I can’t say I really enjoyed my time with Assault Gunners HD Edition. I think the control scheme is terrible, the music is bland, the mission variety is lacking, and the story is uninteresting. I spent about six hours with this one and completed all 35 missions and the 12 DLC missions. Inferno mode is also included. This is a horde mode where enemies come in waves, so if this gameplay is your cup of tea this will extend playtime quite a bit. If you’re really starved for a mech game you might find some enjoyment out of this if you can look past all these issues, since it’s not very expensive at $11.99 with the DLC. Otherwise you should likely wait for a better offer down the line.
I have to say I really enjoyed my time with Gal*Gun 2. The gameplay flows much better than the first time around. While I found this game a little on easy side I think that actually helped the tone feel more silly, which is what they were going for here. I had a few issues with objects being sucked into my sweeper and blocking my aim and few other random glitches, but it was not enough to spoil my fun at all. Spent around 10 hours with this one and obtained 3 endings. There are couple more you could go for here, and the score attack mode is pretty nice as well since it seems gives you a little more freedom in exploring each level, so I feel there is plenty of bang for your buck here at $60. If you were a fan of Gal*Gun Double Peace this is a no-brainer, pick this up ASAP. If you like Rail Shooters you’ll find a lot to love here as well. You can even use Gyro aiming on the PlayStation 4 if you wish. I played with this a few minutes and it functioned well it seems, but I’m not a big fan of motion controls. At the end of the day if you want some over the top fun with cute girls and some crazy Ecchi, Gal*Gun 2 will deliver.
I enjoyed my time with Witch and the Hundred Knight 2. I thought the changes to combat did make it a little too simple and going through certain areas dragged on and became a little boring. This was offset however by the fun upgrade system for the weapons. I was always wanting to hunt down something bigger and more bad ass to slay the hordes of monsters. This was very satisfying when I got that awesome drop and took it back to the atelier and buffed it to the moon. It was a great feeling to go back and lay waste to wave after wave of baddies. If the stages had a bit more variety I would’ve scored this one higher, since I think that would’ve really made it stand out. The story is a mixed bag. It’s very predictable, but I really grew to like some of the cast by the end of the game even if they were terrible assholes to start with. This one took me about 35 hours to finish and I got the true ending. If you were a fan of the first game then you should pick this one up for sure, you will find a lot to love here for the $59.99 pricetag. If you disliked the tone or gameplay of the first game then there’s nothing here that is going to change your mind.
I know this review sounds a bit like a glorified changelog, but I wanted to make it clear to everyone this isn’t just Megadimension Neptunia V-II with a new coat of paint and some VR slapped in it. Every system in this game has been redone or tweaked for the better. This game is a testament to just how much Idea Factory has learned over the years, and they have created a near perfect experience here. The DLC characters from the previous release being removed isn’t a huge loss, but the biggest hang up is the pricing. At $60 I find it hard to recommend this to everyone that has already purchased V-II this soon after its release. If you’re a fan of the series or you didn’t buy the previous release this is a must have title, but if you own V-II currently you may wanna wait for a price cut to jump in here.
In the end Garage is a really good concept bogged down by some dicey design choices. The visuals and audio set up the atmosphere nicely, but the gameplay has so many issues it makes it not fun to play at times. The last boss here is the most unfair and cheapest boss I have faced in years, and really made me dislike this game when I finally beat him. It took me around seven hours to get to the final boss and another three to actually take him down. While the game is pretty inexpensive at $14.99, I could only recommend this one to avid fans of top-down shooters.
Fox n Forests has some issues but I can’t say the game isn’t enjoyable. The two flying stages in the game are pretty annoying since you die in one hit, but at least they give a good amount of checkpoints. You do have to spend gold to use them throughout the game, but its not enough to make it annoying. The melee combat is a bit finicky. It seems to kinda work when it wants to at times, when you get the spread arrows it pretty much fixes this issues but its annoying at the start of the game. I think the most glaring issue with this title is its length. You can beat the entire game in around 5 hours and collect everything in around 7. This makes the $19.99 price tag a bit hard to digest, but if you love 16 bit adventures and Metroidvania style titles, you’d likely find a lot to enjoy here.
I have to say, Azure Reflections is a fantastic package. It’s easy to pick up and play, but offers plenty of challenge thanks to the 4 difficulty levels. This game is perfect for those just getting into Shmups since it offers some training features and will even display your hit box to help you learn to maneuver more effectively. While a run of story mode will only last a couple hours, with each girl having a unique story, the amount of unlockables and amount of fun trying to complete the game on a harder difficulty give this one plenty of substance. I feel this game is well worth the $24.99 asking price. If you’re a fan of Touhou this is a must have title for the PlayStation 4. If you’ve always been curious about the franchise and are looking for something to get your feet wet, this game is perfect for that as well.
I have to say, West of Loathing is one the most fun and unique games I’ve played in a long time. The combat is fun, the writing is hilarious, and the art style and animation are fantastic. I’ve rarely seen a game where you can tell there was thought behind each design decision and it all blended together perfectly. This one will set you back about about $11 on the eShop and it took me around eight hours to complete it, but you can get a lot more out of this. There were tons of quests I could’ve done and every choice you make can have an effect on the ending you receive. I feel this is a must own title for Switch owners. It’s one of a kind, and this is the best kind there is!
While the Switch version does have some control issues and not getting Ultra Street Fighter IV is a bummer, that doesn’t mean this version is terrible. You trade off these things to have 12 of the best fighting games of all time portable. I do hope they address some of the control issues with patches like the not being able to map 3 kicks or punches to a button. If you have a Switch and love Street Fighter I think you would be satisfied with this release despite its flaws. I mean at $39.99 you’re spending less than 4 bucks a title for some great classics.
I don’t think Full Metal Panic! Fight! Who Dares Wins is a bad game, but it certainly has some issues. I would’ve liked to have seen a more fleshed out recap, the graphics could’ve been better, and some of the skills not functioning properly is inexcusable. Still, underneath all of its faults there is a basic Super Robot Wars game here with a pretty sweet Full Metal Panic! theme. The game costs $61.99 at Play-Asia and takes about 10 hours to complete. You can get a little more mileage out of replays for the alternate scenes. If you’re a fan of the series I think you could really enjoy this title, but if you’re not a fan I would be hard pressed to recommend this as a starting point.
The Lost Child isn’t bad game, but I don’t really think I would call it a great game either. This one is very middle of the road and basic. I did have fun collecting all the different types of enemies, and the story is kinda interesting. There is really just nothing here that makes this one stand out. You’ll get a solid 40 hours of gameplay here and a bonus 100 level dungeon after completing the story. If you’re a fan of Dungeon Crawlers and you need to scratch that itch this would probably get the job done at its $49.99 price tag. Just go don’t go into it expecting the next evolution of the genre.
I have to say my time with Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded has been a pure joy. I love the stories and characters. The music is fantastic, and could be my favorite of the console Touhou games I’ve played. Gameplay here is fun, simple and challenging but fair. The amount of content here makes it well worth the $49.99 price tag. PlayStation 4 users can load their save from the previous version to carry over story progress, bestiary, and equipment. This means those folks jump straight into the new content. This is a must own title for Touhou fans. The amount of fan service to the franchise is huge and done in the best way possible. Rogue-like fans will have a blast with this one as well. This is one of the best game’s I’ve played this year and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone!
All in all while I can’t say Mushroom Wars 2 changed my mind about the genre, it’s certainly a great game for fans of it. There is a ton of content here and the multiplayer is robust and a ton of fun. I had a little issue with the controls here, but I feel that was mostly me being used to RTS games on a PC rather than a console. If you’re not a fan of this genre, you should probably avoid this one, but fans should certainly look into picking this one up at the $19.99 price tag. You will get a lot of bang for your buck.
I have to say for the $8.99 price tag on the PS4 the game may not have the deepest gameplay, but certainly has a lot of content. In addition to the story missions, there is an Endless Mode and Boss Raid Mode you can test your button mashing skills in. While I don’t think Chicken Assassin: Reloaded is for everyone, if you have a crazy sense of humor, like clicker games or just want a cheap time waster you could do a lot worse for the asking price here.
All in all, I felt Code of Princess EX was a big improvement over the 3DS game of years ago. The improved graphics and framerate really make this feel like a different game and there is plenty of content there to keep you bashing enemies for hours. I think my biggest problem with this title is still the same though. The combat just feels really stiff at times and the CPU controlled opponents always seem to have an edge in hitting you before you can strike them. Some may think this one is a bit overpriced at the $49.99 for the physical edition, but I have to tell you, Nicalis put a lot of love into it. It comes with reversible cover art, full color manual and a mini OST, so I feel like it is well worth the price. This game is by no means a bad game, but I still feel like it could use more polish. I really hope Nicalis decides to make a full on sequel to this. Based on how much better this is than the original, that would be something to behold. It took about 6 hours to complete the main quest and I spent a ton of time messing around with the characters I unlocked in the other modes. If you didn’t like the original release, there is nothing here that will change your mind. However, If you loved this on the 3DS or are a hard core fan of beat-em-ups, then it would be well worth picking up.
There are so many more wonderful things I would love to talk about in Newton and the Apple Tree, but without getting into spoiler territory I really can’t. This is one of the best visual novels I’ve read in a long time. Its fantastic story is both humorous and emotional, and will have you questioning what you would’ve done in Syuji’s shoes well after you finish it. I mean how much would you give up for the one you love? Other than the need for more musical numbers my only other minor complaint is I wish the font size was a bit bigger. I think the team is working on a fix for this but it’s not out at the time of this review. The game will set you back $39.99 and is worth every penny of it. The game is heavily edited on Steam, but you can go to PantyPress.com and download a free patch to uncensor the game. There is of course the 18+ patch which restores all of the cut content or you can go for the 17+ patch which leaves out the CG for the H scenes but restores all the dialogue. I would recommend this game for all fans of visual novels or eroge. It’s truly one of the best to come along in a long time. If you’ve never played a game like this, now is the perfect time to start. Playing this will start you off on the right foot in the genre.
Since I am a big fan of the franchise, I had a ton of fun with Senran Kagura: Reflexions and I honestly cannot wait until they add the other girls. These include Yomi, Yumi, Murasaki and Ryona, and I will certainly need to spend quality time with my beansprout for sure! Anyways, I think your enjoyment of this title will depend on if you are a fan or not. If you are a fan, then you will definitely want to check this one out ,and if Asuka is your favorite gal, then it goes without saying you should own this. The game is really short, you can beat it in about 3 or 4 hours. You will get some extra mileage out of it by seeing all of Asuka’s different reactions and unlocking all the different accessories and such. I still feel it is well worth the $9.99 price point and if the upcoming gals are your cup of tea, you will certainly want to add those as well. While this one may not be for series newcomers, fans will find a lot here to love, Asuka included!
SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy does exactly what it sets out to do. It provides a fan service filled, over the top fighter anyone can pick up and play. This is pretty much what I expected this title to be from the day that they announced it. I thought the girls’ outfits were all outstanding and I really had a good time playing through the crazy story with each set of girls. I do think this one is a little light on content. A few more gameplay modes or some other extras wouldn’t have hurt this one a bit. If you are an SNK fan and you want to see some of the leading ladies in a very unusual environment, then this one is well worth the $49.99 price tag. I think casual fighting fans would have a great time with this one as well, since it is really easy just to pick up and play. In the end this may be for the casual fighting fan, but I still feel that it’s better than your average anime fighter!
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a pure joy on every level. This game excels in every area that I feel like Western gaming completely fails. It balances amazing gameplay and storytelling seamlessly. This is why it’s so damn good. If you’ve never played a Yakuza game before, you can jump right in at this one with no problem. There is a huge optional story recap at the front of the game that will catch you up to speed. I spent about 30 hours with this one and there is still a ton of stuff to see and do. The bonus content here is crazy, from the Majima side story to the ability to play the 2-player arcade games straight from the main menus. That’s right folks, you and a friend can play Virtual On or Virtua Fighter 2 right from the main menu. This game is worth every penny of the $49.99 price tag and I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good story or open world games. If I could give this bad boy 6 out of 5 stars, I would!
This is some of the basic gameplay elements of Disgaea 1 Complete. This may seem a bit overwhelming to newcomers, but if you do the tutorials, you will be slaying your foes and making insane equipment in no time flat. If you enjoyed the original, I think this is well worth the upgrade for the new graphics and the fact that it includes all of the bonus content from the PSP version of the game. Etna mode is just freaking great! The fact that it is portable is just icing on an already delicious cake. It took me around 53 hours to complete the main story, but there are probably another 100 more if I want to do everything, making it well worth the $49.99 price tag. If you’ve been looking for a place to jump into the series, there’s no better place to start than here. It sets an example of how great strategy games could be. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of the newer entries, it’s still pure gold!