GameSoulz's Reviews
Dynasty Warriors 9 is nothing more than an okay Warriors game, mixed with a vast, empty, boring open world. Anyone not wishing to hunt, fish or collect pointless materials will most likely be disappointed by the latest entry in the series.
Some of the initial vision, gameplay and appeal may be lost, exchanged for a more streamlined, smoother experience but that doesn´t mean its worse. No, Tango Gameworks delivered a game expanding on Mikami´s initial vision, mixing it with more western ideas into a damn good game, only held back by a too foreseeable story and some minor flaws.
Ys 8 Lacrimosa of Dana is without a doubt a great JRPG and one of the best entries in the main series. Keeping every element that made the series so great. Besides its gorgeous Soundtrack and great combat, it also features one of the best plots ever, being nearly as good as Origins, full of likeable characters and mature storytelling. Yet, its giant open world and playtime are it´s biggest problems at the same time, letting the first third seem more like aimless padding than a captivating element. However, this is basically the only complain I have, I enjoyed the latest entry in the Ys series way too much to not recommend it, Ys 8 Lacrimosa of Dana is truly an amazing JRPG.
Rabi-Ribi is definetely not a bad Metroidvania, it´s actually a pretty damn fine one. Featuring silly ideas mixed with silly, adorable art, classic gameplay, spiced up by great unique features and a giant explorable world full of secrets. Because of these great things, it´s easy to forget about the below average story, weak characters, strange upgrade pacing and minimal technical issues. During my 15 hours long playhtrough, I absolutely loved Rabi-Ribi for its bunny girls (who doesn´t love chibis?) and great gameplay and it´s a great fit for the Vita.
Warriors All-Stars is definitely a surprisingly innovative game. Instead of a bland cross over Omega Force took the extra mile to deliver a somewhat fitting story, mixed with lively, unique dialogues, sometimes specifically written for our chosen character. In combination with the silly furry inhabitants of the new-found world, new special enhancements for the gameplay and solid, bright graphics Omega Force´s cross over can definitely achieve its own atmosphere. Because of the new gameplay enhancements and enjoyable yet cliché story, that lives off our beloved heroes, Warriors All-Stars is a great Warriors game, which is more than just a simple license leech.
Still, Nidhogg 2 works as amazing as the first one, creating adrenaline loaded rounds full of hatred between friends, when one of you keeps killing the other. At the end, it’s a very safe played, unsurprising game, nonetheless, it´s a guarantee for fun at every gaming session, in a definitive version.
Honestly, I could get Trails in the Sky 1+2 on Steam for that price and have a way better and longer time. For a game, that needs so long to develop into something hooking, yet never lives up to previously set standards, this price tag is just bad. In my opinion The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is worth 29.99, if you completed the Trails in the Sky trilogy, making a recommendation of this let-down a pretty hard one.
All in all, God Wars: Future Past is definitely a game that should be played for its story, due to the lack of any other great feature or unique aspect. Luckily, if you´re a fan of traditional folklore like me, you will surely have a good time, despite its uninspired bland gameplay and graphics.
Without the SAO and Accel World skins I wouldn´t see a reason to buy it, too generic, too flawed, too bland are the mechanics presented too us. Truly a game, only buyable by true fans of the series who want to play as their heroes but nothing more, nothing less, than a generic, exchangeable experience.
All in all, even though it might certainly not be a perfect or good “game”, it´s still a damn great Danganronpa experience, fitting for every fan of the series and basically essential at this point. Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls might be a spin-off to the main series but in the end, it suffers from the same problems.
Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls is nothing else than a pretty big overhaul/extension of an already beloved series. Adding not only more interesting and diverse areas but also new ways of exploring them, allowing for a way better level design and visual diversity. In combination with the extended battle system and well-known silly, yet adorable plot, it may very well be the strongest entry in the series to date, no matter how grindful it still is.
Overall, it may be possible to enjoy Get Even, if you´re a sucker for interesting story-ideas, exploration-fanatic and a graphic lover (I guess), yet, Shooter fans will definetly not be satisfied with it.
Overall, Valkyria Revolution is definitely not a perfect game, suffering from flaws in nearly every aspect of it. Be it the war story, which shows surprisingly few brutality, the low difficulty, lack of tactical depth, enemy repetition, overload of cutscenes, in order to characterize its huge cast, or the many frame drops and mediocre AI. In comparison to Valkyria Chronicles it falls short in a lot of ways, even tho it wasn´t a perfect game either.
If you can endure its story, which shouldn´t be a problem after Senran Kagura, or are able to laugh about some silly boob jokes, combined with girls having quite some giant ones, you´re in for one hell of a great action game. Honestly, I´m a man preferring gameplay over story, especially when it´s skippable, letting me really like Valkyrie Drive -Bhikkhuni-.
Don´t get me wrong, it´s fun to shoot hundreds of little enemies, hearing some cool Sam lines, and seeing all the blood spill on the ground, the surrounding systems just aren´t that good, lacking a true spirit or intention. Basically, Serious Sam´s Bogus Detour is a generic top down Shooter with some bigger flaws, nothing more, nothing less.
All in all, Impact Winter is a very classic Survival game, doing basically nothing new gameplay-wise, having a boring story and weak start. Luckily it does enough unique things in the long run, like the amazing environmental story-telling and great presentation, topped with some little new mechanics, adding some depth to the mix. Wouldn´t it have had the various bugs and control problems, I would have found myself liking Impact Winter for just offering an immersive experience, able to compete with the very best out there. Unfortunately, at the moment, I can´t fully recommend it, due to said problems, despite the neat little game hiding beneath them.
All in all, Steel Division Normandy 44 is truly a great RTS, that got the courage to implement many new and old systems into one game. From the Battlegroups to the giant multiplayer battles, ranging from close range skirmishes to huge map-wide conflicts and transportation lines. Enhanced by the neat morale system, amazing graphics, as well as a well structured interface and combined with the well-known and loved Eugen Systems formula.
Friday the 13th: The Game sounded like the wet dream for fans of the newly established multiplayer horror genre with its addition of items and more complex tasks, along the amazing Friday the 13th license. Sadly, nothing of these new systems improved the game in any way. Instead we´re presented a Dead by Daylight, clustered with repetitive gameplay, broken balancing and not working design choices, topped by a huge lack of content.
If RiME can nail one thing, it´s his presentation, not only can it convince with a gorgeous artstyle and great textures but also with a beautiful soundtrack. Unfortunately, these are the only good aspects about it, since it failed at everything it tried, being more of a copy-cat than an unique game, clinging so heavily onto the path Team ICO or Journey paved.
Don´t get me wrong, Dark Rose Valkyrie isn´t a terrible game, hell it´s actually pretty enjoyable, it´s just a disappointing one. Compile Heart always had a special place in my heart for their silly, self sarcastic humour and their simple but fast combat. These are mostly gone here, replaced by a mediocre working plot, which takes itself too serious, a new combat, making it slower and more passive than ever, along with somehow worse graphics.