Tomas Franzese's Reviews
There is a very interesting game to be found in Rising Islands, but it simply failed to fully realize itself. Speedrunners and fans of fast-paced games might enjoy this, but I’d advise everyone else to try the game’s free demo before purchasing in order to determine whether it is worth your money.
Inversus is a very entertaining game — while the lack of diagonal shooting and occasional lag in the online mode could be frustrating, the rest of the title is addicting enough to keep players coming back to fight for the high score. Facing people online was also a very fun experience, and I am excited to see what kind of community builds itself around this game. There is easily enough strategy in the game that versus and arcade matches never get old, even on the limited selections of maps. If you are a fan of high-score chasing or couch co-op, Inversus should be on your radar.
YouTubers and veterans of this genre may be able to find something to enjoy in Human: Fall Flat. It’s charming narrator, funny and wonky animations, and opportunities for priceless reactions will most likely make this game popular with content creators on sites like YouTube and Twitch. That being said, the game’s boring beginning, glitches, and bland low poly art style won’t do much for the average gamer. Human: Fall Flat does not have enough substance to keep most people engaged — those with low patience for this sort of experience may be better off watching Markiplier or Jacksepticeye play this game than purchasing it for yourself.
I Am Setsuna is a game from a different era in the best kind of way. For better or for worse, it borrows many of its mechanics from some of gaming’s classics. While its graphics are outdated and its story gives only the illusion of choice, the rest of the game is good enough to make up for it: the characters are likable, the story is engaging, and the gameplay is fun. RPG fans will find a lot to enjoy here, especially those who love games like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.
The game takes about eight hours to complete, although it would be closer to 12 if trying to 100% the game and find every little secret. With that said, the game is short and concise enough to keep players wanting to come back for more, and I can’t wait to dive (pun intended) back into the game and look for everything I missed the first time through. Any Insomniac Games or Metroidvania fan probably won’t be disappointed by picking this game up and trying it out.
Pac-Man 256 is a fun little excursion for the series that innovates and changes up the formula. Sadly, some of the title’s mechanics don’t work as well on home consoles as they did on mobile platforms. The multiplayer mode is a fun new addition, but the lack of an online component is surprising. Fans of the series will eat up this new entry, but it offers little substance and staying power for a console game.