oprainfall
Homepageoprainfall's Reviews
So that about sums up my thoughts on Graveyard Keeper. It’s a really fun game whenever it’s not being tedious. If the game had some sort of faster travelling system or even just a run button, it would make traversing the map a ton more fun. As it sits right now I love this game, but looking at it critically it may not be for everyone. Because as much as I love the premise, the execution is a little lacking. You do get a lot of bang for your buck, seeing as how I clocked in at a little over 50 hours for about $20 on Steam, which is a lot of play time. But when most of it is tedious grinding, it doesn’t really help the game’s case.
This is one of the best games in the Senran Kagura franchise. The story here is what started it all and some will find it a bit dark compared to the stories we get today. I loved it back in 2013 and my feelings on it have not changed to this day. These characters are so well written that I felt connected to them and that is why I fell in love with this series to begin with. The fan service is great and it wouldn’t be Senran Kagura without it, but there is a deep, rich story here with amazing girls underneath all that. That has not changed even to this day, even though some of newer titles go much harder on the fan service. The combat in this game is a ton of fun, and if this is one of the best soundtracks in all of gaming. It will take right around 8 hours to complete each squad’s story and there’s a ton of free missions to play with as well. It’s worth every penny of the $39.99 price tag, and if you’ve ever wanted to explore the series for the first time, now is the perfect time to do so. If you’re like me and have loved it since 2013, picking this up is a no brainier.
With the main game split into eight acts, it took me a little over four hours to get through Engage mode. There is some enjoyment to be had floating around a derelict space station for a bit, but in the end it comes off as a game which isn’t bad per se, doesn’t particularly excel at much. The various design pieces don’t quite fit together, but are forced to fit like an impatient kid with a 100-piece jigsaw puzzle. For $19.99, considering how short the game ended up being and the technical issues affecting the experience, I’d give Downward Spiral: Horus Station a chance if there were a decent sale, but a pass at full price.
If you’ve never experienced Atelier Rorona there is no time like the present. Atelier Rorona ~The Alchemist of Arland~ DX is the best release of the game to date, and while some may find the price of these re-releases a little steep at around $90 for all three, this is a quality title with hours and hours of gameplay to be had. The inclusion of the DLC and the fact it is portable if you snag it up on the Switch still make this a pretty attractive purchase at what breaks down to 30 bucks a title.
In the end, I did enjoy Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, but it felt like a placeholder until we get No More Heroes 3. It’s not all bad, and I did enjoy a lot of it, but when everything is coupled with a very perplexing ending, I wasn’t sure what to think. Thankfully, it’s pretty inexpensive at $29.99 for the digital version, and if you are a completionist, there’s a lot to do after you beat the game, such as finding secrets, buying T-shirts and getting better scores. I only managed to get one A in my time with the game, and many Cs and a couple Bs. If that wasn’t enough, a recent update added New Game+ and the Spicy difficulty, if you feel like a tough guy. And if you bought the physical version, you’ll be able to try out two DLC adventures in coming months (or pay for them individually digitally). Sure, the game didn’t go at all where I expected, and played rather differently from previous games, but it’s also a good reminder of the mad genius of Suda51. His capacity to constantly take risks and reinvent his games is impressive, even if it does occasionally provide mixed results. If nothing else, at least it seems likely we won’t have to wait too much longer for the next game…
I really wish JackQuest: The Tale of the Sword could have lived up to my initial expectations, but sadly it just kept finding ways to frustrate me. While it’s not technically unplayable or broken, it’s also derivative and unsatisfying. It’d be one thing if this was an early concept or even a free demo, but asking $9.99 for a game this basic is ludicrous. My only hope is that the developer will learn from his mistakes with this game and future projects can benefit from a lot more polish. It’s fine for a game to be simple, but that’s not an excuse for a rushed mess. Unless you really love basic games, I can’t recommend JackQuest, unless it’s dramatically on sale. As it is now, this Tale is more of a cautionary one.
When all was said and done, I had only spent five to six hours in total with the game (perhaps seven if you count the first hour of lost progress). While some may take issue with this, keep in mind that with a price tag of just $24.99, buying this game is comparable to seeing one or two really good movies. Or if you prefer, think of it as taking five or six hours to stroll through a special art exhibit. I can say that in my experience with it, it certainly strengthened my opinions about video games and the art world. Had the game been slightly longer and had it been free from some of the technical issues with its gameplay, I could easily have seen myself giving this a 5/5. Keeping in mind that those bugs can be addressed with future patches and updates, I’m happy to settle with a 4 instead (though it really deserves a 4.25). Vane is currently available for digital download on the PlayStation Store. If you enjoy artistic puzzle games and you’ve been looking for something new and unique, you will enjoy this game.
Overall, HoPiKo is a game with well designed levels and mechanics but is held back by the controls, as far as the Switch version is concerned. If there was far more consistency in regards to going from platform to platform, then going by muscle memory would be viable. As it stands however, many times I felt like I got through a level by mere luck alone. If it weren’t for that, the game would be more along the lines of a 4/5. If the touchpad allowed the player to merely tap on where they wanted to go, then perhaps everything would’ve been more feasible on the Switch. With a standard price of $9.99 and multiple worlds with 11 levels each, combined with good replay value, it’s otherwise worth the price alone. As such, perhaps it might be best to look into the other versions to see how they handle before buying.
At the end of the day, I loved this game when I reviewed it years ago, and Koei Tecmo has given me a wonderful port with even more content. I know some will think the $39.99 price tag is a bit much. But I still feel with this amount of content and the fact you’re getting the best portable version of the game ever, that it is totally worth it. I mean, they say some things age badly, while others age like fine wine. Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition is an example of the finest wine!
All in all, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight was worth the wait. It’s a wonderful experience on Switch that I’d recommend to all fans of Metroidvanias. While it’s true that it is very short, there is a bit of replay value. First, there are two endings to get. Secondly, there are different difficulty settings you can try, if you crave a bit more challenge. There’s also a hidden boss fight and New Game + with added difficulty. Sadly the achievements found in other versions aren’t present here, which is a missed opportunity. While I do wish there was more to do, I can’t deny I had a good time playing it. $14.99 may sound a bit pricey for a short adventure, but I feel it’s worth it. Worst case scenario, you can always pick it up on Switch when the game goes on sale. If you want a short and sweet game to play, you can’t go wrong here.
Overall, NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is a very charming and enjoyable little point-and-click adventure game for the Nintendo Switch. I really enjoyed both the story and the art style quite a bit. It will take you probably 10-15 hours tops to complete your adventure, depending on how much you get stuck here or there on certain puzzles. I spent around 10 hours or so on my adventure and learning about the Tower of Shirin for this review. The game is available on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $9.99. You can also get it on PC via Steam. Can you solve all of the puzzles and reach the top of the Tower of Shirin?
Overall, I was really impressed by Double Cross. It was an ambitious project from 13AM Games that succeeded in raising expectations for what you can expect from the team. While I’ve enjoyed the other titles from them, this one stood out, thanks to the clever plot, the characters and the platforming. Yes, it has some minor issues, but those can mostly be overlooked. For $9.99 you get at least 5-7 hours of game, and that’s if you just rush through. If you’re a completionist, there’s even more fun to be had, collecting all the Upgradium and achieving the various Commendations (basically in-game achievements). If you enjoy platformers and a quirky cast, you’ll enjoy this one. I’m impressed by 13AM’s latest outing, and hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Zahra Sinclair and the RIFT!
I feel like Gensokyo Defenders is a mixed bag at the end of the day. The story and music are pretty weak, but the gameplay and artwork are top notch. I feel Touhou fans would certainly have fun with this one for the gameplay alone and fans of Tower Defense games will find a lot to love here as well. I just wouldn’t go into this one expecting super high production values at its $19.99 price tag, but if you want a solid Tower Defense game, this one is very likely worth your coin.
So yes, we got another Darksiders and perhaps that in itself is a victory. I only wish the experience was stronger in its entirety instead of feeling like a first effort. The first Darksiders, a true first effort, was a stronger production overall, which only makes this game’s flaws more evident. There is still plenty of enjoyment to be had and long-term fans will most definitely find and appreciate it. Truly though, I had high expectations for Darksiders III and can only hope this is just a one-time exception in what will hopefully be a longer-lasting series.
There is definitely an audience for a game like The Walking Vegetables but unfortunately it might not be the game for me. I would have preferred it to have been a bit more traditional and less random. If you are really into rogue-likes and can deal with the unpredictable nature and lengthy process for acquiring skills, you will find the game to be a lot of fun and even rewarding with a lot of replay value. If that sounds up your alley, I would say add as much as an extra star to the score below. There is also a two player co-op mode and an even more difficult “Too Hard Mode” for you to challenge. So the $9.99 asking price gets you a good game with some solid replay value, as long as you are willing to put up with some of the quirkier aspects of it.
In the end, Halloween Forever is merely okay. For $4.99, it’s a perfectly reasonable purchase despite the short length and simple replay value. For what was a solo project, it is a fine enough experience, especially since the artwork and animations were done in Photoshop of all things. As such, many of the issues explained above are far more forgivable than normal. So props to you Peter Lazarski. I hope the game was an excellent learning experience all the same.
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?