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For me DJMax Respect feels like the elite club that’s always full on Friday night with a long line at the entrance. If you’re dedicated to improving yourself and work hard and diligently you can finally get in and enjoy it with the elite, but the road to get there is just as fun, so it’s worth taking the challenge if Rhythm games are your thing.
So my final thoughts on Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor are that the game is a great game hidden inside of a good game. There are a lot of really neat concepts here, but I felt like they weren’t really that well expanded upon as much as they could have been. The game is 10 hours long and is at a really good price of only $9.99 on Steam, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you plan on doing a lot of tedious work for a few laughs. If you need a good game to play off and on again then I would give this a try, but if you’re looking for something to just sit and beat in a couple sittings then this really isn’t the game for you.
X-Morph: Defense‘s blending of shooter and tower defense is a cool idea that works well on its own. However, the game often feels frantic, as it’s not uncommon for it to make the player feel spread too thin and unable to deal with everything that’s happening all at once. You have to watch your map for new attacks, patch your defenses mid-battle sometimes, regularly collect debris of fallen enemies in the heat of battle to get more resources, and also keep an eye on the map for incoming artillery that will destroy your towers and generally be a big pain in your behind. So you’ve got a lot to manage at times! The game can be a blast when its fun, but other times it can feel quite unfair. It took me about 20 hours to get through both the main campaign and the DLC campaign. If you like a challenge, there is plenty more play time to be had on higher difficulties, and even more if you go for a gold victory on every mission. X-Morph: Defense is available on Steam for $19.99, and it is also on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The European Assault DLC campaign is $4.99. Do you have what it takes to hold off the human assaults and secure the resources buried deep in the Earth for the benefit of alien kind?
Overall, Bomberslinger is a proper tribute to classic Bomberman games. Despite my praise for the game however, I would like to add a caveat. For fans of the classic games, Bombslinger is a rewarding experience. If one does not follow the classic games however, the experience can very much be dampened, leading to a solid but merely okay adventure. For $11.99 on Steam and Nintendo Switch, it is worth considering what one expects from this game. Overall, I played for about 5-7 hours for this review. In the end, let’s hope this inspires even more developers like Mode4 to provide their takes on other classic franchises.
Eat Beat Dead Spike-san’s mobile roots definitely shine through in the Switch version, both in its visuals and in what it is. If you go in expecting a robust rhythm game experience you’re going to be disappointed, but if you’re looking for a decent BlazBlue-themed time waster then you could definitely do worse (Remember BlazBlue Revolution Reburning? I do, unfortunately). I didn’t exactly expect much going into it, and what I found was a decently fun little rhythm game that plays well and has a cute art style and sense of humor. I wasn’t disappointed with what I played, and I would still recommend it if you’re interested, but part of me wishes that there was more to it. It’s not a bad way to spend time for $7 USD on the eShop, actually costing roughly $4 less than the mobile version with all its DLC while coming with three extra songs and better controls. How long you get out of Eat Beat Dead Spike-san depends on how deep you want to go and how long it keeps your interest – I’ve gotten a good few hours out of it myself so far, although I haven’t tackled all of the songs on Hard mode yet – especially since it actually can get quite difficult as you start doing songs on Hard, but I can see myself coming back to the game from time to time when the mood strikes me.
All in all, I was mostly pleased with Ash of Gods: Redemption. It attempts to mesh two vastly different genres and mostly succeeds. While there are rough spots that were frustrating, I still was able to get through the game without too much difficulty. After my time with the game, I got about 32% of the achievements, meaning there’s still a lot left to discover, including at least six more endings. Though some aspects of the game weren’t as streamlined as I would have liked, I still managed to enjoy my time with it. For $24.99, you really can’t go wrong, especially if you’re a fan of tactical RPGs.
I enjoyed my time with Witch and the Hundred Knight 2. I thought the changes to combat did make it a little too simple and going through certain areas dragged on and became a little boring. This was offset however by the fun upgrade system for the weapons. I was always wanting to hunt down something bigger and more bad ass to slay the hordes of monsters. This was very satisfying when I got that awesome drop and took it back to the atelier and buffed it to the moon. It was a great feeling to go back and lay waste to wave after wave of baddies. If the stages had a bit more variety I would’ve scored this one higher, since I think that would’ve really made it stand out. The story is a mixed bag. It’s very predictable, but I really grew to like some of the cast by the end of the game even if they were terrible assholes to start with. This one took me about 35 hours to finish and I got the true ending. If you were a fan of the first game then you should pick this one up for sure, you will find a lot to love here for the $59.99 pricetag. If you disliked the tone or gameplay of the first game then there’s nothing here that is going to change your mind.
I have to say I really enjoyed my time with Gal*Gun 2. The gameplay flows much better than the first time around. While I found this game a little on easy side I think that actually helped the tone feel more silly, which is what they were going for here. I had a few issues with objects being sucked into my sweeper and blocking my aim and few other random glitches, but it was not enough to spoil my fun at all. Spent around 10 hours with this one and obtained 3 endings. There are couple more you could go for here, and the score attack mode is pretty nice as well since it seems gives you a little more freedom in exploring each level, so I feel there is plenty of bang for your buck here at $60. If you were a fan of Gal*Gun Double Peace this is a no-brainer, pick this up ASAP. If you like Rail Shooters you’ll find a lot to love here as well. You can even use Gyro aiming on the PlayStation 4 if you wish. I played with this a few minutes and it functioned well it seems, but I’m not a big fan of motion controls. At the end of the day if you want some over the top fun with cute girls and some crazy Ecchi, Gal*Gun 2 will deliver.
On a platform that already has dozens of acclaimed platformers, like Celeste, Shovel Knight, and Sonic Mania (I could just go on and on), Shadow Bug is a genuine surprise addition to such esteemed company. It crept up with the makings of a sleeper hit, and it deserves greater recognition. The default control scheme is delightfully intuitive and the level design takes great advantage of it. The lack of story and short length are the only downsides to an overall fun, short-but-sweet escapade. For your next Switch platforming fixation, at the bargain price of $8.99, Shadow Bug is the successor apparent.
In the end, I don’t regret my time with Edo Blossoms. While I am disappointed, I did enjoy getting to know these people. The tale of the Shinsengumi men is one that I will not soon forget. Nor will I forget the struggles Chizuru had to go through. However, I expect better from both Idea Factory Japan and especially Idea Factory International. Hopefully, the company decides to bring over Hakuoki: Shinkai – Fuukaden for the PlayStation 4 and give Hakuoki the treatment I know only IFI can.
Still, while Attack on Titan 2 does have issues, I can certainly recommend this even to people with only a passing interest in the show. It’s a little janky, and the repetitiveness eventually overshadows the novelty, but it’s a fun ride. I got about 35 hours out of it before I put it down, and that’s not too shabby. There could easily be folks out there that could get far more out of it, as I didn’t even touch the higher difficulty mode you unlock after beating the game. I think the only thing that would give me pause is the game’s price. It’s currently $60, and I’d personally wait until you could get it for maybe $40 or so.
I can’t say I really enjoyed my time with Assault Gunners HD Edition. I think the control scheme is terrible, the music is bland, the mission variety is lacking, and the story is uninteresting. I spent about six hours with this one and completed all 35 missions and the 12 DLC missions. Inferno mode is also included. This is a horde mode where enemies come in waves, so if this gameplay is your cup of tea this will extend playtime quite a bit. If you’re really starved for a mech game you might find some enjoyment out of this if you can look past all these issues, since it’s not very expensive at $11.99 with the DLC. Otherwise you should likely wait for a better offer down the line.
While there wasn’t a huge drop in the art quality, you can still tell that the full Studio Ghibli backing was not there because of how few monster designs there are. More noticeable was the serious drop in music quality. The only really memorable song in the game was a remastering of the theme song from the first Ni No Kuni. The music isn’t exactly bad, it’s just nowhere near the quality that I was expecting after the first game. And that’s my overall feeling with this game. I do sincerely hope our readers have more fun with this game than I did, I likely would have had more fun if I never played the first title. This is not a bad game, just uneven and has a lot of different ideas thrown in without spending enough time in the oven. I wouldn’t call it a waste of your $59.99 even with the much shorter story. 30 hours is still not bad for a game, even a JRPG, and if you want to max out everything in the game it is double that. But if you end up going through the game and like it at all, I strongly recommend you go back and play Wrath of the White Witch, that is a true classic. Hopefully there will be a third game in this series that can get back to those heights.
The game only offers four acts which are a bit shorter than what you find in games like Ace Attorney (the game can be completed in 3 hours), but the quality of the art, music and writing compensates it. The fourth act also features several endings which depend on choices previously made. If you are looking for an entertaining adventure with unusual and beautiful art, Aviary Attorney is a good adventure game sold for $14.99 on Steam.
Pit People is a wild ride from beginning to end, and I can only wonder what The Behemoth will show us next. But for now I really recommend this game if you’re already familiar with previous games made by this developer, fans of strategy in general, or if you wanna have some fun in a senseless world filled with charming little people.
An ominous feeling of despair and lunacy prevails over The Long Reach, with Calvin trapped in a mad game that gets more insane the deeper it goes. Between the lives lost and minds gone insane, it all builds up to a mid-game twist that will most certainly amuse you. The Long Reach is ultimately short and to the point. Repeat playthroughs should clock in at two and a half hours, while your first time through should be longer as you figure out puzzle solutions and experience the story for the first time. Gameplay and the presentation are mostly solid even with some technical issues notwithstanding. With the resurgence of point-and-click adventures in the wake of Thimbleweed Park, you could do a lot worse.
Overall, Alphadia Genesis will provide a satisfying JRPG experience, with just enough story intrigue, compelling character interactions, a strong, yet overly familiar gameplay mechanic, and satisfying 2D visuals. Despite its missteps, fans of the JRPG genre and those intrigued by the Alphadia series can be assured that this will serve as an excellent stand-alone adventure, a worthy addition to the series, and a solid starting point for all newcomers.
Planetoid Pioneers is a pretty fun and cool little game, made by the same folks that made Cortex Command. The game has no time limits and allows the player to explore and build freely, so you can progress at your own pace. The Primoid can take 10-20 hours or more to complete, depending on how much you focus on progression as opposed to playing around with exploration, building, and physics. The other levels will add to this, and the Steam Workshop can make your play time nearly infinite. Planetoid Pioneers is available on Steam for the higher price of $19.99 now that it’s out of early access (was $9.99 before). The game’s current technical issues drag down the experience significantly, but hopefully the developers will get them ironed out as they continue updating the game. For now, it seems they may have left early access a bit too soon.
All in all, I feel Kirby Star Allies was well worth my time. For $59.99, I got around 16-20 hours out of the game and managed to 100% it. It did have some disappointing features, such as lacking a hidden unlockable final world (a mainstay for the series) and no Hard mode for the Story, but it makes up for it with a lot of variety and even more heart. It’s easily better than Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, but I don’t know if I prefer it to the duo of Triple Deluxe and Planet Robobot. The 3DS really did a great job of showcasing the potential of the series, though I do feel this is a step in the right direction for the console games. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll definitely get more out of the game, especially if you play it with friends. But even if you play it solo, Kirby Star Allies is a joyful and entertaining romp in the beloved series. Now for me to just cross my fingers and pray for a Kirby RPG next…
RiftStar Raiders has a lot of neat ideas on how to expand on the scrolling shooter with its penchant for upgradeable ships and densely packed levels. The difficulty gets in the way of that fun, however, and it’s not just because it’s a space shooter. Challenge should be handed out at a fairly steady clip, but RiftStar Raiders is punishing from the very first level. If replay value is your thing, then you’ll be kept busy for a good while replaying these nine levels for new high scores and farming currency to power up your ship. It’s clearly built for co-op, which would explain away the overwhelming odds you face in solo play. You’ll be kept plenty busy with the progression loop, but you’ll want to check yourself before you wreck yourself should the game’s high octane challenge be worth your time.