Joseph Doyle
Xenon Racer is made for those who have laser focus and dedication to nailing every detail.
Dangerous Driving feels just like Burnout, but it doesn't look or sound the part.
Overall, Ace Attorney Trilogy wholeheartedly proves its worth as a remaster. The story still stands up today and balances goofiness and sincerity in a fun and enchanting way. The gameplay is slow but wins over its audience. The graphics are heavily improved from its myriad predecessors, and the music is brought to life in just the right way. Sure, there are some slight slip-ups here and there, but this game is a gem that's worth playing from the pantheon of games, especially those in the visual novel genre. At this time, the defense rests.
After all is said and done, Toki is a labor of love taken on by Microids to refresh and rebrand a game that's been largely forgotten.
They Are Billions boasts strong central ideas about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps to industrialize in the face of grave danger. This is done incredibly well, from the aesthetics to the music and especially the upgrade trees. All of these work in tandem so well that it's cool to see, but unfortunately, the follow-through for the console version isn't done well enough. This on its own is pretty damning, and coupled with the strange aesthetics makes the game considerably less enjoyable. The PC version may run better with the controls, interface and menus.
or the average Joe Schmo, it may make you feel as if your life forces are slowly being drained away. (Check your necks, people!)
While the art, gameplay and music are fine, it feels like EA made a game so exclusively for children that their parents won't want to play it with them, leaving them to be influenced alone. Even if you can tolerate the tone and have the wherewithal to not spend too much money on DLC, Neighborville is fine. It just won't be your best purchase EVAR.
At the end of the day, Paper Train comes off as pretty flat.
For what it is, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD knocks it out of the park. From the simplicity, approachability, and variability of the gameplay to the fun aesthetics and music, Banana Blitz HD has a level of quality and self-awareness that many games (especially those for younger audiences) lack nowadays. At the end of it all, this game is a complete joy to play, full stop.
This game isn't worth a deal with a devil, but it could be worth it for you if there's a good deal. Just don't put up your soul as collateral.
After all is said and done, EarthNight is an incredibly intriguing game.
Arise is largely filled with strengths that result in exactly what it promises to deliver: a simple narrative that also happens to be incredibly moving.
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey aims to tackle the evolution of mankind from our animal forebears, a hefty task for any one piece of media. While the goal is incredibly admirable, Panache Digital Games puts too much on its plate.
Despite everything you just read, Last Encounter is not a bad game. It looks decent, it plays decently, and it sounds decent. That's all it is, though: a relatively inoffensive twin-stick shooter. Since it glosses over the woes concerning design, perspective, and heck even gameplay, but this title is pretty functional. If "functional" is the kindest word that can be mustered for this flat and frustrating game, then I wouldn't necessarily call it good, either.
At the end of the day, Arc of Alchemist delivers a decent gaming experience. The characters' personalities are fun, and their antics are worthy spectacles. The building mechanics are a fun respite from the otherwise ho-hum aspects of the game. Those who are interested in the genre may find this to be worth their time, but the music, art, and significant chunks of the gameplay are too blasé to talk up.
Azur Lane: Crosswave is essentially a visual novel with some brief moments of action. Everything works as intended, and there's no need for a combat strategy, but the equipment and upgrades systems are cryptic. The visuals look good, and the chibi characters are adorable. The game can be a decent way to pass a weekend. However, Crosswave and all games under the Azur Lane banner espouse views on females — especially young girls — that I cannot look past, and it's troubling to me that this title is deemed appropriate for teenagers.
Ultimately, Without Escape is a sad shadow of a genre from the past. Point-and-click adventure games fell from favor years ago due to progressing technology. Some of the originals of the escape room genre may soon be lost to time (due to Adobe's support of Flash ending in a few months). Now kids can play Roblox with a quick download and Minecraft on a web browser. Perhaps if this game offered more in terms of narrative or visuals, it could be worthwhile, but it doesn't offer enough to be appealing. While some attention was given to the visuals and music, Without Escape largely feels dissatisfying and lackluster.
At the end of the day, Dungeon of the Endless attempts to scratch a lot of itches by meshing together a lot of different genres, and it manages to do so in a satisfying way. The collection and allocation of resources aren't the most intriguing aspects of the game, but the gameplay is still pretty solid. Meanwhile, the character selection and roguelite elements provide plenty of replayability. The visuals and music are predominantly well developed, but the UI could use some extra attention. For enthusiasts of pixel art, 16-bit music, and games that utilize light strategy elements, Dungeon of the Endless is for you.
Daymare: 1998 is a well-honed zombie experience that lacks originality but scratches the itch of those interested in the modern zombie game.
Sadly, reaching the end of Dogurai feels less like the rewarding success of a job well done and more like getting home from a long day at work.