Leonardo Faria's Reviews
Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon is far from being considered a bad game, but this is also the first title in the franchise that felt devoid of an identity. Ironic, considering it’s the one that doesn’t try to be a carbon copy of an existing Zelda game. It’s just a halfway decent dungeon crawler / action RPG hybrid with average visuals, average controls, and an average gameplay loop. Even if it supports local co-op multiplayer, the fact it’s currently not available on consoles makes this feature feel somewhat pointless.
I don’t think it’s even a hyperbole or a controversy to state that Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the best 2D Ninja Gaiden ever made. With the exception of the occasionally tough roadblock in the shape of a challenging boss battle, as well as very occasionally cheap custscenes, this is just fantastic. It’s a lot more balanced, more polished, more enjoyable than any of its side-scrolling predecessors. And the best part about it all, it’s not even the last Ninja Gaiden we’re getting this year.
When you add up all of the versions included in one single package, as well as quality of life enhancements, sound test mode, and a bunch of extras, there’s no other way to describe Gradius Origins other than a truly magnificent celebration of Konami’s flaship shooter franchise.
The interactivity tied to the conversations act more like you talking to a virtual shrink than anything else, but it doesn’t feel like an essential part of what makes the game unique. A Dream About Parking Lots would have been a much more interesting experience if it were a first-person short movie about the author’s dreams and perceptions of reality.
As an outsider looking in, the video game adaptation of Edens Zero confused the hell out of me due to its disjointed take on the manga’s plot. Its combat and overall mechanics could have been just a bit more polished. Still, with that said, I had a pretty good time with it. It’s dumbed down in terms of its gameplay, and its presentation is really freaking good. It won me over due to its simplicity. Now, did it make me want to actually watch the Edens Zero anime? No, it didn’t.
The usage of AI voicework shouldn’t outshine some of Spy Drops‘ main appealing features. I gotta give the developers credit where credit is due: they promised us a roguelike take on classic Metal Gear Solid, and that’s exactly what they’ve delivered, despite its many, many, MANY shortcomings. That said, I can’t say I wasn’t having a bit of fun with it. The idea is sound; it’s the execution that felt half-baked, though I understand a chunk of it was a consequence of the game’s minuscule budget.
Visually speaking, it’s dull. When it comes to its sound department, there isn’t one – all you’re going to hear is annoying flies buzzing around. The gameplay is as shallow as a puddle, and whether or not this was meant to be comedic or philosophical, it has failed either way. I wasn’t laughing or thinking about the futility of a small amount of time spent alive, even if this was supposed to be one of its (smuggish) intentions – I was just beyond bored.
Earthion is a pretty good horizontal shooter.. but that’s basically it. You’ve played dozens, maybe hundreds of similar games released since the early 90s. What might make it stand out a bit is the fact it’s got a TRULY FANTASTIC score by Yuzo Koshiro, and was developed by his own studio, but this is just another shooter in a genre where there’s little room for innovation or improvements, especially when you consider the fact it was developed with the limitations of the Mega Drive in mind.
If you want to ask me if this is the first true reason to own a Switch 2, then my answer is a resounding yes. This is the first game that made me cherish the brand new system as more than just a phone-esque upgrade. It’s the kind of game that showcases a system’s capabilities, and a company’s creative prowess still going strong after all these years. Not everything sticks the landing, but the pros overwhelmingly outweigh the cons, and that’s what really matters.
If all you’re looking for is a quick arcadey game based on Hunter x Hunter, then sure, I guess Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Technically speaking, it’s a sound game. It looks great, runs smoothly, it’s got some decent voice acting, and the controls are decent. What hurts is that the game is way too expensive for what little it offers in terms of modes and its current fighting roster.
Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson features an adorable premise, great presentation, and most importantly, an amazing combat system. The latter is a godsend, as the game will somewhat force you to grind a bit on goons and menial enemies before you’re actually able to defeat its bosses, which act like borderline unfair roadblocks. Still, there’s no way I cannot recommend this game. It’s fun, it’s original, and it’s about defeating evil record label executives with your instrument-shaped weapons. How would I even be able to not like it?
It’s not that Tron: Catalyst is a disastrous game plagued by bugs, poor design choices, and technical hindrances. Nah. Technically-speaking, it’s all sorted out, and the presentation is, at least, quite good. The cycle rewind system is also a fantastic idea, reverting me back to the good old Majora’s Mask days. But it’s just a painfully boring game, as PLAYING it isn’t very interesting. You can put the blame on the crappy combat system, and the fact this is probably the least exciting Light Cycle implementation in any Tron game – nay, product in general, period.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is more of the same in a way, but is that exactly a bad thing? The previous remake collection showcased how to revive these games with a brand new presentation, and this sequel follows the same premise, whilst also trying to adapt Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 into a gameplay loop it wasn’t originally designed for. The results are still good, don’t get me wrong, but you’ll need some time getting used to its new format. Nevertheless, there’s no way I can or should complain about this lovely nostalgia nuke.
Rematch can either be one of the most entertaining experiences of the year, or one of its biggest disappointments, depending on your skill level. If you master its mechanics, get used to its camera, and be lucky enough to end up in a synergetic team, then boy oh boy, this thing works like a beauty. If not, this will easily become an exercise in frustration.
In theory, I should have liked this. Music Drive: Chase the Beat has some really good ideas in terms of setting and theming, and I even liked how it constantly reminded me of games like old-school Driver, but its execution ended up being a massive disappointment. Its gameplay loop was way too simplistic and uninteresting to justify having to play levels over and over again in order to unlock more content. I had fun with it for about twenty minutes or so before becoming bored and fed up with what little it had to offer.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour‘s biggest problem isn’t even the fact you gotta shell out some cash in order to experience it. The problem is that, sadly, it is an incredibly lame title, with just a few memorable minigames which aren’t enough to make me forget about the sheer amount of befuddling quiz sections, annoying collectathon mechanics, and the overall sensation that you are not playing a game per se, you feel like you’re witnessing the company patting itself on the back with this brand new system.
Ruffy and the Riverside is a joyful little game with a really inventive gameplay loop. It mixes elements from open world adventures, logic-based puzzles, and the level structure of classic 3D collectathons to create something that is truly unique, whilst still being accessible, and not at all condescending. It also helps that its visuals are great, and its sense of humor is completely on point.
Look, no matter how I try to put it, there’s no denying that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is basically Hades, but with more reptiles and pizza. But let me reiterate, that ain’t a bad thing. Sure, if you’re expecting for it to be as good as Hades, then you’re out of luck, but this is still a fun roguelike with a neat combat system, fun character interactions, and some great multiplayer support.
This is not a game without a handful of flaws, namely its underwhelming story and really ugly (human) character models. That being said, consider me a brand new fan of Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, and the Devil Summoner subseries as a whole. I really enjoyed it being a faster-paced, action-oriented take on the Shin Megami Tensei formula, in an episodic format that makes it highly enjoyable in smaller sessions. It may have aged visually, but mechanically-wise, it still holds the hell (pun intended) up.
When a collection has a literal hundred games, you’re bound to find one or two you end up playing for quite a while. Even if 100 in 1 Game Collection is one of the least creative gaming compilations I have ever seen, with the in-game characters themselves stating you shouldn’t expect much from it, it’s not the worst thing in the world. There’s just not a lot of creativity in this package. Most games are clones of classics from thirty years ago, with a less exciting presentation.