David Poole's Reviews
Despite the numerous bugs I faced, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is still a fantastic adventure. The quality of the game is so high, that my many issues didn’t detriment my enjoyment of the experience. That’s definitely a testament of Insomniac’s abilities as a developer, and the overall work that went into crafting this experience. With more fluid and engaging combat, cool set pieces, and tons of great weapons, this may be my favorite Ratchet & Clank game. The visuals are breathtaking and the overall presentation is fantastic, making for a true test of the PlayStation 5 hardware.
When all is said and done, Guilty Gear -Strive- offers a bit of everything for fighting game fans. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s full of style and that heavy metal spirit that will rock your socks off. Gameplay packs a mean punch while delivering rocking tunes to your ears. The visuals maintain the Ars System Works quality while also delivering fantastic new designs for the great cast of characters.
In the end, Bravely Default II is a worthy successor to the franchise. Despite some performance problems and interesting voice direction, this is still a fantastic experience. With a new story, cast of characters, and gameplay elements, it delivers a sense of familiarity as well as a fresh perspective. The story builds up over the course of the game and provides plenty of hours of fun for JRPG fans.
As the game tackles dark subject matter and an intriguing mystery, The Medium offers a solid plot to absorb. It also gives the player an ending that they can interpret in a number of ways, though it might lack satisfaction. It’s not the scariest horror game out there, even by Bloober Team’s standards, but it’s frightening enough to get a few scares, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you should experience this game.
While The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV brings an epic conclusion to the saga, it's not without faults. The fantastic newer elements from the third entry return while this entry refines it into an ultimately better system. It also continues the use of a lot of strange presentation choices that feel almost archaic in 2020. Despite this, players will have an extremely large cast of heroes to work with in a fun setting. It's sort of like the Avengers: Endgame of JRPGs.
It’s great to see the Alan Wake connection grow, and the mysteries of the oldest house are always a delight. While the AWE expansion doesn’t do much to change the core mechanics of the game, it does offer a new area to explore, a new weapon, and a delightfully demented antagonist.
Overall, I really enjoyed BPM: Bullets Per Minute. Despite the moments of frustration of having to start from the very beginning after death, I always found myself going back for more. With each run, I would learn something new or change up my strategy. Maintaining perseverance, victory was suddenly a reality, and it was oh so satisfying. As someone that isn’t a big fan of roguelikes, this one struck a chord with me, and I’m really glad it did.
When it comes to VR games, Marvel’s Iron Man VR is definitely among the more immersive experiences. While the action sequences could make up more of the bulk of the game, it compensates this with solid performances and a pretty good story. Load times may be plentiful, but the game makes up for it with an amazing sense of visual detail.
Overall, the new Battletoads feels like a great way to continue the franchise. Rare put these cult classic characters in very capable hands, making for a very entertaining, yet still challenging, sequel. It’s definitely not going to be a long game, lasting only a handful of hours, but the replay value with friends will last much longer.
When it comes down to it, SNK Gals’ Fighters is a pretty fun fighter from an interesting time. It manages to be impressive both in animation and in it’s deep fighting options. The original release might not have lived up to it’s full potential, but with the Switch, it’s given a second life.
Overall, the Shadow of Doom DLC is a worthy addition to the game, rounding out the ultimate alliance nicely. The story is entertaining enough to engage with and the additional characters bring a lot to the table. While there aren’t significant changes to the formula, it truly makes the game feel like the “ultimate” Marvel Ultimate Alliance game. A truly fantastic addition to an already mighty game.
Overall, I came in knowing very little about Granblue Fantasy, and I came out not knowing much more. Despite this, Granblue Fantasy Versus is a unique and competent fighter.
The ending of Life is Strange 2 will definitely depend on the player. For those that developed an investment in the journey, most will enjoy the reward at their conclusion. Others may not get the payoff they expect, but that’s the beauty of a choice-driven game. It’s ultimately up to the player to reach the ending they chose for themselves.
If you like weird and supernatural games, this one is worth picking up. If you prefer a game with less thought and more action, then it might not be your cup of tea. Even so, there's plenty of intense action in Control.
While not quite as good as the introductory episode, Rules still stands strong. Held back by a decision that some might not even come across, it just goes to show how many paths one can take.
For a budget No More Heroes experience with more content on the way, Travis Strikes Again is a fun ride.
The relationship between Bruce and John continues to blossom based on the choices of the player, and it shows here. Even with some slight shortcomings, What Ails You is a good way to lead into the season finale.
If you haven’t played Wild Guns: Reloaded on the PlayStation 4 or even on PC, then the Switch version is definitely worth picking up.
In the end, my time with Twelve Minutes was time well spent. The puzzling narrative will have you constantly seeking answers while also raising even more questions. While the gameplay isn’t perfect, it works for this style of game with a visual design to match. The performances are a major highlight, and really push this game higher in the production department. I would honestly watch this if it were a movie. Overall, it’s a fantastic study of the human mind and how it adapts to patterns and acquiring information.
Overall, I feel like Scarlet Nexus is a game that can easily be judged by its cover. In an industry where there are tons of generic anime action games, it’s hard to pick out the right ones. Hopefully people give this one a chance, because the fantastic combat and the visual style make it something truly special. While it does have some pacing problems and some unrealistic alliances, the incredibly unique story manages to entangle you in a web of intrigue.