RPGamer's Reviews
While Esoteric Ebb certainly doesn’t try to avoid the direct comparisons to Disco Elysium’s style, it manages to stand out through its original setting and entertaining set of mysteries. The ingrained usage of skill checks to help guide conversations and what the game reveals to players helps keep them engaged, with plenty of highly enjoyable quests and interactions to be had all the way through.
It may not be up the alley of those looking for deeply engrossing gameplay, but for players with a passing interest in the franchise who have not yet committed to this installment, now’s the perfect time to dive in and get their feet wet.
While the perfect product wasn’t synthesized, Lydie & Suelle was a step in the right direction for the series, blemishes and all.
On the whole, Resident Evil Requiem is a game of contrasts: Grace vs. Leon, panicky rookie vs. grizzled veteran, micro trauma vs. macro trauma, survival vs. action, but all of these contrasts serve one overarching purpose: fear. Whether I was fleeing some horrific mutant or perilously being pushed against the wall by zombie hordes, Requiem scared the daylights out of me.
The puzzle-solving elements — including the boss fights — are easily where the game is its strongest, but it never really steps out from the traditional top-down adventure template, and the lack of any substantial narrative and mediocre overall combat prevent it from distinguishing itself from the crowd.
While I wish the puzzles and platforming were more refined, I can also see the follow-through and how others may not have had the same issues as I did. What I won’t deny is that Sleep Castle Studio has created a genuinely fun game that has brought new life into fairy-tale properties and given them an original spin.
Although Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is less dark in tone, focusing a bit more on mystery than outright horror, it nonetheless provides a fascinating and thoroughly engaging tale, very much leaving a desire for further mysteries to solve in the future.
Calamity Angels: Special Delivery is an ambitious title that took one-note jokes way too far, and its constant source of manufactured tension sadly overshadows most of the good on offer here. This courier is anything but dull, but the chaotic frustrations will cause many prospective clients to look elsewhere.
Temirana is one of those otome games I can happily recommend to anyone who enjoys intricate, interesting world building and a strong cast of characters who love swoonworthy romances.
The remake offers a lot of new goodies in the form of side content and a whole new story starring antagonist Yoshitaka Mine as he moves up the ranks in the Tojo Clan. However, the game ends up feeling quite bloated, the main story’s pacing takes a huge hit, and a lot of the changes made for Yakuza Kiwami 3 simply don’t land.
Kasey Ozymy has crafted such an intriguing, yet sinister world that makes you want to follow the game’s mysteries to the very end. While the combat is serviceable and the puzzles are passable, these are not the elements that will attract players to pick up the game; rather, it is the absurdity, humour, and sharp writing that will keep them exploring.
It does maintain ferocious, ruthless, fast-paced action combat, punctuated by blood-pumping compositions, and it has a generally competent story and world built around it. Just don’t expect it to excel in every dimension.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is about new beginnings and, speaking as a relative beginner to the franchise, it is a great adventure. The artwork and character designs are just a treat, and it’s always worth getting to the next island just to see what big bad resides there. The combat system is snappy, making it a fun way to fight to the next heartfelt story beat that runs the whole gamut of emotions.
Wounded only by minor flaws, Dynasty Warriors: Origins for Switch 2 offers a banquet of content to those willing to follow its path of conquest to the top. From a grand narrative to addictive combat to music and visuals that deliver, it wins the war by succeeding on every front.
For RPGamers who like cuteness and low-stakes adventure, there is much to enjoy here. Each of the main areas of the game provides its own puzzles and mysteries to figure out, and discovering how best to approach the various creatures provides for fun adventures.
There’s a huge amount to enjoy about the game, be it the exciting combat, impressive presentation, highly endearing cast, fascinating adjustments to the original tale, or detailed realisation of Midgar.
Pokémon Legends Z-A turned out to be a pleasant romp, a delightful return to a part of the game world I hadn’t seen in over a decade, and the chance to learn many new and interesting words in French.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a solid experience that, while not a life-changing game, is the perfect palette cleanser for anyone wanting an RPG that doesn’t take itself too seriously and also doesn’t outstay its runtime.
For me, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is easily the best game in the Calvard arc thus far, and one of the greatest games in the entire franchise, though with the caveat that it is made possible by building on twelve games worth of context. New players should really avoid leaping in here and go back to at least Trails Through Daybreak, but series fans are in for a treat.
Kingdoms of the Dump displays plenty of effort and ideas stemming from a unique premise. Combat tries something new, but ultimately feels like a complicated way of doing something routine, and the platforming bugs can irritate quickly. However, the heartwarming and remarkably designed party members and its world, with something new to see around every corner, make that irritation disappear quickly.