Kakuchopurei
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Dragon Age - The Veilguard is far from being a disaster that many internet haters are claiming it to be. It's a serviceable and high-budget comfort food-level action role-playing game. Though if I'm being fair, that's probably the worst thing a standout trendsetter company like Bioware can commit: something that straddles along the lines of "fine".
This strategy title offers some neat-yet-short challenges, a replayable roguelike structure that lets you mix and match new units as well as tons of unlocks and Metal Slug backstory lore to uncover, as well as features a slew of new mechanics that other future strategy titles should borrow from. [...] Metal Slug Tactics is a strange entry in the series, but a fresh and welcoming one indeed.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 may not unseat Black Ops 2 as my personal favourite, but it’s a worthy successor for those who crave high-energy, close-range action. The campaign is engaging, filled with intense moments and a solid storyline, while the multiplayer is relentless in its quest to keep players on the move.
While it's not the biggest game changer in the franchise ala Ys VIII, Ys X: Nordics is still a fun and smooth-sailing ride that truly throws you back to the days when Adol had less people to work with in the combat field. Having said that, new character Karja is a worthy addition and a tag-team player to go alongside Adol, and does help form a pretty fun-if-potentially-broken combat system involving tag-team moves that go in sync.
Life Is Strange Double Exposure is definitely more adventuring & choice-making for existing fans of the franchise, especially those who loved the first game and missed spending more time with Max Caulfield. That being said, this is probably one of the better games in the franchise despite the bugs & weak climax.
Visually, Fruitbus is a feast for the eyes, featuring adorable characters and charming landscapes that enrich the overall experience. The captivating graphics drew me in immediately, setting a memorable stage for this heartwarming tale of family and friendship. Despite its endearing qualities, Fruitbus feels like a work in progress. There’s potential for future updates to refine the experience, but as it currently stands, the game would benefit from immediate fixes to unlock its full charm.
Even with the already saturated sea of JRPGs this year, this Romancing SaGa remake is worthy of your time whether you played the 1993 original to death, or just want to jump into a new style of the genre with fresh eyes and perspectives. Many of the original's core tenets are preserved and made better in this remake, which is the goal of the project really.
Card-en-Ciel strikes a perfect balance between challenge and enjoyment. Even with its roguelike elements, starting over doesn’t feel punitive. The music is pleasant, and the characters are visually appealing. The storyline offers an immersive visual novel-style experience. For those new to the deck-building genre, this game provides an excellent introduction without overwhelming players with its technical aspects, complemented by charming anime visuals and catchy music from collected Muse cards.
Neva is love, Neva is life, and also a fun-if-brief visual splendour to boot.
In a year filled with already great JRPGs like Persona 3 Reload, Visions Of Mana, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio still manages to stand out and be a masterful game worthy of the highest praise. This is a clear GOTY candidate for 2024 and it's also perhaps what I could even arguably be Atlus' magnum opus to date.
Amber Isle has the potential to be one of the top cozy management games if the dev team played their cards right, but it currently feels pretty barebones except for the visuals. The shop management system only scratches the surface, the exploration area seems large on the map but feels limited once you explore it. [...] The concept of running your own chibi-dinosaur island and growing your business into a thriving centre in the village seems promising. However, Amber Isle makes this idea seem too good to be true, offering little to explore in this adorable prehistoric world. In short, it feels and plays as outdated as its subjects.
While the game is not the most in-depth title from a competitive standpoint, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is this generation's best Dragon Ball-themed 3D fighter complete with thrills, spills, and fanservice up the wazoo.
With a unique 2D aesthetic, a rockin' old-school soundtrack, and fast-and-furious racing and rally action, Victory Heat Rally revs up just fine on the 3D road in its pixel-on-polygonal livery.
All in all, FC 25 is not a perfect game. There are still areas which EA Sports could improve starting with making FUT less dependent on overpowered cards and capitalizing on FC IQ. [...] However, I enjoyed this iteration more because it honestly tried harder to add more about what I love: offline and online high-level football gaming with stellar production values. The improvements & attempts here made me come back to FC 25 moreso than usual, even if it's the only major console-centric football game in the market.
Balatro is a triumph in simple-yet-airtight game design, combining the old-schoolness of poker & card shark mechanics with the new roguelike and deck-building-to-perfection loop that leads to an addictive time.
Ara History Untold might be the one game that finally gets me into the genre. It's a good game for newcomers to the 4X strategy genre and Oxide Games is definitely a developer to look out for, since this is only their first title.
...[I]f you need slick Sega Saturn-style racing that's just about drifting in style and full of winding turns and loops, you can't go wrong with Parking Garage Rally Circuit. It's not a complicated sim affair, but it isn't meant to be since it's straightforward and focused on what it's delivering, wrapped up in a quaint purposefully old-school 3D wrapping.
Spectre Divide brings an innovative twist to the tactical FPS scene with its dual-body mechanic and modular gameplay options. For those who enjoy deep strategy and tactical depth, this game provides plenty of opportunities to flex those mental muscles. However, the steep learning curve and slower-than-expected pace might frustrate players looking for a more fast-paced experience.
The Plucky Squire may not be the most challenging game you'll play. It is, however, the most charming, most beautiful, and most engrossing of these 2D action-adventure titles you'll have the pleasure of experiencing.
If I had high blood pressure, I would probably pop a blood vessel playing this game. Unless you like grappling with some of the wonkiest, jankiest, and clunkiest gameplay around, there are loads of better Metroidvania games out there than this.