Rob Lashley's Reviews
One good thing I can say about the game is that I didn't feel like I was constantly walking around with its hand in my pocket. I was put off by the fact you had to pay in game gold to change the chat font color however. All said I cannot find enough redeemable qualities about the game that would make me want to play it for an extended period of time.
Even with its short falls Xenoblade Chronicles X is a strong candidate for game of the year on the Wii U and is easily the best RPG. While I'll stop short of saying you should run out and buy a Wii U just for this title if you already own a Wii U and are a fan of RPGs this is a must have game for your collection. There is also multiplayer content for X that fans of MMOs might like that I'll talk about in more depth next week after the game's been live. We'll alter our score then if this should change how we feel about the title.
Tales of Zestria is a solid addition to the "Tales of" series by Bandai Namco. While this is not an excellent game it is far from being one deserving of being tossed onto the scrap heap. If you are looking for a game with a solid combat system that is not the run of the mill turn based or active time based system then this might be the game for you. However if you are looking for a game that provides a solid and consistent narrative experience you may be put off.
Hearts of Stone has pulled me back into The Witcher Universe with its finely crafted story and menagerie of clever side characters. A cat burglar acrobat, a suicidal Firestarter dwarf, a lifelorn ghost, and more are all people that will stick with you for a while even after you are done playing. While this story may only take you 10 hours to complete make sure to set aside more time than that because you will probably need it.
Sword Coast Legends had the table set for it. The huddled masses had shown their willingness to gobble up isometric cRPGs with abandon. The problem is this holiday season in the consumer should probably stick to gobbling up Turkey instead.
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold is a solid addition to a growing library of RPGs for the 3DS. Where the game may be lacking in story it makes up for in solid gameplay. Turn based exploration and combat with FOEs sprinkled in to keep things interesting, coupled with the cartography aspect makes for an enjoyable experience.
Some may argue that the current generation of MMORPGs is filled with throw away imports that focus on monetization over quality. While that seems true for most of 2015's releases Final Fantasy XIV's expansion Heavensward bucks that trend and proves that there is still room for subscription based MMORPGs on the market that are not named World of Warcraft.
The remakes of these two classic games was masterfully done. Square Enix is no stranger to remakes and upgrades but they have outdone themselves with this iteration of X / X-2. From the orchestrated score, to the increased polygon count and improved textures the game is atheistically better in every way. If you missed out on playing these games on the PS2 this new layer of polish on these classic gems will leave you unable to guess one is 14 years old this year.
Fans of both tactical RPGs and anime will find something to enjoy here. The characters are well drawn, if not overly endowed for school age, and the voice acting is a nice touch. I particularly liked the allegory of being able to summon demons through your mobile device and the dangers of technology. The UI is nicely done and captures the feel of an early smartphone as if it was on your 3DS.
This adaptation does a great job of importing that experience to the 3DS but does not do a lot to add to the original experience.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate takes the best the franchise has to offer turns it up to 11. More quests, more areas to explore, more items to collect, more items to craft, more weapons to choose from, more combat techniques, and more ways to play with your friends. This game will be a must have for fans of the Monster Hunter franchise but may do little to move the needle for players that are not already interested in the series.
So far Bungie has failed to exert their dominance but the foundation has been laid. In a year, will we still be talking about Destiny, or will we be looking out for what's next? That's the real question at hand.
While this game is far from perfect, the thing it does the best is capture the feel of what Shadowrun should be and that is a world I want to play in.
Square has proudly shaken off the ragged cloak of embarrassment that Final Fantasy XIV 1.0 draped over this storied franchise, and with A Realm Reborn has revealed the finest MMO to be released this year and has truly crafted a game worthy of the title Final Fantasy.