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Shin Megami Tensei V revels in JRPG traditions and, while it does mark a leap forward for the franchise, its excellence is at odds with its approach.
Despite a few shortcomings, over the course of a playthrough, Time Loader proves itself to be a game worth trying out for those interested in its concept. The story is smart and, in true time travel fashion, has multiple ways in which it can come to a close. All of this is presented alongside a solid gameplay core which makes for a fun, if short, jaunt through a sci-fi tale.
Demon Turf feels like a missed opportunity for its engaging, interesting new world to be catered to such a niche audience. Perhaps these lost levels can give way to an adventure with Beebz that's more up to speed with the general public, but for now, Demon Turf is well worth a try for hardcore platforming fans and difficult to recommend for those less fond of the genre.
Overall, though, Bloodshore is still one of the better examples of the FMV revolution. It's a lot of fun to experience, and leans into the cheese that both successfully works with a lot of FMV games, and for examples of the stories it is emulating. The game has its issues, but as a hokey piece of B-movie fun it's worth replaying to find its various story strands.
From the tiniest details in each item to the massive story told through simple gameplay, Unpacking is a fantastic indie game. The relaxing gameplay and chill music create a nice getaway experience. It's easy to disappear into Unpacking and complete the entire game in one playthrough, but the experience is so satisfying that players will want to do it again and again.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water would be improved with a tighter pace, quicker battles, and more clarity when it comes to objectives in missions. As it stands, the game is often frustrating on both a gameplay and a technical level, but more importantly, it fails as a horror game, as its reuse of the same handful of scares quickly grows tiresome, with attempts to build tension falling flat.
Overall, Riders Republic is an incredibly fun game that's held back by its controls and the Ubisoft fanfare of microtransactions and content bloating. These issues can be fixed though and with players already being turned off by these issues, Ubisoft will likely take steps to address them - even if it's just tightening up the controls. Though Riders Republic is a thoroughly good time, some players will rightfully feel that its current issues may not justify the price tag.
Moonglow Bay is a good game for those who want a fishing-heavy simulation game with a cute story. That said, the game would benefit from some large updates to improve minigame controls and shopkeeping mechanics, creating a more intuitive experience for players. As it stands now, it's difficult to recommend outside of the very niche audience described, and while it has good ideas, its execution makes broader appeal an impossibility.
Overall, Mario Party Superstars does exactly what it set out to do: Make the best of the best in the series. It takes two decades worth of Mario Party minigames and combines them into a perfect little party package. There's really nothing new in Mario Party Superstars, but what is here is pure nostalgia and the perfect entry for any player new to the series.
While Voice of Cards does stumble in spots, it shines as a brilliantly told story that successfully replicates the feeling of the best tabletop gaming sessions, with a game master whose engaging voice carries much of the emotion and tension required to make the setup work. While it certainly won't be for everyone, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a beautiful title well worth a look from any roleplaying fan, and an example of how excellent design can breathe life into any game with enough to say about its world and its heroes.
As such B.A.T.S. is a bit of a mixed bag. Its presentation is fantastic, with well-devised sprite work and a strong sense of humor throughout, and when the game does flow at the speed it needs it is an awful lot of fun for its short run time. However, those awkward design choices and more difficult technical issues do hold it back from reaching its full potential.
While Star Dynasties has a lot to live up to, its unique gameplay features, interesting setting, and wonderful UI make it an excellent addition to the world of Grand Strategy games. There is really no better way to fight a shadow war between a player's own Atreides and a rival Harkonnen than in Star Dynasties.
It's hard to recommend NASCAR 21: Ignition in its current state, and it will probably play best a little bit down the road after Motorsports Games gets all of the technical issues worked out. There definitely are some good elements to make for a fun experience, and when the game cooperates enough to allow players to experience them, the driving and overall presentation of a NASCAR race are enjoyable. While there's potential to be a good game, the frustrating amount of bugs combined with a scaled-back amount of content makes NASCAR 21: Ignition a disappointing racing simulator in its current state, with a caveat that future patches may help improve its standing somewhat.
Age of Empires 4 is a modern, faithful addition.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy delivers fun.
JARS has similar visuals to Creepy Tale 2, but the puzzles are much more coherent and enjoyable. Through some trial and error, players can beat even the hardest levels in the game within just a few minutes. JARS will keep players' interest with intriguing visuals, a variety of characters in hero mode, and a few challenging levels scattered throughout the main story.
Overall, House of Ashes is a fun horror romp. There's nothing subtle to be found here and the game is all the better for it, with exciting set pieces and a fast-paced story. It has its issues, both technically and with not really having anything interesting to build into its Iraq War setting, but it's still a hoot to play.
This chase-and-reprieve dynamic makes for a well-paced campaign which should take most players 12 hours or so to complete. The Eternal Cylinder makes for a tricky game to conveniently classify, and the mix of survival, exploration, platforming, puzzle, and action elements does sometimes collide with its clumsy and slippery controls. Adjustable difficulty settings are welcoming, but even on default mode there’s a generosity of checkpointing and saves, and rarely is an attempt punished too harshly; plus, when the permanent mutation system is later unlocked, it feels practically game-breaking. Warts and all, The Eternal Cylinder remains an accessible oddball adventure of one-of-a-kind sights.
Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a short game, but each stage is well-crafted, with the puzzles being just difficult enough to make the player feel smart for solving them, while never being so obtuse that they become frustrating. The creepy world of toys and monsters in the Kane Manor is a lot of fun to explore, and learning how to change the shape of shadows to the player's need stays intriguing until the end.
The bottom line is that Disciples: Liberation is a fantastic experience. From the engaging story to the deep but approachable Strategy RPG combat, this is the type of game to suck players in until the wee hours of the morning. There aren't many games like Disciples: Liberation on the market these days, especially when the old champion, Might and Magic, has become an autobattler. Disciples: Liberation a welcome breath of fresh air that delivers hope for the future of the Strategy RPG genre.