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Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1: Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle Remastered – Switch Review https://chalgyr.com/2021/09/review-switch-nisclassics-vol1-phantombrave.html "So overall, even if the quality of the sprites have not been updated to be as clear and crisp as the rest of the world and the interface, Phantom Brave alone is a worthwhile reason to pick up this package especially if you’ve never sat down to it. With a well written story and a great combat system that has a variety of quirks to master, there’s more than enough strategy here alone before getting into the second half of the package Soul Nomad & the World Eaters." Score: 8 / 10 Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1: Soul Nomad & the World Eaters – Switch Review https://chalgyr.com/2021/09/review-switch-nisclassics-vol1-soulnomad.html "So while Soul Nomad & the World Eaters hasn’t been upgraded from it’s PS2 version and is a direct port over to the Nintendo Switch, it’s an SRPG that I had wished had sat down years ago. As a whole package alongside Phantom Brave though, I wish that the graphics had been polished up in order to better suit the newer platforms. Both are incredible titles offering countless hours of strategy and combat and I look forward to what we can come to expect with Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2. " Score: 7.5 / 10 Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1 Total score: 7.75 / 10
Overall, I can’t recommend Falling Squirrel Inc.’s The Vale: Shadow of the Crown enough. It’s more than just a video game, it’s an experience that blends in a real world issue with a well balanced gameplay system that just works. Well written and narrated story mixed with an easy to pick up yet hard to master combat system all while seeing nothing more than particle effects on a screen, it’s a reminder that there’s still so much more we can do for those with disabilities.
Overall, Claire De Lune is a fun experience that could have used a little more edge. The core gameplay loop is good and it is occasionally terrifying when dealing with aliens, which is why I give it an 8 out of 10. It has some amazing graphics and musical accompaniment which adds a lot of value to the title. The fact that there aren’t any real bugs to speak of gives the game a higher rating. The game is not a bad title by any means, but it’s not a stand-out performer in the puzzle genre for me. However, since Claire De Lune was created by a small indie studio, this is a great start for Tactic Studios. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
Overall, Kitaria Fables is a fun little adventure which will clock in at about a dozen hours as you explore this cute medieval world. With plenty of side quests in order to help out the local people, several different magic spells to help you out and a giant plot of land to farm on, there’s enough to keep you busy for a little while without the vast time investment that Rune Factory or Harvest Moon would require from you.
Original PS4 Review (2019-06-28) https://chalgyr.com/2019/06/Review-PS4-DragonStarVarnir.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall I had a lot of fun with Varnir. Yeah, the plot is a little trope filled and cliché to an extent, but the battle system was really fun, and I felt like I was playing a sort of pokemon-esque devouring game. While that sentence may need some work, the “collectible upgrading system” was pretty fun, and I’d always try to eat as many enemies as I could. Is Varnir perect? Maybe not, But 8 out of 10 witches would probably promote it. Score: 8.5 / 10 New Nintendo Switch Review (2021-08-27) https://chalgyr.com/2021/08/review-switch-dragonstarvarnir.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- In summary, Dragon Star Varnir is an interesting title from Compile Heart that takes a few new and refreshing steps away from their standard formula. The combat system is interesting and rather unique, and while it didn’t feel as if it used its full potential, it was definitely a fun system to plan around. The devour mechanic was also a fun gimmick, although the need for each character to devour an enemy to get their upgrade grid was a little frustrating. As a port from the PS4/PC version, there isn’t really anything extra worthwhile added, and the graphic quality has lowered slightly, but the game still runs smoothly. If you already own Varnir on another platform, there isn’t a need to purchase it again, however if you missed this title on earlier, and you’re a fan of JRPGs, I would definitely recommend looking into it, especially considering the price. Score: 8.0 / 10
Fort Triumph is a solid strategy game that should appeal to fans of the XCOM series. I can’t think of anything else quite like it with a fantasy setting, making it a rather unique game. The overall package is generally fairly enjoyable, even if the wrapping (sound effects, narration, uneven humor) has some rough edges to it. Fans of the genre should find enough here to enjoy though.
For me, Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four is a mixed bag with a ton of potential, but too many small issues that are impossible to completely overlook. I really liked the card evolution and deck building systems, I appreciated the quests, equipment and randomized nature of the stages, and the turn-based combat is generally satisfying. I just don’t like the difficulty spikes that are largely due to the uneven resource requirements and the rough control optimization. I have a feeling this would play better on PC with a mouse and a keyboard, but appreciate seeing games like this make their way to consoles, where I tend to play more. A bit of UI / control cleanup and better balance of resources would make Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four a much better overall title that is still worth a look – but be ready for a bit of frustration.
If you’re one of those people who feel like the annual releases are nothing more than roster updates, most likely it would take a massive release to convince you otherwise, and Madden NFL 22 is not that title. That being said, if you enjoy the core gameplay of the Madden franchise and can’t wait for some NFL action? There’s still a lot of fun to be had here and I certainly enjoyed my time with the game.
With plenty of gameplay elements and areas to keep things interesting it was also nice that the adventure was kept short enough as to not fall into the repetitive trap that many others fall into once the elements keep getting added in. So overall, if you’ve been looking for a quick and fun 3D platforming Metroidvania with a bit of mystery added in then I would suggest looking into Phigames’ Recompile either here on the PC or over on either the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 where it’s also launching if consoles are more your thing.
To conclude, Chernobylite is a game that ended up surprising me. It kept me engaged with how much stuff there was to do and the people I needed to handle, manage, and care for. It gives you control over every decision you make. You may come across tough situations where you might end up losing trust in certain team members by helping a wounded soldier, but even helping a bloodied soldier who works for the enemy may end up helping you sometime down the road. The game’s not overly scary where you have to keep a light on in your room, but the handful of jump scares and creepy enemy designs will make your heart race from time-to-time. If you’re looking for something that’ll keep you engaged and engrossed in the story and game-play, then this game is for you. I’m giving Chernobylite a 8.5 out of 10 for being an absolute delight to experience.
Synth Riders is an excellent rhythm game, with a strong selection of songs and fantastic visuals that really drew me into the experience. The variety of modes and difficulty customizations make this the kind of game that is easy for people to pick up and play, but also provides a gameplay loop that keeps you coming back for improved performances. The lack of online multiplayer is one of the few bummers here, but the overall package is too good to pass up on.
So overall, WitchSpring 3 [Re:Fine] – The Story of Eirudy is a shorter and often enjoyable RPG that shouldn’t take too long to go through. With other entries into the series both before and upcoming, I’m curious to see if we’ll see more of these or not down the line.
Overall, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is an absolutely stellar hybrid of 2D Metroidvania exploration and souls-like combat rolled into a wonderfully artistic package. With tough but smooth combat, exploration that feels both fulfilling and challenging, a beautiful art style and soundtrack, as well as an endearing story, Ender Lilies really captures a lot of great aspects. It’s incredibly hard to pick out any real issues with Ender Lilies other than personal preference, but it is really easy to recommend to anyone looking for either a Metroidvania or Souls-like. A great package that has come together magnificently, Ender Lilies will not leave you disappointed.
Overall, fans of metroidvanias, 2D platformers and 3D action adventures will have plenty to look forward to even if you’ve never dipped your toes into the world of Blaster Master Zero. For returning fans? The finale is worth it and the upgrades to previous systems and the addition of new ones was just simply fun.
Overall I can say there definitely isn’t any OBJECTION to the Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. The characters are endearing, the cases are interesting and pretty well formed, the music is great, and the 2D backgrounds and 3D characters provide a wealth of visual satisfaction. While the text speed may be a little slow for some, there were no real inherent issues to the game that I could find. The Ace Attorney series may be rather niche, but it’s also one that’s easily enjoyable.
Overall, Cris Tales is a game that I can’t really recommend outright. For whatever reason it’s decently cheaper on the Switch, but with the amount of technical issues and gameplay mechanics that need refining, it would still be best to wait for a sale, or part of a package deal, before I could advise playing. I liked Cris Tales, I really did. It’s charming characters, great visuals, outstanding soundtrack, and engaging battle mechanics are all aspects I enjoyed. The poor implementations, long loading times, horrid timing windows, and occasional technical issues however really can’t be overlooked. I truly hope the developers take this as a learning opportunity to produce something more refined in the future, as I’ll be looking forward to it if the kinks can be ironed out.
So from the Prologue to Early Access and then to full release, Afterbuner Studios’ Dreamscaper has been an amazing adventure. With multiple easy to use systems, an intuitive combat system and plenty of upgrades to be discovered and unlocked, there’s more than enough dungeon crawling and rogueliting to keep anyone busy for a long while. If it gets too easy? Just add in some extra modifiers and see if you’re still swinging the same tune or getting kicked out of the record store for not knowing what Math Rock was.
King of Seas more than earns its keep given its price-point (it comes in at a very respectable $25 USD on the Xbox/Microsoft store) as it is an enjoyable, casual gaming experience with combat that is easy to grasp, isn’t tedious, and has numerous diversions, from trading to resource gathering and exploration. Even with the minimal issues that I personally had with some of the design choices, King of Seas is still a wonderful and worthy title in the ever-growing pantheon of indie games that are sweeping the market in lieu of standout AAA-titles.
Streets of Rage 4: Mr. X Nightmare is a fairly priced bit of DLC that is the perfect reason for people who played this title a year ago to pick the game back up again. All three new characters play differently from one another, providing a satisfying variety as you pound your way through hapless bad guys once again. The Survival mode also exceeded my expectations and has that addictive ‘one more time’ feel to it.
All in all though, Fallen Knight even if it has a higher entry point due to the learning curve for boss battles is one worth looking into. It’s not very long but it does have separate paths for our two Knights of the Round Table as they fight to protect the city and its people from those currently attacking it.