For anyone out there who has ever wished that Astro Port would make a shmup about schoolgirl witches instead of mechs and explosions, Witch-Bot Meglilo is the game for them. Like all of their other titles, this shooter is well-crafted and highly entertaining. Don't like cute stuff? That's fine, too. In fact, it might even be preferable, considering just how zany and sometimes dark the story and characters are. This game is well worth a look.
What it all comes down to is that 99Vidas simply isn't as fun as it could be. A good beat 'em up is more than just hitting bad guys until they fall over. There has to be enough nuance and depth for skilful players to develop their own style, while using very little, if any, resources, such as health restoring food or lives. There also have to be enough leniencies to make the game appealing to someone who just wants a "mindless" yet still entertaining button masher. This game deserves top marks for its aesthetics and charm, but its mechanics and overall design leave something to be desired. If the difficulty was better balanced and the heroes had more viable attack options, this would be a title deserving of a spot in any brawler fan's library.
Anyone with forty minutes to spare can enjoy the entirety of Gathering Sky. They might find it difficult to come up with positive words to say about it, though. Aside from an incredible soundtrack, this game doesn't have any particularly memorable elements. At the same time, it's not all that unpleasant either, thanks to the quaint graphics and solid control scheme. Perhaps this is reason enough to give it a look.
Yakuza 0's focus on refinement over ambition proved to be the right decision. This game features a very well-told story that's filled with an assortment of great characters and memorable moments. It's also a breakout moment for Goro Majima. He tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to characterisation, but here, Majima really comes into his own. The style select sub-system is a fantastic addition, because it allows for a level of flexibility that hasn't been seen in any of the previous entries. The expected massive amount of side content also benefits from an increased level of interdependency. Pursuing the multitude of amenities around town is rewarding in so many ways. This entry raises the bar for both the Yakuza series and action RPGs.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle hits the right nostalgic notes, but it's a clearly rushed affair. The most important elements are in place, the fighting system is solid and pretty fun, and the campaign is suitably lengthy. However, the lack of polish just buries it. The wonky hit detection and control issues are a constant nuisance. Support for up to four players is appreciated, but there aren't any online modes, which is just plain baffling. Altogether, this makes for a game that's just not as tightly designed as it could be. Another few months of development time could've made a big difference.
Make no mistake, The Sun and Moon is not to be taken lightly. It's a very difficult game, and achieving the best possible times will take a lot out of even the most hardened veterans. The method for unlocking levels is open-ended, so players should never feel like they have to repeatedly headbutt the same brick wall until progress is made. There's a sense of satisfaction that comes from just beating a level, which can't easily be found elsewhere. In conclusion, anyone seeking a serious test of wills should seek this platformer out.
Alwa's Awakening is altogether a very impressive effort. It takes full advantage of its 8-bit aesthetics to create a game that wouldn't look out of place on a shelf next to Clash at Demonhead and Whomp 'Em. More importantly, this action-adventure does more than enough to stand out by relying on a foundation consisting of great controls and mechanics. Zoe's three powers strike the perfect balance. They're flexible, but they also show the right amount of restraint. The result is a tightly-designed title that is sure to pleasantly surprise even the most seasoned gamers.
Double Dragon IV is, for better or worse, a direct sequel to Double Dragon II. In terms of mechanics, it's practically a carbon copy, but it goes the extra mile by including a number of new moves and enemies. The tower mode and massive selection of unlockable characters are also really nice. However, this game is trapped in an odd limbo. It doesn't do enough to compete with more modern beat 'em ups, and it isn't as iconic as its predecessor. Its appeals to nostalgia don't quite hit the mark. Perhaps the second game gets a little too much credit; some fans probably haven't played it in decades. Comparing a newer entry to fond memories is a little unfair, but maybe more could have been done to make this one really stand out.
Tears Revolude is a formulaic adventure that accounts for the necessities, but doesn't have any style. The cast was designed by a focus group, the plot is straight out of the early 90s, and the dialogue is amusingly simple. Again, it's actually rather charming, but perhaps this is just the easily-ignorable ramblings of an old man. However, it's impossible to defend the grating music and poor graphics. Good visuals aren't quite necessary when it comes to RPGs, but the audio side can't be ignored. On the whole, this is an adventure that probably isn't worth the effort, even though it is quite short.
MagicalxSpiral is a short game that still manages to be very monotonous. The level of difficulty never reaches a point that can be considered "sufficient." The presentation is decent enough, thanks in part to every character being nicely drawn and voiced. Still, that provides little incentive to see the story all the way to its conclusion. If this platformer was more polished and challenging, it might have been a weekend well spent.
While it struggles at times, Gravity Rush 2 is every bit as thrilling and creative as its astounding predecessor. Its players will be wowed by the gorgeous visuals, and every second spent traversing is an absolute joy. This game succeeds at keeping the player involved, not just in the spectacle, but also in the minutiae. A talent for darting through city streets without clumsily slamming into walls isn't necessary to complete the story, but it's rewarding in its own way. Kat's odyssey is one well worth undertaking.
It's almost shocking that Nioh turned out as well as it did. While Team Ninja is an exceptional talent, they took a pretty huge risk in crafting this game. It takes a lot effort to develop a polished 3D action game, let alone one that relies heavily on RPG elements such as levelling and equipment. Thankfully, they managed to put out a winner. Every single one of the game's multitude of sub-systems co-exists with one another in perfect harmony. There is a consistent feeling of joy thanks to the phenomenal combat and acquisition of sweet gear. Popping open a demon to see colour-coded weapons and armour pour out of its lifeless body like candy from a piñata is actually fun again.
Cayne is a fairly short adventure. However, it's also completely free, so anyone who can afford to spend the time should give it a look. The puzzles can be overly obtuse and annoying, but the game delivers in most other respects. The art direction is disturbingly good. It's memorable, perhaps a bit too memorable. One might find themselves suffering a sleepless night after witnessing everything that occurs in this game. That's a credit to the art direction. Although, one has to wonder how they came up with some of this stuff. Well… Some questions are probably better left unanswered.
Though not without faults and a little too easy, Brut@l is still a fairly amusing game. It's fun exploring the dungeon while crushing its many denizens. The gear system is clever and works quite well. Anyone seeking a greater challenge should probably refrain from exploiting the special attacks and vampire curse potions. This rogue-like arguably won't go down as the classic that it's inspired by, but it isn't a bad way to pass the time.
A Magical High School Girl is an amusing endeavour with a lot of creativity and charm. The dungeons won't impress, but its inhabitants are handled in a manner that is both clever and challenging. The post-game content also does a good job of forcing veterans to rely solely on their wits and spells for long stretches of time, rather than hoarding and gorging on snacks. If a coming of age story with witches and junk food sounds appealing, then don't hesitate to give this rogue-lite a look.
Somewhere in Trulon: The Shadow Engine lies what could be a decent little RPG. The use of cards makes for an interesting spin on tradition. The somewhat bland characters and storyline are balanced out by quaint graphics and pleasant music. However, in its current state, this game is broken. It's far too easy to soft-lock it, or even ruin a save. Progress is constantly at the mercy of increasingly slipshod scripts. Attempting to play an RPG where potentially everything can go wrong is nothing more than an exercise in frustration.
Ghost Blade HD isn't going to astound its players with exhausting layers of depth, or challenge them in ways never thought possible. Still, it features a strong grasp of the basic necessities that make for a fun and exciting game. The constant loop of dodging bullets, destroying enemies, and collecting their precious stars is solidly executed. The level of difficulty is balanced well, and learning the intricacies of the scoring system will make each playthrough all the more enjoyable. All in all, this STG is a fine way to spend a weekend or three.
When it's not suffering from an identity crisis, Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter is a fine adventure/mystery game. Each case is intelligently designed and some aspects are really fascinating. Drawing conclusions from deductions is satisfying, especially when the right call is made. However, far too much time is spent engaging in distractions. This game would be much more fulfilling if it stuck entirely to what makes Sherlock Holmes great. That means no pointless activities, no misguided characterisation, just a plethora of mysteries that are fun and interesting to solve.
Over the past several years, DRPG developer Experience has become one of the leaders of the genre. With titles like Stranger of Sword City Revisited it's easy to see why. The original game was already quite good, so Experience took all of the feedback to heart to craft a thoroughly enhanced version. The changes make the adventure more accessible, yet at the same time they don't push away fans of the original; in fact, there are now more options to consider and new challenges to overcome. All in all, while Escario is a pretty lousy vacation destination for working on that tan, it's still a thoroughly fantastic city to spend a lot of time in.
The main problem with Switch - Or Die Trying is that it has clever ideas, but doesn't take advantage of them. Game mechanics, when they're not fully explored, are just gimmicks. If switching is integral, then it needs to have a presence in the entirety of the game, not just a portion. Maybe the switch could have more abilities, such as powering fans that push the hero where he needs to go. Ghosts could chase him, depending on whether he's a big I or a little i. This puzzle-platformer has a lot of untapped potential, and that's a shame.