Alex McCumbers's Reviews
Lapis x Labyrinth is an excellent palate cleanser. I think the long haul of trying to actually finish the game could dip more into a mindless march, rather than the frantic energy the first time Fever Mode is activated, but the game overall can be a fun distraction in between more dramatic or demanding titles.
HunterX is surprisingly well-crafted where it counts. It certainly could use a patch or two but I thoroughly enjoy this type of gameplay and I cannot wait to see if ORANGE POPCORN makes another game.
Yet, I am once again hoping for another game, this time a River City Girls 3, that nails the landing and is awarded gold medals across the board. For now, River City Girls 2 is an enjoyable co-op romp with some rough edges that leaves me eager for more.
More than anything, Evan's Remains could be the start of something special, either in a sequel or a future work from this developer.
I think that overall Ritual of the Night will satisfy longtime Castlevania fans. Despite the game’s performance hangups, there is a lot to love in this game. Yet, I am keeping my eyes towards the future, as this particular version is less than ideal
Blair Witch is an improvement over Bloober Team’s past work and I hope to see them further explore more game mechanics in their titles. Even though they’re good at perception-altering visuals, I want to see them branch out more and more. I think that one day in the future, Bloober Team could release a truly knockout horror game.
I do wish that the experience found in Crisis Core Reunion was more refined and the performance on Switch could certainly be improved but this is a great way to refamiliarize oneself with Zack, Sephiroth, Aerith, and the rest of Midgar’s cast of interesting characters. That said, Reunion might be enjoyed best on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC but it is playable on Switch.
Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles is a faithful representation of the popular anime but it sticks to that path so strictly that it fails to expand beyond that framework into something more meaningful. Even with the game’s extra characters that add a little spice to the online lobbies or weekend fight nights, The Hinokami Chronicles needs more substance.
I wasn’t expecting much out of this expansion but we did get a few lore details that further expand what we know of the Megamycete and the villain using it plus more Village gameplay with a character that we might see more of later in the series. That’s a great thing.
All in all, I was surprised that I had as much fun with Marvel’s Avengers as I did. I still dislike the loot system and the microtransactions keeping me away from the best costumes but there is a good Marvel game beneath these elements.
I find Resident Evil 3 2020 to be a harder recommendation than its predecessor. Maybe I’ll feel different as the game expands with more content or if I find Resistance to be compelling but for now, it feels like an amazing weekend rental rather than a must-buy title.
I don’t find Mighty Switch Force! as appealing as Shantae or River City Girls but they are fun, simple, yet challenging platformers that some players may really enjoy.
I think for those loving the retro-inspired genre Hive Jump is worth having. It’s not the type of title that will shatter expectations but it’s a solid release from Graphite Lab.
After years of seeing praise for this game, I found myself underwhelmed. It seems to run like a dream on Switch and this is the Definitive Version of the game, so all the extras are here, but I just didn’t find myself as in love with it as I’d have hoped.
Those looking for an interesting Roguelike that focuses on RPG mechanics alone will love Tower of Fortune, while those who need more substance in their RPGs will find moments of boredom and confusion.
Players who speak highly of games like Etrian Odyssey on the 3DS or those who played a ton of Eye of the Beholder back in the day may fall in love with the crazy monsters and style of Stranger of Sword City.
Quest of Dungeons does everything right; it just doesn't do anything outstanding.
...Metroid Dread is a good Metroid game and will likely be a favorite among fans of this series.
If anything, Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate has opened my mind to musou games and I am really looking forward to going back to Dragon Quest Heroes, taking my first stab at Hyrule Warriors, and keeping a close eye on Persona 5 Scramble.
Super Bomberman R doesn’t do anything incredibly unique as far as the series is concerned. Fans of Bomberman will want to pick it up though, since its still a rip-roaring good time with friends.