Ninja Gaiden 4 returns with a vengeance. With PlatinumGames at the helm, Combat is the best Ninja Gaiden has ever been, bringing back the challenging but satisfying gameplay that was missing from vanilla Ninja Gaiden 3, with blazing fast combat which includes dozens of heads and limbs that go flying as you slash through enemies in oh so satisfying ways with the variety of Devil May Cry-like weapons at your disposal. It’s not all good. In a medium where Ichiban Kasuga can carry the Like a Dragon torch just as well, Ninja Gaiden 4’s new protagonist, Yakumo, feels like a downgrade to Ryu and feels shoehorned into the spotlight. This is somewhat compensated for by Yakumo’s cast of characters, with whom he interacts throughout the story, but he still feels like an uninteresting character whose uncaring edginess serves as a crutch for his character development. Overall, Ninja Gaiden 4 is still a great game to play, and I hope this new Ninja Gaiden connection for Team Ninja and PlatinumGames is the start of a new trilogy.
Blades of Fire is a weird game with a solid story, good-looking visuals, and a unique approach to combat. However, the game is a slog to explore, one of the best parts of playing video games.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii delivers a great pirate adventure for the series, with the spotlight once again shining on Goro Majima. The reworked gameplay to the action-brawler formula makes the game feel more fun than ever before. And while it sounds like a small change, adding a jump button to combat is a game changer to gameplay that lets players do sweet air combos on enemies like Majima is Dante from Devil May Cry. The new style, Sea Dog in combat, is astounding, letting you juggle multiple enemies, making the game feel like you’re playing a Yakuza-themed Dynasty Warriors game.
Even with just being the first part of a remake, Tsukihime -A Piece of Blue Glass Moon- might be one of, if not the best, visual novel games currently Out there. It's a fantastic remake and a great entry point for TYPE-Moon newcomers.
SaGa Emerald Beyond is a challenging throwback that hardcore veteran players will feel right at home with.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is not just Ichiban's best game yet, but so far, it may be my favourite in the series, hands down.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is Kiryu's best adventure yet, thanks to a narrative that actively explores the Dragon of Dojima's character depth in a tearjerker of an ending, alongside fun and engaging gameplay and tons of side content.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is an enjoyable entry with a well-paced narrative, fantastic world-building that pays off in a big way, and gameplay that brings a new level of fun to the formula by going all in on Ys-like action rather than the turn-based that the series is known for.
The Legend of Heroes – Trails into Reverie is a brilliant finale serving nearly two decades of storytelling and worldbuilding.
Ravenlok isn’t an enjoyable experience but not because it’s a bad game, more so it’s hard to want to invest your time into.
The Legend of Heroes – Trails to Azure is a fantastic and bold sequel that easily surpasses its predecessor while hammering down on character development.