Niche Gamer
HomepageNiche Gamer's Reviews
There is nothing else like The Wonderful 101; you can’t play anything else and get a similar experience. It is a rare and special kind of action game that demands the player to get to grips with a completely original gameplay style. After mastering it; you are likely to still make discoveries about the combat, dozens of hours in the post-game.
Sea of Thieves genuinely attempts to appeal to a wide audience with its cartoonish charm, fun music, humor, and skillful naval combat; distinguishing itself as one of the best casual action games out there.
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure is an extremely esoteric game that won’t be for everyone. Despite its quirkiness and unconventional design, it flawlessly execute’s the designer’s intentions. Everything is seemingly very deliberate and confident in its design. It may not be an RPG, but it is almost as long as one.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon proves you can make a masterpiece by experimenting with the formula. It is more than just being the best Yakuza game yet, but also one of the best RPGs ever made. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio did their homework, understand what makes a great JRPG, and combined it with their honed craftsmanship of decades of making some of the best crime dramas in video games.
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.
Overall, 16 years later nets you 16 hours worth of content at it’s base. Buying this for $60 USD is a steal for the spectacular time; even if you play this via Xbox Game Pass, it’s worth every penny. The message provided in this game helps you come to terms with things in your own life. In the world we live in, we need something like this that moves us to communicate with each other again.
For me, this marks a 10 out of 10; it checks off everything that should work in a game, and to an excellent standard. Eastward is made with love and care, and it definitely shows with a perfect final package. I wouldn’t change a thing.
With a story that is cheekily woven into the gameplay, rock solid action, air-tight controls to compliment an amazing gallery of enemies, level design, and weapons; Dusk has it all. The only problem with Dusk is the craven sensation felt when the game ends. There are few horror themed shooters that have the unbelievable rush that Dusk offers.
The long wait for Shin Megami Tensei V has been worth it. This could have been another disaster like prior games with lengthy development cycles, but this is the one that actually delivers on all of its promises and then some.
Ultimately, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker continues the game’s legacy of immersive storytelling, fantastic music, and inspiring dialogue. Which is fitting, as Endwalker is to be the end of the current saga of Hydaelyn and Zodiark. This statement which has left gamers scratching their heads over what will come next.
Anyone looking to get into the Souls games and ride the wave of hype can do so fairly easily this time around with Elden Ring.
Painting VR is not like Tilt Brush where it’s not so much painting, but making 3D sculptures. All the developers behind Painting VR wanted was for the game to be about the Joy of Painting. Painting VR provides it to those who would be unable to paint in the meat space by giving them a chance to have an authentic painting experience within the virtual space.
The cast in AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is full of interesting and fleshed out characters that you’ll care about. Everyone’s motivations are deftly defined and everyone gets a moment to shine. AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is as perfect as a visual novel can get and receives our highest recommendation. Even ignoring its engrossing story, the gameplay alone is novel and explores concepts rarely seen in games.
This is the perfect game to pick up if you want to get into the non-licensed musou titles, but also a fantastic game for veterans of the genre. There is a reason why so many consider it to be the peak of the IP. There are tons of characters to play that you are bound to have a bunch that fit right into your playstyle. The story is fun, the character interactions are charming, there really is nothing too negative I can say about it.
It must have taken a lot of guts from JoyMasher to release a linear 2D action platformer that relies on a “lives” system in 2023. The spectacle and lavish pixel art are some of the best around and it is apparent that the artists poured all their sweat, blood, and tears into every dot for Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. They went for it and crafted what is possibly one of the greatest examples of its genre.
As much negativity as Kickstarter has been saddled with over the past year, I feel reassured that good things can come of it thanks to this game here. Though Divinity and Shadowrun were also big successes that were funded through Kickstarter, it almost felt for a while there that Wasteland would get lost in their shadow. That thankfully isn't the case, since in this gamer's opinion, Wasteland 2 is a much bigger and more varied CRPG than either of those two titles. Fargo & Co should be proud of what they have here, and I sincerely hope that the market allows them to make a Wasteland 3.
I found myself smiling through a majority of my time with this game, unable to put it down until I'd beaten it. For only $10 USD (or your regional equivalent) on Steam, it's hard not to recommend at least giving it a try. For me, it might just be my game of the year.
And for me, this is one of the most complete and fulfilling RPG experiences I've ever had.
With its well fleshed-out world and clever twist on classic Dungeons & Dragons-style rules, Pillars of Eternity could be the next big RPG series that people have been wanting from the genre for the past decade. As for me, I'm already working on a second trip and still gloating over the success of my dwarven Paladin to anyone who will listen.
If I was Swen Vincke, I'd make sure to work on this engine and release a few more games using the same exact gameplay scheme. What he has here is the basis for a very lucrative new (old?) breed of CRPG and it would be criminal to not take advantage of it. Original Sin is his masterpiece, and with it he has filled a void that a lot of old school RPGers came to Kickstarter looking for. Congratulations Larian, you did the impossible. Now make more.