Hayes Madsen's Reviews
Like most hero shooters, the key to Gundam Evolution’s success is going to be how well Bandai Namco supports the game, and whether post-launch content can keep up a steady cadence of adding interesting new content. Still, Gundam Evolution has gotten the most important piece of the Overwatch formula right, making each hero feel distinct and providing interesting interactions between them. What that means is that Evolution should appeal to any fans of the genre, even those without any knowledge of Gundam whatsoever.
After years of arena fighters and lackluster sequels, like New Gundam Breaker, Battle Alliance feels like the breath of fresh air the franchise needed in video games. It’s a love letter to one of the most prolific anime franchises out there, but even if you aren’t a Gundam fan there’s a great action RPG underneath, with a surprising amount of variety. Between its deceptively fun original story and dynamic combat, it’s absolutely a standout in the crowded market of anime games.
Floppy Knights is a charming experience that brings something unique to the table, even though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel for either of its genres. I do wish there was a little more meat to the experience, and despite the charming writing the story simply lacks a strong core. Despite that, however, it’s a journey that’s well worth taking, especially if you’re a fan of tactical games or deck builders.
It’s an utterly unique title that boasts astounding production values, supported by a cast of actors that do an incredible job of playing multiple characters. There are a few niggling issues with the various gameplay systems, but it’s an incredible experience that easily stands out as one of my favorites of the year.
Skywalker Saga is easily one of the best Lego games ever made, but I hope to see the franchise’s core gameplay loop evolve a little further in the future.
Self-aware humor permeates throughout 'Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin, 'and by and large, it works really, really well. Any fears I had about 'Stranger of Paradise' were dispelled after a dozen or so hours with its phenomenal combat system, strange but genuine story, and a surprising commitment to celebrating everything Final Fantasy — all through the eyes of an angry edgelord named Jack.
It's time to engage.
Nothing about Tactics Ogre: Reborn is simple, but therein lies the charm.
The DioField Chronicle is a unique strategy RPG that tries something truly new in the genre, even if it stumbles a bit along the way.
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a quaint game that doesn't bring anything exceptionally new to the genre, but is undeniably charming.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly compelling single-player adventure that packs in some real emotion, despite a few shortcomings.
This collection gives 3 games a needed update.
Celebrating the whole franchise with music.
If you’ve never played a Shenmue game, that honestly might give you trouble. But if you have played Shenmue, then you’ll feel like you’ve come home with Shenmue 3.
As a more compact Fallout-like experience The Outer Worlds really works, and I’m already hoping that we’ll get to return to the Halcyon Colony again someday.
Ultimately, Indivisible is an incredibly unique little JRPG that doesn’t quite live up to its grand ambitions, but comes darn close.
Although most of the games feel very basic, they still have that trademark Nintendo charm, and I still can’t get over how ingeniously these cardboard sets come together. If you’ve been into the past Labo sets, the VR Kit is a no-brainer.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a treat for any fans of the old games, or even just Marvel fans in general. The game manages to be welcoming to those with only knowledge of the MCU, or those that have a deep well of comic knowledge.
The complexity of the game can definitely be a huge barrier to entry, and there's a repetitiveness that comes with hunting games that might turn you off if that's not something you enjoy. Still, God Eater 3 functions as a strong, complex JRPG and a good way to test out the series if you've been curious this whole time.
If you’ve got a serious itch for some good old racing, Sonic and friends can help scratch it.