Miguel Moran's Reviews
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot displays unparalleled care and respect for the iconic story arcs it adapts. The original music is there, original Dragon Ball characters return, and pivotal moments are gorgeously animated. If these were stories being presented in video game format for the first time, it would be a mind-blowing experience. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot doesn't push the envelope enough to warrant sitting through the Cell Saga for the umpteenth time and seeing Frieza get obliterated yet again. If you've played a Dragon Ball Z game before, you've basically played this one.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore brings improved load times, new content, and incredible charm to Nintendo Switch, resulting in a must-play JRPG experience for anyone who owns the latest Nintendo console.
With the Atelier Dusk Trilogy Deluxe Pack, the entire library of PlayStation 3 Atelier games is now playable on modern systems. While the Arland trilogy broke ground by being the first 3D entries in the franchise, the Atelier Dusk games trade technical innovation for narrative, introducing a strikingly solemn and mysterious world inhabited by gorgeously designed characters that won't be soon forgotten by anyone who plays these games.
Steins;Gate: My Darling’s Embrace puts a silly spin on the usually serious atmosphere of the series, providing a fun and breezy treat for fans of the franchise.
Spend an afternoon playing this with them, and you might just end up helping them discover a fascination with the Olympics. Or Nintendo sports games. Hopefully both!
Gun Gun Pixies has a very specific audience, and many of those people are sure to have a good time with this game. Cute characters and a wealthy abundance of fanservice are here in spades. Unfortunately, I often found myself struggling with the repetitive gameplay and clunky controls too much to appreciate any of the good aspects of the game.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout reinvents the wheel on a series that felt like it was beginning to grow stagnant. Fresh combat and an engaging new protagonist help this entry usher in a remarkable new era for the long-running Atelier series, and other improvements like great Switch performance and gorgeous music are just icing on the cake. I never thought that Atelier Sophie could be out-done, but Atelier Ryza has thoroughly made the case to be my new favorite game in the series.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III the third 80-hour RPG in a series of equally lengthy games. If you're a newcomer, it's a daunting and probably foolish task to try and play this game. If you're a die-hard fan of the Cold Steel series already, you'll get plenty of satisfaction out of the continued plot development and engaging combat. Even the most dedicated of fans, though, are likely to be turned off by the dated visuals and confusing Legend of Heroes crossovers that mar an otherwise impressive story-driven JRPG.
What The Golf has created an absurd, hilarious, bite-sized experience that is always golf-adjacent and brilliant for it. The jokes and levels are a whirlwind of zany ideas, but the quick pacing and brief runtime of the game keep them from falling flat or getting tiresome. Despite an overworld that can feel a little repetitive, What The Golf? is full of hearty laughs and addictive gameplay that made me never want to stop playing.
John Wick Hex is the last form you might expect a John Wick game to take, but this unique, inventive puzzler kept my mind racing from beginning to end. While the gameplay and interesting story shed light on some important aspects of the film franchise, the sometimes punishing difficulty and surprising lack of focus on John Wick himself left me a little disappointed. This isn't a perfect video game adaptation of a film, but it's certainly the most original one I've ever played.
Super Neptunia RPG makes an earnest attempt at shaking up the formula of the Neptunia series. Unfortunately, major technical issues bog this game down at every turn, and even if they were fixed, the drawn out story and over-simplified combat would fail to equate to an enjoyable game. Super fans of the Neptunia series might find something worthwhile in this experience, but it's sure to be buried under ten tons of headache and frustration.
Code Vein is addictive, yet frustrating. It's promising, yet unpolished. There are a lot of interesting ideas here that come together to craft a unique and engaging experience. I just wish that the flaws here weren't so glaring, because they keep Code Vein from being a great game instead of just a good one.
Dragon Quest XI is already an incredible JRPG, but this massively updated Switch release makes it almost mandatory. With new outfits, new quests, an entirely new 2D mode and a huge range of quality of life improvements, it's easy to consider this the best version of the game to play. The only thing holding it back from earning that title are some unfortunate visual and performance issues. A handy patch can fix the latter, but really the only reason not to prefer this version is if pristine graphics are your highest priority.
Jedi Outcast is a fun trip down memory lane. However, newcomers are likely to be too put off by the frustrations and poorly-aged game design of an ultimately incomplete port of a once-incredible title.
Utawarerumono: Zan is only for the most dedicated of fans to the series. Newcomers will be lost by the incredibly brisk and abbreviated story, and even though the combat is fun and the characters unique, there are just so many other Warriors-style games out there that provide fun gameplay and addictive action without slacking on the story. Hardcore Utawarerumono might get more pleasure out of this game than fresh faces would, but are sure to be just as disappointed by how thoroughly the story has been butchered.
I couldn't be happier about the return of the Ninja Warriors. The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors takes classic arcade action and updates it for a brand new era of ninjas. Combat is slick and addictive, and every level is more enjoyable than the last. Unfortunately, the ride just ends far too soon, and without any extra modes or stages to battle your way through after the credits roll, this is an excellent but ultimately far too short experience. I hope the Ninja Warriors stick around longer the next time they return.
Daemon X Machina sets the bar for robot action games. The addictive mecha fighting is almost flawless, but it's complemented by so many other incredible parts to the game. There's a rich, unique world filled with incredible and memorable characters, endless and addictive customisation, gorgeous visuals and a jaw-dropping soundtrack. Daemon X Machina rarely stumbles, and even when it did, I still couldn't help but be impressed by this amazing new experience.
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw manages to take plenty of familiar elements and whisk them together into a completely original package. The dusty trucker atmosphere combined with the sharp and agile dogfighting gameplay kept me engaged for hours, although the back-tracking and cash grinding wore me out before too long. Even with those issues, there's something special about the aesthetic of Rebel Galaxy Outlaw that demands the attention of anyone looking for some good, dirty spaceship action.
Catherine: Full Body has aged like the finest of wines. For fans of the story, the new characters and plot threads fold in fantastically after an awkward start, and they're coupled with a wealth of new dialogue and beautifully animated cutscenes. For fans of the gameplay, new remixed levels and difficulty options add brand new challenges for even the most hardcore Catherine enthusiasts, and with support for the game's niche competitive scene to boot. And if you've never played the game before, all of these additions make an already classic video game even more of a must-play experience.
Dragon Star Varnir's dark world of witches and warfare is unlike anything else Compile Heart and Idea Factory have put out. Unfortunately, the experience is brought down by less than stellar visuals and doesn't make the most of its main gameplay innovations.. There's an interesting story to unfold here, but actually playing the game to get to it might be a challenge best left unmet.