
Rune Factory 4 is a delight. It's one of those heartfelt, earnest, and wholesome games that remind you that not everything needs to be dour, competitive, excessively violent, or deep.
Ciel Fledge could have been more robust... indeed, it really should have been. There's just not enough substance to go with the charming presentation and concept. However, it's still one of those things that's difficult to put down, not least because its gameplay loops and feedback are tight and engaging.
Hunt could have been so much more.
Code: Realize is a beautiful visual novel, with a wonderful concept that is written wonderfully.
I'm in a difficult spot with Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate. On the one hand, the base game itself is so good, and the extra stuff doesn't mess with that. On the other hand, the extra stuff doesn't do much for the overall experience.
In the end, Mega 39 does one, very special thing: it takes the incredible Hatsune Miku Project Diva Future Tone, and makes it portable.
Where most other Level-5 games are a joy and delight, this one really felt too much like a slog.
On the one hand, the sheer quality of the game is evident in bounds, and as a homage to the mighty Baldur's Gate, it continues on the excellent trajectory set down by its predecessor. On the other hand, those loading times really are so bad that I neither enjoy my time with the game, nor want to play it.
It's a clean, snappy, hugely entertaining game, and an excellent next step forward for the emerging property.
Three superb games within an astounding collection that allows you to play the entire series from beginning to end
If only that localisation didn't put a dampener on everything by making a full half of the game, and, critically, the context that gives the action purpose, so irritating to sit through.
The only other issue with Patapon 2 is that the rhythms will get stuck deep into your brain, and it takes ages to push them out. And then you'll load up the game again and it'll be stuck all over again. It's just that charming, bright, and catchy
he answer is this: a confused, incomplete narrative, an uninspired fantasy world, and some of the most shallow tactics RPG action that we've ever seen in a game.