Timothy Nunes's Reviews
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth offers further content in the franchise. While the narrative base has an intrigue all its own, the vehicle by which it's received has flaws that can't be ignored. It's a visual novel with limited combat and some peculiar choices that somehow finds its way to a stellar conclusion.
Windjammers offers up a healthy dose of what made great arcade games great: tight controls, fast pace, and room to grow.
Madden NFL 18 is a breath of fresh air in the franchise, highlighted with Longshot, a new engine, and more accessible game modes to round off the package.
Lawbreakers has a decent foundation with high-action gameplay, but many fundamental things go amiss, and many decisions sacrifice its universality.
There's a lot of potential with Archangel, but when so much potential is unrealized, then the end product loses its luster. Archangel is exactly that, starting off with a bang and tapering off too quickly to maintain its level of initial intrigue.
Yonder Chronicles brings to the industry a game focused more on exploring, developing, and interactions over violence and leveling, and the end product is refreshing. A few things hold it back, but the heart and soul of the entire package is not to be denied on its way to success.
With finicky controls and oversized maps, it's hard to recommend this game to anyone other than those who love the franchise and the two series themselves.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is right up there with all the acclaimed classics that have enjoyed great remasters, making the original product better without changing its fundamental execution.
A lot feels right with Tokyo Xanadu, with gorgeous handheld graphics and a concept with a lot of potential, but the complete product chooses overall accessibility for depth of concept. Combat, narrative, and development do their job just enough to keep things working, but the hiccups and shortcomings keep holding the game back from the niche sleeper hit it could be.
The Ringed City is a fine ending to a memorable franchise, making the Fire Fades Edition a must-buy for anyone looking to jump into it head first.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a journey to discover truth, even if that truth is debilitating. There is a charm and humanity here that's hard to ignore and even harder to emulate. One in a million is too often used nowadays, but it holds true here.
The Deer God is a solid statement against animal cruelty and even sport hunting, exploring an empathetic view from the eyes of a deer. While it features solid, simplistic gameplay, frequent hiccups and balance issues keep this from being a game worthy of the title's undertaking.
In a class by itself, San Diego Studios continues to wow audiences with an authentic baseball sim with its newly released MLB The Show 17. It’s visually astounding, and all games modes have that extra something to keep you playing long into the night with only a few significant things keeping it from statistical perfection.
Ghost Blade HD has the 90s retrograde down pat, delivering a nostalgic retro shooter that’ll bring you back to that favorite arcade of yours. Enough keeps this from being a must buy, but the price point makes it appealing for anyone looking for a good ol’ time.
A sci-fi marvel, Torment: Tides of Numenera lays a narrative path for what could be something major. The pristine storyline shines through for those willing to sift through the cumbersome issues
Tales of Berseria will tantalize any JRPG fan with a narrative unique to the franchise while still entirely Tales. There's room for improvement on all fronts, but that doesn't stop Berseria from being the best franchise title in a while.
Channeling its Metroidvania roots, Shantae offers newcomers and genre aficionados alike a taste of what made the genre so great back when it was new and uncharted while offering plenty of upgrades to keep the journey feeling progressive.
Those looking to jump right back into a tight, predictable multiplayer experience will find exactly that with Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. A lack of focus overall puts this year’s outing in the driver’s seat over the shark, but Zombies and some saving graces in the campaign keep this from being a total loss.
There’s a lot to be had here, but the PS Vita version of Exist Archive could have used some more attention. Still, in the proper hands, there’s plenty of JRPG goodness to get lost in.
The final product that is NBA 2K17 is exactly what basketball fans want, right down to Shaq at the commentating table, but in areas where it progressed it also felt some growing pains.