Tomas Franzese's Reviews
Pirate Pop Plus emits Game Boy nostalgia in its purest form. From its simplicity in story and gameplay to its retro graphics and sound, Pirate Pop Plus fits right in with other games on that old system. While the game can get repetitive and does have a few design problems, especially when it comes to sound design and control with the Wii U gamepad, for only $4.99, any Game Boy or Pang fan owes it to themselves to pick up this game.
Drive!Drive!Drive! is a very fun arcade racer. If you are a fan of this genre, I recommend that you pick this up. While the physics and collision problems and dying online community can dampen the experience, Drive!Drive!Drive! is like no game I have played before, and probably won’t be like any game I play after. For such a tired genre, it was awesome that developer Different Cloth could breathe new life into it with solid innovation.
While Redie is really fun, you always feel like you’ve played it before if you’ve ever played Hotline Miami. I respect what the developers have done here as it has really tight controls and is very fun and rewarding to play, but it feels too similar. If a more interesting story or if more unique gameplay mechanics were present, the game would have been more distinct on its own. If you’ve never played Hotline Miami or if you have and are craving a game with similar mechanics, I would recommend Redie to you. Otherwise, you might want to consider trying out the game with its free demo to see if you are interested before deciding to purchase it.
World to the West is a solid Link to the Past inspired experience that fans of that style of game will enjoy, and it was extremely interesting to see the world of Teslagrad fleshed out more through these four new characters. It is just unfortunate that the totem mechanic, which sounds cool on paper, ends up feeling like unnecessary padding that can make the game more frustrating than fun.
I enjoyed my time with Expeditions: Viking, even though noticeable technical problems can hold it back. Its engaging story kept me constantly intrigued, and made me want to survive for the sake of my village. Long load times and a few glitched out quests really held back the experience from ascending the level to other great strategy titles, but I would definitely recommend to strategy fans because of its deep and engaging gameplay.
From a creative standpoint, Agents of Mayhem is great. Its world stands on its own, looks good, and is hilariously written well… for the most part. Playing around with the agents' special abilities can even be fun, but many missions felt repetitive and dull. If the world of Agents of Mayhem intrigues you, I would recommend diving into it — just know that under the hood, its missions and open world aren't as creative as the rest of the game.
West of Loathing is one of the most memorable games I have played this year. It's unique simple-yet-detailed visuals and witty writing for everything from basic dialogue to item descriptions will keep fans of both westerns and RPGs very entertained. Unfortunately, once you hop into battle, the game's cracks start to show. While there is a great feeling of progression, West of Loathing's combat never did much to stand out from the systems in countless other turn-based RPGs. While I won't forget this Western romp anytime soon, I'll be remembering the witty dialogue exchanges and unique graphics more than its gameplay.
The Joy-Cons themselves can also be uncomfortable to use and take away from "play with anyone, anywhere" vibe that this game has going for it at face value. If you missed Pokkén Tournament on Wii U and are a fan of fighting games, I highly recommend it, as it is easy to get into and brings some interesting changes to genre. That being said, it really isn't worth double-dipping with Pokkén Tournament DX, as this version doesn't add too much to the core experience outside of a couple new fighters.
If you can get past the somewhat janky visuals and combat, you will find a decent action-adventure game that does an excellent job exposing new people to an intriguing culture and mythology. If you are a fan of games that infuse history or different mythologies into the experience and have not heard of the Tarahumara people, Mulaka is definitely worth checking out. It is vital to preserve smaller and somewhat ignored cultures through things like storytelling, so I'm glad Lienzo choose to do so for the Tarahumara people in an interactive way with Mulaka.
If you can get past the slow start and some of the glaring technical problems of The Mad Ones, then you will find the most innovative episodic adventure games to come from a studio other than Telltale. I can see The Council becoming a standout title within its genre when it's finished, but as it stands The Mad Ones has enough problems to where everyone may not be on board just yet.
The Golf Club 2019 is a comprehensive simulation, and will undoubtedly please those who are looking for one. Considering that the game does not have much competition, it is nice to see that the developers aren't slacking and are delivering a passionate product with authentic branding. As for people like myself who are more accustomed to less realistic golf games, The Golf Club 2019's steep control learning curve and uneven presentation may turn you off at first, but you may find yourself getting addicted to the game once you get the hang of things.
Outside of a couple of minor tweaks that most players won't notice, things are mostly the same, which is odd when you consider that both One and Pro-Am could work well offline and that this game's servers will shut off one day. Yearly players who stay offline should heavily consider whether the few small changes there make NHL 19 worth picking up, but I have no problem recommending it to the multiplayer die-hards or those who want to jump into the games for the first time.
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep is definitely for a specific crowd of hardcore RPG and series fans, and for those, it caters wonderfully. It features a fascinating world and one of my favorite turn-based combat systems in recent memory. That being said, it may not be as appealing to a mass audience due to its complicated nature and glitches. For a franchise that hasn't been seen in 30 years, that may not have been the wisest decision. However, I do hope The Bard's Tale series sticks around because the core experience is great, making the game one of the most interesting RPGs I've played in 2018.
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is a solid 3DS port that both builds upon and takes away from the original Wii title's charm.
Dangerous Driving may be rough around the edges, but it succeeds at being a worthy Burnout successor.
Lapis x Labyrinth shields its repetitive nature with a flashy presentation and interesting RPG mechanics.
Sea of Solitude manages to strike a chord with its relatable themes despite a rough start.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.
Playing Armikrog on PS4 was a very interesting experience. Its graphics, story, and puzzles were all very memorable, but playing on PS4 was not the best way to experience this game. Some of the graphics looked low-res at points, and most of the gameplay just does not work well on their controller, making Armikrog a more frustrating experience than it should have been. Fans of this genre should definitely play it, as it is a new and unique entry in a malnourished genre. However, if you choose to do so on the PS4, you should be aware of the poorly executed controls before going in.
If you are a fan of shoot ’em up or bullet hell style games, I would recommend Laser Disco Defenders to you. It adds some interesting mechanics to the genre and has a very wacky premise. While the game is not as memorable as I would have like, and can be too difficult at times, it is still unlike any other game of this style that I have played before. Even though the game may not stick with me as long as one could, it manages to be something original in such a crowded genre of games, which is very impressive.