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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dragon Quest Builders, despite its issues, brilliantly marries the sandbox survival gameplay style with traditional Japanese RPG storytelling. Fans of the franchise will feel right at home with a whole roster of familiar monsters to fight and a nostalgia-filled soundtrack. Whatever your play-style, whether it be story progression or building to your heart's content, you can expect to pour countless hours into this game and continue to be entertained. Dragon Quest Builders is easily one of the best games of 2016 and quite possibly the most addictive.
Yomawari: Night Alone may be short and repetitive but like with other survival horror games of this type, such as Corpse Party, the replay value is extremely high and encourages you to die a lot and explore everything the world has to offer. Rushing to the end may leave you feeling unsatisfied, but know that there is a lot more to get from this game. Visually simple but very charming and a masterful use of audio throughout, make sure you’re using headphone, Yomawari: Night Alone is the perfect pickup for this Halloween season.
Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2, despite its minor issues and some of my own personal issues, is a fun and enjoyable game that any Dragon Ball fan should look to own. The huge amount of content on offer and its super smooth 60 frames per second will definitely serve to please. If you're looking for a Dragon Ball game to get stuck into, then this is definitely the one to pick up. Fully customisable character creation, a huge roster of Dragon Ball characters and a different take on a classic story all awaits you.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is, to put it bluntly, a little disappointing. I was expecting a lot more from it and the promises of improved combat etc… nothing really feels like it’s been changed all that much. Sure, it looks nicer and the maps have a lot more going on, but overall it just feels more of a chore to play than the enjoyable and fun Lost Song. Hollow Realization is far from a bad game it just didn’t resonate with me or meet my expectations, unfortunately. If you’re a fan of Sword Art Online and enjoyed Hollow Fragment and are looking for more of the same, then you’ll enjoy Hollow Realization.
Final Fantasy XV no doubt has its issues and it’s far from perfect but it is one of the most enjoyable games of the year. The game opens with the statement “A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers” and this could not be truer. The much needed and natural change in gameplay should definitely attract new players and fans alike. The planned updates should give players a sense of ease with regards to how well the game will be supported in the future. It should also give players even more reason to return after they have completed it. Give the sheer amount of content packed into the game is definitely a worthy investment and will keep you entertained for many, many hours.
7th Dragon III Code: VFD will not appeal to everyone based on its genre but within that genre, it is a solid title. Long-time fans and newcomers will find something to like within this game. It's simple and never over-complicates its features making for a very enjoyable experience. I feel that this game is likely to fall under the radar for many but if you get a chance then I definitely recommend giving it a go, you will not be disappointed.
Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea brings the Dusk Trilogy to a close and joins its predecessors on the PlayStation Vita. With the lack of a Time Limit system, Atelier has never suited the handheld device better than with this instalment. The pick-up and play nature of the device works brilliantly with this entry and I can’t help but love the game even more for that. While I may be new to the Atelier series I can’t wait for more and I’ll definitely be picking up some of the other titles available on the PlayStation Vita.
Puyo Puyo Tetris feels perfectly at home on the Nintendo Switch; the nature of the game just seems to fit what the Switch offers. I would say that is the best way to experience such a fun game as Puyo Puyo Tetris, but I have to factor in the cost. It is more expensive, and if the price is a concern, then go with PlayStation 4 but the Switch remains my recommendation. Don’t write Puyo Puyo Tetris off as a simple puzzle game that you may have played before because it's far from it. It features numerous game modes that will have you entertained for hours with friends and without. It’s so easy to jump in and out of games that you could play it anywhere and I recommend doing so; it makes those early morning commutes go by in a flash.