RPGamer's Reviews
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.
Darksiders II remains an entertaining, if somewhat by-the-book, romp that leans heavily into the bombastic design elements that fans of the series swear by and arguably contains the most RPG-inspired elements in the franchise.
River City Girls 2 is a fun game to knock out over a weekend, especially with a good friend, and I hope WayForward Technologies considers giving Misako, Kyoko, and friends another whacky adventure in the future.
While the game is certainly not without its flaws, its fun battle system, pleasing aesthetic, endearing story and characters, and the series’ trademark quirkiness make Brothership a return to form for Mario & Luigi.
The tight implementation and focus on the narrative works in HeistGeist’s favour, and its storytelling and gameplay do more than enough to make me interested should Alex ever return for more.
Its chaotic take on The Romance of Three Kingdoms offers some good amusement as its larger-than-life cast threatens to push it off the rails, and there is some small satisfaction in being able to just blow away all comers at times. However, those looking for some more finely-tuned combat and challenge, or any real in-depth gameplay, will need to search elsewhere.
Stemming from simplicity but giving a wide variety of different combat options, few games come close to matching the exhilarating rush that Sekiro’s best moments provide.
While the gameplay systems are solid, they aren’t enough of a positive to overcome that fans would likely receive a more complete narrative elsewhere. Add to that the game’s technical issues, and Fairy Tail 2 ends up being hard to recommend.