Paulmichael Contreras's Reviews
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy is an accessible RPG that fans of the series will appreciate. There's not a huge challenge for much of the adventure, but then Atelier Ryza doesn't bill itself as being particularly demanding. The tactics mixed in with real-time battling is a good mix, and other quality of life aspects help to move the player along the rather lengthy campaign. Hundreds of side quests flesh out the story for those who wish to be fully engrossed in the world, while those who prefer to stick to the main plot can easily do so. A lack of next-generation features isn't surprising to see this early on in the PS5's lifecycle, but at least load times are non-existent here. Atelier Ryza 2 is an easy game to enjoy without thinking too much, and sometimes that's just what the alchemist ordered.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World: The Prophecy of the Throne should please fans of the novel/anime. It doesn't do enough to explain the world Subaru finds himself in, but the game's album does attempt to rectify this. At any rate, The Prophecy of the Throne is an easy to digest visual novel with fun artwork and good voice acting, with a bit of turn-based gameplay thrown in for good measure. What more could Subaru ask for?
Project CARS 3 represents a huge shift in Slightly Mad Studios' attitude towards racing games. I suppose this means the studio lives up to their name! What Project CARS 3 lacks in realism, it now makes up for with accessibility. However, lacking the flair of other established racers in this arcade-sim genre such as The Crew 2 or Need for Speed will make it a tougher sell. Still, there are a couple hundred new events to try, with hundreds of cars to tweak, upgrade, and drive. So, if Project CARS is to continue down this path of more friendly racing, then they are on the right track, but whether their regular fans will be along for the ride is another question entirely.
PGA Tour 2K21 appears to be taking the series in a good direction, with a larger PGA license to boot. The presentation may be lacking, but the feel of the game is spot-on. Tuning up the graphics, expanding the license to include more pros, caddies, and the like, and filling out the commentary will really help to sell the immersion that games such as this rely on. Despite the issues present in the game, PGA Tour 2K21 is a solid golf game for fans of the sport.
It’s a fun way to pass the quarantined time between new anime episodes, that’s for sure.
Citadel: Forged With Fire has an interesting, even fun, premise lurking through some of the rough edges. A game like this is most fun when played with others, especially when you consider that on most servers, the things you build will be available for all players on that server to see. The lack of much in the way of content, though, means players are left to their own devices and imagination when it comes to interesting things to see and do. Still, if combining Minecraft, ARK, and Harry Potter-inspired elements in a cauldron sounds appealing, then by all means grab a friend (or 49) and hop in.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is an appetizer for the main course that is sure to be No More Heroes III. Indeed, it is best served in short, bite-sized chunks, which its short levels are perfect for consuming in such a way. As a whole, this isn't the strongest entry in the series, but then it doesn't feel like it was intended that way. Sitting down with a buddy in local co-op is a fun first for Travis, and a decent smattering of extra game modes helps to stretch play time a bit.
DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation is great for fans of light novels, but especially for fans of the DATE A LIVE series.
MotoGP 19 stands as a serviceable motorcycle road racing game. It's a step forward with the inclusion of MotoE, and the historical races provide an intense challenge. Fans of the series should appreciate vastly improved loading times, a better (if still underwhelming) presentation, and especially customization options. While not the best racing game on the market today, the MotoGP series has come back into its own as a respectable franchise with the release of MotoGP 19.
ChromaGun VR feels like the form the game should have launched in from the start. The campaign is only a handful of hours, which is about the same amount of time most people can handle VR in its current state. The Aim Controller works quite well in this (mostly) non-violent puzzle shooter, even if lefties have to adapt to the control scheme. Still, an undo function could've saved players from some frustration when they either misfire or accidentally use the wrong color. ChromaGun VR is a funny, occasionally challenging first-person puzzler, and one that is enhanced in VR.
Hellfront: Honeymoon is fun for those who have friends to play with.
Big Crown: Showdown is a safe bet for party games to play that most people will enjoy. A large variety of maps helps to avoid tedium, but the core gameplay mechanics may be a bit too simple to sink into for much more than an hour at a time. There's nothing wrong with this, and Big Crown: Showdown is perfect for playing with friends, family, and frenemies, especially those who don't play games very often.
Downward Spiral: Horus Station isn't without issues, but this is an experience worth having for PSVR owners. The Zero-G gameplay remains fun throughout, and a wide assortment of weapons and tools helps to allow players some freedom in the way they dispatch enemies. With death being meaningless, and a story told without any real clues to go off, some players may not feel rewarded enough by simply progressing to the next room. The inclusion of multiplayer does give more reason to head back to floating in a lonely space station, provided that an online population shows up at launch. Sci-fi and VR fans should give the $19.99 Downward Spiral: Horus Station a try.
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is recommended for fans of the original. But tacked-on VR scenes won't do much for those looking for new and exciting experiences. The new tweaks to some systems help to give players more tactical options, but this is essentially the same game that launched in 2016, in a prettier package. For the diehard Neptunia fanatics, that'll be all they need to buy in. However, for $20 less, the original release is available sans VR play and without slight graphics upgrades.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 improves upon its predecessor, and should appeal to fans of the first game. The story may put some off given its plodding pace and numerous quirky side stories, but most people who are interested in this game likely enjoy exactly that kind of storytelling. New Tochkas and new active abilities for the Hundred Knight give more battle options to players, though the camera angle may create a few missed opportunities to finish a sweet combo or get a surprise attack on enemies. Additional graphics options are a welcome surprise, and ultimately summarize the general feeling of The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 – improved where it counts.
Gravel is a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry. While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun. Soaring through the skies in multi-ton behemoths or nimble boxer engine Porsches is always a good time, and for capturing that, Milestone deserves praise. But a half-hearted career mode should've stuck with a traditional setup, as opposed to the phoned-in fake television series that we ended up playing. Still, for those aching to race on open courses or jump around in dirt tracks around the world, Gravel is right up your alley, and for slightly less than some of the competition ($49.99 USD) to boot.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing will sate the ARPG fan's appetite, but only just. Those looking for an entertaining story will find plenty to like here, but you'll have to slog through some uninspired combat in order to get to the good parts. A mid-game tower defense mashup freshens things up a bit, but a poor control scheme will lead you to wonder how much better the game could have been. Still, at only $19.99/€19.99, if you think you can deal with some annoying controls and otherwise average RPG action, the surprise metagame in The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing might be worth the price of admission.
If you enjoy turn-based games, you may want to give Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers a look. A lengthy (if somewhat convoluted) campaign is extended with multiple side missions, and battles usually last for a decent amount of time. Creating new weapons can mix things up, and choosing item and skills loadouts on characters provides for some variety on the battlefield. However, after a dozen or so battles, the game’s lack of real strategic depth can be seen. Coupled with some less-than-stellar presentation, and disappointing ally AI, and Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers feels like a good idea that wasn’t executed to its fullest potential.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is anything but hollow. There is an almost unbelievable amount of story content, with side stories piled high on top of that. The storytelling might be a bit too slow for some, but then this is par for the JRPG course. Most cutscenes are woefully static, but they are at least fully voiced. Combat almost feels like an afterthought, with few mechanics even explained well by the tutorials. Still, if you can’t get enough Sword Art Online, Hollow Realization is an easy purchase.
If you enjoy humor and pint-sized heroes, grab this game.