Like one of its titular mechs, Mechwarrior 5: Clans is an effective machine that is purpose-built, but a touch awkward in motion. It has great moment-to-moment combat, backed up by a fair bit of tactical depth.
Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven is likely to be your weirdest friend’s favorite RPG. It is a playfully obtuse, mechanically deep outing paired with a story that is almost charming in its simplicity. It feels dated, but it also features a singular vision that sets it apart from other games in the genre. I suspect, at the end of the day, it will carry on the legacy of the Saga franchise and be a divisive title, which is probably a good thing. We need more divisive games.
Bloober Team’s version of Silent Hill 2 often feels like a high fidelity version of the original with remixed puzzles and item locations. The combat is reasonably satisfying, the boss encounters have been improved, but what is fundamentally a great horror game is partially undermined by the over-the-top sound design, injection of jump scares, and general lack of restraint.
I'm not sure what happened with Reynatis. Yoko Shimomura and Kazushige Nojima are legends. It feels like FuRyu had everything they needed to deliver a great JRPG. However, game development is difficult, and some projects are bound to miss the mark. That happened here in a big way. Reynatis is one of the most miserable experiences I have had with a game in decades. It is an ugly, repetitive mess that houses some of the worst writing the medium has to offer. Outside of the OST, there is almost nothing of value here. If this is, in fact, anything like what Final Fantasy Versus 13 was supposed to be, then I can comfortably say that Final Fantasy fans dodged a bullet.
Sitting down with this collection is stepping into an alternate timeline, and having 50 timeless 8-bit gems dumped into your lap. The level of variety, and the incredible quality of each game, make UFO 50 an absurd value. For anyone looking to experience the magic of video games, I can’t stress enough how excellent UFO 50 is. It is an out-of-this-world collection.
Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a complete package that delivers a wonderful collection of games while adding modern niceties such as a feature-rich training mode, and high-quality online play. It’s great to see Capcom learn from its mistakes to dial things in with its most recent collections. While it is a fairly priced product, the value is considerably worse if you only buy it to play Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. So, I do encourage everyone who picks up this collection to at least try the other games included. Odds are you’ll have a marvelous time.
There are a number of elements present in Cygni: All Guns Blazing that underwhelm. From its unremarkable enemy designs to its banal story, it simply doesn’t feel like it has a strong identity. However, for all its shortcomings, it does deliver seven action-packed stages of controller-gripping, shmup goodness. The ship customization stuff is neat, the energy allocation mechanic is novel, and it features some highly enjoyable boss battles. When all is said and done, I doubt Cygni will make much of an impact with the general gaming populace, but I suspect that bullet hell fans will find something to love here.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a breath of fresh air. Its tireless commitment to its aesthetic, and enticing, varied gameplay make for a memorable experience. One that is as charming as it is enthralling. In an era where Capcom largely produces remakes and sequels, games like Kunitsu-Gami are more important than ever. Every inch of Kunitsu-Gami feels deliberate, and the passion of those who developed it bleeds through. Kunitsu-Gami is carving a path forward for Capcom, and at the end of that path is a more creative gaming landscape.
Nine Sols is a well-made game with great platforming, excellent combat, and a strong visual style. While I have quibbles about some elements, it nails the fundamentals. The moment-to-moment gameplay is simply fantastic, it looks great, and weaves its cutscenes into the gameplay deftly. Red Candle Games has really shown its creative range here, as its first foray into the Metroidvania genre is a triumph. There is no question that Nine Sols is entering a crowded market, but even with so much competition, I have no doubt that it will find an audience and take its place among the titans of the genre. Quality bears out.
Murayama and the rest of the fine folks at Rabbit And Bear did it. They've created a masterwork. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes may have one foot firmly planted in the past, but make no mistake, its other foot is lunging forward into the future.
As a long-time TRPG fan, Unicorn Overlord is everything I wanted it to be and more. I suspect that some people will read this review and think that it sounds tedious, but that’s the thing about games that deliver such a focused experience: they aren’t going to appeal to everyone. However, by being so specific in everything it does, Unicorn Overlord ensures that those who do “get it” will be thinking of it fondly for decades to come.
That being said, by launching with a free version, Rising has given itself a fighting chance. While I find it hard to recommend Rising to most people at full price, I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone even vaguely interested check out the free version. There is a lot to love about Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, and without risk of buyers remorse, players should jump into the free version to see if they are a good fit for Gran’s merry band of adventurers.
If it sounds like the criticisms here are on the pedantic side, that is because Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider’s downsides are largely negligible. This is a pristinely crafted action-platformer that has a strong understanding of what it means to deliver an engaging, frenetic, action-packed experience. If Moonrider had been released on the SNES, it would be one of those legendary 16-bit-era action titles that are frequently referenced in reverent tones. Its influences aren’t hard to see, and it certainly doesn’t do anything to reimagine what a great 2D action title is, but it does everything so extraordinarily well that it never feels redundant. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider stands shoulder to shoulder with the greats, and all fans of pristinely crafted action games owe it to themselves to give it their attention.