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European Conqueror doesn't really work as a historical wargame. Its predecessor dealt with it loosely enough, but European Conqueror takes the abstraction one step too far for its own good. With that being said, this is still a very fine tactical wargame, with good scope, and certainly so much to do that you won't be putting it down in a hurry.
Shadowgate is still Shadowgate, and there's an inherent classic quality to this adventure that, coupled with the dark fantasy atmosphere and general difficulty, also makes it inherently rewarding.
What really lets Our World Is Ended down is its lack of narrative focus. On the one hand you'd got a compelling discussion about fluid reality - something that, much like AI and robotics, is quickly falling out of the area of "science fiction" and into "we actually need to talk about this, because it's happening" territory. On the other hand, you've got a lot of stories about a bunch of generally unlikable characters and their obsession with breasts.
When I think about the best visual novels out there - the likes of Steins;Gate and Danganronpa, VA-11 HALL-A shares many of the same traits. It's thoughtfully written, to provide some deeper insights and philosophical musics that help to elevate the game above being simple entertainment... but at the same time it does so in a vibrant and deeply entertaining way. And it is impossible to put down.
The result of all of this is a highly limited package that doesn't do Konami any favours. For a company to have such an incredible heritage - including two of the most influential games of all time in Frogger and Track & Field - and then to ignore all of that for a range of early era SHMUPs (and one platformer) that few will remember is bemusing, to say the least. There is some limited appeal in there for people who are fans of the one particular genre, but even then, the package does a very barebones job of celebrating that.
Despite a lack of originality and questionable controls I found myself coming back to Giga Wrecker Alt to tackle that puzzle, overcome that boss or just explore its world. If you are looking for a ground breaking new entry in Game Freak's reserve or something similar to the Pokémon titles then this may not be the title for you.
The sheer quality of Rayark's rhythm games override any small issues that I might have with them, and Cytus Alpha is one of the finest playing rhythm games you'll ever come across. It's abstract, minimalist and focused, but it delivers such vibrant rhythm game action that it's impossible not to love.
It's a game (and franchise) that wears its indie credentials on its sleeve, and it's hard to be too disappointed by its flaws for that reason.
The concept of Panty Party is hilarious, though once you move past making jokes about finally getting your hands on Hatsune Miku's underwear, the humour of the game doesn't exactly sustain itself either.
BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is proof that you don't need thousands of polygons and endless dialogue to tell a poignant story that tugs at the heartstrings.
Moero Chronicle is so completely unabashed about its fan service and endless innuendo that it's oddly charming, in its own way. There's absolutely no way that people who don't enjoy fan service for the sake of fan service will get anything out of this game. The dungeon crawling is executed well enough, but it's traditional to a fault. Furthermore, the localisation is so bad that it hurts a lot of the fun nonsense that runs through the script.
For its strengths and its faults, I kept finding myself drawn back to the game’s evocative narrative all the way through.
This genre is about pretty mundane work, but what makes it so wonderful is it distills that work down to the point that it feels effortless. Sadly, I ended up having to put more effort into My Time At Portia than I do with the actual work I do in real life.
This is a game that very much stands as having its own identity, leaving us with just one question: When is Capcom going to get around to making the next one?
Table of Tales offers a brilliantly modular opportunity to Tin Man Games. As long as it’s commercially successful (and I certainly hope it is), it’s easy to imagine the developer releasing additional adventures, chapters, and tales to this base package
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is the perfect addition to the series.
It’s flight sim developed by people who clearly love the genre, and want to give players a hearty challenge and a way to show off their skills. There are a few features missing from the Switch version which other platforms do better, so it’s best to ask yourself how important the benefits of the Switch's portability will be to your enjoyment of this game.
Phoenix Wright was my introduction to visual novels, and these three titles hold a special place in my heart.
Feather is a beautiful, soulful experience, which is sadly too limited for its own good.
Just as foreign films might be worthy, even essential, even though they lack the budgets and production values of Hollywood, so too does a title like Sword and Fairy 6 deserve to find an audience in the kind of player that is more interested in artistry and theme than how well done the button pressing fun is.