There's no world to explore, battles are as hard as they are dull, the narrative barely progresses, and the game as a whole is far too time-consuming for its format.
Loop8: Summer of Gods had the potential to be a serious outsider with an innovative approach to the JRPG genre, if only it were better executed. Instead, it's such a massive disappointment that it will make me think twice before purchasing a Marvelous game again.
The clever battle system and the fresh ideas introduced by the series deserved far better than this for a sequel.
Death end re;Quest 2 represents another promising franchise spiralling down the drain at Compile Heart.
Far from being what one would expect from a sequel, Mary Skelter Nightmares 2 looks like hand of slight from Compile Heart; it feels like a duplicate of the original, disguised as a sequel for cynical marketing reasons. Owners of Mary Skelter Nightmares on Vita can safely ignore this so-called sequel.
Sadly, Gal Gun 2 seems to be nothing but a watered-down version of Gal Gun.
Hollow Cocoon has potential, and is notable for its visuals, but it lacks enough compelling and suspenseful ideas to succeed as a survival-horror title.
Ghostwire Tokyo is a cool action game with equally cool design in many respects, but suffers from several shortcomings and erroneous game design choices. There's not enough emphasis on horror, story, or spectacle, and while it tends to attempt a lot of things at the same time - action shooter, horror, RPG, open world, platformer - it fails to excel at most, if any, of them.
There's a solid base to work from but the development team ultimately failed to piece numerous promising elements together and produce a captivating adventure.
Technically shoddy, this latest Neptunia game is a short and fairly limited JRPG. But from a narrative and artistic standpoint it's an enjoyable adventure.
It offers a cool aerial battle experience, and it's not as if the genre is bursting with rival candidates, but you might want to think twice about the content-to-price ratio before jumping in.
By rejecting series traditions, Atelier Ryza 2 ends up disheartening despite boasting a stellar alchemy system.
t takes just enough from Fire Emblem: Three Houses to please fans of the renowned strategy RPG, but dubious writing and a wobbly progression system darken the mood.
Compile Heart still seems on the right track, but the Neptunia franchise needs to meet higher standards or it will be quickly left behind by the AA competition.
Sakura Wars is a welcome, pleasant comeback, but a somewhat failed modernization.
Crippled by disappointing writing, Atelier Lulua also fails at delivering enough nostalgic content to veteran fans of the Atelier series.
Death end re;Quest retains Galapagos RPG’s will to innovate with each new game, this time with better execution overall. However, it’s still a budget RPG and the lack of investment holds it back from being the great narrative experience it aims to be. Nevertheless, the good combat system, compelling design, and a scenario that's much deeper and more interesting than usual have the ability to hook the player despite the title's flaws.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is a truly charming and fully enjoyable title, but it clearly lacks variety and content.
Extra content and a few attractive features in Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal might make it worthwhile if you're a long-time fan of the series. For newer addicts who never played Senran Kagura on Nintendo's handheld, this title is perfect to complete your knowledge of the series.
The game system in Atelier Lydie & Suelle is solid, combat is great and the soundtrack is nice, but we could have expected more from a title marking the 20th anniversary of the series.