Kenny McKee

AeroHayl
AeroHayl

Favorite Games:
  • Pokémon Black Version 2
  • The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
  • Yoshi's Island

162 games reviewed
75.4 average score
80 median score
64.2% of games recommended

Kenny McKee's Reviews

Hello! My name is Kenny, and I've been writing for Hey Poor Player since 2016. I love video games of all kinds but have always been particularly fond of JRPGs, platformers, and roguelikes. Outside of playing and writing about video games, I'm currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Sociology. I'm not sure how interesting that actually is, but, hey, it's something!
Nov 1, 2023

Star Ocean The Second Story R is a true treat for both series veterans and newcomers alike, going far beyond the scope of traditional remakes and bringing The Second Story to a brand-new, and completely wonderful, level.

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Nov 1, 2023

Overall, My Time At Sandrock is a great game. There’s tons to do, and it’s got plenty of depth. If I had played it on, say, PC or PS5, I’m sure it would have run fine (or at least serviceable). But I didn’t. I played it on the Switch. And the Nintendo Switch version of My Time At Sandrock is a crunchy, crusty, stuttering mess that I very much recommend that you stay away from.

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Oct 16, 2023

Just as Disgaea 6 was an example of how a good series can begin to deteriorate over time, Disgaea 7 is a good—nay, great—example of how it’s never too late for a series to get back on track. Not only does Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless fix the myriad mistakes of its predecessor to the point of over-correction (and I mean that in a good way), but it even finds ways of utilizing mechanics that debuted in Disgaea 6 in ways that are both balanced and, if you’ll pardon the pun, intelligent. Regardless of whether you lauded or loathed the adventures of Zed & co., there’s no excuse to skip out on what is both the latest and greatest entry in the Disgaea series. Hinomoto is beckoning you—answer its call!

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Dai’s video game debut may not feature the same level of robustness as its core series counterparts, but, as an action-based anime spin-off, it’s an absolute delight. Whether you’ve been following the anime or manga, or just consider yourself to be a Dragon Quest fan, Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure offers an all-around good time.

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3 / 5.0 - Silent Hope
Sep 27, 2023

For a game that’s supposedly Rune Factory-adjacent, I’ve got to say that I feel a little let down here. Between its engaging premise, large cast of playable characters, and emphasis on crafting, Silent Hope offers a lot to players but never really goes anywhere interesting with it. As a fan of both Marvelous and Rune Factory, I know that this developer is capable of creating games with plenty of depth. Ironically, however, the game about literally exploring a near-endless abyss isn’t one of them. The game does have its charms, to be sure, but the sheer amount of potentially cool things that it could have done (and didn’t do) left me feeling more frustrated than anything.

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4 / 5.0 - Lies of P
Sep 13, 2023

Lies of P plays it a little too by the book in terms of gameplay and area design but is ultimately a very solid soulslike, not entirely bereft of uniqueness, granted you know where to look. While I would have liked certain mechanics, primarily those surrounding lying, to have been leaned into a little more, I can’t deny that Neowiz Games did an excellent job overall.

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Sep 9, 2023

Featuring a visually appealing graphical overhaul and the addition of extra modes to enjoy, there’s absolutely no reason why any farmer worth their salt should overlook Rune Factory 3 Special. The latest installment in the Rune Factory franchise may be a re-release of a 13-year-old game, but don’t let that stop you from diving into this cornucopia of fun.

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Aug 22, 2023

Subjectively speaking, I absolutely adore this game. Objectively, however, it’s far from perfect. All-in-all, The Caligula Effect: Overdose is a unique JRPG with a captivating story enveloped in the fragility of human psychology, but tends to fall a bit flat when it comes to actual gameplay. Its decision to move to the PS5 also still baffles me. Still, I’d recommend playing it if you’re interested. And, hey, I guess you can play it on the modern PlayStation platform of your choice, too!

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Jul 17, 2023

It’s kind of funny that the entirety of Tai’s journey takes place during a short visit to his grandparents because that’s what this game essentially felt like—a quick trip. Though much shorter than I would have liked it, there’s no denying that the LoZ-inspired adventure offered by Reverie: Sweet As Edition is anything other than fun, engaging, and incredibly visually appealing. It may just be a short vacation, but I’m glad that I at least got to go.

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Compared to what we have now, it might be tempting to view this game as being somewhat tiny. And, to be fair, it kind of is. But that’s only looking at part of the picture. In my opinion, you need to look at it for everything that it stands for. Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg offers a relaxing, nostalgic, and enjoyable look into the Atelier series of yesteryear while simultaneously reminding us of just how far it’s managed to come after all of this time. Will we get more Atelier remakes? I have absolutely no idea, but if they’re anything like this, then I sure hope that we do!

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“Shadow Over Morrowind” may be ESO‘s overarching theme for this year, but The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom promises to be anything but dark and dreary for players… metaphorically speaking, of course. Necrom itself is pretty gloomy, and Apocrypha is… well, you’ll just have to see that one for yourself.

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Jul 1, 2023

I may be a diehard classic Final Fantasy fan at heart, but there’s no getting past the fact that this game, with all of its high-octane, DMC-inspired action, is an absolutely phenomenal example of RPG craftsmanship. Setting out in a new direction once again, the oft-bitter, yet irresistibly engaging story and addictive, action-focused gameplay allow Final Fantasy XVI to stand tall as a phenomenal example of contemporary video game craftsmanship.

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Jun 16, 2023

The Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection is a perfect example of challenging dungeon-crawling action at its finest with just the right amount of HD polish, and I couldn’t be happier that it found its way onto the Switch. I can’t say for certain what this means for Etrian Odyssey as a whole. But, whether it means we’ll continue to see re-releases of older games, or perhaps even see new ones, so long as Etrian Odyssey lives on, then I’ll be happy.

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Jun 12, 2023

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is a narratively enticing piece of DLC whose tiny explorable area and lackluster magic system might scare away those looking for a follow-up with a little more oomph. It’s also worth noting that the very end of the DLC sequel baits hard. And, while I’m not sure that Frey’s second journey will ever come to fruition (I’m very aware of everything that’s been going on), In Tanta We Trust, despite its flaws, did help me to look forward to that Forspoken follow-up… if and when it happens.

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Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook feels more like a first try on NIS’ part than anything else—a fun first try, but a first try nonetheless. I legitimately enjoyed my time learning the ins and outs of the game and, as a fan of roguelikes and RPGs alike, didn’t mind having the game repeatedly stomp me into the ground. With that being said, however, I’d definitely call this one niche, and I’m not sure that everyone will find its flavor quite as appealing as I did.

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3 / 5.0 - Mugen Souls
Apr 28, 2023

I really don’t like having to pick on Mugen Souls as much as I did throughout most of this review. All-in-all, it was a fun JRPG with an entertaining storyline. I also understand that this game is a remake of something that came out a decade ago. And, heck, this game even has every bit of DLC (of which there is a lot) that was released during its initial run included for free! Unfortunately, neither of those things can entirely make up for the game’s misgivings. If you’re a fan of Compile Heart or JRPGs with weird and wacky stories, it might be worth giving a shot. I would, however, caution those out there who only want to spend their time playing RPGs with a bit more… well, quality.

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4 / 5.0 - Nuclear Blaze
Apr 26, 2023

It’s already been said once in this review, but it bears repeating. Nuclear Blaze is the equivalent of a brightly lit candle—it’s at its end far too soon, but it’s impossible not to marvel at its splendor while it’s still there. As little as I’ve actually thought about the “firefighting game” genre, I’m all-in if future games are anything like this.

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Mar 11, 2023

Playing through Twice Reborn: A Vampire Visual Novel was kind of like receiving a homemade baked good from a friend. Its wrapping might be a little crinkled and the presentation of the product itself isn’t exactly perfect, but after finally sinking your teeth into it, you realize that it’s not just good, but better than you expected. And, of course, you can tell that it was made with plenty of love.

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3 / 5.0 - Saint Kotar
Feb 6, 2023

There’s something great in Saint Kotar, but I can’t exactly tell you what. It feels like a great game is, well, kind of stuck inside of a “just okay” game at the present. The atmosphere, premise, and voice acting are stellar, but are ultimately brought down by pacing that doesn’t quite feel all too thought out. I spent the entire game feeling like I was working toward something great—only to still feel like I was “working my way up” by the time I got to the end. There was never really any true “closure” in Saint Kotar. And, while the game was good in many aspects, I think that that was what let me down the most. Ah, well, it’s still probably worth a play if you’re interested in this sort of thing.

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The years of Persona 3 Portable being in its prime at this point have long since passed. However, that doesn’t mean that the game is any less enjoyable or worthwhile than it was in its heyday. Carefully straddling the line between modern and classic Persona titles, Persona 3 Portable is a phenomenal title sporting an enchanting style all of its own and double the content of the original Persona 3. The argument between whether Persona 3 Portable or Persona 3 FES stands as the “ultimate Persona 3 title” is still something that goes on to this day, but Persona 3 Portable will always be the winner in my book.

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