Considering how frustrating and depressing it can be to engage with something under the Microsoft/Activision/Blizzard banner these days, it’s nice to have something that speaks to struggling against powerful, hateful forces and the motivations behind that fight, rather than just being a fun distraction. I appreciate the opportunity of being encouraged to think.
Where it hits is all in how its trademark style and systems translate, the snappy card combat, and of course the banging soundtrack I’m only just mentioning because I’m not great at talking about music. So a thumbs-up from me, but one that comes with an acute sadness at how much more Vampire Crawlers could have been if it had true blobber bona fides.
Sauceless combat, a do-nothing story, and striking lack of personality don’t do any favors to a novel premise and quality voice acting that gave an initially promising first impression. A God of War Metroidvania could have been a productive and exciting use of the IP, especially in a post-Silksong world, but Sons of Sparta doesn’t have a fraction of that juice.
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But if you’re the type of digital adventurer who likes to dip their toes into everything possible, there’s a nice little chunk of video game to enjoy here. Just don’t expect to find your new favorite this time.
But I wish so much time wasn’t wasted on achingly boring expository setup, non-optional side content with next to no substance, and a combat system that’s in the middle of an identity crisis. Falcom has done a lot more with a lot less in the past, and all this excess is wearing me down.
Routine stands out. It targets a specific aesthetic, a specific vibe, and a specific cadence, and it pulls out every stop to land on those targets.
Ultimately, what do I score a game like Unbeatable that has such observable problems but some of the most heart-pumping emotional resonance I’ve experienced in games throughout this entire year? What cute, little video game review cliche can I lean on to help me out of this predicament? D-Cell itself offered a cheeky, little take at how review scores can be perceived, and I figure why not send that ball back over the net? I was thinking a seven at first, but Sonic Adventure 2’s problems are way more frustrating than Unbeatable’s. And I am a little shy as a person. So let’s go with that.
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The death cults are silly, but at the same time, ruminations on how humanity’s self-perceived resilience could work against it. That’s where Sleep Awake really hits. When the monsters do show up it stumbles, and feels more like a normal video game the longer it wades into the Whys and Hows. Not bad for a five-hour rollercoaster.
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Veteran fans don’t have a lot to show up for unless they’ve already been jonesing for a replay, but anyone who’s become a Tales fan in the years since have a new, easy way to play a game worth catching up on, and that’s worth celebrating.
Regardless of the platform, Ryza’s three-part adventure was a big deal the first time around for real reasons, and the DX version only serves as a reinforcement.
The end result of this package is strangely funny; two sides of a coin I never would have expected. It’s the worst time I’ve ever had with Dragon Quest 1, and the best time I’ve ever had with Dragon Quest 2.
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Katamari is inherently a chaotic game, despite its adorable, silly visuals and legendarily chill music tracks such as Lonely Rolling Star (the GOAT, in my humble opinion). There’s a lot going on, only so much time to engage with it all, and that’s a big part of the series’ classic appeal. It’s a score-challenging arcade game at heart, with the original game’s scope mostly about trying to make the biggest Katamari within the time limit.
If you’ve been hearing about Trails for years from the sickos and wanting a cleaner way to give it a shot, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. And if you’ve been a Trailshead for a long time, you’ve obviously already decided to play this, but it’s a worthwhile excuse to go back to the beginning.
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