Reno Gazette-Journal
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Atelier Firis is a fun and charming Japanese RPG with an alchemy twist that works quite well with its open-world approach. Admittedly, the combat system is a tad underwhelming and I didn't feel a bond with most of my party members. The key cast members are quite likable though and the game's engaging item creation system make this worth checking out if you enjoy more cozy JRPGs.
Toukiden 2 steps up big time from its predecessor, featuring a new open world with a fleshed out campaign while throwing in a fun Demon Hand mechanic that makes breaking demon body parts a bonafide hoot. It's still not enough to dethrone Monster Hunter from the top of its perch for this fan of Capcom's premier hunting franchise. It's the closest any Monster Hunter clone has gotten, though, making it my second-favorite series in the hunting genre.
Necropolis: Brutal Edition is a combat-based rogue-lite game that features some interesting ideas — like a procedural Dark Souls of sorts. Execution of those ideas, however, feels uneven and is hampered by the lack of a sense of purpose and clarity. A key trait for any roguelike is to provide you incentive to try, try again. Necropolis, however, feels like a stick that’s missing that enticing carrot to keep you coming back for more.
Touhou Genso Wanderer is a charming and challenging take on the classic Mystery Dungeon formula with lovably wacky Touhou characters. Presentation is great for this type of roguelike game and it also features lots of Japanese voice acting. Like many games in the genre, it can feel grindy and repetitive at times, and its difficulty also might scare newcomers away. If you like games like Shiren or Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, however, this is one title you'll want to wander into.
Like the explorers entering Andromeda's new world, Mass Effect Andromeda appears to be feeling its way into something new. The game has a good foundation to work with but an assortment of niggles and glitches combined with a lack of polish add up to one shaky melting pot at times. As a big Mass Effect fan, I'm still looking forward to seeing what's next. I just hope that the series gets a chance to keep continuing its journey.
Mario Sports Superstars takes the mechanics from some of Nintendo's popular sports series and puts them in one package. While games like tennis and golf do a good job in emulating the gameplay of Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, the bare bones features make the total experience feel stripped down — essentially turning it into a jack of all trades and master of none. If you like simple minigame collections, however, this is one of the better ones out there.
Snipperclips is arguably the best surprise of the Nintendo Switch launch, providing a fun and charming puzzle experience while also bringing back the joys of couch co-op and competition. It's not as fun when played solo and doesn't give you much reason to replay finished stages. Get two to four players in the same room, however, and get ready to make some noise and imbibe in hilarious hijinks.
Digimon World: Next Order is a throwback to Digimon World from the original PlayStation, complete with its town-building aspects and limited lifespans for your creatures. Its grindy nature and technical aspects for training can make it less accessible for newcomers and more casual players. If you like old-school Digimon gameplay, however, this is gaming comfort food that's a blast from the past.
I what appears to be a Renaissance for farming games, "Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns" adds another solid entry into a genre that appears to be seeing new life. Featuring plenty of charm, notable quality of life improvements and a lot of content to chew on, Trio of Towns feels like a "Bokujo Monogatari" game for sure. It might not quite reach the heights of new king Stardew Valley or fan favorite Rune Factory 4. For Harvest Moon fans, though, this will feel like a familiar friend.
WRC 6 won't take the crown from Dirt Rally but represents a step up from WRC 5. It also boasts some advantages over its more popular rival as far as its number of stages and more proper career mode. Although Dirt has the advantage as far as technical and visual prowess, WRC 6 still has a place in the rally space thanks to its accessibility to newcomers and more casual players.
With shooters and open-world titles getting a bit long in the tooth, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands manages to provide a fresh take on both genres by combining them into one cohesive package. The game can feel repetitive after long sessions and it might not satiate those who prefer the twitch mechanics of versus online shooters. For folks yearning for a cooperative campaign with friends in a large open-world playground, however, Wildlands serves up a fun experience.
"Nier: Automata" features a mishmash of gaming mechanics that surprisingly works. Whether it be "shmup" shooting, 3D action fighting or even open-world adventuring, everything in the game comes together fluidly like a three-cheese dip. The art style won't be for everyone and it can get fetchy at points. For fans of Japanese action and RPGs in their various forms, however, this is one treat worth imbibing in.
As its fittingly long name implies, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue should serve as the last appetizer before the long-awaited main course that is Kingdom Hearts 3. The best part is arguably Aqua's new chapter, a short but sweet entry that teases the promise of KH3. It's too bad that it couldn't be longer but for fans burned out from waiting, it just might rekindle their interest in the series, provided the price of entry isn't too high.
While Final Fantasy continues to make sweeping changes to its JRPG formula, Tales of Berseria keeps refining the classic template it’s known for, resulting in an enjoyable adventure for series fans. The lack of any revolutionary innovation might disappoint those looking for something different. Fans of classic JRPGs, however, will like the polished familiarity of this title.
With an intriguing premise and classic gaming style, Divide has the makings of a compelling, sci-fi mystery. Despite a strong story, neat concept and solid musical score, however, repetitive exploration and an assortment of bugs mar what should have been a promising overall experience. That's unfortunate as this has the ingredients of what could have been a great game.
"Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World" takes all the charm and fuzzy feel of the Wii U version and squeezes it in portable form with some new additions. New features such as Poochy Mode and Poochy pups might not be enough to sway owners of the original game to take the plunge. If you're pining for Woolly World action on the go, however, this is one yarn-filled adventure that you would want to spin.
For Honor is a great new IP that takes the fun parts of competitive online shooters and sprinkles them into medieval-style combat. Add excellent visuals to the tight, polished gameplay and you have the makings of a potential esports contender. Unfortunately, microtransactions and free-to-play inspired unlocks take the sheen out an otherwise enjoyable experience. If you don't mind that, however, then For Honor is good fun.
Gravity Rush 2 serves as a modern throwback reminiscent of those times when Japanese games ruled the console roost. Like hard candy with a soft center, the game does a good job in balancing its more serious themes with whimsical moments. Its gravity mechanics, meanwhile, make for compelling action despite some of its niggles. If you’re looking for a unique open world game with a Japanese flavor, Gravity Rush 2 will attract you.
Resident Evil 7 marks a return to form for the series after the much maligned Resident Evil 6. If you disliked the action of the last few main titles and prefer a more intimate, suspenseful experience, then make sure to eat up on this gory heaping of horror, just like Marguerite Baker tells you to do.
From the red-light district of Kamurocho to the streets of Sotenbori, Yakuza 0 serves up a compelling open-world adventure with lots of action and oodles of content to keep both series vets and newcomers entertained. Add an intriguing story filled with underworld politics, good character interactions and a high level of polish and you’ve got what’s arguably the best entry in the excellent Yakuza series to date.