I don't want to say A Knight's Quest is a bad game, it just isn't a good or even okay one. The best way to describe it is, think of the average person trying to draw something amazing. Even if I can visualize this amazing piece of art, what I end up with is a pale imitation. Without any hook, fairly ugly characters and pretty much a lackluster experience across the board, it's hard to see a reason to recommend A Knight's Quest, even if the biggest sin is really failing to stand out in any way besides unappealing visuals.
In so many ways Balan Wonderworld feels like a weird game that hopes the concept will make up for execution. With extremely little to see, a minimal story to explore, and visuals that honestly do little more than remind me of simpler times, it's hard to suggest what value Balan Wonderworld adds. It certainly isn't engaging, interesting and so many of the elements are painfully basic. Throw in needless costume-changing animations (I don't need a three-second animation every time I swap), extremely small worlds, and minimal… well, everything and it's hard to be optimistic.
In a lot of ways, this review could probably go on for a lot longer highlighting how dated and lifeless this game is, but the fact of the matter is it is meant to appeal to fans. It’s hard to comment on how they’ll feel, but this is objectively a bad game and while it has elements of being so bad it’s good, such as the emotionless voice acting, making it hard to see the value in.
The struggle with explaining the finer points of Call of Cthulhu is that it hinges on you getting hooked. Without that moment where you're clamoring for more and willing to overlook some shortcomings, a quality that has benefited a number of titles over the years, it's just a rather dated looking exploration game with a neat story if you're willing to invest in it. For some, that is enough, though it isn't the type of experience that is easy to recommend. Not because it lacks anything worthwhile, you just need a certain mindset and there are other titles that do a much better job with far less.
I could probably explain The Surge 2's shortcomings for another 10 paragraphs, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a fun game that makes a lot of mistakes. Considering there are over 80 weapons, though I only felt the need to use one, is disappointing, just like armor sets skills that are inferior to what you'd gain from using different pieces. Toss in a fairly random story about a cult, lackluster graphics, probably one of the hardest games to navigate I've ever played and it's easy to say The Surge 2 manages to build on the original but it isn't to the point where you should be rushing out to play it.
In my honest opinion, Fury Unleashed is a fun game that stumbles to get the best part of roguelike games right.
Despite the rather negative sounding review, Azur Lane: Crosswave isn't a bad game, it's just nothing particularly special. Fans of Neptunia will likely enjoy the silly antics of cute girls, but others will probably fail to see the appeal. It's a character-driven adventure with rudimentary gameplay and a hollow story that manages to be oddly dialogue-heavy. Beyond that, enjoyment will come down to how interested you are in upgrading your ships or figuring out why one character might be better than another. If this sounds good, odds are you'll enjoy Azur Lane: Crosswave, whereas everyone else need not apply.
A basic adventure that relies more on the feelings from the source to sell it. For some this will be enough, just don’t expect the most fulfilling story if you have no experience with the franchise.
Scoring games like this is extremely difficult. I had fun, I legitimately did, running around the planet, shooting enemies and being a jerk to pufferbirds. It's just, had I stopped before collecting things I would've been at about five hours and even collecting things mostly added time due to issues solving puzzles. Once you start to see the mechanics, the adventure loses a lot of its charm and is just a weird world where you can shoot a complete enemies or jump to a hidden location/open a secret door. For some this is enough, but for most it's likely an extremely difficult sell.
The long and short of Blair Witch comes down to how much you're willing to invest. If the journey means more than the destination, you can actually find a fair amount of joy in this adventure. It's just those looking for a simpler experience or possibly more interesting things than watching a video and having something weird happen, followed by some dialogue about how weird that was. So, unless you really want to explore the woods in hopes of scares, this is one adventure you can probably skip out on.
While a lot of this review pokes fun at how much of an overlap there is between Nexomon: Extinction and Pokemon, it really isn't a bad game. Unfortunately, a lot of the changes made are for worse, not to mention the designs not being as pleasing, but it does fill a hole on other non-Nintendo devices. It would be nice if there were other things to help it stand out or one stand out feature, but instead, we have a heavily inspired RPG that struggles to find a voice.
I won’t say this is a bad release, had it predated Future Tone it would probably be widely considered great, it just came at the wrong time and has some limitations.
In the end, Arcade Spirits isn't a bad game, it's just a rather quirky and romance filled visual novel. Even though it can't transcend genres in the way Steins;Gate and a few others do, the strong focus on following your heart gives players something to enjoy. Toss in some silly references and genuinely interesting characters and it's honestly interesting if you can put in the time to see more than just the surface.
In a lot of ways that is the problem with Trials of Mana. While it looks fine and the story has all the charm you'd expect from a '90s JRPG, it doesn't have much else. Combat is bland, the worlds feel empty, there are tons of cheese and it relies on a large investment to get to the stuff that is actually enjoyable. For some or anyone looking for the original game with a new coat of paint, it's great but if you were looking for something closer to the Final Fantasy VII Remake treatment, expect to be underwhelmed.
While it's great to see the franchise persist and I could probably play the original for the umpteenth time, there isn't much to be excited with here. Most of the stages are pretty easy, special bubbles only make a difference if you're lacking in skill or want to maximize points and there is only so far you can go with the concept. Less skilled or younger players will probably feel at home, as will anyone that just wants to constantly try to build on perfection. If that is you, you'll probably love it but everyone else it's an okay game that isn't bad to play with others.
There really isn't much to say about the Moons of Madness. While it poses itself as a big horror game and that there is a lot to be excited for, it never quite builds off the initial hook. Often times you're stuck dealing with boring scenes that pad gameplay and do such a good job of keeping you guessing, you forget why you were interested, to begin with. For some, it will still be great but for many, it just isn't worth it.
Like most anime/manga games, My Hero One's Justice 2 is going to hinge on how much you love the series and characters, over anything else. There is certainly enough content and depth to justify playing, it just isn't particularly amazing outside of the novelty of it being related to My Hero Academia, over wowing players as Dragon Ball FighterZ did.
Naturally, this makes it a hard sell, something the pixel art does not help with, resulting in an experience that really caters to a specific demographic. You have to understand what you're getting into and your enjoyment will hinge on whether you picked correctly or not. Even with a guide, things can be rather confusing, as the presentation of the map doesn't quite make a ton of sense with the maps shown online. It's entirely possible to follow a guide or figure it out but La-Mulana 1 & 2 requires a bit more of an investment that most are likely willing to give.
The best way to describe One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is a game designed for a certain type of fan. Those looking for a more complicated gameplay experience or to live the story will likely be disappointed, whereas anyone looking for something set in that world will probably have fun. Toss in a wide variety of wacky characters and it has enough to look forward to. Some might not enjoy the basic elements or get tired of the relatively low difficulty but for those looking to just live in the world, you'll likely be at home.
Maybe at a more discounted price or if you just love a narrative but for these reasons it’s hard to see the series as anything more than okay. It hits the points it needs to, there just isn’t enough to elevate it beyond the basics.