Francis DiPersio's Reviews
Despite its camera quirks and a few random crashes to the PlayStation 4 home screen, I enjoyed my time with Darksiders: Genesis. And if you’re a fan of the series who’s looking for a fresh take on the franchise, I think you will too. Developer Airship Syndicate has done a commendable job of transplanting the Darksiders universe to the hack-and-slash genre. With some genuinely solid puzzles and platforming segments to complement the game’s weighty and fun combat, it’s a game that’s worth experiencing alone, and even better with a friend.
While not perfect with its lackluster sounds and just passable framerate, Panzer Dragoon: Remake is about as close to a definitive version of SEGA’s cult classic Saturn shooter that fans could ask for on the Switch. With its gorgeous visuals and a superb soundtrack that’s aged like fine wine, MegaPixel Studios and Forever Entertainment have done an excellent job of modernizing one of the most memorable games of the 32-bit era.
The game’s brevity aside, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a blast while it lasts. I love the new upgradable skills, which add an extra layer of depth to the arcade antics without trying to reinvent the wheel. And the ability to participate in multiplayer mayhem with four players makes Taito’s latest offering one of the most enjoyable party games to find its way to the Switch to date.
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash makes a good first impression with its nostalgic visuals, funky tunes, and easy to pick up gameplay. It’s just a shame that once you’ve wrapped up its five-minute intro chapter, you’ve already seen a quarter of what it has to offer. With a story that almost any player should be able to finish in less than a half-hour and a dull smattering of throwaway extra modes, I’d have trouble recommending the game to even the most die-hard fans of the series.
If you’re looking for a VR experience that defies categorization, Paper Beast will not disappoint. While occasionally a bit too cryptic at times, it’s a fascinating fusion of the simulation and adventure genres that will keep you glued to your PSVR from start to finish. With a surreal and often melancholy main story to experience and bonus sandbox mode that allows you to craft your dynamic ecosystems and watch them come to life, it’s one of the more robust offerings for Sony’s headset in recent months. If the lack of handholding doesn’t bother you and you’re in the mood for something totally unique, give Paper Beast a try.
In many ways, Disaster Report 4 lives up to its name. Sure, it’s a disaster, but it’s a disaster with heart. It’s a buggy, technically-flawed mess that somehow, seemingly against all odds, manages to pull you in with its charming characters and compelling narrative. If you can overlook its unpolished nature and a few questionable design choices to experience a game unlike anything else on the Switch, you may just enjoy this quirky and chaotic adventure.
As a big fan of the shoot-’em-up genre, I had my hopes up for Galaxy Warfighter. Unfortunately, the game just doesn’t do anything to hold the player’s attention. Truth be told, you can see everything the game has to offer in the time it takes to watch or read this review. For a quick-fix free-to-play mobile game, that might be acceptable. But for a title that’s currently going for $7.00 on the Switch eShop and Steam, that’s just inexcusable.
SEGA’s Sakura Wars reboot marks a welcome return for a series that’s gotten criminally little exposure to western audiences since it first released nearly 25 years ago. While the game’s real-time, hack-and-slash approach to its combat left me wanting more, the superb writing and lovable cast of characters kept me glued to my controller right to the very end. And with multiple endings and romance options to unlock, I hope to do it all again very soon.
Online woes aside, Streets of Rage 4 is the gold standard for what a beat ’em up should be and a triumphant return to form for the series. The road to its release has been long and at times uncertain, but Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, and Lizardcube have managed to deliver a game that was well worth the 26-year wait. With stellar visuals, an unforgettable soundtrack, and a wealth of modes to enjoy, this is one game you need to have in your collection.
Of course, brevity is par for the course when it comes to ports of classic coin-op titles. But even so, many other games in the SEGA AGES lineup will keep you busy for considerably longer than this release. Still, if the game’s brief runtime and relative lack of replayability don’t bother you, SEGA AGES G-LOC: Air Battle is a great way to experience one of SEGA’s more overlooked gems from the glory days of arcade gaming.
SNK Gal’s Fighters on the Switch isn’t the most ambitious port out there, but that’s okay. Two decades since its original release, it’s just as addicting as it ever was. If you’re looking for a lighthearted retro fighter to add to your Switch library, or just want to experience this obscure gem in the Neo Geo’s 30-year history, then there’s no better time than the present to give SNK Gals’ Fighters a shot.
As someone with a lot of nostalgia for the BUILD era of PC first-person shooters, I had high hopes for Ion fury on Xbox One. Sadly, this port’s abundance of glitches, bizarre performance problems and a lack of optimization for consoles make it too frustrating to recommend. Perhaps with the magic of post-release patching, the worst of these kinks will be ironed out. However, at the time of this writing, today is not that day.
While not quite as good as the Taito’s recently released Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, Ghost Sweeper is a fun little puzzle-platformer that’s well worth the modest $5 asking price. If you’re a fan of Solomon’s Key or merely looking for a fresh dose of arcade-inspired action, you can’t go wrong adding this game to your collection.
As someone who tends to get a lot of enjoyment out of rail shooters, Star Horizon is a game I had high hopes for. And while I feel some features, like the storytelling and upgrade system, fall a bit flat, the core shooter experience can be pretty fun in short bursts. Sadly, in its current state, it’s impossible to recommend a game that is, as far as this reviewer can tell, entirely unbeatable at this time due to a game-breaking glitch.
With its unique premise and a great sense of humor, Maneater’s 12-hour campaign is a fun feeding frenzy while it lasts. However, the game’s occasionally repetitive quests, coupled with its spotty performance, make it feel more like a quick and dirty trip to Long John Silver’s than a bountiful seafood feast for starving RPG fans. Still, if these issues aren’t enough to keep you from wanting to take the plunge, then you might just enjoy sinking your teeth into Maneater.
While the game is undoubtedly starting to show its age, Rebellion has done an excellent job of bringing this cult classic to the Switch while sacrificing surprisingly little in the process. With a lengthy campaign, addicting horde mode, and some of the best cooperative gameplay you can find on the Switch, it’s a gleefully gory shooter that no fans of the genre should pass up.
Persona 4 Golden on PC could probably benefit from some added optimization. The occasional blurry visuals and dips in performance are surprising missteps that slightly blemish what is otherwise an outstanding game. But it’s easy to overlook its minor quirks when considering just how engrossing of an experience the game offers. If you’re an RPG fan who somehow managed to miss out on the original release, then adding this to your Steam library should be a no-brainer. And if you already played and enjoyed Persona 4 but have yet to see everything Persona 4 Golden has to offer because you didn’t own Vita or a PlayStation TV, then there’s never been a better time to tune into the Midnight Channel.
Despite its uneven online play and frustrating load times, Samurai Shodown is still a game that fans of the fighter genre won’t want to miss – so long as they have a few friends play against locally. With a colorful (though somewhat limited) cast of characters, a wealth of game modes, and some smart evolutions of its tried and true formula, it’s still one of the best games in the series to date. Here’s hoping the game’s PC community grows, and SNK can iron out the few kinks that hold Samurai Shodown back from being the brawler to beat.
As a longtime fan of the Thunder Force series, I couldn’t be happier to see SEGA AGES Thunder Force AC soar onto the Switch. With a satisfying blend of challenging gameplay, great visuals, and an incredible soundtrack courtesy of composer Toshiharu Yamanishi, it’s an exceptional shooter that no fan of the series should miss.
If you’re a die-hard retro gamer or a fan of Eurostyle shooters and can look past its often messy platforming and dated design choices, Ultracore is a game that’s sure to fill that Turrican-shaped void in your heart.