viewport's Reviews
HITMAN 2 tends more to the safe side and relies on the framework of its predecessor to provide more of its signature brand of assassination. The most notable change is the incredible size of the locations as well as spending that extra time to make sure each area has a purpose and feels satisfying to explore. The disguise mechanics leave a bit to be desired, but there is still the capability to take on challenge runs through the Contracts system that enact various restrictions. Plenty of reasons exist to keep going back into the locales, increasing replayability significantly and help keep the limited number of regions from getting too stale as Agent 47 continues his worldwide tour.
A fantastic co-op game, Overcooked 2 is an easy recommendation for those looking for a game to play with friends and family. The pacing, mechanics that encourage cooperative behaviour, the addition of a much-needed arcade mode, and accessibility all make for a decidedly fun game. The lack of variety in the arcade and versus' mode stages is a bit disappointing, as is how much of the game's identity is owed to what came before it, but these are only minor misgivings in the face of what Overcooked 2 does well.
Although Octopath Traveler has its flaws, primarily in the story department, it’s a game that is greater than the sum of its parts. The presentation of the game is extraordinary, the characters are likable, and the combat is addicting. If you are someone who is looking for a deep and engaging story, then this is not the game for you. But if you are a player that loves JRPGs that is looking for something a little different, this game won’t disappoint.
While not without flaws, MOTHERGUNSHIP is a game I enjoyed playing. The gun crafting system in combination with the excellent use of visual animation results in a satisfying game built around player creativity. However, enemies, and rooms still feel repetitive especially when the game limits your ability to customize your weapon. The progression systems help to round out the package nicely making MOTHERGUNSHIP a game I'd recommend to fans of roguelikes or those intrigued by its core mechanics.
Despite its shortcomings, I think CrossCode is a must play game for fans of RPGs. Its homage to MMOs is too faithful causing CrossCode to inherit negative qualities associated with the genre such as an abundance of fetch quests, and repetitive enemies. However, this same authenticity to MMOs also creates a believable meta-world. The combat, puzzles, aesthetic, and especially the characters all combine to make CrossCode a deeply satisfying game to play, which compelled me to stay with it for over fifty hours. If you haven't already played CrossCode, it is well worth your time to do so.
Chances are if you enjoy tactics games, or the games Wargroove so clearly draws inspiration from, you're going to enjoy Wargroove. Mechanical changes to critical hits, and settlements, as well as the puzzle mode, beefy content editor, and overall unit balance make for a fairly enjoyable tactics game. Despite the litany that sets in from the campaign and lack of overall variety in the commanders, there's still a huge amount to love about Wargroove and the many ways to play it round out a tactics game that is easy to recommend.
Despite the lack of depth and content, I still believe Floor Kids is worth a look, especially for fans of rhythm games. The aesthetic truly captures the street culture that led to the inception of breakdancing, and the simplicity of the game makes it great for short fun bursts of play. It won't set your world on fire, but Floor Kids is a vibrant game that is immensely fun to play and one I'd most certainly recommend.
Although the game is far from perfect in its current state, it's able to present a unique experience on a shaky foundation that will keep players entertained.
Mario Tennis Aces is a great return for the racket-wielding plumber and friends. If you are looking for purely a single player experience, hold back on this game for now as you won't find much. For those with friends or a competitive spirit, this is one tennis game that you don't want to miss out on.
The rebooted series' story and overall advancement of the games draw an interesting parallel to one another as the curtain falls on the trilogy. Lara grows from a frightened survivor to a ruthless hunter, while the games go from trying to find its footings to being at the forefront of the genre. Although Shadow of the Tomb Raider is not without its jagged edges and rough spots, it still aims to push the boundaries of what it can do without falling flat on its face. On its own, it's an amazingly fun game that feels a bit bloated with features at times. As part of a series, it polishes what the previous entries have done well and sets it up for any ambitious journeys ahead. Although the future of the series remains uncertain at present, I would gladly welcome another outing with Lara Croft.
Despite a five year wait, Runner3 feels more like an add-on than a fully fledged sequel. Yes; it's fun, looks fantastic, and the new features and abundance of collectibles are welcomed. But the lack of content and lower quality retro levels leave me wishing for more. Although the core of the series remains joyful and functional, Runner3 struggles in launching Commander Video to the next level.
Super Mario Party is a return to what made it great. While it doesn't do much to radically innovate the series, Nintendo has proven that sometimes simplicity is best left untouched. This is a party game that will bring back nostalgic memories, ruin friendships, and provide a delightful time for whatever sized party you may bring.
Despite a few oversights, Megaquarium is a fine game and easy recommendation for fans of management sims, or someone who wants to make their unique aquariums. While it lacks financial management the challenges presented with managing fish, the layout of your aquarium, staff, and prestige all more than make up for it. Aligning each of these variables so that everything continues to run smoothly is just as enthralling as it is in other similar simulation games. The exhaustive menus, lack of contextual information, and missing all-in-one fish display are annoyances but don't negate all the things Megaquarium does well.
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise can be appreciated for taking the base combat system and changing up the attack styles and enemy variety to more effectively reflect the established lore of the FotNS franchise. The weak story and somewhat ineffective use of the game world leaves a lot to be desired and may make it difficult for those looking for an in-depth story with a more incorporated game-world. Despite that, it creates a spectacle that fans will likely enjoy seeing as well as attract anime junkies to a more "extreme" Yakuza brawler.
Tsioque didn't set my world on fire, but it's an adorable game and pleasant way to spend a few hours. The visuals are used to great effect and are nice to look at, which helps to make the entire experience pleasant. The real star is the design for the puzzles and checkpoints, both of which make for a fair and enjoyable experience even if mistakes happen. While the animations dragged out exploration, the other elements worked well together to create an enjoyable point and click game that is worth checking out if you're into the genre.
The artistic flair the game opens with gives way to a lot of mediocrity in the story and gameplay department, which makes the game wane between mildly amusing and boring. With more time spent fleshing out all of the main cast, as well as smoothing the combat, and improving some of the puzzles I think it could have been a much better game.
Overall, Kirby Star Allies sticks too close to the safe boundaries with its conservative design choices. This is all but a blip in the series' long history, and I am hopeful that HAL Laboratory will be able to bring back to its former glory.
While initially charming, I found Monster Prom didn't have the right elements to have any staying power for me. The charming characters, the multiplayer design of the game, and how it tries to engage players outside of the game are all great additions to the dating sim genre. However, the disjointed dialogue, repetitive nature of subsequent attempts, humour, and music all drag Monster Prom down a little too much for me.
While the gameplay resonates with what roguelike players love and desire, Juicy Realm doesn't do enough to set itself apart from the competition. Still, Juicy Realm is a sweet change of pace from more hardcore roguelikes that warrants a playthrough for those looking for a more casual experience.
Shining Resonance Refrain prefers a plethora of systems that are either inadequately explained or only serve as a reason to include additional grind. It feels the game errs on the side of caution and sticks to what is familiar, creating an exceptionally average action JRPG that neglects polishing core systems into something intriguing.