Nick Mangiaracina's Reviews
Golem is one of the most disappointing experiences I’ve had in gaming. Though the initially boring world eventually became interesting and mysterious, I was too focused on making sure I wasn’t getting sick to enjoy anything the game had to offer. Golem is a game inhibited by the method it chooses to present itself and so far, that’s a first for me.
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.
Tchia ended up becoming a frustrating and boring mess of a game.
Even among fans of dialogue-driven adventure titles, I couldn’t possibly recommend Last Stop.
Super Seducer 3 would be good fun to play with a couple of friends on a boring night or to make fun of with some lady friends. Other than that though, my hope is that any particularly lonely gamers don’t use Super Seducer 3 as a blueprint for finding companionship.
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.
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.
Games should exist and designers should always make games but Gordian Quest offers nothing new and does nothing exceptionally well.
The pillars holding up Eternights; Narrative, Combat, and Characters, have lots of cracks and didn’t take long to start crumbling. As impressive as it is that this game was made with such a small team, I can’t recommend this game.
Scarlet Nexus has the foundation of a great idea that’s executed poorly and spends more time introducing new systems than exploring the ones already provided.
I would avoid Cris Tales on the Switch until there’s been some patching done or you’ve tested it on another platform.
Even though Twin Mirror is listed as a thriller, there’s nothing really thrilling about it.
You remember all those ideas people throw at the wall and don’t stick? Heroland manages to pick those ideas off the floor and use them as integral parts of its game design. If you’re looking for something to play over time that doesn’t require much concentration and doesn’t really grip you, Heroland is your game.
Ultimately, Star Ocean: First Departure R is merely upscaling an already flawed game that fans of the series will enjoy, being able to play on modern hardware, but is otherwise a frustrating experience.
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.
While I can’t recommend Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer, the game is simply too novel a concept to not talk about and at the very least, deserves your attention. What you choose to do with this knowledge now is up to you.
Despite being a complete VR experience, Eclipse: Edge of Light falls short in most areas. If I had to describe Eclipse: Edge of Light it would be ‘low effort.’ At the very least, it didn’t make me nauseous while playing.
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.
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.
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.