Josh Tolentino's Reviews
"Expanse" might be a bit generous, though. While it's hardly unusual for a VR game to be a bit on the short side, a couple of hours and change for the campaign from start to finish (not including a few frustrating sniper-deaths) pushes the limit. On the other hand, I'm happy that it was over quickly, the better to move on to games that I enjoyed. A score attack mode also exists for those who really want to squeeze every bit of blood from a stone.
I wish I didn't want to like The Caligula Effect as much as I do, but it's just tragic how far it falls from its own obviously lofty goals. For a game about a virtual world where everyone appears as their best possible self, The Caligula Effect is a walking worst-case scenario, representing the most disappointing possible execution on the huge potential of its best ideas.
That rather stunted value proposition alone is enough to sour the deal, as frankly better, more fully-realized efforts in the VR space are available for less or free of charge. Credible as it is taken solely on its own, DYING: Reborn VR comes across as a cynically motivated cash grab rather than a genuinely developed standalone product. And in an age where what's considered acceptable for a VR game is changing, that renders the game's prospects dead on arrival.
These were moments of mild fun in an otherwise desperate game, and none of it justifies the time or money one might spend playing it. Alekhine's Gun occasionally reminded me of the fun I had with Hitman: Blood Money, and for that it deserves some credit. Then again, I could have been replaying that game -- or for that matter, earlier, better Death to Spies games -- instead.
Ultimately, it doesn't feel like Utawarerumono: ZAN effectively serves any part of its prospective audience. It's inadequate as a gateway game for newcomers to the franchise, and despite some decent graphics and interesting musou-gameplay twists, it lacks the substance to attract existing fans. It feels like a game created mainly to remind people that the franchise still exists, rather than actually satisfy those who'd deign to play it. Utawarerumono fans are better off waiting for the remake of the original game in the series, while newcomers are advised to pick up the game, or watch the anime instead.
Ultimately, while Accel World VS Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight means well to try and merge what's cool about both Sword Art Online and Accel World, its high points are too few and far between to consider it a success.
This is all stuff that a player can get used to given time and patience, and the quality of JoJo’s fanservice in the game is unimpeachable, enough that a forgiving fan can find much to enjoy in the package. All the same, it’s impossible to get past the impression that the game’s design is a distinctly B-team effort, driven more by a desire to differentiate from Cyberconnect2’s other flagship games than by improving on them or going with what’s worked. Simply put, we’re still looking for that definitive JoJo's game, because JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven isn’t it.
In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series' finale is more a whimper than a bang, but it's not disappointing enough to taint the good times I've had so far with this crew. I can only hope that the narrative seeds planted here turn into something substantial in the future, as this is a family I'd like to stick around with, if I can.
Ultimately, Sakura Santa fails to stand out from the growing crowd of visual novels on Steam and elsewhere, except in the single respect of being a Christmas-themed story, coming out just in time for the holiday. Unfortunately, one would probably have to be as lonely as the game's protagonist to find a compelling reason to play.
Redemption Reapers tries to evoke a sense of desperate, skin-of-your-teeth battle, but succeeds more in adding tension to its combat than its narrative.
Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters feels like a return to form for the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise, though undermined by boring level design.
Fans of Utawarerumono should still consider giving the game a shot, as the strength of its story and characterization makes the trip worthwhile. Everyone else, though, would be better served by playing the previous games first before they take the plunge.
Rise up as Beyond the Grave, an undead super soldier bent on destroying the nefarious Raven Clan. Take your revenge by shooting your way through Southeast Asia's toughest crime dens. PS5 version reviewed.
All the same, despite iffy monetization choices and the general feeling that the game might not last long enough to become a permanent part of your rotation, Dragon Ball: The Breakers is a frantic and fast-paced interpretation of a genre otherwise saturated in horror movie tropes.
Ultimately, though, what stings the most about seeing My Hero One's Justice 2 is how much hasn't changed since the first game. It's still very much a reasonably well-made and pretty anime arena fighter, but it's nothing more than that. Even the considerably messier One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows at least had the ambition to try to capture the source material's spirit through its main single-player mode. My Hero Academia fans looking for exactly that will be satisfied, but once again it seems Bandai Namco have opted to coast rather than adopt U.A.'s "Plus Ultra" philosophy.
In the end, that's the real draw of Azur Lane: Crosswave, rather than its gameplay, which is more of a formality. As such, your reaction to it will likely depend on your on how receptive you are to Azur Lane itself. Existing fans and open-minded lovers of cute anime girls gabbing will find much to dive deep into, but everyone else is probably better off taking some shore leave.
In the end, Break Arts II feels like a great mecha customization system in search of game. Whether or not it has legs will depend on players' willingness to put up with the racing to build their robots.
Less-discerning players with a tolerance for bad localizations, or maybe Matsue residents, will find a pleasant diversion in Root Letter, but for everyone else, it's difficult to recommend, especially at its current price tag.
Unfortunately, Lost Song stumbles hardest when trying to engage players outside that sphere of pre-existing investment, and in some ways ends up an even less suitable jumping-off point for newbies who want to get in on enjoying the franchise. My advice to those folks would be to watch the anime or try out Hollow Fragment first. If they're still jonesing for some more of this motley crew of irredeemable MMO nerds when they're done, then Lost Song will be music to their ears.
Uppers may be a wish come true for some longtime Vita or Senran Kagura holdouts, but outside of that odd legacy, it can’t really compete with its contemporaries.