Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection might satisfy some of the hardcore Ys loving fans of Falcom, but I feel like this game will do more for any gamer who is intimidated by the developer's other series and bigger titles. It's a shame that I waited so long to get into the Zwei series, but I'm grateful for a chance to play such a fun and amusing action RPG in a time where serious story premises seem to be all we get.
I enjoyed the new battle systems and all of the additional features that Gust added to Nights of Azure 2. However, it's clear that keeping the action fast and the frame rate stable were the developers biggest concerns and it shows in the forgettable environments. Thankfully, there's too many good features about Nights of Azure 2 for fans of Gust to not pick it up, while at the same time introducing new players to the developer. As for me, I'm going to hope that they continue to support this awesome action RPG series and its casual yuri story plots.
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows has everything a horror game needs, engaging story and characters, creepy town, and scary spirits. Most importantly, it shows a significant improvement over what the previous entry in the series offered. Sadly, the game lacks more explorable areas and also a more extensive variety of enemies, who end up overstaying their welcome in the later parts of the game. With that said, Yomawari: Midnight Shadows caused me to scream out of fear multiple times and, at the same time, kept me excited for whatever was coming next.
Raiden V: Director's Cut offers a wide variety of weapons and difficulties that are sure to keep players busy for some time. I could have used a few additional modes, ships, and weapons, but what's provided was enough for me to have a blast. Hopefully, the success of Raiden V: Director's Cut opens the floodgates for the bullet hell genre on consoles in the west.
Rogue Trooper Redux might have been a strange game to remaster, but I had a decent time playing through the story again. I enjoyed taking advantage of the limited enemy AI as well as taking them out with my arsenal of gadgets. Although I would have preferred a reboot or sequel to the series, this provided a nice trip down third-person shooter memory lane, but that might not be enough to gauge enough interest from modern gamers.
Project Nimbus makes a great attempt at capturing the mech action genre that rarely comes West. Fans will find a lot of what they want from mech action, but the lack of motivation to complete missions could potential hurt the chances of them completing the game. For a small indie game, Project Nimbus hits all the right ques to be a great action game, but dated visuals and
Chaos;Child is a visual novel that needs to be taken slowly and digested over a few days. There are still scenes that I can't stop thinking about because of how graphic and powerful they were. Steins;Gate sets the bar really high for me and Chaos;Child is the first visual novel in a long time to come so close to that emotional of impact on my mental state.
Bad Apple Wars explores the afterlife in a way that is sure to grab the interest of visual novel fans, especially those who are already fans of Angel Beats!. However, the inconsistencies in character routes and a few dull events involving Rinka's pathetic attitude holds the game back from being a great otome. There is plenty to love of Bad Apple Wars, but to me it doesn't stand out when compared to some of the better otome visual novels available.
Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online made me excited for this series' potential again. I took a break and came back to find that, outside of Unreal Engine 4 graphics, the biggest changes were in gameplay and story progression, but the cast of characters, which I feel is the heart of the series, is better than ever in this entry. With solid controls, a variations of quests, multiple dungeons to explore, and many hours of items collecting and level grinding, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online will provide that Nep-tastic adventure that fans have been waiting for while at the same time slowing down in certain parts for new fans to jump in and acquaint themselves with the Goddesses.
Final Fantasy IX on PlayStation 4 has rekindled my imagination that for years I thought I had lost, giving me a reason to return to these characters and story that deserve to be experienced by any fan of the genre. Final Fantasy IX on PlayStation 4 is upgraded and re-rendered up to the best possible version for every fan of Final Fantasy, new and old.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar shows what an independent studio that cares about their graphic novel IP can do. Through hours of RPG combat and dungeon exploring, the game manages to stay interesting and fresh, which makes it difficult to put down. It's clear that developer Airship Syndicate has created a unique and fun turn-based RPG, but most of all they breathed life in the Battle Chasers universe to expose the series to a new group of fans while satisfying the old ones with a brand new adventure.
Coming from someone who has spent many years playing board and card games, Culdcept Revolt does an excellent job at delivering that experience in a unique way. The constant stream of new cards and maps that are unlocked throughout the game keeps it fresh and helps with the story's pacing. As I play past the 30 hour mark, I just hope I don't have to wait another ten years for a new Culdcept title in the West.
Blue Reflection tells an accurate story of a high school girl who is coming to terms with becoming a magical girl. The game is graphically one of the best looking games from Gust that I have played and I applaud them for trying something new. There's a lot to see in Blue Reflection if players put the time into the story, but if you're looking level grinding and item collecting, this isn't going to be the game for you.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony relies heavily on its characters and plot, so if these two things aren't of interest to you then you might not agree with this review. However, returning fans and those with an open mind will clearly understand why Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is one of the greatest visual novels I have ever played.
In the end, the character growth and deep story made me appreciate Mary Skelter: Nightmares as more than just another simple dungeon crawler that I've seen time and time again. The game has a way to make you care about the characters which is something that I ultimately look for in these types of games.
Although the S.P.I.N. system is not without its annoyances the choices that affect Itō's personality make the game engaging and force the player to take the puzzles at a more thoughtful pace instead of strong arming every situation. The downside is that a second playthrough is required in order to have an understanding of the approaching scenes that are out of the player's control and can damage a meter of Itō's S.P.I.N. With a gripping story and overall impressive approach to a unique choice system, Tokyo Dark is a great game that fans of the point-and-click adventures and visual novel genres should get their hands on.
Drive Girls is for those Vita fans out there that are dying to play an action game from Tamsoft and can't wait for some of their other games to come West.
The game's lengthy scenes and repeated statements can feel more like padding on the game's runtime which makes Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth feel redundant at times, but the conclusion of the story will not disappoint the ones who have stuck with it this far. If you are a fan of visual novels that have elements of the SRPG genre, then very few games do it better than the Utawarerumono series, you won't be disappointing.
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm's Episode 1: Awake focus on themes of depression, loss, and the inability to fit in, which it does an excellent job at presenting throughout this first episode. Sadly, the episode's main focus on Chloe and Rachel's friendship can feel a little forced early on, but inevitably lands on plausible after learning about the mental state of each of the characters.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana has introduced a new type of adventure to the Ys series and does it incredibly well. The game takes the action-RPG genre to a new level with its excellent story pacing and gameplay. The game offers many hours of exploring and fast-paced action along with plenty more for those who'd like to dive deeper into the mysteries of the island. The truth is after picking up Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana I simply couldn't put it down until I finished the story. In the end, I found myself attached to many of the characters that I met along the way and part of me wished that this Ys adventure never had to end. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana will also release on PS Vita and PC.