Nick Herber's Reviews
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a pretty average overall all beat-‘em-up game with lackluster presentation that gets an assist from varied characters, a split narrative that encourages replay and a solid sense of RPG-lite progression kept me going longer than I probably would have otherwise. There’s a decent brawler here that fans of the Karate Kid property will probably enjoy, but I do hope a future patch can smooth out some of those rough edges in the core combat.
Black Desert: Prestige Edition is a gorgeous MMO – arguably the prettiest one out there. The sweeping landscapes and detailed character creation show off the game’s visuals wonderfully. The primary narrative may be a bit underwhelming at times, but there is a lot to do – even if most of it has been done in other MMOs in the past. Still, the virtual crafting and fishing life is quite enjoyable here, and character progression kept me engaged. MMOs on a console can be a bit tricky at times, but the UI is handled quite well with a controller and the action-oriented combat is well-served by the controller interface. MMO fans should find plenty to enjoy here.
Onee Chanbara Origin is going to appeal to fans of the series or those just looking for a bit of mindless hack-and-slash action where they can kind of leave their brains at the door. That being said? The game is fun, the overall package is a nice merging of the first two games in the series and the product values have seen a worthy improvement. Onee Chanbara Origins is a fun way to kill a lot of undead and about a dozen hours.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a perfectly serviceable shooter, even if it is not a complex one. The story, the lack of rpg / progression elements and not having a cover system make this more of an arcade-y shooter while you work through the different missions. The characters themselves are the star of the show, and they did a great job in stirring up my nostalgia for the series, even if the rest of the game is solid while doing very little to stand out.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a short but satisfying romp through a fictional China that should appeal to fans of old marital arts movies and the beat-‘em-up genre of video games. Combat is generally fluid with a nice sense of progression, though the story itself is relatively shallow and the game itself only takes about six hours to complete.
Inertial Drift is just about an ideal arcade racing game. The visuals are colorful and smooth, the gameplay is unique and easy to pick-up with just enough variety in cars to keep you learning and improving throughout the game’s varied if somewhat brief content. Fantastic to pick up and play in short bursts, even if it lacks some of the depth found in more polished AAA simulation racing games.
Unfortunately Bounty Battle is a series of missed opportunities almost destined to be a candidate for our site's yearly awards – but not one of the good ones. Horribly unresponsive controls, shallow move sets and game modes and a clunky presentation all squander the goodwill that comes from bringing together so many awesome indie characters from across numerous other video games.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds deserves credit for being the most fun a WWE game has been in a couple of years, but for better and for worse, it is clearly a budget title that cuts corners on depth as it attempts to provide a more arcade-like experience. It generally works, as Battlegrounds is fun in bursts of quick play – especially with friends, but for those with a career mode / progression itch, there’s a good chance that this title will leave you wanting for more. If you have expectations set appropriately, WWE 2K Battlegrounds is entertaining, though it may not have a lot of staying power beyond the first few weeks you get it.
Vampire's Fall: Origins is not going to blow RPG fans away, but given its relatively modest price tag, there is actually a good deal to enjoy here. The dialog and setting are high points and the combat has that old-school grind to it that classic RPG gamers will feel right at home with.
Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars presents a very satisfying mix of different genres and aside from some UI quibbles along the way, does a good job of porting over from PC to console. The presentation works well with the vampiric theme, and while the narrative itself is nothing all that unique, the different campaigns are fun to venture through all the same. Fans of single player strategy games with some RPG and card game mechanics should enjoy this offering despite some of its flaws.
RPG Maker MV is not the latest and greatest in this series, and it is sometimes an awkward fit due to using a controller over a mouse. Additionally, there is a lack of flexibility in the system due to the nature of console versus computer, but all of these things were expected on my part. RPG Maker MV delivers an experience unlike anything else on the PlayStation 4 that JRPG enthusiasts such as myself should find hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of fun with.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a fun way to revisit a game that I have fond memories of from last generation. By and large, the game has aged pretty well. Some fans might be disappointed that there weren’t larger changes made, but I’m happy to see the game back in any form and can once again hold out hope that maybe, just maybe, we’ll get more titles that allow us to revisit this fascinating world in the future as well.
I really enjoyed the sense of humor that Shing! provided, wrapped up in an enjoyable presentation manages to feel fresh in a genre that is seldom innovated in. The biggest innovation however, is the use of the right control stick instead of pressing face buttons. Generally speaking, it works well but does bog down when there are too many enemies on the screen at once or during extended play sessions. It is a cool idea that will no doubt receive mixed reviews, but everything else around Shing! is good enough to warrant a look for those who are fans of the genre.
Admittedly, Kandagawa Jet Girls is not the most difficult racing game out there, but it does have a surprising amount of depth to the actual gameplay mechanics. There is plenty of fanservice in its anime-styled cast, and while the story itself was not riveting by any means, I had a good deal of fun with the game itself.
Banner of the Maid deserves credit for its pleasant visual style, interesting characters and thoughtful gameplay. The unique setting also wins some points with me as I don’t believe I’ve played a game set during the French Revolution since L’Empereur on the NES. That being said, pacing and difficulty spikes will turn off some gamers and I really do wish the localization had been better as well. There is a solid story with some interesting characters to be had here, and tactics fans such as myself should find plenty to like here, but a few of those rough edges probably could have been smoothed out.
This has been a weird year in general and for sports in particular, but PGA Tour 2K21 is a perfect reprieve from all of that. The PGA license is put to good use and the authentic presentation help to round out what was already a great core system. The Golf Club lives on in PGA Tour 2K21, and is a game golf fans are going to want to get their hands on.
Simply put, Fantasy General II: Invasion is a deep, enjoyable strategy game that works surprisingly well on consoles. It offers a lengthy campaign that provides ample challenge and replay value through the unit development and choices that can be made along the way. There is a bit of a learning curve to the mechanics and controls, but once you’ve learned how to play, Fantasy General II: Invasion is a must-play for strategy fans.
Faeria offers excellent value to people who enjoy collectible card games but dislike the feeling that the devs have their hands in your pocket almost from the beginning. It will be interesting to see how the community fleshes out, but I found the combination of tactics and deck management to be a rewarding experience.
Tannenberg is a strategic shooter that pays incredible attention to detail. The presentation might not be AAA, big-budget level, but the developers have put together a compelling mode of play that is easy to sink many hours into. Here is hoping for more growth in the player base, because the early lack of online players does potentially limit Tannenberg’s potential long-term appeal.
While the breakneck opening might make it somewhat difficult for newcomers to the series to find their footing, it is clear that Gust was quite focused on delivering a love letter to existing fans of Fairy Tail. To that end, the developers succeeded. Fairy Tail is not a terribly challenging JRPG, but it never felt overly grindy or tiresome either, and with any luck we’ll see more of the series in game form in the future.