Cosmic Star Heroine feels like a short, classic JRPG that has been ported from an ancient system, warts and all. Some of the glitches and usability issues are criminal, and should never be acceptable.
Dead Cells could have been a disaster – another game where your arm is behind your back unless you get lucky. Instead your skill is rewarded, and even when enemies become frustratingly fast, you always get the urge for just one more run. Good luck does help of course. It is not perfect, but it is dead close.
If the only Disgaea game you can get is Disgaea 1 Complete, you will still enjoy yourself. It provides insane hour per dollar value if it scratches your team-building and strategy itches. You may just have to endure and work around some major issues. To those familiar with later Disgaea games, those older problems may be anything from a minor issue to you, to incredibly frustrating. You may still get some enjoyment nonetheless. While it can be purgatory, it is far from hell.
Townsmen does nearly everything right. It is the definition of an indie underdog that has a real chance to become something special next time the developers go to town.
Sundered: Eldritch Edition was a delight to play. Aside from a rocky start and combat sometimes being dull, both the combat and Sundered itself gets better the more you play.
None of the gameplay is smart or challenging. The environments, while they can be pretty, are nothing special. The story is so non-existent and uninspired, calling it paper-thin is not enough.
Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark has earned the high praise I give it. Nearly every criticism I have towards it is a nit-pick, or comes down to personal taste. This is exactly what I have been looking for, and I think fans of this sub-genre will be to. It practically fell from heaven.
I honestly have very little to criticize about the pure business side of the game. The gradual progression is not too slow, and you slowly develop from keeping a close eye on your own grow (the place where you, you know, grow) until you have plenty of people to do that for you.
All considered, Katana Zero will set you back the price of a good meal, while being more fulfilling than than certain AAA studios’ safe and bland attempts for over double that price. In the words of Katana Zero itself: Yes, that should work
While its sandbox-peers do a few things I would like to see here, it carves out its own style and has potential to develop into something that will make it stand along-side them as equals.
SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech has stripped away anything unnecessary and made a solid RPG. While a few more flairs would have been nice and difficulty balance can be a bit off, it is still an excellent RPG that encourages players to strategize when building a deck to prove their mettle.
If you did not like the games back in the 2000s, nothing has changed. But if you can take the cheese along with the odd boring minigame and puzzle – this is probably the quintessential Final Fantasy RPG. It would be a sin to miss out.
Even with nothing major done wrong, it is hard not to recommend games of similar genres unless you are on a budget. If you are however, Hellmut can be a very satisfying bite-sized morsel. If nothing else, it puts your reflexes to the test and offers a genuine challenge.
Hell is other Demons is the embodiment of a solid core that was built upon well. The gameplay is challenging, while offering more options to you on how you beat numerous styles of challenges.
Some will love it, and some will hate it. If you are halfway between the two, I honestly feel there is more chance you will like it. Love, Hate, and Maybe. While houses are sure to be divided, two out of three ain’t bad.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a testament that indies can go where AAA fears to tread. A unique concept supported by strong gameplay that evolves frequently enough to keep you playing- right until it ends all too soon. At the bottom of it all, there is nothing quite like it.
If you never played the original Grandia games, this is the best way to play them – even with a less-than-stellar graphical upgrade. It does bring you back to those long nights spent as a little kid. If you played them before, this is a great way to go on your adventure again.
The game’s style is well realized, backed by a great looking, great sounding experience. Combined with a deep mystery, it is something to keep an eye on. If you like games of similar genres, or even VNs in general- we highly recommend it. Miss out? You must be dreaming.
If you like finding loot, building giant robots, or even if you want to chill but not totally disengage your brain, this is perfect for the job. The devil might not be in the details, but you can have a hell of a lot of fun in the cockpit.
You do not have to be the darkest dungeon, or write a great odyssey. Sometimes you just need to take lots of good ideas, and put them together in a way that works, to make something brilliant. If you want great strategy, Mistover should not be passed over.