Cody Medellin
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada works best as a companion piece to the main game that released a few years ago. The focus on one family of fighters is perfect, since it gives the team time to develop a real story instead of using a larger cast for broader tales. The core action remains just as good as before, but the new minigames and exploration sections fail to elicit the same type of excitement, especially with some of the caveats in play for the secondary characters you pick up along the way. For fans of the series looking for more story, Spirit of Sanada works, but only if you play it after an entry in the main series.
In the end, Serial Cleaner is a fun stealth experience. The focus on non-violence is refreshing, and while there are some bits that don't play out so well, the entire experience is fun enough that you'll be motivated to retry it almost immediately. The '70s presentation is inspired, but the bonus levels and challenges give the game some replay value. Serial Cleaner is certainly worth checking out.
Compared to Bayonetta, Vanquish has some catching up to do. The story and characters are forgettable, the environments quickly get stale, and there's no progression in weapons and powers. At the same time, the gameplay remains brilliant, with solid shooting that melds well with some very fast action; it's enough to overcome any visible flaws. With the improvements in frame rate, Vanquish is a good action shooter for anyone with even a mild interest in the genre.
In the end, Rime is a solid adventure game that is an absolute stunner in the presentation department. The puzzles may not be that difficult, and they start to repeat in the latter half of the game, but they remain enjoyable. The game also has a very good length, so the journey is enjoyable as long as you don't mind the sudden flurry of exposition at the end. Itmay not have the kind of grand mystery that keeps players coming back, but Rime is certainly a game that's worth playing at least once.
Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days is a confused game. The license seems wasted, since the game fails to use its source material in a meaningful way. Ignore the license, and what you get is a top-down shooter that favors precision over bullet spray but adds a badly implemented time-rewind mechanic that squanders any potential it may have had. A few people can get some enjoyment out Bloody Days, but many will only need a quick glance to realize that this just isn't going to work out.
The Fidelio Incident is a solid narrative adventure game. The actual gameplay may be light on challenge, but it does enough to feel significant without hindering the overall experience. The presentation is also well done, especially in the audio department where the music really sells the player on the mood. However, it is the story that is the real highlight, since it deals with some heavy subject matter without being too preachy. The two main actors really give the tale some humanity and emotion. For those who enjoy the narrative-heavy experience, The Fidelio Incident is definitely worth seeking out.