Noisy Pixel
HomepageNoisy Pixel's Reviews
Guilty Gear -Strive- is the premier fighting game for the next generation of gaming. At launch, the experience feels complete with an in-depth single-player, robust multiplayer, and plenty of great extras. It has, without a doubt, the best 2.5D graphics featuring unreal fluidity in its animation. The gameplay is superbly refined and engaging, featuring a roster of imaginative characters with uniquely contrasting fighting styles. What once was an obscure fighting game has now become a genre leader, like a small-town rock band selling out stadiums.
Neptunia ReVerse is a title that sticks too closely to its roots to be a standout, next-gen experience. Despite the presence of a moderately entertaining gameplay loop, decent mechanics, and delightful character banter, the embarrassingly feeble graphical quality, lack of innovation for the series, and disturbingly overt reliance on old systems from a Vita remake from over half a decade ago brings this experience down more than a few notches.
Backbone dwells into the dark reality of a dystopian world full of corruption and injustice. Though the game has some gameplay issues and the story isn’t as long and well-paced as I had hoped, it brought a gorgeous cityscape with a comprehensive narrative. The dialogue is well-written, and the plot is greatly engaging, as it keeps you desiring to know what could happen next in the life of Howard Lotor.
Mighty Goose is a guns-blazing run-and-gunner that wears its Metal Slug inspiration on its sleeve. With hectic combat and a colorful design, it’s a fun action experience that knows how to use its comedy vein well. If you’ve ever felt the need to play as a powerful space goose, your prayers have been answered.
Wing of Darkness doesn’t have enough time to really make its mark. Its 2-hour runtime and lack of customization or unlockables give little reason to return after the credits. It’s a shame because these characters are extremely likable and you can’t help but want to see their mission through. Here’s to hoping more comes from this series.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers offers enough zany action to shine through any flaws presented during the hectic missions. The story keeps itself in the absurdity of Tokusatsu that sells the overall experience. Still, the combat system can be frustrating, which shows up more given the enormous amount of playable missions, but it’s undeniable this content will keep you playing for hours to come.
Sunblaze will push your platforming skills to the limit. Still, as the challenge rises, so does the knowledge that everything in this game can be overcome with a few well-timed jumps and dashes. The charming design is contrasted by the bloody obstacles that await each level, creating a fun challenge that won’t leave you with too many broken controllers.
Wicce can be really rough in places, but you can find a short and sweet gem that shows love for the platforming and action genres in it. Still, some issues hinder the charm of this experience with needed quality-of-life improvements and additional playtesting. Regardless, I wouldn’t mind seeing going on more Wicce adventures in the future.
Astalon: Tears of the Earth is an unexpected masterpiece of retro designs blended so delicately with modern roguelite elements. Death doesn’t punish the player as much as it sets them up with improved ways to approach situations. There’s a sense of discovery in every area, but this does limit direction causing some confusion when trying to figure out where to go. Further, bosses can be underwhelming compared to normal enemies, which creates an awkward balance of challenge. Regardless, this is the must-play game of the summer.
The LiEat trilogy presents a lite visual novel esque adventure with a charming duo of protagonists and through a whimsical narrative. While the questionable implementation of combat is puzzling, and the collectively 3-hour play-time for the entire trilogy can be understandable turn-offs, I find the characterizations and soundtrack more than enough to give these games a try.
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown appears to be a test to see if a revival would be feasible for this series to modern consoles. There seems to be a push to get this game in as many hands as possible to gauge interest and show that Virtua Fighter can still put up a fight. Thankfully, the updated systems, balances, and visuals make this a worthy fighter, but a lot rides on the competitive modes.
Stonefly provides an intriguing premise that lends itself to strange and fantastical gameplay. With an emphasis on aerial piloting, the combat and exploration give ample control while not feeling too fast for the laid-back spirit. While it can be confusing to shuffle through the various materials, power-up formulas can be brute-forced when necessary. Stonefly smartly lets the player control its tempo without lingering for too long, which appeals to all kinds of gamers.
Sumire is built on more narrative than adventure. Replayability comes with multiply play-throughs that add more insight to the situation and alter the conclusion. Through its childish design, Sumire covers exceptionally complicated topics that are both enchanting and thought-provoking. While the slow pacing and overall gameplay loop might hinder progression for some, I believe this to be a gem of a game.
World’s End Club is a product of some of the greatest minds in adventure storytelling. The story of the Go-Getters Club will emotionally move you in many ways through the narrative, only to be held back by unresponsive and limited platforming gameplay segments. It acts as a way for this team to step outside of their comfort zone while still being influenced by their strengths to create an unforgettable story of friendship and hope. Sadly, it requires players to look past quite a bit to fully enjoy.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World stands out as a pleasant journey packed with congenial level design, delightful visuals, and an uncomplicated but effective gameplay loop. While the combat is relatively mindless in execution, the incorporation of movement and attacking is so excellently done that this fault rarely muddled the exuberance I felt. If anything, though, I ultimately feel like there is a well of untapped potential, especially regarding the enemy design being as simplistically elementary as it was.
Eagle Island Twist is a fun expansion with a large variety of stages to play through, whether you’re a returning player or new to the title. It delivers in quantity and quality of level designs with added challenges and accessibility for all genre fans to take on. This variety still comes at the cost of a few reused gimmicks, but very little holds this game from being entertaining.
Quantum Replica is a broken experience. Its challenge stems from awkward control schemes and unfair systems, while the buggy and unresponsive maneuvering makes sure you’re rarely having any fun. As cool as this game may look at a glance, it quickly loses that qualifier after 30 minutes of gameplay.
What the Dub is a lot of fun, even with a few hiccups that will hopefully be implemented in future updates or possibly a sequel. It’s charming in presentation, takes the best form of competition, and manages to stand out among them. I eagerly anticipate either a sequel or another party game from this team, as they truly deserve their space at any party.
Rising Hell is a standout roguelite that isn’t trying to break your budget. Those new to the genre and diehards alike will find plenty of depth to this challenging skill-based experienced. Its lasting power is yet to be seen, but bursts of gameplay provide enough to warrant multiple playthroughs as you try to get further. Rising Hell delivers a unique spin on the roguelite formula and creates a balanced experience for any who plays.
Biomutant comes out the gate incredibly strong with high customization and a stunning world to explore. Players have agency over the adventure through interactions providing an immersive experience unique to the player, making it a must-play for any action-adventure fan. However, the more time you spend in this world, the more you notice where it could be improved. As some missions become less fun with no help from the low difficulty, you'll likely want to speed past some portions. Still, that's one small issue to an otherwise grand adventure full of wonderful features, gameplay, and beauty that can't be overlooked.