DualShockers
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Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings has a good battle system and premise, but overall I wanted more from the final entry in the Mysterious trilogy. It seems like a missed opportunity to not include an open world and instead opt for a streamlined adventure with quick travel being the only option for exploration. As main protagonists, Lydie and Suelle are fantastic, but I felt like they deserved better. If you're looking for a solid story and a decent battle system or if you're a long time, Atelier fan than Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings might work for you, but I was left unimpressed.
Far Cry 5 isn't revolutionizing open world gaming, but it is a perfection of one of Ubisoft's most noteworthy series. With a captivating scenario, diverse gameplay options, breathtaking background, and a colorful cast of characters, Far Cry 5 is primed as one of 2018's earliest Game of the Year contenders, and potentially the best title in the series to date. Through more thoroughly leaning into the concepts of open-world design, Ubisoft has managed to craft a game that will really scratch your itch for exploration.
When factoring in on whether or not I can recommend this game to newcomers to the series, I honestly do not think I can; Devil May Cry HD Collection‘s re-release poorly-made compilation fails to show what made the franchise as popular as it is, while old fans of the series will be disappointed to see this game is nothing more than a rehash, and obviously, if you did not like the series already, then there is a high probability that this compilation will not change your mind.
I had a lot of fun learning about these characters in search of a blue sky and I appreciate FuRyu taking chances on new IPs in a generation full of sequels and remakes. The Alliance Alive is a straightforward and fun JRPG with enough to keep the player invested throughout its story, but it could use some work on difficulty balancing and the inclusion of voice over.
A Way Out has some ambitious, fantastic ideas at its core, but it's unfortunately surrounded by tiresome gameplay mechanics and a story that is just a bit too straightforward. While I think that the co-op focused nature of A Way Out could have better been executed upon, I endlessly credit Hazelight for trying something that I've never really seen done in this manner. Despite my issues, I really love the experimentation seen in A Way Out and hope to see more unique ideas like it in the future.
Kirby Star Allies is another solid addition to the Nintendo Switch, and it does everything it has to as a Kirby game, I just hope that in the future, Nintendo will try to expand upon what already makes Kirby so great as they have with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.
Burnout Paradise Remastered is a breath of fresh air for the racing genre. It takes the realistic aspects of racing and throws them out the window with fast and furious driving that feels great. The sense of speed achieved as you zip through the streets of Paradise City listening to Soundgarden's ‘Rusty Cage' is truly astounding. It's both frantic and fun. There are some frustrating moments and the visual upgrade isn't as big of a leap as I would like, but there is still a lot to enjoy. After finishing a few events, you'll wonder why the franchise has been gone for so long.
By setting the bar higher with its meaningful side-quests and multiple systems executed perfectly, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is paving the way for future JRPG titles to build upon. I loved every moment of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom and could easily recommend it as an entry point to the genre for newcomers as well as longtime fans of the genre. Developer Level-5 has truly outdone themselves with this one and I would just like to say to them, thank you for the adventure.
Surviving Mars requires patience and experimentation that may be daunting to those new to the genre. The lack of detail on the game's many mechanics in conjunction with the intense micromanagement creates a challenging and frustrating experience. There are ways to make your colonization mission less difficult, but a well-planned strategy still needs to be in place to succeed. Despite this, once the mechanics click, the game is incredibly satisfying and rewarding. All of this is packaged with a simple aesthetic and decent soundtrack that are both stylish and fit its sci-fi theme. If you're a fan of city builders, Haemimont Games' latest is worth playing.
Ultimately, it's a great sendoff for one of the best characters of the history of Japanese games (and of gaming as a whole), and while Kazuma Kiryu isn't going to disappear due to the upcoming remake, I can definitely say that I'm going to miss my stern and stoic best friend with a heart of gold.
I enjoyed the premise of playing the story through new eyes and watching these events unfold. Also, taking the time to read the character's journal offers a new layer of immersion for hardcore fans. Attack on Titan 2 is a game for the fans, and the story does well to include critical scenes that those fans will readily recognize. After a few hours, I found that I had mastered the ODM gear and could quickly take down any Titan that came my way along with seamlessly issuing commands to my party members. I was glad to be having fun because this is just what I needed to hold me off until season 3 of the Attack on Titan anime.
For $14.99, I think The Long Reach is a solid game that should be looked at by anyone interested in adventure games or short, bite-sized indie titles. While it doesn't do anything that's new gameplay-wise, I found the narrative to be intriguing throughout and worth sitting through to the end. I'd say the game is best experienced on a big screen, with speakers or a headset that'll make each scenario feel all the tenser. I can't imagine the experience would be nearly as compelling on-the-go with the Switch version. While it's by no means the best the genre has to offer, this adventure is definitely one that's worth checking out.
If you can get past the slow start and some of the glaring technical problems of The Mad Ones, then you will find the most innovative episodic adventure games to come from a studio other than Telltale. I can see The Council becoming a standout title within its genre when it's finished, but as it stands The Mad Ones has enough problems to where everyone may not be on board just yet.
All in all, Q.U.B.E. 2 is a great game. The story is gripping and enticing, and for people that don't want it, it's not forced down your throat. While improvements could be made to the controls and framerate, I had a blast with Q.U.B.E. 2 and I hope that Toxic Games decides to add more to the game in the months to come.
As a gamer, playing through The 25th Ward: The Silver Case had me thankful to be playing a game that would have otherwise been lost. Coming from the mind of a young Suda51, the story told is as juvenile as it is gripping and engaging. The 25th Ward: The Silver Case takes chances and pushes the boundaries of storytelling and character development. Some of the controls might not have aged well and a couple scenarios overstay their welcome, but The 25th Ward: The Silver Case is a game that deserves the attention of visual novel adventure fans as well as Suda51 groupies.
Despite the short game length and few other minor issues, it does not change the fact that Blasters of the Universe is one of the most amusing VR shooters I have played in a long time. As I repeatedly mentioned virtual reality shooters as a genre is extremely oversaturated, but Blasters of the Universe is a diamond in the rough that is worth owning, and for its $14.99 price tag there is no reason why you should pass up on this distinct title.
Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- is not Yume Nikki, but that ends up working well for it in the end. Developer Kadokawa AGM shows that they are truly fans of the original work and this is proven time and time again through the visuals and sound design. I feel like I want to recommend the game to peers if only to have more people to talk about the story with and hear their interpretations of the events that transpired. Being on an indie budget might have held back this game from being better and it's never going to live up to the standards set by the original, but Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- definitely provides a decent surreal experience.
While I have come out of Kingdom Come: Deliverance somewhat disappointed, Warhorse Studios still did deliver on their original KickStarter promise of creating a realistic RPG unlike any other. While the developers did squeeze as much potential as their studio could out of this concept, to sometimes remarkable results, Kingdom Come: Deliverance may have been a tad too bit ambitious for them on a technical level, and it really shows.
If you love strong storytelling, solid and realistic sci-fi, diverse and engaging characters, quite a bit of charming fanservice, and to be deeply engaged on the emotional level, you owe it to yourself to try the Muv-Luv trilogy out.
Ultimately, Fear Effect Sedna is saved by a great story and awesome puzzle design. I found myself completely impressed with where Sushee Games took the Fear Effect series despite the game's shortcomings. Fear Effect Sedna proves that the Fear Effect series can survive in a modern gaming climate and flourish. During my time with the game, once the story began to take unbelievable twists and supernatural elements made there way into the narrative, I truly felt like I was playing a new Fear Effect game and that's a lot of what I was hoping for from Fear Effect Sedna.