Jason Hidalgo's Reviews
“Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” is a great reimagining of the classic Fatal Fury formula for modern audiences, with fun fighting action plus more accessible options for newcomers and casual players. The Episodes of South Town Mode can feel like a slog after a while and the first two guest character choices are questionable. The fighting itself, however, is nice and tight with solid mechanics and plenty of styles to choose from. It’s great for veterans and more casual players alike.
Atelier Yumia represents an evolution for the series, which makes some pretty big changes — literally and figuratively — to its world design and combat. The game doubles down further on the open world introduced by Atelier Ryza 3 while also moving the pendulum further toward action for its combat. Not everyone will be happy with the changes. Folks who want to see something different and fresh with the longtime JRPG series, however, just might find Atelier Yumia to be the ideal alchemical romance.
Monster Hunter Wilds is another excellent addition to the long-running series, adding new fun mechanics such as Focus Mode that bring life to its stable of weapons. Environments are also larger and feel more alive while confronting the game’s strongest monsters can feel like an epic, movie-worthy showdown thanks to great visuals and music that will make you want to run over hot coals. The game does have occasional performance hiccups and the large maps can be a bit confusing and unwieldy to navigate. The monster count could also be better. Despite its issues, Monster Hunter Wilds represents another step in the right direction, boasting some of the best — if not the best — grounded combat in the franchise plus excellent monster fights. I can’t wait to see how it shapes up after additional updates and its future Master Rank expansion.
“Dragon Age: The Veilguard” is Bioware’s attempt to move the long-running series forward in a new direction. Certain aspects of the game from its writing and character design to its action-heavy mechanics can admittedly be polarizing. While the storytelling can be uneven at times, however, the combat is fun and the visuals look gorgeous. If you love Mass Effect and are itching to play a fantasy version of the series, then Veilguard just might be your cup of tea.
Playing Sonic X Shadow Generations is kind of like indulging in the memories of an ex who you had wonderful times with. The spark may no longer be what it was before. But thinking of those happy moments still puts a smile on your face — just like speeding through Green Hill Zone again for old times sake never quite gets old.
If you’re looking for the technical depth of a Street Fighter or a Virtua Fighter, this is not the game for you. Instead, what “Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero” does is serve up a fun fighting game that emulates the over-the-top action of Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus. In that sense, the game is akin to a wish come true for fans after amassing seven Dragon Balls in their hands.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is a faithful re-imagining of the classic game with several new bells and whistles to make it more interesting for modern audiences. The remake might be faithful to a fault as some of the mechanics can feel dated at this point. The AI for battles could also use some improvement. With more than 1,000 playable officers and a plethora of roles for players to assume, however, ROTK 8 Remake boasts plenty of replayability. If you loved the original or are pining for some classic ROTK gameplay, this is one romance that isn’t bad at all.
Metal Slug Tactics is a fun tactical take on the classic Metal Slug run-and-gun philosophy while emulating the look of the franchise. It certainly puts its own spin on the genre, encouraging players to move their characters as far as possible to take advantage of the ensuing buffs and bonuses. At the same time, game-breaking bugs can dampen the experience, especially when combined with its roguelite mechanics. It’s a shame as Metal Slug Tactics can be quite fun when things are clicking.
“The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” is a modern reimagination of the series’ classic formula. Having Zelda instead of Link in the starring role, however, makes for a fresh experience that is arguably long overdue. The game, admittedly, has some niggles with regard to its combat and summoning system. The game, however, oozes with charm while boasting Nintendo’s trademark polish. It’s recommended for Zelda fans young and old alike.
Like its mischievous protagonist, “Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town” is a surprisingly complex game. And by that, I don’t mean its mechanics. After all, the gameplay in “Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town” is about as simple as it gets. Instead, it’s the little details where the game pleasantly surprises. In that sense, “Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town” is very Crayon Shin-chan-like. It might seem shallow at first. But give it a closer look and there’s some depth behind that butt-walking move that he loves to whip out.
Does the thought of a robotic buffet whet your otaku appetite? Gundam Breaker 4 boasts a massive collection of mechs from the popular series for players to collect, customize and battle with until your appetite is satiated. Its visuals and story are so-so and the combat can be a bit repetitive. The customization, however, is quite deep and can keep folks occupied for hours upon hours. While the game isn’t for everyone, Gundam Breaker 4 will definitely scratch the itch of fans of the popular robot franchise.
Spy x Anya: Operation Memories is a game that’s definitely targeted at the series’ fans. The slice-of-life family outings and mini-games won’t be enough to engage games unfamiliar with the manga or anime and their story. For folks who feel like the best part of waking is having more servings of the Forger family in their cup, however, Spy x Anya: Operation Memories basically means more Spy x Family to enjoy.
At a time when larger gaming companies are more averse to taking any risks and seem more interested in riding established IPs or developing new live service games, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a refreshing new entry that tries to do something different instead of concocting new ways to nickel and dime its players. Its fusion of action and tower defense might be too niche for some players. For folks who like real-time combat and strategy, however, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess will feel like their prayers were answered.
If you happen to be one of the gamers who think “Princess Peach: Showtime” is not good because it’s a “kiddie” game, well, someday, you might have a young niece or nephew or kids of your own, too. When that day comes, you just might come to appreciate how great it is to have a game like “Princess Peach: Showtime” as you watch that same child laugh and have a blast while either playing the game or watching you play the game while you’re sitting together on the couch. Trust me, it’s one of the greatest joys of being a gamer.
Sand Land harkens back to a time when action adventure games were hitting their stride after the jump from 2D pixels to 3D polygons. It just feels like a familiar friend from the old days — one that you’re quite happy to see return after a long while. Yeah, he may still be sporting an outdated mullet and using old slang. But he’s still the same good guy that you know and had fun times with and, honestly, that’s really all you need sometimes. Add the late Akira Toriyama’s unique visual style and you have a game that fans of old-school 3D action adventure games just might have a super time with.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a solid remake of the original Gameboy Advance game that successfully modernizes it for today’s audience. The overall puzzle experience is interesting and the addition of new features plus its co-op mode helps round out the gameplay more. The platforming can feel wonky at times and you can go through the game rather quickly. If you enjoyed the original or are looking for a fun puzzle game, however, this is a Mario and Donkey Kong rematch that might be worth buying into.
Like a dashing Chocobo, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues the momentum started by Final Fantasy VII Remake by improving on its predecessor in every way. As a sequel, it doesn’t quite have that revolutionary sense of newness that Remake initially wowed audiences with. But what it has is an even more fleshed-out experience with tons of exploration, oodles of extra content and an even more polished combat system. Add a compelling narrative that honors and adds to the original story and you have a game that hits all the right spots for longtime fans while also reintroducing the Final Fantasy VII story to a new generation of players.
Like Akihiko Sanada, fans who have been waiting for this remake will be happy to know that Persona 3 Reload definitely does the original game justice while also adding improvements for a new generation of JRPG fans. P3 Reload rebuilds the game completely from the ground up, emulating the modern look of the last two franchise entries while also improving the turn-based combat. Admittedly, the repetitive Tartarus dungeons don’t quite stack up to Persona 5’s palaces and the game is also missing some content like the epilogue from P3 FES and the female protagonist from P3 Portable. Overall, however, Persona 3 Reload is another worthy addition to the franchise.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is a much welcome addition to the long-running franchise, polishing up some of the new but at times shaky concepts from its predecessor while also paying homage to some of the classic stuff that made the series great. The 3D models, while still a work in progress, have gotten better and the soundtrack is among the best in the series. If you love tactical RPGs and the anime-inspired art style, Disgaea 7 is a great addition to your gaming library.
Crymachina is a game with a cool concept and engaging story that starts out quite promising. Its interesting narrative and solid combat, however, is ultimately tempered by its linear dungeon design and repetitive gameplay. It’s not a bad game, though, and is actually quite fun when it’s hitting on all cylinders. In fact, some might find it worth playing for its world building alone.