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.
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.
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.
Disgaea 5 Complete is a fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch library since Nintendo's own flagship Fire Emblem series is noticeably absent on the system so far. You can see from my review of the PlayStation 4 version of the game that I love my time with it and found it even more enjoyable this time round, given the adaptability the Switch offers. If you're a Disgaea fan and own a Switch, then you should definitely pick up Disgaea 5 Complete even if you have played it already!
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory is a fantastic update and addition to an already great game in Cyber Sleuth. The parallel plot threads have been masterfully implemented and made the game an absolute joy to play through and experience. If you’re unfamiliar with the predecessor then worry not as Hacker’s Memory stands tall as a great game in its own right and will only leave you wanting more.
TUNIC is perhaps the most fun I’ve had with a game in a long time. The depth within the puzzle design and the overall world has kept my brain whirring away whenever I’m not playing. The collaborative effort of working out the more difficult puzzles has been a highlight I’ll probably not experience again for a long time. This is matched wonderfully by the solid gameplay. While I can’t easily wipe my memory and start the game fresh, what a joy that would be, I can take comfort in the knowledge that TUNIC definitely holds more secrets than I’ve discovered during my time with it and that only makes me want to explore it more!
With an emotional and compelling plot, combined with a fantastic battle system and an awesome soundtrack, this Final Fantasy will be one entry into the series that people will place among the best of them. Forgetting the annoying camera controls and some slightly iffy areas where the visual quality doesn’t quite match up, there isn’t anything not to like. Square Enix made a brilliant game that has been eagerly awaited and HexaDrive’s work bringing it to the PlayStation 4 has been near perfect.
What can I say, this game is fun, addicting and insanely brilliant. Tearing myself away from it to write this review was a challenge in itself. The visuals are impressive even though it was originally only developed for PlayStation Vita. The basic game mechanic has been carried over from previous iterations and they are perfect. You can sink so much time into raising your Digimon, but it’s so rewarding that I can’t stop! If you’re a fan of Digimon or JRPGs, then buy this game it’s absolutely fantastic you won’t regret 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!
Octopath Traveler is pure magic on every level and easily one of the best games of 2018 thus far.