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In short, Tales of Arise feels satisfying. It’s gorgeous to look at and the battles fun to experience. Especially since you sometimes do get that “Ah ha!” moment when the right sort of Boost Attack or Strike comes up.
Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster may initially butt up against your nostalgia if you have fond memories of the original, but over time, I really began to appreciate seeing its visuals and sound explored in creative ways.
Olympia Soiree ends up feeling awkward for many reasons. The class system, the focus on getting the heroine married and pregnant, and the information dumps get to be so much. Once you do finally get to a route, the pacing improves, but before that it is just so much to take in and process.
Here Comes Niko is the exact kind of game that speaks to people who feel intimidated by 60-hour adventures, multi-phase boss levels and narratives that spawn multiple games. Or for people who simply want to relax.
Sonic Colors Ultimate is still an entertaining modern Sonic the Hedgehog game, and this latest version feels tighter and looks sharp.
No More Heroes 3 is exactly the sort of game people would expect it to be, with challenging fights and over-the-top, outrageous ambiance.
WitchSpring3 Re:Fine isn't bad, but the Switch version doesn't feel well optimized or especially exciting compared to the mobile release.
Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a game filled with constant tension. Seeing all of those adorable children didn’t prepare me for how much fretting and consideration that would go into my every move. How a handful of bad tactical decisions can result in your tank getting blown to pieces or worse, seeing one of the main characters die permanently to save the others.
There are so many chosen ones in the world. People, animals, and now in Garden Story there’s even a grape. Each one involves doing your best to make your world a better place. And here, things feel a little more local and humble. You’re doing what you can for a community, even if that means running the same sorts of errands repeatedly.
I thought I had seen everything Axiom Verge 2 when I could jump to my maximum height while underwater, thus becoming able to reach all manner of places I couldn’t before. Then I learned to climb the walls, and the world expanded greatly. The game got even bigger when I gained the ability to turn my hand into a tiny spider drone, opening up still more possibilities. And then came the Breach.
One of the things that I believe is the mark of a fascinating game is the ability to inspire strong feelings about it. If it can also leave me wanting to discuss its primary characters with anyone else I know who’s also played it and marathon-play it until I beat it, those are added bonuses. While there are certain things about Boyfriend Dungeon that left me annoyed or frustrated, I also couldn’t get enough of playing it.
We haven’t had this much fun with a card battle RPG since the Pokemon TCG games on the Game Boy Color. If you at all have an affinity for the concept, it’s unlikely that you’re burned out on the idea these days. Give Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle a shot, and it’s unlikely that you’ll be disappointed.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster respectfully builds upon the classic game's foundation while making tweaks that drastically improve its pacing.
Glitch Pitch's Idol Manager is an engrossing industry angle on the Japanese idol scene, but stumbles a bit in the spotlight.
Dodgeball Academia borrows smartly from a lot of old-school greats, but it’s also more than the sum of its parts.
CrisTales is a game with a lot to do and say, all while looking gorgeous, but it isn't without its flaws.
When a girl has the ability to go back in time a few hours and she actually uses her powers for good, naturally this means she’s going to be thrown in a situation with five hot guys. I don’t know what else to expect when you have that kind of ability.
Cotton Reboot is a remake of 1993’s frantic “cute ‘em’ up” Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams. Well, cute in a Castlevania kind of way, as you’ll be blasting all kinds of ghouls, zombies, and undead monsters as you try to get a few pieces of candy. And save a kingdom or something. Not exactly a big concern for our lead witch, Nata, who’s only interested in laying waste to hundreds of living creatures if there’s some tasty treat involved.
Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster still dares to be different and stands out with its unique mechanics, and now it looks a bit more stylish.
Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster is an important piece of JRPG history and, UI issues aside, it's fascinating to finally experience it.