Alex Fuller's Reviews
Returning to Midgar has been a much more fulfilling experience than I expected going in. Seeing all of these characters, and the world, fully realised in 3D has given me a whole new appreciation for them and I’m very much looking forward to what’s next in store. Exactly how successful the full project is remains to be seen, but the first part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake has done everything it could in getting me incredibly excited for the second.
Though the combat holds up, it’s just too difficult to find a way to recommend Element: Space as a whole. There’s not much of interest from a narrative standpoint, while all of the good points about the gameplay are offset by the technical problems. It’s a shame, as there’s a good base underneath it, but even with giving leeway based on the small size of the development team, the annoyances currently outweigh the good.
Persona 5 already made an incredible mark when it released, and Persona 5 Royal just adds to Atlus’ richly deserved reputation among RPGamers.
Hero Must Die offers a fascinatingly different approach and is well worth checking out just for that. All of the RPG building blocks used are of the most basic sort, but the game manages to combine them effectively with its wilder ideas to ensure that there’s always a sense of building towards a bigger picture and a final goal as well.
Azur Lane: Crosswave doesn't harbour ambitions to be more than it really is and, though it may be a bit underwhelming, it at least doesn't outstay its welcome. It's perfectly happy to just provide some hours of mild entertainment without trying to reinvent the wheel and that may be enough for some, but certainly not all.
The music at least alleviates some of the monotony and players won’t need to spend too long with it to spark the ending credits, but the combat and systems contrive to make the gameplay far from enjoyable, and the story is almost not worth mentioning. One can only hope that it allows lessons to be quickly learned ahead of any future action RPG endeavours.
The game offers enough humourous charm and strong enough gameplay to make it an enjoyable experience.
Everreach: Project Eden somehow manages to avoid being as annoying to play as its constituent parts would indicate, and there will be some out there who can get a decent evening or two’s entertainment from it.
Though the level of drama and suspense is certainly nowhere near that of Steins;Gate and Steins;Gate 0, it’s good to be able to spend more time with characters.
It’s an easy recommendation for anyone who either wants to try something a little bit different or just wants a strong RPG experience.
A cheap-feeling experience that quickly lets any interest slip away.
It starts with a curious premise, only to retreat from it into a predictable storyline and highly repetitive gameplay.
Though the game makes a strong first impression with its chilling premise and a decent gameplay loop, it fails to carry that forward into the full experience.
Trails of Cold Steel III is everything I want from an RPG with a world that fully sucks players in, amazing music and locations in which one can just sit and relax, and a twisting and fascinating story involving incredibly deep characters that are easy to get attached to.
It brings an appreciably different approach through puzzles that manage to be more universal through the shunning of regular logic, with a strong cast and production that easily carry its story through to a very satisfying conclusion.
Astral Chain keeps the level of style that has come to be associated with PlatinumGames, and it’s most evident in the combat.
Utawarerumono is a property that deserves greater awareness, but unfortunately Utawarerumono Zan is unlikely to help. It might serve some as a brief reminder of events, but taken in a vacuum neither the storytelling nor gameplay do enough to warrant much attention.
The game tells an engaging story, but repetitiveness and mediocre combat hold it back from being a heavenly experience.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is outstanding, and the pinnacle of Final Fantasy XIV so far. All of its elements blend beautifully for not only one of the strongest MMORPG experiences going, but one of the strongest RPG experiences full stop.
With a very satisfying final conclusion that makes impressive use of the previous reveals and clues, and a vibrant visual style, World End Syndrome is a very worthwhile pickup for those with passing interests in visual novels and mystery stories.