Alex McCumbers's Reviews
Chasm is overall a good representation of the genre but it lacks elements that elevate above other titles.
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.
For gamers who miss the simple days of Playstation era action and adventure, check out Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure. Just consider playing it on Steam instead of the 3DS.
Fairy Fencer F Dark Advent Forces feels like a visual novel stapled to a JRPG, making for an odd homunculus that just can’t compete with other titles in the genre. I can only recommend this one to those who already have sunk hundreds of hours into similar games.
All in all, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is fine enough and certainly a good representation of the Ghostbusters franchise. I just wish there was a bit more meat on these ghoulish bones.
I think that the combat can be really thrilling at times but there are areas that had me groaning. That said, I’m glad I pushed through to the end and I really hope that NEOPOPCORN takes what they’ve learned here for a new project, maybe even a more refined sequel.
I would really love to see this combat system in a third entry with better levels, more complex characters, and good writing that ties it all together. It’s great to see both games packaged together for a single price but they are so similar that I can’t imagine playing through both of them all the way through.
Expanding the modes, adding new characters, more customization options, and improved netcode would do wonders for All-Star Battle R. As it stands, this game is still a love letter to JoJo and worth picking up for fans of the franchise or anyone with fighting game chops looking to branch out.
I was hoping for more content in Cotton Fantasy but I am excited to see the franchise be given new life through ports, remakes, and whole new games.
Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan has some areas that could use more consideration and improvement but it is a challenge worth attempting...Those who enjoy retro design should at least give it a try.
One Step From Eden definitely captures the complexity and crunchy bones of what made Mega Man Battle Network so different and, with enough effort, it could be a roguelike worthy of standing next to its contemporaries. Unfortunately, there is enough holding it back and the challenge is so hard to overcome that I don’t think it’s a game that most players will get to see through to the end.
If you have a fondness for West Virginia, love the Fallout theming, and can put up with a lot of frustrating bugs and design choices then Fallout 76 can provide lots of hours of Wasteland-stomping fun. Everyone else should probably wait for improvements.
Dimension Drive likely won’t become a favorite, but it stands as an interesting approach to a classic genre.
I think that the developers really went for their vision wholeheartedly but I think that Inmost as a game could have been much better.
At the end of the day, I do wish continued success for Blue Manchu as there is a ton of charm in the style of Void Bastards. The bricks have been laid for a truly stable endeavor.
Teslagrad has a ton of fans and the hero has even become an icon of the indie scene, yet I don’t believe that World to the West will reach those heights, not even close.
Unfortunately, in the game’s current state I likely won’t finish Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, but for those looking for an interesting world and story with some pretty solid voice acting, it’s a solid game to pick up at its price point.
A lot of folks have been complaining about just how small of an experience Episode Gladio is and I’m inclined to agree with their frustration, at least partly. This episode could have been so much better, but what is presented is a fun way to spend an evening.
Even though I didn’t much care for the adventure as a whole, I am glad to now have the context of this first outing for Travis Touchdown.
If anything, World of Goo is a fun little distraction on a console that is still trying to find its feet. There are definitely worse ways to spend ten bucks. It will always feel better playing this game with a mouse though.