James Berich's Reviews
Doom Eternal is a bigger and better sequel in practically every way.
Nioh 2 brings together everything that was great about the original Nioh and builds upon it. The yokai form, while flashy, does little to diminish the challenge and instead adds a fun new dynamic to an already engrossing flow of combat. While it might not look as such, Nioh 2 is a fantastic sequel and one that action fans shouldn’t miss.
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition on the Switch is without a doubt the best way to play Devil May Cry 3.
Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle brings together two of PlatinumGames’ best, giving them a fresh coat of paint to stand up to the visual standards of this decade. Vanquish is the clear winner of the two here, with some visually fantastic improvements, but both play just as well as they did ten years ago. While it's disappointing that bonus content isn't included, they’re still games any action fan shouldn’t miss.
Make no mistakes, Darksiders Genesis plays and feels like a Darksiders game. It’s just not a particularly strong one. Repetitive enemy encounters, simplistic puzzle design and average platforming all stop Genesis from being as good as it could be. Co-op is a blast, as is the great dynamic between War and Strife, but it doesn’t save the experience in the end.
Aviary Attorney has it all – well-written characters, a great sense of humour, compact but digestible cases, and a simple gameplay loop wrapped in a striking artistic style. Its willingness to let players fail, and feel the consequences of their shoddy investigating, is to be commended and is what separates Aviary Attorney from its contemporaries. It can be a little bit simple and straightforward, however, and that may leave some feeling disappointed.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics falls into the trap of mimicking the greats of its genre without understanding what made them so great. While a passable strategy game at best, the only saving grace of Age of Resistance Tactics is the world it’s based on. And even that’s not as great as it could be.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War builds upon the original trilogy of games to offer a robust zombie-killing experience. While what’s here is enjoyable, and the combat is as satisfying as ever, it doesn’t quite step out on its own into something truly unique.
Journey to the Savage Planet is a concise yet well focused adventure that channels the best bits of games like Metroid and Prey. Despite this, some unsatisfying combat and repetitive locales keep it from being the achievement that it could be.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore features some much-needed quality of life improvements, as well as a strong opening and novel combat. But, ultimately, tedious dungeon design and unrefined boss battles that plagued the original remain and prevent Encore from being the improvement it could be.