Nick Mangiaracina's Reviews
Aside from the buggy launch, Demonschool is a must-play for RPG and turn-based strategy fans. Demonschool was made from top to bottom with care, and it shines through in nearly every frame.
Tales of Xillia Remastered is an unambitious remaster that takes a half-step toward accessibility and lets you play the game on your platform of choice. And as disappointing as that is, Tales of Xillia is still a wonderful addition to the series and one of the better entries. Making it more accessible in the modern day is a good thing.
ARC Raiders has some dizzying highs, but much of your experience is based entirely on luck. Gunplay, optimization, and social interactions can only take ARC Raiders so far. With issues like poor UX, high cost of cosmetics, use of AI, and some strange design decisions, it’s hard to recommend ARC Raiders.
Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted at its core is the same game you played 15 years ago, but with shortcuts in development, not consulting the original team, and foolish choices, we’re left with a product that’s barely better than the one you likely already own.
BALL x PIT manages to give players precisely what they’re looking for with a roguelike brick breaker. A continual progression system that keeps going, lots of ways to progress, and an enjoyable gameplay cycle.
Some issues with cutscenes being voiced, but otherwise, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is the ultimate way to experience The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. With an entirely new perspective on the world of liberal, balanced, and expanded story bits, the modern quality of life makes it a must-play for fans of Trails or JRPGs alike.
I think anyone with a passing interest in RPGs or tactical gameplay should play Final Fantasy Tactics at some point in their lives. The Ivalice Chronicles remains a strong addition to the Tactics lineup, despite a few missteps and strange development choices.
Echoes of the End really struggles to provide a satisfying experience. Between the combat and the puzzle-solving, Echoes of the End is not a very satisfying game. I believe the developer realizes this, and I hope they’re able to realize their vision to great success, but, for now, I can’t recommend Echoes of the End.
Fans of Western RPGs, Dungeons & Dragons RPGs, and CRPGs will find much to enjoy about Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition. Players new to the game and preferring to play on console, this is the only way to play it, and it’s a deal considering how much content is in this game. But if you’re on PC, a modded version of the original might be better.
Regardless of the multiplayer woes I faced, having a small group that played together regularly kept the game fun and fresh. If you have a reliable friend or friends who can play with you, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a very fun game. If not, it can still be fun for a solo player, but a lot of the magic from co-op, one of the major draws to the game, is completely lost.Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a lot of fun despite the massively overlooked quality-of-life features that are missing from the game. A few small updates could really put a shine on this otherwise flawed gem.
Those looking for experimental games made with minimal budgets and offering deep human stories and experiences, Camille and Laura is the game for you. Camille and Laura is short and sweet.
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game offers a very fun gameplay loop and a great year living in Middle-earth, but fades out a bit too quickly and should offer more to keep the player going beyond the main story.
Wheel World is one of the few games to feature arcade bicycle racing and manages to keep it light and fun while offering depth of play and a lovely collection-based gameplay structure.
EDENS ZERO might have something for fans of the manga or anime, but I would struggle to recommend this game to anyone. No one thing it does makes it a bad game, but EDENS ZERO manages to consistently reveal its issues with every system introduced.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is truly the best way to experience the Devil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army story. With few drawbacks and many additions, Raidou Remastered is more about enhancing than preserving. Take that as you will.
Between the performance, gadget usage, and open world issues, Deliver At All Costs still manages to pull it out and make an incredibly satisfying game. Difficult in all the right places and fun the whole way through.
Many Nights a Whisper offers a contemplative experience that acts as a meditation that might help you in your own life. Deconstructeam and Selkie Harbor have worked together to forge a masterpiece that can be experienced in a single sitting. Don’t pass this up.
Mechabellum is an onion with many layers, but once you get to the core of the gameplay, you really begin to understand what’s going on in every battle. And depending on the match you’re in, you can really start to see the pitfalls of its design. And even still, I cannot stop playing, warts and all.
In the deep well of narrative-driven adventure games, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a beacon of shining light that can never be snuffed out. Thank you for this.
Lunar Remastered Collection is the best way to play Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete. The updated translations, widescreen support, new dubs, and quality-of-life improvements make this somewhat impenetrable game series a very good option for people looking to experience older RPGs.