Spencer Legacy's Reviews
Princess Peach: Showtime! is a completely fine platformer with plenty of fun ideas seeded between some pretty standard platforming levels. The presentation and different classes for Peach make the game stand out, though the technical performance and slightly repetitive nature of the game make it more of a neat experiment than a must-play title.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection is a solid option if you want to relive some single-player nostalgia but outside of console availability, you can do this for less money already on PC.
Though Penny’s Big Breakaway wears a bit thin by its end, the 3D platformer is a lot of fun in bursts and features lots of fun ideas that I hope to see refined in future titles. The colorful style and plethora of play styles make it worth the time of platformer fans, and I look forward to the next game from Evening Star.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a remarkable sequel and one of the best RPGs of the generation. This new installment both respects and expands upon the original game’s story and legacy in a way that will please old-school fans while sowing some intriguing new narrative seeds for the final installment in this trilogy. I can’t wait to get my hands on whatever comes next – even if it takes another four years.
Persona 3 Reload is already another contender for game of the year. It’s an almost perfect remake of an already exceptional game, and I wanted to play it nearly every moment that I wasn’t. Whether or not you’ve played Persona 3 before, Reload deserves your attention, as it’s one of the most fun, styling, and enthralling RPGs around.
Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash is an overall disappointing fighter that doesn’t quite live up to the franchise it’s adapting. There are kernels of exciting ideas scattered throughout, but there are a few too many problems to raise it above a pretty average experience – even for Jujutsu Kaisen megafans.
Tekken 8 is a blast to play thanks to its strong core gameplay and welcome breadth of content. If you’re essentially a Tekken beginner like me or a returning series regular, there’s lots to do and enjoy in every corner of Tekken 8.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a pleasantly loaded collection of the latter three mainline Ace Attorney games that newcomers and fans both should turn to for the best version of these games. The group of games is filled with twists and turns that look excellent and come with dandy extras. Now, if we can just get both Ace Attorney Investigations games in a collection …
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is what all sequels should aspire to be. The gameplay is improved upon all-around, the story is riveting from start to finish, and the breadth of side content is second-to-none. It may be early, but I feel confident in saying that one of 2024’s game of the year frontrunners has debuted not even a month in.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a stellar RPG that anyone who enjoys monster-catching games has got to play. The technical issues can be frustrating and surprising, but they don’t impede the game enough to be a serious hindrance. The depth of the synthesis system and the intriguing story make The Dark Prince easily stand as one of the best RPGs of the year.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a thrilling and compact continuation of the neverending and endlessly exhilarating adventures of Kazuma Kiryu. There’s plenty of content to make you feel fulfilled alongside the expectedly explosive story. This is a delightful little Like a Dragon experience that will tide you over until the next main entry.
Super Mario RPG is a light and enjoyable return to the roots of Mario’s now-iconic presence in the role-playing game genre. Those looking for a more complex RPG may find it a tad too simplistic, but this remake thrives at being a straightforward and endlessly pleasant throwback to a simpler time.
Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is more Ultimate Ninja Storm. That’s great for me, as I enjoy the game series and the source material, but if you’ve played every Ninja Storm game, this won’t provide you with too much new content. Still, it’s a ton of fun – especially for Naruto fans who want to partake in battles between any combination of characters one can imagine.
WarioWare: Move It! is another excellent entry to Nintendo’s strangest (and one of its most consistent) series. A couple of the games take a bit to get used to, but the variety of fast-paced and goofy microgames and modes provide everything you could want from a WarioWare game.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl takes all the good of its predecessor and builds upon it quite a bit. The roster is varied, the additional modes go a long way in giving the game some extra juice, and the combat is smooth and exciting. There are some bugs here and there that hinder things, but I have confidence that the future of All-Star Brawl 2 is bright.
Air Twister is a peculiar game that can be intriguing and fun despite its flaws. It’s neat to see Yu Suzuki go back to the success of Space Harrier all these years later, though the price may be a bit steep for those who aren’t arcade enthusiasts.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is largely the most fun Spider-Man game yet, even if its story is more uneven than I would have liked. I’m hoping the next game will finally drop the stealth missions, but fighting and flying is the best it’s ever been. Insomniac clearly gets Spider-Man, and how to make these games fun, so I hope the third main title (or whatever the next smaller spin-off is) continues to build on the best parts of this sequel.
Sonic Superstars is largely a blast to play thanks to its various characters and wonderful presentation. Though a couple of segments drag on a bit, most of the game is a fast and flashy adventure that tries new things but stays true to what people love about Sonic, to begin with. If this is the future of 2D Sonic, then the horizon is very promising.
Though Gargoyles Remastered is a bit bare when compared to other remasters, the game itself is worth revisiting (or trying out for the first time) if you’re fond of the show or just looking for a brisk retro platformer. I wish I liked the new visual style more, but even just as a retro title, it’s a good time. I’m glad to see less well-known Disney games come back to modern consoles, and I hope this trend continues going forward.
Mortal Kombat 1 does a lot right, but it’s missing things that really made NetherRealm’s fighting games stand out in recent years. I hope future patches and additions build the game up to fulfill all of its potential, but the base game here feels a bit too thin on content.