Spencer Legacy's Reviews
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a stellar collection of some of Capcom’s most acclaimed fighters, both the well-known and the overshadowed. The range of titles is diverse and exciting, the added features are useful, and the additional content is always a welcome bonus. Once again, Capcom has proven itself to be excellent at remastering its many unique titles.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a fantastic update to one of Bethesda’s most classic titles. Almost everything that needed to be revised or fixed has been, while everything else – every bit of goofy charm and jank – has been kept intact. This is a brilliant example of how to remaster a dated game, and I hope the same process is applied to Fallout 3 and New Vegas in the future.
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is an excellent mix of tactical RPG action and visual novel goodness from two of gaming’s most fascinating minds. From the extreme amount of content to the fascinating story, this is an impressive offering all around. If you want a truly unique story along with some flashy tactical combat, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a blast to play thanks to its intriguing mechanics and strong presentation. The singleplayer offerings can be a bit repetitive, but fighting feels great and provides plenty of depth to take advantage of. If you’ve ever wanted to break into Fatal Fury, this is a fantastic choice to start with.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a brilliant upgrade to what was already one of the best games on the Wii U. Minor snags have been fixed all over the place, making for a smoother and more accessible RPG, though fans of the original may be mixed on the narrative additions. I hope to see Elma and the gang return someday in the future, as this Definitive Edition is a reminder of how strong their world is.
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls succeeds as an anime fighter with a good deal of depth to it. The story mode and mission offerings are a bit bland, but the clear love for the series and multiplayer aspects stand out as impressive. If you’re a big Bleach fan, this is a solid title for some fun times with friends.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is an excellent grouping of Yu-Gi-Oh! games that fans of the series should check out. The care and attention put into this by Digital Eclipse is palpable, making this a masterstroke collection of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s early days. Here’s hoping the console games and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX titles get this treatment, as this is the best way to play these classics.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is perhaps the goofiest Like a Dragon game to date, filled to the brim with thrills and laughs in equal measure. From the ridiculous and moving story to the seemingly endless amount of side content to take on, this is another example of just how excellent the Like a Dragon series so frequently is.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a delightful life sim that suffers from performance issues on the Nintendo Switch. The breadth of content to take part in is impressive, and the characters and dialogue are filled with charm. It’s a shame the technical performance is so all over the place because the game itself is a blast all around.
Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles stands on the rougher side of Star Wars games from decades gone by. Though the new additions are a fun idea and the additional behind-the-scenes content is enlightening, the clunky gameplay makes this one harder to recommend than other recent Star Wars rereleases.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a strong sequel to what was perhaps Nippon Ichi’s most unique title. The characters are charming, the gameplay is robust and tactical, and while the unlockable methods of powering up may be slightly overwhelming, newcomers should manage just fine playing through.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an enjoyable hack-and-slash title that features an exciting story, pleasant characters, and delightfully over-the-top action gameplay. You likely know what to expect with a musou game, but this is certainly one of the better ones, even if it’s best played with some breaks in between sessions.
Alien: Rogue Incursion is a frighteningly impressive game that nails the tone of the series and is the title that could push the common perception of VR forward. The save system is a bit harsh, but the sheer immersion and fear that the game specializes in makes this a VR must-play.
Ballionaire is a peculiar little gem that deftly mixes pachinko with roguelike elements to keep you playing run after run. It can be a bit frustrating when you’re hit with bad luck given the nature of Pachinko, but the good playthroughs make up for this with their unique and addictive fun.
Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Storybook Vale is a pleasant expansion for the Animal Crossing-like title. Catching Snippets and crafting new objects and meals with characters like Hades makes for a good time, even if it takes a while to complete certain quests. If this continues to be the quality of DLC going forward, then I’m excited to see what else is added in future updates. (Dare I dream of a Tron expansion?)
Mario & Luigi: Brothership has some strange choices that take away from the title, but the gameplay and characters are as snappy and charming as ever. It’s not the best game in the series, but fans of Mario & Luigi likely won’t regret giving Brothership a chance.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a great roguelike that takes full advantage of both the popular genre trappings and the massive franchise it’s based on. Outside of runs becoming a bit repetitive over time, the game is a fantastic combination of two excellent ideas that fans ought to check out.
Slitterhead may be a bit rough around the edges, but the core concept and story are intriguing enough to make this worth trying. There really aren’t many games like this, and I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in strange and dark titles.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is a fantastic package that features a great remaster and an excellent all-new story that takes the best lessons from Sonic Frontiers. If 3D Sonic games going forward are like this one, it’s going to be a bright future indeed.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a bizarre and intriguing game that’s worth trying out. The combat and characters are a blast, which makes up for the janky movement and basic story. If you’re like me and had never played this one prior, it’s worth experiencing.