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At the end of the day, my playthrough of Guardian of Rebirth clocked in at right around 39 hours. Future Blessings was shorter and disjointed, but it still took me about 16-17 hours to complete. In total, the Banquet of Rainbows compilation took me somewhere in the ballpark of 55-56 hours to complete. Despite some issues with the translation and the lack of a viewable flowchart, I was quite pleased with my time investment. Interestingly, there was an anime adaptation of the first title released in late 2017 and there is a follow-up game planned for localization sometime in 2019. If it’s any indication of my feelings towards the story, I plan to give both of those a look too. Code: Realize ~Banquet of Rainbows~ is available exclusively for PS4 (in North America) at an MSRP of $49.99 USD. There are also the Vita versions of Guardian of Rebirth and Future Blessings. A Switch version was recently released in Japan, so a North American release of that is also likely at some point. Given the abundance of content and its overall quality, I’d say this one’s definitely worth your time.
This is unacceptable for a $5 game, let alone Crimson Keep’s $20 asking price. After dozens of attempts and five hours I will never get back, I managed to get to the third level once, then almost immediately starved to death. Crimson Keep is a thrown-together mess that feels like it only got halfway through its development cycle before being shoved into the limelight. The only people I could possibly recommend this game to are the most hardcore eShop collectors, but that’s only if my conscience stops screaming at me to take that statement back. I don’t know if the Steam version is any better, but because of this I have no desire to find out. Give this a hard pass and randomly generate your way to something better.
Overall I liked Lamplight City, but I just felt a little disappointed. Sure the atmosphere and characters were great, and the story was fine for the most part, but looking at it critically it doesn’t do what it sets out to. You might get some enjoyment for the $14.99 this game normally costs. I really hope the developers expand on this idea more in the future, because I feel like it has a lot of potential. The issue is just that it falls a little flat in its execution. If you’re a fan of point-and-click games then I definitely recommend that you pick this one up. If you’re not a fan, I don’t think this is really going to change your mind.
If you can get past the difficulty of the game, there is a real gem here. And they did not skimp on the content. I finished the game at just under 11 hours and with just over 60% of the map completed. Like other Metroidvania games, you are encouraged to go back to previous areas with new abilities that you have unlocked. Thankfully the map system makes it fairly easy to see which areas you have not completely explored, and also clearly label paths that require a specific ability to unlock. I hope that this game does not remain largely missed in the greater gaming landscape, it is truly a great title. But to be fair, I didn’t even know about the first one until I played the Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition. But I can say this one is one of the better examples of the Metroidvania sub-genre, and is easy to recommend at it’s $19.99 asking price. DrinkBox just doesn’t seem to be interested in making a bad game or a cash grab, for which they should receive all the support in the world. Hop in and save the Mexiverse, who wouldn’t want a taco truck on every corner?
I could go on, but the point remains: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is clearly an essential part of every Switch owner’s library. Complaints come down to mostly nitpicks, but the dazzling cast of characters, splendid stages, multitude of multiplayer modes, and much more are just as addicting as the core gameplay around them has been since the series’ genesis back in 1999.
You’ll probably spend at least 15-20 hours or more, depending on how much you get stuck and how badly (and whether you use a guide). The game doesn’t have very much replay value either, and the Switch version does not have achievements like the others do. I greatly enjoyed the charming art style and music during my 15 or so hours with the game, but the gameplay just doesn’t live up to that at all. Candle: The Power of the Flame is available on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $19.99. Can you help Teku save the world before it falls to greed once more?
I truly am pleased I finally got the opportunity to play Sundered on my Switch. Eldritch Edition is a fantastic version of the game, offering just enough new content to sate the appetite of new players, while offering reasons for existing players to delve back in. For $19.99, you get a lot of adventure to enjoy, full of challenge and a twisted and diabolical story. I spent about 13 hours beating the game once, thoroughly searching out and killing all the optional minibosses and unlocking the Magnate of the Gong fight. After finally playing this, I’m eagerly looking forward to whatever the next project is that Thunder Lotus develops. In the meantime, I’ll be beating the game to get the other 2 endings. If you are looking for a reason to embrace madness and have a great time in the process, Sundered: Eldritch Edition is well worth your time.
I have to say, while I thought the story was a bit lacking and some of the unlocking felt like a grind, I had a wonderful time with the Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection. The gameplay is still rock solid, the characters and animations have improved over the last outing, and there is tons of replay value here. I loved all the playlists and the VR model viewer was a nice touch as well. I know folks may think the $99 price tag is a bit high, but that’s 33 bucks a game for three pretty great games, so I don’t really think that is too bad personally. If you’re a Persona fan this a must-own collection of titles, and if you’re just a fan of great rhythm games in general, you’ll find a lot to love here as well!
Battle Princess Madelyn is what a classic throwback should be. It mixes the old and the new seamlessly together and is probably one of best quality indie titles I’ve played in a while. I put around 10 hours into this one and there were plenty of secrets left to discover. While I may have some complaints about the gameplay here, don’t take that as sign that Battle Princess Madelyn is a bad game. Games like this were never really my cup of tea, but I know there are those out there that love hardcore platforming challenges like this, and if you are one of those people go buy this game now. At $19.99 it’s a fantastic value, and you will love every minute of it!
Desert Child is indeed a very special release. It’s not only unique in being an M-rated indie on the Switch, but it’s also perhaps the most impressive indie title that I’ve played in years. Every aspect of the game is teeming with originality and the passion of the developer comes across clear as day. That’s to be expected though, as creator Oscar Brittain created nearly every aspect of the game himself. The relatively short gameplay certainly detracts from the game’s overall score, but I can mostly look past this given how impressive my time with it was. I’d say that this one lies somewhere between a 4.25 and a 4.5 on the review scale. Desert Child released for all major platforms on December 11, 2018. I played the Switch version, but it can also be downloaded on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam. At just $11.99 on any of them, I can’t recommend it enough.
Despite some problems I found with the game, I did enjoy Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. Though it’s not a deep or particularly compelling story, it’s still a fun nod to games of the past with some new bells and whistles. There’s a lot of replay value if you want to 100% the game, including solving all the puzzles, finding all the items and upgrading all the equipment. The charm mostly shines through, and I’m still happy to see games like this on modern consoles. It’s also worth noting this was far more enjoyable than Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, as far as successors go. For $39.99 you’ll get a meaty adventure with lots of platforming, boss slaying and drunken wizardry. So long as you can look past the rough last part of the game and some frustrating dungeons, you’ll get along with Jin and company just fine.
Revenant Dogma feels like a game that is cobbled together with mediocre and, at times, inferior RPG parts. As a sequel, it fails to respectably and coherently continue the storyline of the first game, instead abandoning many of the plot elements that made the first game remarkable. Taken on its own, it’s not completely terrible, earning a 2.5/5 rating, but only barely. It’s difficult to recommend this game and I would sooner recommend Revenant Saga, if you haven’t yet played it, as well as other, stronger Kemco games like Asdivine Hearts or Antiquia Lost. As a fan of Revenant Saga and knowing that Kemco is capable of more, I expected far better.
Tetris Effect is the full realization of what Miziguchi set out to do when he first made Lumines all those years ago. In a word, Tetris Effect is transcendent: the perfect synchronization of puzzle game, art, and music. Beyond the sights and sounds, it’s got killer-app worthy PSVR compatibility. I’ve already spent a good five hours on Effect, and I’m not done yet thanks to its various extra modes. Who would have thought that a Tetris game would be considered as a Game of the Year contender? Videos and screenshots alone aren’t enough to explain its genius; you only have to experience it yourself to see it.
Fire Pro Wrestling World has a number of minor, but noticeable flaws in its execution. What saves it from a death-by-a-thousand-cuts scenario is that the creation options and the gameplay (mostly the gameplay) are simply too fun to rate this game anything below above average. While the PC version can be and has been modded to hell and back, the PS4 version is a solid option with a dedicated, creative community behind it. The base game’s asking price is $50, with the season pass for extra content down the line costing another $50. Even without the season pass I’ve more than gotten my fill, clocking in over 35 hours and counting across the whole game. Either tap into that fighting spirit or, as Taka Michinoku says, “Just! Tap! Out!”
At the end of the day (having played the game for about 2 weeks (roughly 1-1.5 hr/day), I came back to that initial question that I set out with – What unique element sets this game apart from all the others? The gameplay is pretty standard fare, the music is nice, but unmemorable, and there is no defined story or end goal. The one aspect that did stand out to me was the quality of the animations. I can’t put my finger on why, but the animations used for a lot of the larger enemies, bosses, and even the backgrounds were really impressive to me. Were they game-changing? I wouldn’t go that far, but they definitely impressed me and helped make the game feel somewhat distinct. Fast Striker currently retails for $6.99 on the PSN. Playing on PS4 is a much nicer experience than on the Vita, but this type of game tends to work best when played in shorter bursts or while on the go. If you’re interested in the limited physical editions, PlayAsia still has both PS4 and Vita copies. Given the low price point and overall level of enjoyment that I received, I’d say this one’s still worth a look.
Frankly, I should have bought Celeste a long time ago, but I’m glad I finally made my way the mountain. It’s a perfect example of why I love both indies and platformers. It’s also easily the best platformer I’ve played this year. For $19.99 you get a robust package full of challenge, heart and mystery. This small cast of characters really charmed me, and the gameplay itself was pitch perfect. Though I played it with the default settings, you can turn on many helpful features to make things a bit easier. I had gotten about 1300 deaths and 81 strawberries the first time I beat the game, and since starting this review I’ve already added plenty more to both tallies. I honestly love this indie gem, and can’t recommend it highly enough. Go do yourself a favor and climb this mountain!
These issues do lower the score a bit and affect my overall enjoyment of the game. That being said, the portability factor is a huge one. Is this the definitive version of Dark Souls? No, I would say that belongs to Dark Souls Remastered on PC (or maybe current gen consoles). But if you just want to go through the game for the 20th time and you want to do so on the go, this is a really quality release. I can’t recommend it for PVP due to the lag, and you would generally not want to do that on the go with WiFi anyways. So this is a great release, as long as you know what you are getting. It certainly justifies the full $59.99 price, but I don’t think that I can recommend paying for the Nintendo Online service just to PVP in this game. What I can recommend is taking this game on long trips, like I did a couple weeks ago, and just soaking in that glorious Soulsborne horror while you are sitting in bed.
Overall, for more avid fans of the horror genre, Home Sweet Home can provide a middling but decent experience. The main issue is that I wish most aspects of the game were developed more. If there were more to the story and environments, the atmosphere could’ve been more unnerving, as everything had more meaning. There are plans for a sequel, so perhaps Yggdrazil Group could do just that to make a more vivid experience. If they were to use more of a variety of superstitions and give them more screen time, it could lead to an interesting development for Tim and what they all mean to him. However, in the end, it may be best to wait for a price drop, as $16.99 is rather steep for what amounts to three to four hours of game. It is an okay game with decent ideas, but there could’ve been more to the package.
Games like Twinkle Star Sprites occupied a space within the shooter genre that doesn’t get a whole lot of attention – the competitive shooter. Those games stood out because they dared to be different and put a weird spin on the genre and I always wondered why more developers didn’t try and expand on the ideas that game brought to the table. Rival Megagun seems to do just that. It took elements from it and delivers a package that is not only fun, but offers something you don’t often see. For $14.99, some may say that the game is lacking in content, but personally it was so much fun to play, I felt it worth the price of admission. This is the kind of game I can come back to or would want to show my friends because I can see us having a ton of fun playing.
Pyre is a wonderful experience. The story is captivating and the characters are full of charm and depth. It’s a pleasure to become invested in their tales and natural to come to care for them throughout their struggles. I would have appreciated more detail, though, for both story and characters, as I feel there is too much that is glossed over or never properly developed. The gameplay, while not revolutionary and somewhat tangent to the visual novel style of narrative, is still clever and fun, especially with the variety the characters can bring to your strategy. The visuals are simply incredible, yet I feel the soundtrack wasn’t quite up to the same levels as Transistor or Bastion. Regardless of its shortcomings, Pyre delivers in enjoyment. With my reading speed, conducting practice Rites, and my just taking in the atmosphere, my first playthrough took about 10 hours. That does not include subsequent playthroughs and discovering all of the individual and paired endings the game offers. Although I’m giving this a 3.5/5, it only just misses the 4/5 mark. With its intrigue and originality, Pyre is definitely a game that delivers enjoyment and is unquestionably worth playing.