Spencer Legacy's Reviews
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.
Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai could appeal to diehard fans of the anime, but its repetitive nature keeps it from being great. The game looks remarkably like the anime and the Temple of Recollection can be quite fun, but anyone who doesn’t love The Adventure of Dai can pass on this one.
Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways is an all-around excellent piece of DLC that gives the main story of this year’s remake additional context while also just being a blast to play through. A lot of the areas are certainly familiar, but the length and gameplay make Separate Ways a strong companion piece to Resident Evil 4.
Marble It Up! Ultra is one of the most plainly fun games around. Soaring through stages, finding new tricks and making new shortcuts while experimenting with momentum, and trying to clear tight times makes for an intensely exciting but easily digestible experience that I can’t recommend enough.
Final Fantasy XVI admittedly isn’t what I’m accustomed to when it comes to mainline Final Fantasy games, but it’s still strong. Though it can get in its own way from time to time with overly long and interruptive cutscenes, the gameplay, story, and characters ensure this is an overall enjoyable entry to the Final Fantasy series.
Sonic Origins Plus may not be essential for more casual Sonic fans, but those who want to experience the Game Gear titles and play as Amy Rose are in for an all-around great time. If you want to take on the included classics with a new playstyle or see where Fang comes from before Sonic Superstars, this is the ideal upgrade to your Sonic Origins experience.
Street Fighter 6 is a grand fighting game experience that just keeps building on the series’ strong foundation. Though the World Tour mode and new characters aren’t as stand-out as they could be, the core gameplay is excellent and there’s plenty to enjoy.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has all the makings of a great game, but its performance issues and occasionally wonky story hold it back a bit. Cal and his friends are as fun to follow as ever and combat can be a blast in most scenarios – maybe just give this one a couple of months to reach its full potential.