Timothy Nunes's Reviews
An RPG classic makes its way back to the front lines. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster has all the bells and whistles that came with the original fan favorite title. The minimal additions that come with this remaster do little to help or hurt the formula. Merciless difficulty drops the challenge too much to capture the game's magic, visuals only offer slight clean-up, and audio is still the same PS2 audio. While the game deserves better enhancements, getting Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne in a more contemporary accessible form is still worth the price of admission.
The side scrolling side of Smelter has a lot going for it. It has a welcome execution that doesn't demand much effort and doesn't bog you down with much, even if it is overly simplistic. The tower defense side of Smelter contradicts this simplicity, however. Bad control choices coupled with halfhearted explanations makes it a hard sell for the entire package. Smelter has something unique, but that's nowhere near enough to warrant your time.
Astro Aqua Kitty adds some Metroidvania-lite elements to the shooter components of its predecessor, Aqua Kitty, and it's all the better for it. A few decisions keep this from being an instant classic, like similar-looking zones and limited locations for loadout swapping, but nothing inherently gets in the way of the good times that Astro Aqua Kitty puts in front of you.
Synergia is the product of a small team wanting to create something important. The story between Cila and Mara is heartfelt and worthwhile, leaving you wanting more in the best way. Despite the few HUD issues and occasional glanced-over narrative point, Synergia has the heart and soul worthy of a great visual novel.
Kaze and The Wild Masks is an instant classic in the side-scrolling genre. It's a simple, well-executed formula that channels tons of different inspirations while still holding true to its own vision. The gameplay is top-notch and offers everything a fan could want, from beautiful sprite work to collecting shiny objects. Consider this a must-own among the other great side scrollers.
Very little of Neptunia Virtual Stars makes it a franchise entry worth playing. Simplicity here lacks the success of other entries, instead offering something clunky and dull. Consider this a Neptunia title barely meant for die-hard fans and no one else.
Ys IX Monstrum Nox remains another strong entry in the Ys franchise, offering up engaging combat fans will love. Visuals don't push any envelopes by any stretch and the writing has its hiccups, but Monstrum Nox has everything that makes a Ys title great.
Persona 5 Strikers takes what's special about the Persona franchise and meshes it with what makes the musuo genre special. Despite some hiccups, Persona 5 Strikers offers up something special: It's equally accessible to newcomers as well as established fans, showcasing all the style of the franchise in all its glory.
Ginga Force is one of those shoot-em-ups that gives you exactly what you want all while giving just enough variety to the formula to keep things feeling fresh. A few choices along the way don't meet the mark, but nothing gets in the way of Ginga Force's fantastic gameplay.
Despite its few flaws, When The Past Was Around tells a beautiful love story through simplistic mechanics and themes. The only thing that gets in the way is puzzle pacing at the end, which breaks the formula in an uncomplimentary way.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a blast to play, no matter where you play it. Its PS4 shortcomings only lie with with graphic fidelity and loading times. Apart from that, Sackboy is back and better than ever on all fronts and generations.
Chronos: Before The Ashes brings to the Souls formula some interesting ideas that, if further explored, could expand on a beloved formula quite nicely. However, in its present form, these ideas contradict themselves, creating more of a red herring than a legitimate risk-reward system. Regardless, the game is fun to play, but the narrative and initially appealing age mechanic don't reach the end of the game with the same intensity.
NBA 2K21 nails the 3 when it comes to gameplay and performance, all but sending the PS4 version to the annals of history. However, game mode choices and lack of MyPlayer transfer keep the PS4 version relevant when it comes to time investment and previous playtime. With The City being more spread out and barriers put up between modes, NBA 2K21 on PS5 feels disconnected. Consider what your needs and wants are with this game before choosing which version to buy.
Foregone is a mix of ideas that don't mesh well. The name of the game is simplicity, but Foregone contradicts itself with randomized loot, an immense difficulty spike, and a hard turn away from "play as you like" after committing to that formula. Foregone is a copycat title through and through with a couple good ideas that are encrusted with careless execution.
Within Doraemon Story of Seasons beats the heart of what makes the farm sim genre engaging. Unfortunately, the controls don't offer many favors, progression takes a great deal of time, and the early game demands far too much organization to feel productive. Doraemon is not for the farming sim feign of heart, which contradicts its family-themed aesthetic and narrative. Consider Doraemon Story of Seasons a recommendation only for fans who love both franchises.
The Suicide of Rachel Foster offers up some wonderful environmental storytelling, creating palpable tension. Once everything starts to come together however, the game itself starts to fall apart. What could have been good ideas fall into thoughtless choices, and the strengths of the game as a whole are wasted on the finale. Outside of the gimmicky triggering ending, this game had the potential for something interesting.
Minoria offers up an interesting story all its own that is contributed to with both dialogue and world-building. The lack of significant difficulty and limited AI make this an especially simple game. At the same time, the simplicity allows for an accessible narrative with little in the way. Minoria has the potential to be a good Metroidvania, but its simplicity makes it more of a filler game than a must-own.
NBA 2K21 executes the fundamentals of basketball to perfection. Add to that a wonderful narrative in Long Shadow, and the package becomes even more appealing - even if MyCareer is linked to an online mode. These modes have a lot of potential, especially My Neighborhood, but some of the ideas still need a year or two of percolation before they're at their true potential.
Madden NFL 21 makes a good attempt at adding variety into a tried and true formula. However, Face of The Franchise has awkward and dry storytelling and cannot match up to the excellence that Longshot offered the franchise. The Yard has some ambitious ideas and offers up a nice change of pace, but it needs some control tweaks to feel like the mode it's trying to be. The fundamentals are getting better and better, with gameplay getting long-awaited touches of realism.
Ys: Memories of Celceta improves on the issues the Vita had in regards to performance. However, the way the game on a home console isn't quite as forgiving as it was in its original form. This is still a fun Ys romp, as all of them have been, but it changes so very little.