Alex McCumbers's Reviews
With the majority of modern open-world games doing world-building much better, there’s little reason to recommend Fallout 76 to most players.
All in all, Sonic Mania Plus wasn’t made for me, the casual fan that had more fun on the GBA than anything else. This one was made for the fans, the players that replay these games frequently and are aware of the subtle design choices and secrets. For most players, Sonic Mania Plus is still a fun time, but for me, it’s one that I probably won’t pick up as often as others might. Personal criticisms aside, there is quality in Sonic Mania Plus and it’s one that I can easily recommend.
Monster Hunter World has laid the foundation for a global phenomenon and I cannot wait to see what happens from here on out.
Those looking for a unique challenge and that have a group of friends willing to pick it up as well could find themselves with hours upon hours of laughs.
Last Recode in my opinion is worth trying out and I do hope that Namco Bandai consider doing something similar for the first series, as those too are extremely expensive and were never released digitally. I would also like to see the PSP series get translated and from there maybe even a new approach to bring us back into The World.
Dimension Drive likely won’t become a favorite, but it stands as an interesting approach to a classic genre.
It’s 2017 and I find myself obsessed with Skyrim once more. Now that it’s portable on the Switch, I can take it anywhere, only restricted by battery life.
At the end of the day, Way Forward took a fairly boring contract deal and put their golden seal on it. This proves that when it comes to using a franchise in bold new ways, Way Forward is ahead of the game.
Earth Atlantis has some potential to be a unique shooter, but unfortunately there just isn’t enough there to keep players engaged.
Playing through A Hat in Time was time spent with a broad smile and a belly full of chuckles. It was one of the most wholesome gaming experiences I’ve had in years, recapturing that childhood wonder and pure enjoyment of playing games. I cannot wait to see if there’s an expansion in mind, or how the modding scene plays with it, or what Gears for Breakfast cooks up next!
A lot of these more subtle elements were lost in Samus Returns, making the experience feel less weighted than that early Game Boy title. Aside from that though, Samus Returns is a must have on the 3DS, one that’s filled with challenge and truly epic moments.
Unfortunately, in its current state, I cannot recommend Forma.8 to anyone, even the most hungry fans of the Metroidvania genre. There are better games in that genre that explore similar feelings of isolation and there are better games on Switch that evoke that nostalgic feeling of older systems.
I can only hope this relationship with Nintendo and Ubisoft continues, because aside from Breath of the Wild, Mario + Rabbids is the best game on the Switch.
Phantom Trigger, at least the Switch version, should’ve been delayed.
While there are better JRPGs on the Vita, Tokyo Xanadu may fill that dry spell between major releases. Combat can be fun and going through dungeons is almost meditative in that it requires little energy. Trying it on harder difficulties may be the way to go for those looking for a tougher system to play with. Story wise though, there’s not much to celebrate.
Persona 5 takes the JRPG mold to create an intensely original, deep experience in its gameplay, presentation, and narrative. There are not many games that pull it off quite like Persona 5, marking it as a masterpiece title that will set a benchmark for years to come.
ARMS is an excellent example of a mechanically excellent title, focusing mostly on the actual gameplay more than anything else.
I’ve played a lot of anime games through the years with varying degrees of enjoyment, but I don’t even think being a super fan of the Asterisk War franchise would entice me to play Phoenix Fiesta any more than I already have.
Of course, for fans of the series, Dragon Quest Heroes 2 has all the right touches to bring about a smile.
At the end of the day though, I didn’t have much fun playing Akiba’s Beat, maybe a sequel or an anime adaptation will turn out better.