Timothy Nunes's Reviews
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.
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.
Contrast is a low point in the PS4 launch line-up, but its frustrating gameplay and glitches are worth the uniquely fascinating story and aesthetics.
Outcast: A New Beginning may not have a gameplay loop that interests everyone, considering its repetitious nature and somewhat dated shooting mechanics. With that said, the world and how you interact with it is enough for the right audience to dig into.
Crymachina has several good ideas that it begins to explore. However, the kind of output needed to make those ideas flourish did not happen. Instead, this is a gorgeous-looking game that leans too heavily in the wrong directions, leaving its more intriguing elements as accessories instead of features. There's a decent game here that plays well, but its middle-of-the-pack execution in a sea of action RPGs doesn't do the game any favors.
Caligula Effect 2 tries to mix up the RPG formula with combat previews and expanded social elements. However, much of those ideas get buried under their over complicated presentation and execution. There is something new here that RPG fans may be curious about, but not many others will take a chance on it.
There's a great deal of cool traits to Strayed Lights, including thoughtful enemy design, strong premise, and charming visuals. However, pacing suffers greatly, and combat forces its way into the forefront with memorization and inconsistent parry windows. It's short and can be sweet, but there's an overarching bitterness that's hard to ignore.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered shows exactly why it's a classic game: a fine story with plenty of heart and consequence. Gameplay even lets you make it as simple or involved as you wish. Navigation is a terrible chore, though, and the remastered efforts feel too much like a basic port to be anything else.
Neptunia Sisters vs. Sisters channels the same cheeky humor and simplistic gameplay that fans have grown to expect. At the same time, some of the creative choices implemented here don't mesh well enough to make a complete concept. It all works and has its own kind of fun, but the game misses out on a more cohesive product that a more broad RPG fan base might have wanted to try.
While far from perfect, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R brings an enhanced version of the 2014 release to modern consoles. Network choices, lack of any narrative flow, and almost zero jumping-off point for newcomers makes this a title almost strictly for the JoBros. Thankfully, that doesn't keep it from being an intriguing fighter in its own right.
Steelrising puts together a solid, accessible Soulsborne title complete with fun combat and simplistic RPG elements. However, the dated aesthetic combined with the overstretched narrative and the foibles that come with it make this feel like a Spider Entertainment game and more of a basic third party title. The heart of the development team shows from time to time, especially near the end of the game. But, the way the team executes this formula knocks the fundamentals out of balance, creating an uneven experience with too much of its weight on the back end.
Elex 2 asks a lot of you and only gives so much in return. The game provides several special concepts and attempts, but the team's resources limit their potential the entire way. As long as you know what Elex 2 has in store, you might find something there for you.
Bloodrayne ReVamped is essentially an easier way to play the original 2002 game, staying true to the original vision of the title. The flaws stand out now more than ever, ranging from visuals to stiff mechanics. At the same time, many of the ideas from two decades ago age well enough to make the gameplay work even by today's standards.
Neptunia x Senran Kagura Ninja Wars maintains the cheeky charms of both franchise, bringing in the fun, safe jokes and jabs at the gaming industry. However, it taxes that charm with the gameplay choices made at the end of the game. There's enough here to bring in longtime fans, and even some crossover fans between the franchises, but not many others will rally to this mashup.
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.
Simulacra does a good job of delivering suspense, but its horror is limited. Equally so, the way that the game utilizes its phone apps leaves much to be desired in such a brief package, elongating the experience with fumbling around for what to do rather than filling the time with some form of progress. Simulacra has a lot to improve on, but there is still something dramatic and interesting here.
The things that make Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey so appealing are the same thing that make it frustrating. Many things stand in the way of your progress, many of those things being mechanics, and rewards come sparingly. At the same time, there is something wholly unique here that, if you can properly sink your teeth into it, you could find yourself completely engulfed in it.
Code Vein does a few things well, like the amount you can customize as well as how enjoyable it is to explore the world proper. However, combat lacks the kind of refinement needed for such a complicated battlefield, and companions prove either useless or render you useless. Code Vein features many heavy inconsistencies that hide away a few good ideas.
Metal Wolf Chaos XD showcases the beginning of FromSoftware's iconic game formula. But, fifteen years on, the campy narrative and unpolished gameplay keep this from being a classic revival and a great re-release. It isn't too polished, but if you want to see the beginnings of From Software's beloved style, Metal Wolf Chaos XD is a solid way to do just that and only that.
Without its flaws, Super Neptunia RPG manages to depict the whimsical appeal of Neptunia in a new, approachable way for newcomers. However, these same flaws bring many aspects of the game down. Combat and character development also lack a whole lot of depth. Conversely, that lack of depth comes with an ease of access that works for this silly endeavor. Consider this title a between-games RPG curiosity.