DualShockers
HomepageDualShockers's Reviews
They created an immersive living and breathing world, allowing players to fully enjoy the charm of the titular monsters within a credible ecosystem. Combined with solid improvements in story and gameplay, this makes Monster Hunter World a must-have game for veteran fans and novices alike.
On top of that, there is a great story that addresses themes of depression, self-discovery, and ultimately perseverance, which can be applied to both one's personal life and the experience one has in general when playing a difficult game. You may get mad at a few points, but that peak is always there waiting for you, within reach, and is something we should all strive for, whether it is in-game or not.
Since finishing Lost Sphear, I can't stop thinking about it. The game does not break the mold by any means — in fact, it attempts to fit the mold of the 90s JRPG — but it does excel in certain facets. While aspects of its gameplay do falter, I never felt discouraged from pressing forward and uncovering the mystery behind the lost phenomenon. Lost Sphear is a beautiful game that even the newest JRPG player can enjoy.
More importantly, each character has left a lasting impression on me and the growth that they experienced during the story makes the game feel even closer to the timeless stories of early RPGs. Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds expertly brings the PlayStation era RPGs to 2018 with an attention to detail that brings the genre to modern consoles and satisfies that nostalgic itch.
Being a port of an 25 year old title, Romancing SaGa 2 gives a promising look back at how RPGs have grown over the years. With the game's story spanning generations of characters and a fairly decent story, Romancing SaGa 2 is worth the price, but try not to get too attached to your main character because you will die, a lot.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 3: Hell is Empty offered a nice companion to the Life is Strange universe, but the shock of the conclusion is lost when compared to the superior Episode 2. This doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy Episode 3, I just felt that it's conclusion presented more questions than answers. Perhaps it's a good thing the Life is Strange: Before the Storm left me with wanting more because now I wouldn't mind if the series continued either with more prequel content or a direct sequel to Life is Strange.
If you are a fan of pixel art or Amiga-style twin-stick shooters, you will probably have a nice time with Tower 57, especially if you are playing with a friend. Unfortunately, if you are playing in single-player, the title's flaws become a lot more noticeable and annoying, leaving me tepid wanting. If the game was polished up a bit more and made its way to a co-op friendly console like the Nintendo Switch, I could recommend it more, but as it stands, Tower 57 is best suited for those I mentioned above.
In the same way that Counter-Strike‘s early days led to it dominating the competitive scene and Minecraft‘s years of beta access led to it becoming a game that defined a generation, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't necessarily the first “battle royale” game out there, but it is the one that's leading the charge on making players fight to survive, and it's thrilling in every way.
Overall, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is far from a perfect game, but as a virtual reality title I found it to be an ambitious as well as a good first virtual reality title for Rockstar Games. Sure, the game has flaws, but I feel that Rockstar Games has set the bar high for not just facial animations in VR games but in AAA games as a whole and I hope that whatever AAA developer/publisher decides to bring their IPs into VR carefully examines this game. If you own an HTC Vive plus a high-end PC, this is a title you should consider adding to your VR library.
I feel like I've been a bit hard on A Hat in Time when I do find it to be a charming and fun game. I had hoped for some more originality to be seen in the game's mechanics or level design, but the lack thereof doesn't hinder the quality of the experience. Nothing in A Hat in Time is going to change how you think about 3D platformers, but if you know that ahead of time and are still looking for an enjoyable, cute collectaton, there are definitely worse options to choose from.
Nine Parchments, though wielding action RPG elements, works best as a party game. There are chaos and comedy to be had when you have three other friends sharing the screen, combining spells, chucking heals, and being sure not to stand in the fire. All of these mechanics combined with a lighthearted story lend themselves to a laugh-filled-couch-co-op game that should not be played alone.
Floor Kids for Nintendo Switch is not without its faults, thanks to gameplay that puts a little too much faith into in-game exploration. However, it shouldn't be lost in everything else that Floor Kids has to offer, namely a distinguished art style, a fresh take on a genre, and beats to mash it up. If you are a fan of passion projects, Floor Kids is going to be right up your alley.
Observer is a strange experience, punctuated by many "what the" moments. It's a game you have to talk to somebody about, that will make you reflect, and assault your saneness.
Having the chance to once again return to Nippon, I can wholeheartedly say that (after eleven years) Okami HD is still a masterpiece, standing the test of time through two generational console jumps. Put frankly, it is a work of art and a prime example of the ingenuity, creativity, and brilliance key development teams brought to their work on the PlayStation 2. Here's hoping that Okami HD receives the sequel it rightfully deserves.
Overall, Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package tends to cater more to casual fans of the zombie genre. As someone who loves the franchise, I cannot say that this game is neither good nor bad. There is plenty of replayability in Frank's Big Package, there is no denying that and while this game is inferior to the original regarding overall quality, the addition of Capcom Heroes as well as refining all the gameplay and combat issues I had with previous installments still made it enjoyable. Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package is a game worth playing if you're a fan of the series solely because of the new features, however, regarding the single-player story. it felt more like a one and done for me.
Overall, 2MD VR Football was slightly underwhelming from what I initially was anticipating; however, this game is fun in bits and pieces. If you are looking for a cheap sports game and you just happen to love American football this is the game for you. Not to mention the game is only $12.99 on Steam so if you're looking for a game to test out and memorize the controls of your VR headset this will get the job done.
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ will find that jumping into the series was well worth it. On the other hand, fans who have already played the game will discover a large variety of new events to play through as well as a much-improved battle system than what they remember. I had a great with Tokyo Xanadu eX+ and now I'm left with the new post-game quests that will probably add many more hours to my play time.
In the end, Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope brought me back to a time when I had to sit down and thoroughly shut myself out of the real world and immerse myself into this world — more specifically the star ocean. Exploring space and discovering huge new worlds creates a great playing experience, and with this remastered version this game only looks even better. Even though a few years have passed, Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope is close to the same game I remember, but I appreciated the nostalgic reminder that games are challenging and autosave wasn't always a thing.
Despite the quantity of visual novels readily available for the PlayStation Vita, VA-11 HALL-A easily stands out among the rest for one simple reason: it is mundane. Yet that distinction is something unique and drives the relationships in the game — something you just won't want to rush through. Bolstered by an excellent soundtrack and stylistic art choices, VA-11 HALL-A should be a must-buy for indie lovers and VN junkies alike.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one of those RPGs that I didn't want to end. Luckily, there is enough post-game content to satisfy players looking to sink 100's of hours into more adventures with Rex and the party. However, I can't seem to shake the feeling that I was left with as the end credits rolled. I feel like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 showed me what it's like to go on a real adventure and it happens to be one that I don't think I will ever forget.