Gabriel Jones

Central Florida
PepsimanVsJoe
PepsimanVsJoe

Favorite Games:

226 games reviewed
64.6 average score
70 median score
37.6% of games recommended
Sep 17, 2016

There is enjoyment to be found in Run Run and Die. The plethora of issues is so bad that they're liable to shock gamers into fits of laughter. All they'll be able to think about is how a video game with such a simple concept could fail so spectacularly. Sometimes the camera will shift to an impossible angle, or the penguin will die unfairly, and it is absolutely hilarious. This game might make for a fun prank to play on friends, or to create a reaction video for a YouTube channel. If that doesn't sound appealing, then stay far away from Run Run and Die.

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Sep 20, 2016

Dear Esther's appeal is directly tied to the player experiencing it. While it is a masterclass in graphics and sound, the game itself is practically a blank slate. It's like a puzzle with only a handful of pieces. The player isn't obligated to put it together, and they're not in the wrong if they choose to ignore it entirely. Still, this is a uniquely bold experience that pushes the medium in new directions. There are people out there thinking about it, asking questions, and really exploring what they just experienced. That is what's most important.

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3 / 10 - Zenith
Sep 24, 2016

All in all, Zenith's shallow combat and lack of replay value would have been easy to ignore if the game had delivered on its promise of humour. Instead, there are tons of jokes, but most of them miss the mark. After a long enough period of time, the bad jokes stack themselves to the ceiling, and then topple over. This creates what can only be described as an apocalyptic level of misery. Whatever interesting qualities Zenith had to offer are buried, and the player is left sitting in uncomfortable silence. Suddenly, ten hours feels like an eternity.

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8 / 10 - Rive
Sep 30, 2016

RIVE is, without a doubt, one of the finer action games released this year. It strikes the right balance between focused, but also playful. The player will be thrust into a constant variety of intense scenarios, all more difficult than the last, but only rarely will they even think, "That was a little unfair." There are plenty of ways to approach each situation, and there's room to experiment with weapons or exploit the enemy AI. The difficulty is well balanced, and the campaign is fluff free. Even the water section is good, and those hardly ever work in video games.

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Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena is a thoroughly solid fighter with some great twists on the formula, but it's hamstrung by an unbalanced roster. The lack of a player-base also hurts its long-term appeal. After seeing each character's storyline to the end, there isn't much else to do, aside from practicing for fights that may never happen. Still, if 2D fighter fans are willing to look past these issues, then there's a really decent title to be had.

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Oct 6, 2016

Crimson Room Decade is an interesting little experiment, but it lacks content. Granted, an alternate version of the game that has hundreds of puzzles wouldn't be ideal, either. Still, it really feels like more could have been done with the concept. A few clever ideas just aren't enough for this game to receive a recommendation.

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Oct 6, 2016

The oft-overused phrase "It's not for everyone" can be applied to Assault Suit Leynos. While this game has been made more accessible, it hasn't been given a massive re-envisioning. Aside from some relatively minor tweaks and additions, this is still the same game as it was back in 1990. Some people might be put off by its "bland" mission structure, the lack of a complex scoring system, and controls that simply aren't designed for "Kickin' Rad!" combos. It's an ugly game in more ways than one, but its unique and well-constructed qualities have helped it endure all these years.

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8 / 10 - Blue Revolver
Oct 11, 2016

Everything about Blue Revolver is well done. It nails the most important aspects, while looking and sounding fantastic. There's enough depth to the various sub-systems to keep experts entertained, but at the same time it doesn't put off or condescend newcomers. Within minutes, anyone can understand how it all works. The levels are thrilling, the bosses are tough, and the variety of weapons offers many different ways to play. This is a superb pick-up for STG fans, and there is even a demo available on the official website for those that want to try before they buy. It's well worth checking out.

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5 / 10 - Manual Samuel
Oct 11, 2016

Manual Samuel is a fun little diversion. The control scheme perfectly reflects the absurdity of the premise, and the various objectives keep the game from becoming redundant. Not everything clicks as much as it could, but it's endearing in its own way. This is also the kind of game that's probably at its best when played with friends. If there were more levels, better written characters, and funnier dialogue, this would be a much easier recommendation.

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Oct 12, 2016

Mantis Burn Racing is a decent racing game, albeit rather lean on content. On the bright side, there are plans for a few major updates, which will include more tracks, vehicles, and a greatly expanded career mode. The controls are approachable for anyone with even a casual grasp of racing games. This makes it a good title for pick-up-and-play groups. Just hand someone a controller, and they're ready to go. Although, they might complain that there aren't any blue shells or flaming hoops to jump through. This is a pure arcade-style racer, which is kind of a lost art in this day and age.

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Oct 13, 2016

DoDonPachi Resurrection is a thoroughly fascinating 2D shooter. Its various systems compound onto one another to create a unique and very addictive experience. However, it takes a long time just to make sense of everything, let alone make it work to the player's advantage. At any moment, there's just so much that can go wrong, and even the best strategies are undone by the tiniest movements. Getting the most out of this game's many flavours will take a seemingly endless number of retries. It's a vicious cycle, but some gamers wouldn't have it any other way.

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Oct 14, 2016

While Hunter's Legacy has some nice qualities, too much of it is spent on laborious boss battles. The other elements such as exploration and puzzle-solving are competently handled, and the dealings with minor foes are appropriately brief. Unfortunately, these feelings of goodwill are eroded and then all but erased by encounters that rely too much on randomness, and don't provide enough of a legitimate challenge. If someone is willing to look past that, then they'll find Hunter's Legacy to be pretty enjoyable. Although, that's a contradiction, isn't it? It's impossible to look past something that has to be done.

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Oct 16, 2016

While River City: Tokyo Rumble is lacking in terms of challenge or complexity, it delivers on the basic concepts that have helped the Kunio Kun franchise last for decades. The character designs and animations evoke plenty of charm, and the fighting is simple and easy to enjoy. A handful of secrets and unlockable extras reward anyone who takes the time to explore. The dozens of methods for punishing everyone that threatens the safety of Tokyo is a treat, as well. All in all, this is a quality beat 'em up that's worth looking into.

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Oct 18, 2016

The Bug Butcher does a fine job of paying homage to the arcade titles that inspired it. Rather than attempt to be an inept clone, this shoot 'em up goes for a faster, more frenetic take on the concept. The variety of bugs and traps makes each level feel fresh, and there's enough of a difficulty curve to keep everything interesting. When played for score, this game becomes even more enjoyable. It's not quite as polished as it could be, but all things considered, Awfully Nice Studios delivered a quality product for insect-blasting enthusiasts.

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Oct 25, 2016

As far as the horror genre is concerned, Barrow Hill: The Dark Path is very quaint. It was made by a small team, who didn't have much of a budget to work with, but it's clear that they invested a lot of passion into their game. This adventure doesn't have a lot of hand holding, but the puzzles are mostly sensible, and even consistent with the lore. On the other hand, it's a little too easy to overlook certain clues, wandering in the forest gets dull, and it could have used a little more polish. Most of the serious bugs were ironed out, but there's still the occasional oddity, such as a screwdriver mysteriously appearing in one's inventory. Maybe a witch put it there. Who knows?

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Oct 25, 2016

In short, God Eater 2: Rage Burst is a brilliant game for fans of monster hunting. While the post-apocalyptic storyline has a surprising lack of death and suffering, the characters are interesting and decently written. The dealings with adversity are fun, and taking down an exceptionally large and dangerous foe is always satisfying. The PC version's poor online is easily its biggest failing, and experts might scoff at the abuse prone Blood Arts, but there's still a lot of enjoyable qualities. This game perfectly captures the addictive "one more mission" aspect, and for anyone it manages to suck in, free time is guaranteed to become a thing of the past.

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Oct 27, 2016

Featherpunk Prime is a competently-made shooter, but its main issue is that it's too "safe." The level designs are functional, but bland. The unique and challenging guardian fights require dealing with a mundane collection of regular enemies. There are plenty of weapons, but there isn't much of a reason to use anything beyond the shotgun. The art direction is great, but it's part of a game that's entirely too traditional. In other words, there needed to be more forward thinking ideas and different approaches to basic concepts. It's a risky approach, but it's exactly what the game needed.

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Oct 29, 2016

Hide and Shriek is a surprisingly fun little game. It couples a clever premise with charming ideas and an abundance of possibilities. Attempting to track an invisible opponent, who is just as capable at casting spells and setting traps, can also get really tense. Hearts are liable to race as the time ticks down, and one of the players is a shriek away from winning (or losing). There's a clear gap between professionals and amateurs, though, so it could get annoying for anyone new to the competition. The visibility curse could also stand to be nerfed, if not outright removed. It makes spotting and shrieking just a little too easy. Altogether, this is a game that's simply more enjoyable when played with a friend. Startling a random person halfway across the country is amusing, but scaring a best friend is just plain magical.

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Mark McMorris Infinite Air's spartan presentation and mediocre visuals aren't impressive on their own, but they serve their purpose. This is a snowboarding experience that puts functionality over style. The control scheme has its quirks, but there is a lot of depth to it, so consistently performing the most difficult stunts is very rewarding. The breadth of world-building options is truly remarkable. Gamers have all of the tools necessary to design a typical slope-style run, craft a challenging track to test reflexes and board control, or put together something completely unbelievable. This freedom to experiment can never be underappreciated, because it really helps to set this game apart from the pack. All in all, this is a fine addition to the genre.

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Nov 3, 2016

If it can connect with the player, then this game is a profound experience. It takes the medium into different directions, while drawing upon its artistic qualities to find what lies within the viewer. Of course, there's no guarantee that it will garner the same response from everyone. Some people might even say it's pretentious, which wouldn't be an unfair assessment. In the end, this is just a point of view. However, inspiration can't be taken for granted, because it allows someone to look a little harder at the world around them, and a little deeper into themselves. This is reason enough to consider investing a couple of hours into Small Radios Big Televisions.

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