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Chained Echoes is an incredibly uneven RPG heavily inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears. With bad writing, poorly thought out mechanics, and an overly complex… everything it can be hard to get through. Even so, there is a little fun to be found here, mostly near the beginning.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky concludes the story and character arcs which began in the first chapter in an incredibly satisfying way. While it reuses a bit too much to my liking, the combat is much more engaging, with mechanics being polished and enemies being tougher. It can be a bit too tough in some regards, with ranged characters being almost useless, but it reaches higher highs than the first chapter overall while feeling like a more uneven experience.
Children of Silentown delivers a compelling story told through stunning hand-drawn graphics and spearheaded by a hauntingly beautiful score that perfectly encapsulates the feelings of melancholy and dread that pervade Lucy's thoughts. Silentown's unique focus on discovering notes to uncover songs which can then be used to unlock puzzles provides a new dynamic to the point-and-click genre, and despite having gripes with one of the puzzle types, I still enjoyed my time unraveling the mystery of Silentown and the monsters that haunt it.
From a gameplay perspective, Amnesia Memories and Amnesia Later x Crowd have translated well to the new platform, with this being the first time Later x Crowd is available to fans outside Japan. Unfortunately, as a newcomer to the series, an incredible story about a girl’s journey to recovering her memories and discovering the truth is grossly overshadowed by the love interest side of the story where she is often subjected to very poor and sometimes disturbing treatment.
From a gameplay perspective, Amnesia Memories and Amnesia Later x Crowd have translated well to the new platform, with this being the first time Later x Crowd is available to fans outside Japan. Unfortunately, as a newcomer to the series, an incredible story about a girl's journey to recovering her memories and discovering the truth is grossly overshadowed by the love interest side of the story where she is often subjected to very poor and sometimes disturbing treatment.
Valkyrie Profile uses the conventions of a dungeon crawler to highlight an aspect of games, and really humanity itself, that often goes understated. The path to our true calling is vague, confusing, and full of trial and error. If you're willing to persevere and think beyond the immediate path before you, however, you reach your full potential. You might like Valkyrie Profile, too!
High on Life is a decent enough game that doesn't quite live up to its potential. The combat feels unfocused and lacks depth, while the story and humor only hit their stride in the final moments. Still, it's worth a playthrough if you enjoy the more aggressive side of shooters with some light platforming.
Dragon Quest Treasures is a bland adventure that sucks out everything that makes the franchise charming. There's quite a lot to do in the game, but none of it is fun or feels good. Playing this game feels more like checking things off your to-do list: the act of crossing things off may offer a hint of satisfaction, but you don't actually like doing the tasks on it.
Lost Between Worlds feels like a creative misstep for the Far Cry franchise. Though it is refreshing to see the series attempt new things, none of the additions are well-realized enough to justify the existence of this add-on.
Unavowed is easily one of the best adventure games ever made. The story and characters are fantastic, the visuals immaculate, and the puzzles unique and inventive. Wadjeteye games are always good, but they've set the bar pretty high with this adventure.
Blacktail’s art and captivating storytelling take the narrative genre in a new direction. Backed by a combination of solid gameplay and in-depth moral system, the game excels in almost every aspect.
If you're a fan of beat em up games and the first River City game you'll most likely enjoy River City Girls 2 and all if not, you will still enjoy the game if you can ignore its few annoyances.
Gundam Evolution is a fun and fast-paced hero shooter that, while not wholly unique, accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: offer an authentic, competitive Gundam experience for fans of modern shooters. Satisfying gunplay and engaging classes make playing this game worthwhile, regardless of the lengthy grind and somewhat lifeless maps.
The Callisto Protocol is a unique and often good game which is hindered by its own ambition. The fighting system is sure to be hit and miss with audiences, and the difficulty coupled with the slow movement and weapon swapping will surely turn a few people off. Despite this, Protocol builds a unique world that would benefit from further entries diving more into its backstory and is brought to life with incredibly detailed graphics, fantastic sound design, and gorgeous lighting. The Callisto Protocol may not be the survival horror game many had hoped for, but it does successfully carve out its own niche.
Need for Speed Unbound is an arduous experience, and not one I'd recommend if you're looking for an arcade racer. The only good aspects are the refined handling system and the aesthetic customization of your cars, which is really brought to light via community creations. However, this experience is quickly overshadowed by the boring open-world, a meaningless collect-a-thon, unbalanced AI, and some of the cringiest story and dialogue I've experienced. It's The Room of racing games.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns has been… well, a marvel. The last superhero game I played and thoroughly enjoyed was Deadpool (2013), so I’m very excited to have found another that hits the spot while also introducing me to a genre that I’d previously ignored.
I have been a big fan of the JWE game franchise from the start, and the Dominion Malta expansion adds some great new decorations and species for you to play with in your parks. The Oviraptor and Lystrosaurus are precious, and honestly make the pack worthwhile just on that alone. A fun new Campaign that aligns perfectly with the Jurassic Park Dominion movie will keep you busy, and Update 5 brings in new Challenge Levels if the Campaign isn't your thing. If you're a fan of the movies and like park builders, you can't go wrong with the JWE games, and Dominion Malta fits in perfectly.
Samurai Maiden would have been a fun and satisfying RPG if its several stark issues didn't hinder the experience so significantly.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is almost undeniably the definitive version of the 2007 action RPG, as despite its issues it still succeeds at presenting the player with an unforgettable experience.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet try to take the franchise in a new direction, but can feel empty and hollow as a result. The open world has bright spots, especially multiplayer, however a lack of care in its design leads to a game that's haphazard and lifeless.