DualShockers
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While I still think Tetris is the better game in this match-up, and that it has a slight in-game advantage due to its faster speed, and that the voice acting can get grating after awhile, I loved my time with Puyo Puyo Tetris. It familiarized me with a puzzle game franchise and group of characters that I had never heard up before while also delivering a solid console Tetris experience, which makes it steeper price acceptable. I hope SEGA continues to bring over more Puyo Puyo games to the west, as it has the possibility of catching on just like Tetris did years ago on the Game Boy.
In the end, NEKO-NIN exHeart's comedic approach saved it from being forceable and predictable romance where the main protagonist gets all the girls without even trying. There are some pretty interesting twists in the second half of the story that adds a dose of drama and keeps the pacing fresh. I must say that for the $9.99 Steam price, there is a good four to six hour story here that won't let fans of adorable cat-girl illustrations down. I only wish that the first half of the story was as good as the conclusion, but as whole this a decent visual novel.
While creativity should be appreciated and rewarded in the gaming industry, and a very interesting world has been put on display here, the rest of the game is just not up to snuff. Shiness may be worth checking out for those who are yearning for more fantastical worlds to explore and the return of PS2-era style RPGs, as it certainly scratched that itch for me. but others should carefully consider their purchase before joining Chado on his grand adventure.
At the end of the day, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a Mario Kart game and (predictably) fantastic. With a fully upgraded Battle Mode and all the portability that comes with Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is undoubtedly the definitive version of the game — maybe even the series. However, with limited offerings for Mario Kart veterans who shelled out nearly $100 on the last experience, the title will be significantly less rewarding.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap sets a new standard for what remakes should include, and I hope future ones can follow in these footsteps with projects that are just as passionate. While it can't escape a few of the original title's annoyances, it is still an engaging and enjoyable experience for 2D-platformer and series fans, and will most likely garner the franchise some new fans, who will come into contact with the series for the first time with this game like I did. I never owned the Sega Master System, but I am elated that I got to experience this all-but-forgotten gem.
Despite some of the technical shortcomings of the title, Blackwood Crossing ultimately is a tale that becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Though it's a brief experience that will only last a few hours, Blackwood Crossing is another title that showcases the power of storytelling in gaming as a medium, while still offering a story that you're going to remember long after finishing it. Much like the fairy tales and fantastical worlds it borrows from and references, Scarlett and Finn's tale is filled with visuals, color, and life that goes beyond our sense of reality, but Blackwood Crossing‘s emotion and connection to the player lies in something deeper.
Given their penchant for classic rock tunes, we'll have to see with the remaining episodes if Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series can evolve from an acceptable (but not stellar) cover song to something truly great of its own.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the twists the game threw at me and completely satisfied with the grandiose finale. I highly recommend anyone looking for a fun, albeit challenging puzzle game to check this complex gem out.
The Silver Case HD Remaster might seem visually dated and it has that unapologetic approach to puzzle solving that only retro games can provide, but the characters and story connecting them truly stands the test of time. I was completely drawn into the mystery and world of the game that it became difficult to take breaks or attend to daily activities. The Silver Case HD Remaster will join the catalog of other great Suda51 games that I have come to respect over the years, this westerner is happy to have the opportunity to finally play it.
Even if its story falls into many amnesia tropes and the graphics are a bit dated, the innovative and enthralling gameplay coupled with its over-the-top-nature make Bayonetta a wild ride that you won’t ever want to get off. Sega has mentioned that they want to do more PC ports in the future and, if they are done as well as Bayonetta, I can’t wait to see what they bring over next.
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is a blast from the past in some amazing and awful ways. Despite a horrific ending sequence, the gunplay, graphics and frame rates are enthralling even compared to current FPS games — an easy recommendation for those who missed out the first time. You will just find yourself wishing People Can Fly polished up some more archaic points of the game that drag down the experience.
Kero Blaster does feel much smaller and less monumental than Daisuke’s previous game Cave Story, but is a well crafted title nonetheless. While there sometimes are a few control problems with the DualShock 4, and the game is too short, the nuance in the level design, story, and soundtrack make Kero Blaster worth playing for 2D platfomer and Pixel fans. Cave Story this is not, but Kero Blaster is crafted just as well, and proves how talented of a developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya is.
David Jaffe and co. have created something wildly novel, moderately fun, and slightly frustrating with Drawn to Death. In the finished product lies a blueprint for a great game, but mediocre shooting mechanics and a slightly shallow level of content holds back Drawn to Death in the end.
At the end of the day, Playtonic accomplished exactly what they set out to achieve with Yooka-Laylee and proved that 3D platformers can still be relevant in 2017. Yooka-Laylee is a fun, familiar, and nostalgic trip to a genre from the past that still holds up incredibly well in the present. It certainly proves that there is a place in the current landscape for games of this genre. If you miss the mascot platformer of yesteryear, then Yooka-Laylee will almost certainly give you your fill and make you feel warm inside.
Still, there’s no denying that A Rose in the Twilight’s story and style earn it much more praise. Rose’s past drives a tale of imprisonment that is as dark as what she must do to escape. Every memory she relives becomes a ghost that haunts her and the player alike — ultimately a much deeper, cerebral experience than other PlayStation Vita titles.
Telltale took a big risk when it comes to setting players inside a fresh season of The Walking Dead with a new protagonist and different focus. And the developer has, for the most part, succeeded in providing an interesting new roster of characters but without losing The Walking Dead's strong writing and characterization. However, "Above the Law's" weakness in terms of moving the narrative forward is noticeable, especially with only two episodes left in the season. Hopefully we'll get a satisfying sense of where the season is heading before it's over.
Fast RMX isn’t the best looking arcade racer on the market, and it lacks the polish that other games bring to the equation. However its tight gameplay and impressive tech (for Nintendo Switch) elevates Fast RMX to something better than its individual parts. For those searching for recommendations, Fast RMX easily offers $20 worth of racing entertainment as you wait for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and is an easy buy to any fan of the genre.
Snake Pass is held back from greatness by a troublesome camera and poor textures, but it is quite charming and innovates with its snake gameplay, which still has tons of untapped potential. I can’t wait to see what Noodle and Doodle get themselves into next, as Snake Pass’s mechanics can only be fleshed out even more from here.
Instead, Thimbleweed Park shows that adventure games very much have a place in 2017 as they did in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to its loving callbacks to the genre, but also its willingness to improve upon them in many ways. As the game’s trailers have used the slogan that “a dead body is the least of your problems” in the game’s dilapidated town, Thimbleweed Park hides many more secrets and ways of enjoying it beyond its murder-mystery plot, for those willing to look just a little bit deeper.
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is a terrific bundle, and without a doubt the best way to experience the decade-old series. Offering not only convenience but a hearty technical upgrade, anyone looking to catch up before Kingdom Hearts III couldn’t do any better than picking up this rather affordable bundle. That said, gamers and Kingdom Hearts fanatics who have already grabbed this game on PlayStation 3 should consider their purchase a little more rigorously — without new bells or whistles, you might feel the tiniest bit swindled for buying the same remakes twice.