Josh McGrath
Other than the fact that players who tend to skip story in games will have a bad time, I believe this is a game that every 3DS owner should have in their library.
It is an excellent game all around, and an amazing surprise coming from a developer with a history a middling games and a turbulent ending. You would be missing out if you don't it a shot.
There’s very little I can complain about here, and those things are so minor as to be insignificant. As such, I would like to award Yakuza 0 with a full score. PS4 owners would be doing themselves a disservice by not including this in their libraries.
From the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the engrossing aesthetic design, combined with solid gameplay that does its part in showing off the world while also not being a slouch itself, Gris is far and away one of the best experiences in gaming I’ve had this year.
Like many, I’ve been waiting for Trails from Zero for years. After falling off hard from Cold Steel due to its insistence of returning to a school setting multiple times, I had high hopes Zero would return the magic of the Trails games I felt from the Sky arc. And not only did it do that, but it went even beyond my expectations. With a tighter focus in both setting and cast, a story that’s quicker to take off, and the refinements to a battle system I already enjoyed, the game in my hands right now may be on its way to my game of the year.
...but for those who give it a chance, you'll find what I believe to be one of the best stories in video games of recent memory. Even if you have to seek it out on PSP, it is most definitely a game worth your time.
Fortunately, two of those three complaints vanish once you put some time in, and you’ll have no trouble with that what with everything else available to do. This is the rare review title that I can see myself regularly coming back to in the future. Despite not being a car guy, Forza Horizon 4 is just plain fun, pure and simple.
The short playtime can make the full asking price ($14.99 at the time of writing, not counting any sales going on) a bit hard to swallow, though. Despite that, The Deadly Tower of Monsters is a great switch-off-your-brain-and-play game, and definitely worth giving a shot.
Look past the overly-saccharine exterior, and you have an excellent game that marks a strong start for indie releases in 2016.
If you’re a platforming fan, or just a gamer that’s looking for some straight-up fun, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is definitely a title that should be on your radar.
It doesn’t win out over Trails in the Sky SC, it comes really damn close. The unfortunate fact that you have to slog through the low points of the first game to get to the expansive high here is a bit of a blemish…but I’d say it’s worth a little bit of pain.
While the issues I had do hold the game back from a perfect score, Apocalypse is a game that JRPG fans, and even just 3DS owners, should not pass up. The depth in story and gameplay is incredible, and the accessability options can let anyone dive in, newbie or veteran.
I went into this review with rather low expectations, and wound up with a title that I would recommend highly to any owner of a PS4.
For fans of Falcom’s works, dungeon crawlers, action RPGs, or just anyone looking for a new addiction, I can’t recommend Xanadu Next highly enough.
These are minor grievances, though, as the overall package is definitely a game that needs to be played. The fact that it is a free release further enforces that point.
The entire A/V presentation, mixed with solid and tight gameplay, create easily one of the most addictive games I’ve played lately.
This remaster is definitely the way Final Fantasy XII is meant to be played. If you've already played the original to death, there's enough changes and improvements here to warrant your time and money. If you've never experienced the twelfth numbered title in this series, now would be the greatest time to finally jump in.
If you're a series fan, and still have a strong stomach, Danganronpa V3 can't come any more highly recommended. If you haven't experienced the franchise yet, now's the time to jump in…but start with the first game.
Despite the complaints, I can easily see Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana going down as a modern classic of the genre. The sense of wonder the game offers during exploration, the beautiful artistic presentation, and the just plain solid and fun gameplay make this a title that you absolutely should not pass up.
On its own, though, Zwei is still a beautifully crafted game and an addictive dungeon crawler. If you’re looking for something a bit more light-hearted to dive into after the more serious big releases coming out this time of year, this game would be right up your alley.