Honestly, Mary Skelter 2 has some interesting mechanics, interesting girls and a story that has a fair amount going on, it just doesn't have the most appeal. It's the type of experience that would be great for someone looking for a darker version of Neptunia or possibly just enjoys darker stories but the gameplay and mechanics alone can't sell it. That being said, given you get the first game and there is a fair amount in both, it's easy to get the value if this stuff sounds appealing to you.
Still, Lost Ember is a cute game that has a fair amount of variety. As long as you go in looking to play as cute animals and explore you'll have fun. Those looking for a deeper or more complicated experience will likely be disappointed, though even looking at the backgrounds can be relaxing. Toss in some performance issues and Lost Ember is fun and in some cases interesting but likely not something that will appeal to most people.
For the most part, SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions is going to appeal to the RPG fan at heart. It has some weird mechanics, a story that takes a while to get going and feels rather dated. This isn't to say you shouldn't experience it, as much as you should know what you're getting into.
Despite not being the franchises best, Atelier Dusk Trilogy Deluxe Pack is still an extremely enjoyable experience. This adventure starts with whimsy and ends in a way that brings the seemingly random stuff together. Toss in some cute enemies, multiple endings, plenty to see and do and it's easy to have fun with it. Sure, none of them really break the mold or offer much different from previous adventure but for fans or someone looking for a different kind of RPG, it's worth, if nothing else, check out.
Ultimately, there really isn't a whole lot to say about Tohu. It's a cute point-and-click adventure game with a fairly basic story and simple gameplay. You can solve the puzzles through common sense like a weight is obviously needed on a hook or through looking at what you can interact with and just messing around with it. It might not appeal to most gamers, but you get a younger gamer just looking for a simple and fun adventure and there is certainly a place for it.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon understands what players expect from the beloved franchise. There is an engaging story with a troubled, but the not irredeemable protagonist, that sucks players in. The gameplay is a bit on the hollow side, though far from the worst RPG around. At worst it's just an easy and repetitive turn-based game, but nothing too hard. Combine this with stunning graphics and impressive length and it's really hard to find many flaws with Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
For the most part, Dusk Diver has rather simple charms. The mindless combat will be appealing for some, where as the mysterious story and cute characters others. Toss in handful of moves and places to explore and it's good, though it doesn't stand out that much. Sure, this isn't enough to break it, I just suggest you know what you're getting into first.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.