Pierre-Yves Lanthier's Reviews
Overall as much as I enjoyed the first Banner Saga I enjoyed the second even more so. With the small adjustments to the graphics and the visual elements in general, it felt like an even better packaged experience. I don't think that I need to mention it, but, I'll be eagerly awaiting the release of the third and final entry into the Banner Saga.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a system judge your every action? If you have, now's your chance to live it! Bulletstorm is back for more foul-mouthed - and at times creative linguistic hilarity - with even more creative ways of taking out your enemies. The better you do? The more the systems rewards you by allowing for an easier time in dispatching the rest of the enemies headed your way.
Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey is the latest in Gust's Atelier series and quite honestly one of the best so far. Set after Atelier Sophie, join both the new and old protagonists Firis and Sophie through a wonderful and open-conceived alchemic journey.
Cursed with immortality in the form of a thorny rose on her back, one girl will need to find her way through a broken castle that she used to call home. She will not do so all alone however, with a giant at her side. Only by working together can these two make it from one location to the next, as each will have need of one another's abilities to make it through the trials ahead.
With their own stars dying, the Dwarves set out in order to find a new source of energy to live by. Because there would be no adventure without something going wrong, their ship gets caught in an energy current that throws them off of their original course and destroys their ship. The survivors must now find each other and survive the hostile environment that they find themselves in.
The original Toukiden took the Monster Hunter idea and put a classic feudal Japanese spin on it. Having originally released for the Vita it wasn't long before it saw both PS4 and the PC releases after having found success as a "Monster Hunter Clone". That simple status however is now no longer valid, as Toukiden 2 just set a new bar for the series with an open world that fans of the genre have only dreamed of.
Everyone has that one friend who regardless of what you tell them not to do, well they've already done it. This is exactly how Touhou Double Focus starts as Aya opens a book that she should not have dragging in those standing around as well as many others into that very book. Those now stuck in the book have a plan for getting out however finding what they need is going to take them on one crazy trip from medieval castles to smoldering deserts and fairy worlds.
When taking just a look at Loot Rascals, it may come across as familiar to some and simply intriguing to others. Some will recognize the art style from Adventure Time while others, like me, will appreciate the combination of colors as they explore the randomness of the hexagonal moon that they find themselves on. Why is your character on some random moon? Because it apparently got in the way of a new resort / camp that a robot was sent to go set up. This results in your goal to get the "Liquid Anything" that it was transporting back to finish construction.
Like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess before it, Breath of the Wild almost didn't release on the console that it was originally intended for. Unlike Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild actually released side by side with the newest console and its version of the title. Was it worth it to do both hardware generations? I would say so.
DYSTORIA was a lot of fun and visually made me think of older games back on Windows 95/98. Invoking a good retro feel and having smooth controls with a wild idea of hovering across giant space objects while shooting enemies and dodging their fire was a blast and well worth getting lost and trying to find my way around.
After over a decade, the spiritual successor to Planescape Torment took itself to Kickstarter and destroyed its original asking amount in almost no time. Paying tribute to both its predecessor and to the fans of it, Torment: Tides of Numenera is the perfect follow-up the cult classic RPG.
Nioh is an amazing game. Yes it has some issues but most of them can be solved in time with some balancing patches. Was it worth the wait? Yes. Was it worth going through all of the Demos to give feedback for the Final Form? Very. William's adventure through Japan is an amazing one and I'm glad that I got to share it with friends as well as going at it alone.
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is Omega Force's latest Warriors-styled experience based off an anime. The brutal nature of the battlefield feels right at home as you move from one fight to the next with the once-young man named Guts exploring his life through its veritable rollercoaster of ups and downs.
While I appreciate the idea behind making a Power Rangers game that taps into nostalgia, I can't help but feel that the Power Rangers property can - and should - do far better with the brawler genre.
I wanted to enjoy Siegecraft Commander a lot more than I did, but the issues with the gameplay were too much to completely overlook. Between having to struggle with the analog stick and worry about every other incline while simultaneously concerning myself with the number of troops coming at you could be the difference between either restarting the level or taking a break before trying it again with a calmer demeanor.
Overall Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea was a great re-entry into the series for me. Not only is the story a good one, the dialog from both a written and verbal standpoint is highly enjoyable. Best of all, the gameplay is a return to a much more enjoyable and relaxing experience.
On a whole Shantae Half-Genie Hero clocked in around the five hour mark for the first play-through with about seventy-five percent of the collectable items and the good ending. This leaves more time for completionists, speed running challenges, the new mode that opens up thereafter, and those wonderful platinum trophies that the more elite covet. With lovable and detestable characters alike making their return for the latest adventure there's no reason not to explore Sequin Land with our Half-Genie Hero Shantae.
On the whole, Nitroplus Blasterz Heroines Infinite Duel is a quality 2D fighter, even if it lacks the narrative in needed and the characterisation that would have made it more effective as fanservice. All I can recommend is that you give the game a chance until you've managed to topple the boss, because from that point on you'll probably find yourself with a game that has a combat system you'll quite enjoy.
Bard’s Gold is designed to kill you and it’s good at what it does. It can be frustrating, it can be infuriating, but it can also be fun and it’s a challenge that is as much against the environment as it is against yourself as you have to remember where everything is at all times.
Dead Rising 4 takes a few steps forward in terms of the gameplay mechanics, but also takes a giant zombie-infected shamble backwards in regards to the narrative elements. Taking away the ticking clock, making the maniacs nothing more than a mere annoyance instead of the stuff of nightmares, and having civilians easily rescued really pulled away from what I liked in the previous games. Dead Rising 4 is fun, but it’s also a little hollow and it’s lost a significant chunk of the series’ soul.