Niche Gamer
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Once we have experienced the Ratkins perspective, we may update our final verdict but so far we have loved our time with The Last Oricru. If you are a fan of RPGs and Soulsbourne games, you should have a good time.
In the end, the thing I love the most about Thymesia is that it doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is. It doesn’t ask you to spend more time than you should have to in order to fully complete it, while being just long enough to not only leave you wanting more but carefully not overstaying its welcome. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but this is a terrific first attempt from a new developer, and I’m going to be watching OverBorder Studio to see what they’ve got coming down the pipeline next.
Ubisoft is understandably unpopular with a lot of gamers for their yearly approach to making games. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is an example of them proving they can make something wonderful if they take their time and to miss out on it would be a great tragedy for everyone. Just make sure to never go into the settings menu.
Not everything works as intended. MercurySteam would learn from their mistakes in later games and would eventually land a bull’s-eye with Metroid Dread. With Mirror of Fate, gamers can get an idea where the developer was heading and can see the beginnings of where their best ideas were coming from.
Anyone who enjoys relaxing or laid-back games will find a lot to like about Time On Frog Island. It has an intensely charming art style and animation, and it manages to capture the feeling of being stranded somewhere strange while it lasts.
Those looking for a new ARPG title that gives them choices might want to look elsewhere, but if you’re looking for an action adventure storyline with tough choices to make, then Batora: Lost Haven might be able to scratch that itch. Just don’t go in expecting a massive game world where you’ll be exploring multiple planets, because that’s not what it’s trying to be.
Much of the game design in Pac-Man World Re-Pac is very standard and is what you would expect from a early 3D platformer from the PlayStation. What makes it unique and still interesting is the distinct Pac-Man-isms, stage gimmicks, and theming. Without that, this would be a plain 3D platformer.
Some features like improved legibility and pathfinding are coming, but these are all technical shortcomings that should have been addressed before released. Despite all these flaws, Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition is still worth playing and with Dightdive promising to continue support the game with updates, this version could live up to being the “enhanced” edition.
There aren’t too many 3D action games with fixed camera POVs being made anymore. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was the last of its kind and while it isn’t perfect, it is one of the better examples of its kind from a console generation that was hopelessly creatively bankrupt.
Anyone who enjoyed games like Blasphemous, Dark Devotion or thought that Symphony of the Night was bloated with extraneous RPG elements, will adore Moonscars. The core combat mechanics are deep enough to carry a determined player and the multitude of systems give less skilled gamers just enough wiggle room to tip the scales in their favor without it ever becoming an easy game.
If you are looking to play a Final Fantasy game for the story, you should definitely skip Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. But if you are looking for a fun action game with fun monster designs, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin would be the game for you. Maybe we will eventually see a sequel, perhaps a retelling of Final Fantasy 2? That would be pretty awesome, don’t you think?
Penko Park is a wonderful attempt at making a “snaplike”. It captures a sense of childlike wonder and the easy-on-the-eyes graphics make it an easy game for kids to understand and get engrossed in. It is fine as a game for adults who are children-at-heart, but it is even better for actual children too.
Fans of classic survival-horror must not miss White Day: A Labyrinth Named School. It may not look like much, but it uses its limitations to enhance the uncanny ambiance. The chilling scares make it the ultimate Halloween game.
Volition tried so hard to move away from its edgy past and create a “smart” game with “biting” social commentary and humor but ended up creating a high-school-tier world that is doomed to fail. While I do not feel like this game is soulless per se, I do feel like anyone who worked on this game who has a soul should feel guilt over driving that final nail into the coffin of the Saints Row franchise. The funniest joke about Saints Row is that Epic was actually willing to pay money to make it an Epic Game Store exclusive.
It is convenient to have a bunch of these titles in one application and does add to the experience of having a variety of distinct platformers. Asha and Shion’s games are easily the highlight of the package, with the original arcade game being an amusing distraction with spicy challenge.
Evolution has always been a core theme of Splatoon. With the online updates, rotating maps, rebalancing, and new weapons; Splatoon 3 is a game that also will evolve; it is an inevitability that it will further improve.
Little Orpheus‘ has a solid enough foundation. It is too bad that there was not enough creativity put into the puzzles or platforming. The imagery is so good that it could have made up for the lack of imagination, but the rough controls and spotty inputs are what prevent it from achieving greatness.
This is a game that was worthy of a rerelease via JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle R with upgraded everything for every modern platform. The mystifying visuals and proper adjustments to audio all around make this is one that should be played with your friends.
Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is worth the price of admission. Some are duds, but most of them are excellent beatem-ups and a classic NES game that a lot of gamers grew up with. It’s nostalgia bait, but nostalgia is a valid feeling and can be cathartic- especially when it involves overcoming a game that used to crush you as a child.
Ultimately, as a fan of Made in Abyss I’m disappointed more than anything given the potential of the source material. The game’s writing carries most of what’s good here and it’s a good introduction to the first part of the manga’s story.