Anyone who loves the Atelier Ryza – or the Atelier series in general – is going to love this game. The slight tweaks that the sequel makes to the combat and alchemy improve upon the already solid fast-paced JRPG turn-based combat known to the series without changing what already worked. Combine that with the vast setting and all there is to do in it, and you’ve got a solid recipe for an Atelier title.
Despite its faults, I did enjoy the brief amount of time I spent with the game, and I feel like it has a lot of potential thanks to a distinct premise. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough in Gods Will Falls world or gameplay that warrants me giving it a glaring recommendation, at least in its current state.
All in all, Disc Room is a solid addition to the bullet hell genre. Alongside fluid gameplay mechanics, the choice to include puzzles makes the reaction-based thought process required to succeed in the game that much more chaotic and fun.
NHL 21 lives up to the same quality of work it’s known for in previous generations for better or worse. While it does attempt to push the series forward, anything it does to elevate it to the next line falls short of scoring any significant points.
If you like survival games with a good atmosphere, you might want to give Windbound a try. Just be sure to temper your expectations. Anyone going into it thinking this will be a Breath of the Wild level survival title will be immensely disappointed.
Considering my entire knowledge of the series before this installment was all based around memes, I’d say Battletoads far exceeded expectations. That said, the shortcomings it does possess keep it from joining the ranks of brawlers, like Streets of Rage 4, as a genre-defining title.
If you’re really looking to enjoy Crysis as it is meant to be played, I’d recommend booting up your PC and playing any of those versions. At least that way you won’t be limited in terms of fidelity, which will also likely improve gameplay fluidity simultaneously.
If you’re a Nintendo fan that’s been dying to give this one a shot, then put on your big boy undies and give Catherine Fully Body on the Switch a try.
While it may not be for everyone, I encourage those who are frustrated to mess with things first before giving up on it entirely, as it’s an excellent example of a game you should give time to gestate.
Any Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, or Rune Factory fan should definitely check this one out on Nintendo Switch, as it has one of the most charismatic worlds I’ve seen in a game in the genre yet.
Even though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, at the end of the day, strategy fans – and certainly XCOM fans – will enjoy the improvements that Phoenix Point makes, especially if this is just the beginning.
Sure, fans of the television show will enjoy it, but considering it never really took off in the US, Doraemon Story of Seasons likely won’t appeal to too many gamers, unless you’re direly in need of any farm simulation game to fill the void.
I’ve no doubt that many that loved Oxenfree will also be on board for this ride to hell, as its setting, characters, and dialogue are enough to warrant a playthrough for anyone who likes a narrative focus. At the end of the day though, Afterparty will leave many with a bit of a hangover, wondering if there was more that could have been done with the drinking system and its branching narrative.
Simulation & farming fans will likely want to skip this title, unless they are dying for something new to play until a notable game in the genre is released.
Even if you aren’t big into competitive multiplayer titles, the combined strategy and absurdity that accompanies playing with friends and strangers alike is a joy to be had.
If you liked the original or are into the Soulsborne sub-genre, The Surge 2 is a game worth buying, even if you may want to wait for them to knock off a few bucks.
While moment to moment gameplay can be fun, the overall process is just too repetitive for a genre that already has so many unique and innovative games in it.
Overall, NBA 2K20 is still a solid experience for any video game basketball fan but it isn’t going to sway anyone who wasn’t already set on playing.
Similar to how Citizens of Earth is a fun, yet imperfect, ode to Earthbound, so too is its sequel an interesting but flawed take on the RPG genre.
Despite the control and movement issues in Observation, I would definitely recommend playing it, as it is an experience few other games are likely to offer you. Just be careful, as you may have an existential crisis after the game’s crazy story wraps up.