If you played Criminal Girls: Invite Only, then Party Favors will offer you more of the same with a few minor improvements but a slightly less engrossing story to pull it along. With less frustration from the Motivation system, gameplay is only made more accessible, it just comes down to whether that makes up for a slightly inferior story. However, there still remains a very solid and enjoyable RPG at its core that should easily please fans of its predecessor.
Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness does a great job and bringing the world that fans have come to love to a visual novel and while it could have been better in areas it’s definitely an enjoyable experience. I reviewed the game on PlayStation 4 but it would feel more at home on the PlayStation Vita which, thankfully; it is also available on. I actually spent a good deal of my time with it using remote play as it’s just a much more comfortable experience when you’re having to spend a lot of your time reading. Ultimately, I feel the enjoyability of this game really comes down to how much you like reading, though there is a minigame to mix things up a little but that’s only necessary to unlock gallery items.
A.O.T: Wings of Freedom has easily become one of my favourite games of the year and I’m really happy to be able to say that. Any concerns or worries that I had going into the game were blown away and my anticipation was met and far exceeded. The game is equally challenging and satisfying and I highly recommend it to anyone. Well done Omega Force and Koei Temco on yet another great anime based title and I can’t wait to see a follow-up game soon.
Integrity and Faithlessness is a little less than stellar it has to be said, it’s possible that my expectations going in were a little too high maybe. It’s definitely not a bad game, though I feel a large portion of this review was negative, but just not as good as I had hoped. The game does feature some gorgeous visuals, a vast open world to explore and a really fun battle system. Did the bare-bones plot affect my enjoyment, yes somewhat, but it’s still a fun and enjoyable game and I’m sure Star Ocean fans will enjoy it.
I’ve used a number of words throughout this review in an effort to praise various aspects of the game but none really express my thoughts well enough so they’ll have to do. Amazing, brilliant, fantastic – this game is all of those and more!
Grand Kingdom boasts some gorgeous artwork and a very unique battle system but somewhere along the lines, it decided to overcomplicates itself. The first couple of hours of the game can seem like an eternity when you have to read through essays on each feature within the game. First appearances can be deceiving and what feels like a lot of content quickly turns into a linear and repetitive system. That said the game has a really unique and enjoyable battle system that alone makes for a fun time. Once you’ve navigated through all the text dumps the game does become more enjoyable but also repetitive. If you’re interested in the strategy element of the battle system then it’s worth checking out but I don’t think the game will have any long term appeal.
Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is a fantastic looking game and definitely a joy to play. Featuring an intriguing and deep story, complex battle mechanics and now a stylish mode that caters to newcomers making -REVELATOR- a great title to pick up for new and old fans alike.
While the game focuses on one of the best storylines within the entire One Piece series, it’s met with some unnecessarily difficult and annoying battles that start to take the joy out of it. For a hardcore gamer, it’s a great way to test your skills but for casuals, you’ll quickly be screaming at the screen in frustration. It might not have the depth of One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 but it’s something different and still good fun.
Having missed out on Valkyria Chronicles during its initial release on PlayStation 3 back in 2008, I'm overjoyed that it’s now available on PlayStation 4 in the form of a remaster, boasting 1080p at 60 frames-per-second. This brilliant real-time, turn-based strategy fusion has quickly become one of my favourite games of the year. It’s been a real joy to play and I’ll be playing it to death for the foreseeable future. Now we just have to wait for the sequels to get remastered for PS4 too.
Ray Gigant is easily my favourite Experience Inc title and quite possibly my favourite dungeon-crawler RPG so far, a huge thank you to Acttil for bringing it to the west. Ray Gigant managed to excel in so many areas from plot, gameplay, visuals and sound which I find is a rare thing these days. If you’re a fan of dungeon-crawling RPG or just looking for a new title to try out on the Vita then Ray Gigant needs to be high on your list.
Yo-Kai Watch is a game that is probably going to be considered a Pokémon clone by many, but for me, it does things so much better. It’s visually stunning, with a deeper story than you might expect, as well as a much fresher take on the monster-collecting role-playing games that Pokémon made popular. If you’re on the fence about picking up this title, then I implore you to take the plunge and give it a go, you may just be pleasantly surprised. Yo-Kai Watch was an eye-opener for me and I’m glad that I got the chance to play this fantastic game. Fingers crossed we’ll be getting its sequels sometime soon!
I’ve become a huge fan of dungeon crawlers in recent years and Experience Inc has certainly had a hand in my growing love for them. Having played some of their previous titles in Demon Gaze, Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy and currently Ray Gigant (expect a review soon) I’m a little underwhelmed by Stranger of Sword City. The gameplay is solid but seems overly hard and needlessly punishing to players. Stranger of Sword City feels like a game that's definitely geared more towards the hardcore players. The story, visual and audio all appear very plain compared to their previous titles for me and it’s a real shame.
Nights of Azure on PlayStation 4 from Gust and Koei Tecmo is visually gorgeous and features an attractive soundtrack. If you’re a fan of Gust titles or new to their games you need to give this Action-RPG a try.
Unfortunately, a lot of the issues we originally had with the game are still present in the Revival Edition but Nippon Ichi Software has added significantly to the game which also warrants praise. If you didn’t like what you saw with the PlayStation 3 version then this probably isn’t for you but for those that did enjoy it then the Revival Edition is certainly worth a shot.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale clocks in at around 30 hours of core story but features a lot of side content and a fantastic farming simulation that you can easily pour hours into. There’s a good range of things to do within the game given its hybrid nature. Really fitting the pickup and play style this game is perfect for short bursts or extended sessions.
It’s a shame that Stella Glow will be imageepoch’s last game, but what a game to finish on. Based on the initial trailer and screenshots, I was expecting some great SRPG elements and an engaging story from Stella Glow and I can safely say it delivers on all that and more. Combining a brilliant soundtrack and fantastic visuals each map continues to impress upon each visit and with multiple ending the replay value is high. Strategy RPG fans this title is not one to miss and it’s easy to grasp for newcomers to the genre so definitely give it a try if you’re on the fence.
Everything about Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is, let’s face it, pretty below par when it comes to technical, visual and audio quality. The gameplay isn’t the smoothest, the visuals leave a lot to be desired and the audio, what little of it, is just basic. Given all that, though I still can’t help but really enjoy the game, it’s just so stupid, so ridiculous that’s it’s actually a fun game to play. It’s even better when you can play it with a couple of friends as the ridiculousness just never ends.
I’m a little disappointed with Final Fantasy Explorers not because it’s a bad game but I feel that it could have been better with the addition of even a tiny bit of story. Lack of plot aside the game actually has some great features like the job system and it's crafting, let’s face it who doesn’t want to dress as Sephiroth while kicking ass as a Dark Knight or Dragoon. Multiplayer is clearly where the developers imagined this game to be played and it’s definitely where you’ll have the most fun. Given all the negatives, I still have the urge to continue on, there’s a solid basis to the game just not much more than that.
The story mode is easily the best part of the game a lot of attention and effort has clearly been put into it. Unfortunately, other areas of the game have suffered slightly but thankfully not to the point where it’s unenjoyable. The anime-like cut-scenes and character designs are highly praiseworthy and the new features in combat make battles just as exciting as previous Warrior iterations. Ultimately Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a great game but feels somewhat lacking in some areas. The biggest question though is when is its sequel coming out?
I can honestly say that I had a blast with Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight. I look forward to future titles and I’m definitely going to hunt down the older ones. I’ve been a huge fan of dungeon crawling RPGs for some time now and EO easily pleases and then some. The mapping feature is brilliant and obviously a big draw for the series. The new cooking feature has depth and becomes rather addictive in itself as it opens up in the later game. If you’re a newcomer to EO like me, don’t feel afraid to jump in, each game is separate from one another and you’ll have a great time with it.