VGChartz's Reviews
Parasol Stars is a hidden gem in both the Bubble Bobble franchise and the PC Engine library. It boasts lovely graphics, high replay value, and a surprisingly deep scoring system. Its only drawbacks: a short running time, two-player multiplayer that can feel clumsy at times, and a nasty bug unique to this modern port. Once the patch is live, definitely consider picking this one up.
Despite a handful of unsightly assets, an underwhelming story, and a few difficulty spikes, the remaster of Monster Hunter Stories makes for an easy recommendation, for Monster Hunter fans or simply for anyone interested in approachable turn-based role-playing games who missed the original on 3DS.
Despite the lack of 2010's Rocket Knight, the Re-Sparked collection is a video game anthology worthy of the hero Sparkster. It pulls together three noteworthy fourth-gen action-platformers — one of them, Rocket Knight Adventures, among the best of its kind — makes them more accessible than ever before thanks to save states and rewind, and surrounds them with bonus features.
The driving is snappy and satisfying, the light simulation elements add a touch of strategy, and the Mode 7 experience goes a long way. A lack of backdrop variety is a bummer, as is the screen-hogging rear-view mirror, but the pros outnumber the cons in this spirited racing game.
Presenting El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron to a new audience and preserving it for future generations is a great thing, especially considering its cult status. Whether that audience will enjoy it is another matter entirely.
Ultimately, due to its short running time and unchanging gameplay, the anthology isn't worth purchasing. But it is worth experiencing, at least once. It's too weird, absurd, funny, and different to ignore, even if the games within don't stand on their own.
With inventive transformations, diverse levels, and charm to spare, it's one of the better platformers on a system defined by them. It's just a shame this modern release doesn't do more to contextualize, enhance, and celebrate it.
Jeff Minter is a one-of-a-kind force in the gaming space, a fiercely independent programmer, and one of the industry's most recognizable voices. Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, which provides new insights into his early coding work and boasts over 40 games across multiple platforms, is worthy of his brilliance.
For purists, the original code remains intact, with all the sharp edges and meticulous controls you remember. For those who've played the trilogy a dozen times before and want a fresh experience, modern visuals and controls change things up considerably — often for the better, sometimes for the worse. Throw in all the expansions and the novelty of photo mode, and you've got a wonderful celebration of the origins of the Tomb Raider franchise.
It's not quite a definitive version, but it is an easy way to play an underappreciated fourth-generation shoot-'em-up on the go.
Overall, Apollo Justice Trilogy stands as the best way to experience three games with a somewhat controversial legacy within the series.
Irem Collection Volume 1 is a decent start to ININ's five-part anthology.
It's admirable that Disney has elected to preserve Gargoyles for future generations, but the game, like Goliath himself, belongs in the past.
If you love arcade shoot-'em-ups and platformers, or if you're a Darius super fan, think about investing in Taito Milestones 2. Otherwise, you might consider picking up a few individual titles à la carte from the eShop.
The definitive way to play these classic games, but only because the other options have now been delisted.
Even without console ports or the mysterious R-Gear, Ray'z Arcade Chronology is a remarkable collection. It features three entertaining arcade games, including one of Taito's very best, surrounded by a bevy of options, special features, and settings that make those games more accessible and interesting than ever before.
The base game is one of the boldest, prettiest, most audacious arcade games of the era, even if it's eventually undermined by a late-game difficulty spike.
While the games themselves aren't outstanding, the effort to enhance and preserve them certainly is.
Despite the gameplay tweaks, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe feels more like a prettier Kirby-copy than a complete remake.
Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition is an interesting experiment. On one hand, the re-release shines a light on the mediocrity of the original game. On the other hand, it revives a niche title, augments it while retaining its authentic core, and brings it to modern players who might have gone their whole gaming lives without ever encountering it.