RPGamer's Reviews
The balance between combat, exploring, quests, and deepening bonds is excellent and the story, world-building, and presentation providing superb support to make Metaphor: ReFantazio a game contending to be among Atlus's greatest titles.
In a crowded Soulslike market, Enotria distinguishes itself with its unique setting and impressive production values. Combat is satisfying, despite carrying the baggage of a few too many systems with it, most of which can however be safely placed on the backburner. The real star of the show, however, is the level design, which creates a series of showstopper moments that permeate the game’s full runtime and never let a dull moment arise.
Some plot points end with interesting sequel hooks that are still intriguing, and I am curious where the story intends to go, even if many of the story elements were not paid off in Double Exposure. Hardcore Life Is Strange fans likely won’t find Double Exposure to be as strong as they hoped, but there is promise here, even in its messy interior.
While it’s perhaps not quite as necessary these days to form long lines to purchase Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, playing the most up-to-date version of this legendary JRPG is equally as encouraged today as it was back then.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a delightful reworking of a 16-bit era game, bringing it to a modern generation while keeping true to the art of the original. The challenging combat and depth of the original are completely intact, with new features and many modern niceties to make things less obtuse without hurting challenge or depth.
It should be said that for all of the criticism to be made about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, there’s nothing it outright does poorly. It is absolutely lots of fun in the moment, and the cast is worthy of note. However, when all is said and done, there’s little that sticks in the memory.
Leikir Studio’s Metal Slug Tactics mostly gets things right in its attempt to spin a run-and-gun action franchise into a roguelike grid-based tactical RPG. The core gameplay mechanics and characters are there, but there’s more that could have been done with the storied franchise. What results is a fun title that grows old as the same routines are made and the incentive to try new strategies are only superficially there.
Much of what Black Myth: Wukong promised, it delivers: spectacular visuals, a reenactment of Sun Wukong’s story, and a swift, seamless combat style. On the other hand, the game’s plot and storytelling lean far too heavily on knowledge of the source material, Journey to the West, which may alienate those unfamiliar with it.
While I enjoyed the narrative parts of Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, the same cannot be said for the gameplay. With a wonderfully twisted story that truly is a grand mystery, the gameplay struggles to have that same level of oomph, and unfortunately struggles to be both engaging and memorable.
Drova: Forsaken Kin is not a bad game. It might even be a great game, for someone coming with the right attitude and a stable game build. It just wasn’t the best of experiences for me.
The battle system and second-half humor are definite highlights and made me glad that I gave the game a try. However, a pretty bland first half, a bevy of little bugs, and a conclusion that is more likely than not going to end badly hold the game back from being a whole-hearted recommendation.
If you have never experienced Until Dawn, this remaster is fine, but for those who have played the game before, the technical issues are unfortunately too noticeable to ignore.
There’s a lot packed into Ys X: Nordics, making for a thrilling ride. Quick-paced features make sure something exciting is always happening during gameplay, but the cast is given an appreciated chance to breathe and stand out in their own way.
While a card-battling, roguelite RPG in the style of Mega Man Battle Network is not a wholly original idea, this game’s spin on the concept brings more than enough originality in its mechanics to stand on its own.
The ultimate experience is one that at its best illicits curiosity at where its story might be heading while easily beating up foes and wandering between checkpoints within Shibuya, while at other times it creates annoyance at the game’s systems that tend to hurt more than they help.
The narrative is lacking polish, but inside it are some genuinely exciting and interesting moments. The gameplay is in a similar state, but when the combat is good it’s really good and offers a satisfying take on traditional turn-based combat. Keylocker hits the wrong note a few times, but boy is there a lot to like in its performance.
It successfully pushes to the forefront an alien and otherworldly experience which is indeed as bleak as its name implies, but this alone does not an enjoyable time make. With large-scale issues embedded within its narrative structure, progression, exploration, and combat, the cons easily outweigh the pros.
Beyond Galaxyland is a welcome addition to the RPG cosmos. Its audiovisual mixture is both distinctive and effective, while the gameplay and narrative keeps everything moving along nicely. The combat may get a bit rote towards the end, and there are some frustratingly unanswered story questions when all is said and done, but there’s no denying it’s a positive experience all the way through.
The underlying philosophy of the game’s developers helps to make an engaging narrative experience that does not rely on physical conflict between people yet at the same time is intensely physical in its platforming challenges, balanced against the mental contortions of planning a perfect recipe for the request at hand.
Though it lacks the teeth and depth of Slay the Spire, it still provides a great package with a good deal of replayability.