RPGamer's Reviews
As a parkour potion princess leaping through her open world, Yumia fills the alchemist role while stretching the mold, offering something new, much like many other aspects of her game. As the Alchemist of Memories, she offers an excellent start to what I hope will continue to be a fun new trilogy, or longer, for Atelier fans to enjoy.
AI LIMIT doesn’t quite reach the same heights as its inspirations and is held back by some notable technical issues. However, some small but key innovations in the combat system and an enthralling setting more than make up for the game’s shortcomings to make the game an enjoyable and worthwhile experience overall.
All in all, The First Berserker delivers an uncompromisingly tight combat experience that is further buoyed by an interesting, if somewhat unevenly paced, plot and a gorgeous presentation that is equal parts relentlessly grim and oppressive.
It’s a blast to play, reducing a lot of the friction in the RPG mechanics while gaining strides in the action department. It feels good in the hands in ways that its contemporaries don’t, zipping the player all around the map.
The science fiction storytelling of Ever 17: The Out of Infinity makes this an extended thought provoking adventure that is full of many layers. Despite how packed the story is, things are presented in a manner that is generally easy to follow, which helps broaden the scope in a wonderful way.
The game is cute and charming, and seeing this wonderful property in all its LEGO glory makes for a fun experience. It’s a great co-op game, and it has the perfect runtime without outstaying its welcome.
When Ender Lilies came out, it was a game that captured that side-scrolling feeling perfectly. Ender Magnolia hits all the notes as well, but it follows a game that was more original with a more engaging story.
While the game pays homage to the educational games of the past, Gameloft swings and misses as this iteration lacks the charm and camp of what made those games such classics.
The game pays a fair homage to several of its influences such as some Atlus entries and also brings some good new ideas to the table. Learning Japanese is optional, but even for casual players vaguely interested in learning, some words will linger on their minds, and the didactic approach is a great idea.
With its compelling monster designs, riveting fights, and amazingly lush world, it’s bound to thrill and fill players with intrigue and wonder as they smoothly and effortlessly traverse beautifully crafted environments on their Seikret mount.
While it may not be the most meorable entry in the series, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II still has plenty that series fans thoroughly enjoy. Spending more time with the memorable and delightful cast is never a bad thing, and even though there are elements that don’t quite hit the same or feel a bit superfluous, there’s never any point where the game is in danger of becoming grating.
Everything in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Like a Dragon series dialed up to a hundred, and while other series would long ago have gotten stale, sometimes injecting a large dose of stupidity can go a long way.
Ultimately, Tales of Graces f Remastered is a game of peaks and valleys. For some, the combat alone will be enough to carry the experience while they ignore the narrative. For others, the characters will carry an otherwise average and unsatisfying plot.
Tails of Iron 2 is the poster child for a game that’s going to have a hard time winning over anyone who wasn’t already sold on its predecessor, not due to any lack of quality but because it essentially is its predecessor.
While the story lacks the narrative depth of its predecessor, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a sequel that knows what it is good at, and leans into it, delivering a sharper and more refined experience.
With short playthroughs that clock anywhere between an hour or two, I became obsessed with obtaining all of the endings, trying different hitchhiker skills, and just enjoying the ride through pixilated backgrounds with my Swedish indie pop in the CD player. While the game’s story is minimal, it’s a point in its favour as it allows the player to create their own road trip adventure.
While mixing RPG elements with a rhythm game isn’t a new thing by any means, the modern nostalgia that is evoked with Brace Yourself Games’ Rift of the Necrodancer is just a joy to experience.
Citizen Sleeper 2 is a timely story about hope in the face of collapse and how the inevitability of endings can’t negate nobility, sacrifice, or human connections. Although it doesn’t offer as much narrative freedom as suggested by its expansive maps, the strength and depth of its stories more than recommend a play.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a very welcome return for the series. Omega Force has done a fine job learning from its previous collaborations to help inject a fresh feeling into the game, while retaining the strengths that have given it such success in the past.
There is a decided shift from a light-hearted adventure to a grueling difficulty spike against a lot of bosses in the second half that takes some adjusting to, but the great gameplay and stunning presentation shine throughout.