Chalgyr's Game Room
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So if like me you had skipped WRC 9 as you had enjoyed or are still enjoying WRC 8, I would honestly suggest taking a look at WRC 9 on the PS5 if you’ve already made the jump. From the solid off-road driving mechanics to the graphics and the sounds, this is one that I’ll be coming back to often enough if not to get better, then just to have fun.
So overall, for a launch title, Bright Memory even while super short and basically being a tech demo, for how pretty things can look and sound, is still an amazing fast paced experience. At twenty-five to thirty minutes per playthrough, and a total of three to get everything, I would say pick it up and enjoy it as it’s really hard to go wrong especially at its current price tag.
If you’ve been on the lookout for a good side-scrolling action adventure, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is worth looking into. Between the flexible combat system and the puzzle platforming, you have an interesting small scale farming simulator that only adds to the overall sense of accomplishment as it replaces most standard RPG experience level systems. Add in some humorous dialog and likable characters, and I think I found either my guilty pleasure or my pleasant surprise for the year!
So if you’ve been looking for a simple Brawler to take up some time and are in the mood for a few laughs as there is a fair amount of comedy along with the fighting, Uppers by Bullets and XSEED Games and Marvelous isn’t a bad choice.
I didn’t hate Rebirth, but I also wish I’d liked it more than I did. While I do recognize that my own bias likely played a part in that, I also recognize that the characters, the story, and the settings were just, quite frankly, not that interesting to me in general. I felt that parts of Rebirth overstayed their welcome, and that parts of it felt shoehorned in as an attempt to diversify and distance itself from its predecessors. That being said, it does also effectively build upon past entries in a lot of ways, and I would absolutely recommend that fans of Frictional’s other games give it a shot. You likely won’t be disappointed, but you may find yourself underwhelmed. As for myself, I doubt I’ll be revisiting the Algerian desert any time soon.
So overall, while Oceanhorn 2: Knights of a Lost Realm may not live up to its predecessor of Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, it still offers up a fun time if you can get past some of the limitations. The writing is decent, the characters have personality and the world is gorgeous to look at. The only thing that it really needs is some mechanical refinement and it’ll be that much better. All that said, I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing an Oceanhorn 3 down the line.
So unfortunately, there is a lot here that can't be overlooked. Even with version 1.02 having fixed some issues that were much more prominent in version 1.00, between some of the design decisions and just the sheer amount of crashes that I've had post launch date on two separate XB1 units... I really wanted to love Tears of Avia being a huge SRPG fan, but unfortunately between the issues and just the overall drop after the introduction, I unfortunately couldn't.
Overall, Pumpkin Jack is a hilarious platforming experience that had me smiling from ear to ear. It absorbed a few hours of time and I loved taking my head off for a bit (literally). This is a game that will amuse fans of the genre. As such, I give Pumpkin Jack a 9 out of 10!
Onee Chanbara Origin is going to appeal to fans of the series or those just looking for a bit of mindless hack-and-slash action where they can kind of leave their brains at the door. That being said? The game is fun, the overall package is a nice merging of the first two games in the series and the product values have seen a worthy improvement. Onee Chanbara Origins is a fun way to kill a lot of undead and about a dozen hours.
Overall though, and without too many other spoilers, I enjoyed, laughed, cried, and damn near yelled at the TV over the course of sixty plus hours for the normal ending before even starting to head back for the true ending and conclusion to Class VII’s adventures as we await what comes up next in The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki which released this year in Japan.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a perfectly serviceable shooter, even if it is not a complex one. The story, the lack of rpg / progression elements and not having a cover system make this more of an arcade-y shooter while you work through the different missions. The characters themselves are the star of the show, and they did a great job in stirring up my nostalgia for the series, even if the rest of the game is solid while doing very little to stand out.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a short but satisfying romp through a fictional China that should appeal to fans of old marital arts movies and the beat-‘em-up genre of video games. Combat is generally fluid with a nice sense of progression, though the story itself is relatively shallow and the game itself only takes about six hours to complete.
So overall, Teyon and Nacon’s Monster Truck Championship is a lot of fun. The controls make it rather easy to get into and with how short the championships are, it’s easy to play a few in between a variety of scenarios such as before or after dinner or while waiting for laundry to be done. The boring adult stuff that we all have to take care of. Want to play longer than that though? There’s no shortage of challenges both online against other players or offline against the CPU putting this probably into my surprise hit of the year for CGR’s 2020 Games of the Year!
So overall, while Torchlight III doesn’t surpass its predecessors or do anything revolutionary* for the genre, it was a fun return to the ember filled world. With loads of enemies, challenges and class combinations in both single and multiplayer, if you’ve been needing a Hack & Slash fix, Torchlight III will have you covered. *Victor Vran let you jump and wall jump… still blown away by that.
Tamarin is a cute platformer with shooter elements that serve as a great time sink. It doesn't require a lot of thinking and the concept is straightforward, allowing players to pick up a controller to enjoy a couple of hours of fun. Beyond that, the game doesn't provide much else except for excellent graphics, awesome audio, and a cuteness factor. Unfortunately, the game doesn't quite reach the high standards of other games in its genre. As such, I give Tamarin a 7 out of 10. It was a fun experience once players get passed some of its drawbacks. Besides, if we were given the option to play on a keyboard and mouse, I would be a lot happier with this title!
Overall, I have to say the The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk was a really fun delve into a funny cast in the style of a Dungeons and Dragon campaign where the storyline isn't at all serious. It's full of wacky characters, funny situations, and a combat system that doesn't make you regret getting in a fight. Colourful flavour text is abundant, and each character has their own role that feels like it compliments the party well. Naheulbeuk is as fun to play as it is hard to pronounce.
Overall, Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? and Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties are titles that are tough as Orichalcon, but full of flavour and love. These games are for masochists through and through, but are still fun even if you are using more than half your Prinny lives. The gameplay has held up well, and although difficult, it was a lot of fun, even if it feels like smashing your face against a brick wall at times. Prinny 1 and 2 are hard, but full of character. If you think you've got what it takes to triumph over the levels designed to melt through 1,000 lives, check out Prinny 1 and 2.
Spiritfarer is a fantastic game that deals with the topic of death but it's much more than that. It is an unforgettable experience. Players connect with the characters before taking them to the Everdoor, or their final resting place. Thunder Lotus treats the subject with care and Spiritfarer serves as a special tribute to the developers' friends and family who have already passed. Overall, I found myself enjoying my 40-hour playthrough of this somber and amazing game. Thus, I give it a 9 out of 10 so don't miss the boat on this title!
Inertial Drift is just about an ideal arcade racing game. The visuals are colorful and smooth, the gameplay is unique and easy to pick-up with just enough variety in cars to keep you learning and improving throughout the game’s varied if somewhat brief content. Fantastic to pick up and play in short bursts, even if it lacks some of the depth found in more polished AAA simulation racing games.
Unfortunately Bounty Battle is a series of missed opportunities almost destined to be a candidate for our site's yearly awards – but not one of the good ones. Horribly unresponsive controls, shallow move sets and game modes and a clunky presentation all squander the goodwill that comes from bringing together so many awesome indie characters from across numerous other video games.