Niche Gamer
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It may be remembered for becoming the arena multiplayer game, Quake began as an incredible successor to Doom. With Quake Remastered, gamers can finally realize just how important Quake is, and how it’s still a boomer shooter masterpiece.
Deadbolt overall is quite rough around the edges. There’s definitely room for improvement, but what’s provided is definitely a solid and enjoyable experience.
If you are looking for a bright and colorful puzzle-platformer with some nice environment and NPC designs, then Unbound: Worlds Apart will probably scratch your itch for a few hours. What it lacks in mechanical and narrative originality, it makes up for by just being an all around solid and enjoyable experience while it lasts.
Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle has an identity and an audience of its own, but always looks to attract more people. The definite upsides are a card game with DVD-quality anime cutscenes, unforgettable characters, and a nice story to complete the package. The downsides are some jarring animations with NPCs, and graphical pop-in keep this from being something more than a great game.
Fans of classic JRPGs will find a lot to like about Cris Tales, and a high tolerance for random encounters will help. Casual gamers will have an easy time digesting this game, but those random encounters will quickly become a problem for those lacking the tenacity and patience.
Xeno Crisis has its heart in the right place, but is too stingy with offering enough content to make it worth the absurd asking price of $19.99 USD. It’s a slick looking retro style action game, but one that aspires to be something very basic. If it wasn’t so utterly repetitive, it could easily be considered a classic.
It’s easy to misjudge Returnal as some kind of pretentious Sony story-driven drivel. The truth is that it’s a hardcore 3D action game that has more in common with Doom Eternal and Metroid Prime than anything Sony has ever made before. It does suck to lose almost everything and starting from the beginning, but sometimes that’s just the way it goes.
World End Economica ultimately stands out as a modern classic of the visual novel genre. But like classics, they’re not for everyone. Players might be put off by the first game, but anyone who has even an inkling of interest by the time the prologue is done would be well served to try and see it through.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin has a deep combat system, and players who enjoy very complex character building mechanics will find that there is limitless potential for any monstie. It’s held back by technical limitations on Switch, but that shouldn’t be an issue for the PC version. The only problem you’ll have is fighting the urge to stuff Navirou in a refrigerator.
Blaster Master Zero 3 is a worthy climax for the series.
While I found a lot of the main mission uninspired and level design unpolished; Chernobylite’s dialog, choices, and the act of exploring when not just following a quest marker to be quite fun. While I wouldn’t call it the Stalker spiritual successor some might have been hoping for, it manages to be it’s own thing and for that I can respect it.
For $19.99 USD, there is not enough here to make Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade – Episode: INTERmission worth it. Yuffie is incredibly fun to play as, and has so much utility on the battlefield; but her time in the sun is extremely short lived. The bonus scene at the end is not worth the the price of admission, and will only frustrate fans of the real Final Fantasy VII.
Still, despite its flaws, Battlesector is nevertheless a good new addition to the ever-expanding library of 40k video games. Whether you are a complete 40k virgin, or a long-time veteran of the tabletop game, you’ll probably find a lot to like here.
I can already tell that this is going to be a cult game in the west. Something that may be too frustrating and outdated for some, but just the thing for those who are looking for that specific comfy feel. That memory of youth, hanging out with friends on a weekend in your local downtown area, a place you know better than the back of your hand.
Hopefully there will be fewer re-releases or updated ports of the inevitable Part 2, and Square Enix can make the game as good as it can be the first time. It’s appreciated that owners of the vanilla game get the PlayStation 5 upgrade for free; it would have been even better if this was the game that was released the at the beginning.
But, rather than just throw in these elements haphazardly and leaving Survival mode as an endless box of soldiers, effort was taken to make a fun experience with plenty of replay value for itself and other modes; and at a reasonable cost. The Mr. X Nightmare DLC for Streets of Rage 4 offers more than a new mode and characters to play, it changes how you play the game.
Ultimately Bustafellows could be the breakout hit of the otome genre, a genre woefully underserved in the west. With its appealing character design and flashy noir setting, it’s an easy to digest pretense for otherwise timid readers.
Maybe the anime will deliver on the story aspect of Scarlet Nexus, because this game fails to immerse gamers into the drama. The gameplay is subpar when compared to recent similar action RPGs on the market, and towards games from four generations ago.
The premise formula in Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol is a very solid foundation. If a new one is every made, the ways to improve upon them will be very obvious. For now, these classics can now be enjoyed and experienced by pretty much everyone, and hopefully inspire new game designers to not make the same mistakes.
In the end, Boomerang X is another unique success Devolver Digital should feel happy to gloat about. Their publishing strategy of funding creative and polished lower budget games has resulted in yet another fun and creative experience. Sadly, the game’s short length keeps it from true greatness.