Nick Mangiaracina's Reviews
Tales of Graces f Remastered is the best this game has looked and the definitive experience. While I think delisting the original was unnecessary, I think it’s great that Tales of games are being brought to all modern consoles and no longer locked to single platforms. Though a bit pricey, Tales of Graces f Remastered takes a fan favorite into the modern era and makes it available for more people than ever with some quality-of-life functionality that the original sorely needed.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a no nonsense port that allows you to play through this masterpiece on modern consoles.
Fairy Tail 2 throws you right into the action of the final chapter of the Alvarez Empire Arc but does little to help out anyone who might be unfamiliar with the series outside of the games. Along with several bugs, performance issues, and strange UI decisions, unless you’re a fan of the series, Fairy Tail 2 can be skipped.
I think the audience for Fantasian knows what they’re looking for and they’re going to find it in Fantasian Neo Dimension. I sure did.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an exceptionally polished game with an extremely satisfying combat system, lovely and interesting companions, and a stylistic new look that gives this long-running series a much-needed fresh coat of paint.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is an incredibly beautiful game with interesting time mechanics and strong narrative hooks that eventually lead to a dissatisfying ending.
A winding and divergent narrative, Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut is the ultimate version of Slay the Princess and one that I would recommend to almost anyone.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 offers a brand new story, and lots of new brothers and enemies. While the online community leaves a lot to be desired, World Brothers 2’s improvements over the first game remain significant enough to recommend.
Visions of Mana is a competent, visually beautiful, and fun game that might have stood out were it released any other year but this one.
I think if you even have an inkling that Bloomtown: A Different Story is your jam, you owe it to yourself to try it out.
Yars Rising gives you a straightforward experience with enough side content to add layers to customization without giving the player too much power in the end. It was a great experience and I had a really great time playing Yars Rising.
I loved Vampire Survivors on release but with everything added since Vampire Survivors is just as addictive and enjoyable as it was on release and well worth the buy now that you can enjoy it on any platform of your choosing.
Demon’s Mirror didn’t vibe with me, and while I appreciate the effort to mix up these two gameplay styles, the friction between the two left me annoyed and drained.
Overall, I have to say I’m pretty disappointed with Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Party Dash. The game is quite good looking and has a lot of fanfare for fans of the Uma Musume series but provides an extremely hollow experience full of basic UX missteps and a complete lack of depth. Golshi’s Grand Adventure 2 isn’t enough to save this game and the price tag for what’s being provided is absolutely absurd.
While not my favorite Shin Megami Tensei game, I cannot recommend Shin Megami Tensei V enough. And with the Canon of Vengeance included, it’s a must for any RPG fan.
Cat Quest III offers a decent amount of gameplay for the price, a colorful, consistent, and fully realized art style, and a game that can be completed 100% with a friend.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! is an incredible experience in both humor and execution. This is what a game looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s a tour de force of art, music, platforming, and puzzle solving.
A thought-provoking experience that had me questioning the reality Karra was living in throughout most of the game, Nobody Wants to Die is a must for mystery, adventure, and noir fans.
Being free-to-play, it’d be hard for me to tell you not to give The First Descendant a try. Even after forty hours, I’m still looking forward to spending more time in Ingris and unlocking more Descendants.
Until Then isn’t the best narrative adventure game I’ve played but it’s definitely one I’ll remember for a long time. Don’t sleep on Until Then, it’s a worthwhile experience.