GBAtemp's Reviews
Brilliantly merging RPG mechanics in a compelling, immersive audio-based experience, The Vale: Shadow Of The Crown is easily the most original, innovative and unique game I’ve played in 2021 so far.
OCO is the kind of game I can pick up and play for ten minutes, or pick up and play for an hour. With an endless stream of user generated content, supported by solid gameplay fundamentals and a gorgeous procedurally generated soundtrack, it's a game you can keep coming back to. Whether on mobile or PC, I encourage any lover of platforming to check it out.
DigixArt’s Road 96 is an impressive indie effort to deliver an interesting narrative-driven title with an original branching plot mechanic.
Spiritfarer has been one of the hardest games for me to review in recent memory. Presenting an incredibly personal journey supported by a sublime graphical style and soundtrack, it's something I can't get out of my head, and yet struggle to explain just how it captivated me. It is a fantastic experience, and one I wholeheartedly recommend.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an excellent RPG and addition to the Monster Hunter series. Regardless of if you are a fan of the series, a first-timer, or just a fan of RPGs in general, I highly recommend giving this consideration.
Samurai Warriors 5 is a Warriors game set in my favourite period of history with lush presentation and classic gameplay. It's a great addition to the series and I can't wait to see what comes next.
The Ascent strikes the right cyberpunk and action-shooter chords to make a strong impression as Neon Giant's debut title.
Overall, I can't recommend anyone paying $60 for this version of the game, it's not worth it. While some of QOL fixes are nice, and some of the new control schemes are good, overall I find it hard to recommend. If you like Zelda, you probably already bought this, and I hope you have fun with it, but if you haven't played Skyward Sword yet, this is probably the version to play...so long as you spend $30 or less.
YUKI blends bullet hell and roguelike genres with a gameplay mechanic that requires spatial awareness in VR to make for a unique and original experience.
As much as I love Sniper Elite, 2016's technology is definitely letting it down in my honest opinion. Sniper Elite VR is undoubtedly an incredible experience, shoehorned into what is now last generation hardware, and though it wants so badly to show us what it's capable of, the game suffers from issues of the peripherals themselves. I have no doubt that the Oculus and Vive headsets will massively profit from enhanced resolution, field of view and refresh rates and overall deliver a far better experience on those platforms than the PSVR can currently dream of.
The Eternal Castle is a fantastic experience with a stunningly unapologetic appearance that evokes strong retro vibes and has a very modern feel under its hood.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful remake that still manages to keep the charm of the original. It might not be the biggest release this year but it's one that's worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of the series, the original or the genre.
This was a rollercoaster of a review, through no fault on my own. This is the first time I've ever done a complete 180 mid-way through writing, but I suppose that it's only fair if the patches didn't just fix small issues, but rather fundamentally changed the way the game plays. The score has to be indicative of the product the consumer is going to buy, and as of right now, that product is a 6/10 - an average game in every respect, but also one that gets an extra point for being exceedingly faithful to the license it's based upon, and thus likely to please long-term fans of WH40K. It pleased me, at least.
With its gorgeous aesthetic and intriguing plot, Backbone has a lot going for it but suffers from pacing and execution issues.
Perhaps I don't appreciate it as it should, but I found this game a woeful yawn-fest. If you want a slow-paced mystery filled lateral-thinking inventory collect-a-thon; this might be up your alley. But if you want thrills and spills and any level of endorphin promoting action; save your time and your money.
Overall, if you liked the Ninja Gaiden reboots, you should pick up this collection. While the PC port is not worth bothering with, the games themselves certainly are on other platforms and get a big recommendation from me.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister leaves me conflicted; as a long time Dungeons & Dragons fan, I think it's an absolute blast and I love how faithful and accurate everything is to the tabletop experience. But limited customization options, a poor story, and unpolished character graphics keeps me from loving this game as much as I want to.
I'm a huge fan of the fighting and action games, but not so much of the shooters which all feel very samey. If there were a little more variety here I think this would be a glowing review, however the niche 3 genres it covers, though authentic and as you would expect from Capcom doesn't quite give everyone something to play.
I want to love this game, but I don't. It's an exquisite piece of design with a beautiful aesthetic that just needs a little more sense of direction in my honest opinion. Explorers and puzzlers will grow to love this game, but casual players looking for a coffee time headscratcher will probably grow tired of the scale and endless searching around for something to do quickly.
Biomutant is less of an experimental game and more of a formulaic open world adventure. You know what you're getting into from the start, with few surprises along the way. Thankfully, the otherwise mediocre mechanics are carried by a beautiful world, a good crafting system and a mountain of loot to collect. It provides pleasant reprieve from the sea of brownish, boring RPG's by taking you to a somewhat unusual setting with an unusual protagonist, topped off with a splash of colour. Based on that alone, it earns a recommendation from me, if narrowly so. If you're looking for something different, but not "too different", give Biomutant a shot.