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NBA Playgrounds will absolutely fill the void left behind by NBA Jam in regards to a strict 2-on-2 basketball experience. However, there isn't enough here to really keep gamers coming back for more after the initial newness period wears off. It can be fun in extremely short bursts, but the boredom kicks in quick.
Seasons after Fall is a game that deserves all the praise and attention it will undoubtedly receive. Offering a unique style of gameplay with the ability to control the seasons, and a lovely artistic style that other games only dream of having, this is one that fans of platformers everywhere need to experience. Get lost in this word, and let the feeling of walking through nature as a child and appreciating every little thing engulf you once again. You won't regret it.
In the end, Operation Babel: New Tokyo Legacy falls into a lot of the same traps that other first-person dungeon crawling roleplaying games also find themselves in. While the new gameplay mechanics and cast of characters remain a strong point, the overall design of the dungeons themselves and the lack of a compelling story make it hard to stay engaged throughout the 25+ hours needed to complete the game. For those that don’t have any experience with these types of games, the learning curve required might be enough of a frustration to avoid purchasing it. But, if you feel like you can either figure things out easily, have enough patience to really understand the mechanics, or have played through other Experience Inc. games like Demon Gaze and Operation Abyss, then certainly look at Operation Babel as another solid entry into this genre.
Without a doubt, Persona 5 has climbed the ranks into one of my favorite games of all-time, if not being at the very top. It’s going to be hard for ATLUS to top this one when the eventual Persona 6 releases, but you know what’s funny? I said the same thing after finishing Persona 4 Golden, and guess what? They succeeded with Persona 5. I have full confidence they’ll be able to do it again in a few years time. There is a new measuring stick by which all future JRPG’s are going to be compared to, and it has successfully changed the landscape for what it means to be a Japanese developed roleplaying game.
Overall, Period: Cube ~Shackles of Amadeus~ is a great game that may have a few downs when it comes to the dictionary words and the way some of the people in the game treated each other but nothing to the point it made the game unpleasant to play. Throughout, I never got bored and I was excited to know when the ending was coming because my favorite parts are when the men FINALLY confess their love for you in the most romantic way. This is a game I would tell my girlfriends to play because it didn’t take very long to play through all the characters and it was nice having a different style visual novel.
This is for the simulation fan, or the gamer that has always had a desire to shape life and see what types of worlds they can create. Better yet, Birthdays the Beginning is perfect for anyone that has ever dreamt of visiting an alien world, and wondered just what it might like look. Because here, you have the power to make it look like anything you want. And the best part? No two worlds will ever look the same or have the same history.
Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is definitely a game I would tell my friends to buy. Especially my anime loving friends who appreciate the art of sexy anime men. I wish it would of had better love interactions towards the conclusion so the game didn’t feel so flat at the end. I am very interested for the future of Hakuoki to see what exactly is going to come next. Trust me, I’ll be anxiously waiting to play whatever is next! Your life with the Shinsengumi is short lived in this part of the visual novel with a lot of questions left unanswered and it keeps you wanting more. All in all this is still a fantastic game and one of my favorites.
Although with all of this being said, if you are looking for an adventure/point-and-click style detective game, this is definitely one to take into consideration. The main issue I have with The Silver Case is that it shows its age all too well. You can easily tell by looking at and playing the game that it was originally released over 17 years ago. No amount of remastering is going to make this any better, unless the entire game was to be remade from the ground up, which just isn’t feasible at the moment. However, fans of Suda51 should absolutely pick this up and digest it at some point, as it is extremely fun to go back and see where his career with Grasshopper Manufacture all began. Everyone else should probably think hard before jumping in.
Super Bomberman R could have been the return to glory of a franchise that has been missing for quite some time, especially over here in North America. Not counting small releases that hit platforms such as Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3, and the eShop on the Nintendo Wii, we haven’t seen an actual Bomberman game since Bomberman Land on the Wii back in 2008. That’s a fairly long time to go without any new releases on a franchise as popular as Bomberman once was. It’s sad to say, but Super Bomberman R is not going to rekindle the love for the series that fans were hoping for. Maybe one day we’ll get lucky, but that day is certainly not today.
This late into the life cycle of the PlayStation Vita, fans of the handheld are eager to get their hands on anything and everything that releases for it in order to keep the dream alive. A Rose in the Twilight is a perfect fit for the diehard fans of the Vita, and it’s a game that is going to remain in your thoughts once you’ve started it until you finish the story and complete all of the challenges and puzzles. You’re going to develop and feel a strong connection with Rose, and ultimately feel the pain and sorrow she is going through in the castle. Don’t overlook A Rose in the Twilight. It’s a good game this late into the Vita’s existence.
Square Enix and PlatinumGames really knocked one out of the park with NieR: Automata. Do not let this franchise die and fade away! It deserves to be one of the main staples right up there alongside Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, especially if it continues to have as big of an impact as this one did over the original. When we set out with Level Down Games, never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that we’d have three masterpieces release in the span of one week. But that’s exactly what happened.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a game that almost every owner of the PlayStation 4 should experience sooner or later. It doesn’t just appeal to roleplaying game fans or action adventure enthusiasts. This is a game that almost everyone can enjoy in some fashion, and it shows with how well the game has been performing since it’s release one month ago. This is an impressive piece of art for both Sony and Guerrilla Games, and we simply cannot wait to see what is coming next.
New Frontier Days ~Founding Pioneers~ is one that I would recommend if you own a Nintendo Switch and are into farming/city building mechanics with a bit of a challenge. This is a great mix of all of those elements combined. Those that are easily put off by the simplistic style, or aren’t fans of the farming and city building genres may want to steer clear of this release. It’s a fun game, but I can say with certainty that it won’t be for everyone.
The two genres that Touhou Genso Wanderer is tackling have seen a bit of a resurgence in recents months and years. This is an enjoyable entry into either one, and while it is far from perfect and has quite a few flaws, there still is enough to find exciting about it and to wonder what will be next in the Touhou project. Unfortunately though, there’s just a bit more negative aspects that really hindered our experience from the positive aspects.
We got used to The Legend of Zelda as it was and as it has been for thirty years. The previous entries in the franchise can still stand the test of time as some of the greatest games ever conceived. But there hadn’t been a true evolution for the series since Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64. Breath of the Wild is that next step in the evolution and blew open the design of what it means to be a Zelda game, and it feels extremely satisfying. I pray that we aren’t in for another six years before the next game, but even if we are, there’s a ton of content here to hold fans over for a long, long time. Hands down, this is one of the best games ever made. Bravo Nintendo, bravo.
If you are looking for a game with a great story, art, characters, and makes you feel like a detective, this is the best game out there for that. I’ve played these games to completion twice now, and I would gladly do it all over again. Now we enter the final six month stretch until Killing Harmony! At least we have Ultra Despair Girls to look forward to on the PlayStation 4 in June until then.
It’s a silly phrase to say because it doesn’t make much sense, but I really was hoping to like For Honor more than I actually did. Everything leading up to the release of the game looked very promising, but after seeing it firsthand and spending time with it, I found myself a lot more bored than I anticipated. The single player experience is basically non-existent, with the campaign being finished in a mere couple hours. Multiplayer is the meat and potatoes, and if that just isn’t your thing, I’d recommend holding off on it for now. But, if the thrill of one on one duels and the nature of the combat sound appealing, you’ll find more than enough to satisfy here.
Ys Origin does a great job at detailing the major plot points that occurred in the past that were instrumental in setting up the story of the Ys universe. A finely crafted roleplaying game, fans of the series and of the genre itself are going to find a lot to love with this one, as well they should. It was a great experience from top to bottom, even if it was a little on the shorter side. A typical playthrough on normal difficulty will take the average player anywhere from 7 to 9 hours depending on how much leveling up you do on the side. Do not sleep on this game. Ys Origin is one of the better Action RPG’s currently available on the PlayStation 4, and will provide a nice bridge between now and when Lacrimosa of Dana launches later this year.
Tales of Berseria feels like a much needed leap forward for the franchise. It still suffers a bit graphically since the game was released on the PlayStation 3 over in Japan, so hopefully the next entry is fully developed for the PlayStation 4 and PC so we can get an advancement in terms of the visuals as well. Fans of the series are absolutely going to adore this game, as well fans of roleplaying games in general. Hopefully we’ll get a taste of what’s to come later this year at the Tales Festival.
Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan is certainly not a perfect game, but it’s a great first step for Kiro’o Games. There needs to be more of a focus on the Central African region within the gaming medium, as there are certainly more stories that need to be told and experienced. With this as a great foundation for future projects, I will be eagerly waiting to find out what this team has in store for us next. Fans of the genre should definitely consider picking this up on Steam whenever you’re in the mood for some folklore and something entirely different than roleplaying game fans are used to.