Thomas Knight's Reviews
I find myself conflicted when it comes to Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX. It still remains the same great game I enjoyed as a youth in many ways, but perhaps it hasn’t stood the test of time in others. The second title is certainly the better of the two, and I’d happily recommend that. It could still be improved, but it’s better. As a package though, perhaps it’s worth waiting.
Journey of the Gods had some very enjoyable moments. Taking a ride on the back of a flying golem, hatching an item bird and some of the boss fights were particularly enjoyable. The constant upgrades and gains in ability were praiseworthy too. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite make up for the poor combat, minimal story, and occasional technical issues. There’s certainly fun to be had with this virtual reality game, but it’s not a must-buy.
Eiyu*Senki Gold doesn’t have an amazing plot, but it has a huge variety of great characters. The time that you spend with them is the attraction here I feel, which is only helped by the wonderful artwork representing them. I do wish I could’ve spent more time with favorites, but the idea that quantity has a quality of its own certainly prevails here. The SRPG portions of the game are fun if not standout, but there are some serious issues that I’ve gone over in the full review. These really bring the game down, making it a worse experience than it could have been. Some might be overcome by referring to the Wiki, but this isn’t really an appropriate solution.
Altdeus: Beyond Chronos has it’s ups and downs. It has some particularly interesting characters, a story that has a slow start but becomes more interesting as it goes on and some issues with voicing and limitations elsewhere. I can say that I enjoyed it overall, but I still find it difficult to give it an outright recommendation. It’s still worth playing, but perhaps not a priority – and this is coming from one of the few people who is both enthusiastic about visual novels and about virtual reality.
I feel rather mixed on this game. On the one hand, there are quite a few good things. I really enjoy the feel of racing, the way the shooting works, the courses, and quite a bit more. I liked the challenges too. Customization is great, with characters able to look completely different and performance upgrades being possible. Mini-games were a nice touch too. On the other hand, it’s far too easy. When I’m slowing down and waiting for opponents to catch up so I can shoot them to complete a challenge, it’s a serious problem. There are also issues with the user interface and loading, both of which slow things down a lot. The story wasn’t great either, but I don’t hold that against it too much as it’s primarily a jet racing game. I think the decider here is the price. It’s a reasonably expensive title for something with flaws that affect the experience so much. If it wasn’t for the difficulty issue, I’d have a much easier time fully recommending it as the racing gameplay is genuinely good. If it was less expensive, then it would be more justifiable as something to pick up to casually play with friends.
I did enjoy Vacation Simulator, but I will note that it is fairly expensive for the amount of time some people may get out of it. If this will be your go-to game for the kids and introducing people to VR, it’s a good investment. If you just want to play it through once yourself, it could be an idea to wait for a sale. It does feel like a pity to say that because of the quality of the game, but you can see most content within two hours.
Overall, this is quite a fun mecha game and budget priced. The story was disappointing, but the gameplay was better than I initially expected and worth praising. The several included modes give you quite a few ways to play and it works well on the Switch too, as missions can be played in short bursts. It's not much more than a fun time flying around and shooting down enemies, but as long as you don't expect more, then it's fine.
I would recommend Hello, Goodbye to visual novel fans who enjoy games with a character-driven story, a good amount of comedy keeping things light, but a serious plot in the background. I can't say that it's one of the best visual novels around and the plot didn't feel clear at times, but I certainly enjoyed reading through it and I liked the characters.
Princess Peach: Showtime! offers a wide variety of gameplay in exchange for a lack of depth. Short and simple, it’s a fun adventure that anyone can enjoy but will be more suited to younger players.
In the end, I feel like KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! will be enjoyed by anyone who liked the anime. Whilst it's not exactly a great main plot and the gameplay doesn't stand out, it's a lot of fun moments spent with a cast of characters with a brilliant dynamic and plenty of fanservice.
Destiny Star Girlfriend is a very focused experience and, while short, this works to its benefit. It delivers a sweet romance, occasional moments of surprising depth, and plenty of comedy, supported by some great visuals. Perhaps it could have given us a chance to get to know the other characters a little more, but that's what the sequels are for.
Tokyo Chronos is a particularly unique experience, not just as a rare VR visual novel, but due to its story, which is best experienced with few details beforehand. The replay mechanism works particularly well, without being tedious, which is a failing of some games with loop mechanics.
Clover Day’s Plus has plenty of comedy, and most routes pull off an interesting plot and serious moments along with it. While some routes are stronger than others, with Anzu’s being the standout, each heroine has their charm points. The E-mote system helps to showcase these too. The technical issues and weaker routes are a pity, and I would’ve scored it higher if the former didn’t keep taking me out of it, but I still certainly enjoyed my time with Clover Day’s Plus.
While I do feel that some routes were certainly weaker than others and it often missed out on important elements for a guilty romance story, I still enjoyed White Album: Memories Like Falling Snow. Its highs are high and its lows are low. I’d be more hesitant at a higher price, but it’s quite reasonable. As such, it squeaks through with a recommendation based on the better parts. While localization of White Album 2 hasn’t been announced, between what I’ve heard of what it takes from the original White Album and its quality, having played this just makes me more excited about the chance that it may come next.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a fun if simple title. Despite major differences, I can see how it led to titles such as Atelier Ryza, Ayesha, or Sophie. The remake has done a great job of bringing it to modern audiences, but it still shows its age. Taking it for what it is though, a look back at the origins and initially a PlayStation 1 title, there's still a lot of enjoyment to be had. Just don't expect an epic JRPG tale where you save the world here. You are but a simple alchemist, helping her friends and the townspeople.
I picked up Alpha-Nighthawk as the sci-fi setting sounded interesting and it didn’t disappoint. While I do have some issues with the ending, the majority of the story was interesting and I would’ve liked to see more. The banter between characters was often great too. I hope that people don’t continue just to dismiss it as a ‘furry visual novel’ and actually give it a chance.
With much of the time spent on that transition period from just friends whether new or old and the conversation system simulating it, Fureraba ~Friend to Lover~ feels like something a little different than most visual novels. Even if the comedy doesn’t always land, I think most will enjoy spending their time getting to know these heroines and becoming more than friends. If nothing else, Misaki is just precious — play this and you’ll fall in love with her.
Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is a difficult one to rate. It has an excellent story, better than a lot of other visual novels or JRPGs, but it is severely hampered by the dated gameplay and certain design choices. If you’ve played and loved all of the Utawarerumono visual novels, I’d recommend it. Even if I found myself often frustrated, I’d certainly sign up for any potential sequel after playing.
Saints Row (2022) is a mixed bag. The story and characters are only decent and there are a lot of bugs to iron out. The gameplay has only slightly changed since the previous games. That said, the character’s interactions made me laugh and the gameplay is just enjoyable, with a few improvements over the past games' already solid gameplay and a ton to do. I found it difficult to rate this one. There are a lot of points where I feel it could be better, but I still enjoyed many elements of this. It’s one that I somewhat reluctantly recommend.
If you enjoyed the original Making Lovers, you’ll enjoy Making Lovers After Stories. While it often focuses even more than the original on the comedy, there are still romantic moments here. In the end, it’s just a short collection of follow-up scenes and as long as you go in expecting that, you won’t be disappointed.