One More Game's Reviews
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth rises to the challenge set by its predecessor, by bringing to life every facet of the imagined open world we’ve cherished for decades and executing the vision to near perfection by marrying it with today's technology. Square Enix’s meticulous attention to detail, no matter how minute, resonates with awe-inspiring clarity, no longer feeling the need to imagine because the world is finally alive and it is here. While not flawless, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth navigates its journey with grace and offers a fascinating experience that makes it easy to overlook the minor issues. I found myself deeply impressed by the expansive overworld, the iconic set pieces, and the thoughtful expansions that honor the beloved title’s essence, making it a strong contender for Game of the Year nods and a definite reason to finally get a PS5 if you haven't yet.
As good as it gets for an SRPG, Unicorn Overlord fills a gap in the gaming season with its admirable package of gameplay, visual and audio design, and, to a lesser extent, storytelling. Hours and hours will be poured into finding the perfect squads and classes, valuable relationships will be built, and a continent once plunged into strife will find its feet again. Vanillaware continues to show its prowess at building experiences in genres it isn’t exactly well-known for, and kudos to the studio for paying attention to the right stuff, and creating a game that will likely become a classic and a standard bearer.
The Thaumaturge emerges as a breath of fresh air in the realm of narrative RPGs. Its implementation of fantastical elements sets it apart, making it a standout title to play, whether on PC or its eventual console release. Within this vibrant and unfamiliar world, characters like the formidable protagonist, Wiktor Szulski, shine bright. Despite imperfections, The Thaumaturge is a gem worth experiencing, warts and all.
The good times continue to roll in 2024, with Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo's Rise of the Ronin adding to the amazing selection of action role-playing games available on the PlayStation 5. Whether you are engaging in its fantastic combat or diving into the rabbit hole of Japanese history, every hour spent in this world is always meaningful and fun. Just avoid looking too closely and getting stuck in tight spaces, and you will definitely have a great time as a ronin determining the course of history.
F1 2021 is by far the best Formula 1 racing game out there, bar none. There’s not much to nitpick apart from the usual “it’s an annual release”, but this installment surely stands tall due to the addition of Braking Point and current-gen features, particularly for the DualSense.
The Ascent is not perfect, but it is fun as hell. The frenetic gunplay is only supported by its engaging aesthetic. If you don’t mind not having a fully immersive experience that has a shallow narrative, what you will get is a massive arcology to explore, along with taking on hordes of foes with your hard-earned loot. Its deceptively simplistic gameplay only allows for better exploration and engagement with its many sidequests.
At the end of the day, Guilty Gear Strive is a masterful effort from Arc System Works, proving time and time again that they’re one of the best at what they do. The slightly simplified game mechanics should make it easier for casuals to dive in and hopefully get better the longer they play but is still an insanely deep and technical fighter that will take veterans hundreds of hours to fully master.
Playing this game in its “Intergrade” form is such a privilege that is truly magnified when you get to experience 60fps and almost no loading times. Anyone who owns a PS5, whether replaying the game or a first-timer, would surely enjoy this release in its most polished state, the way it was meant to be played, fixed doors and all. As a whole, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a complete experience. They’ve improved on the visual fidelity that corrected a lot of the hiccups from the PS4 version while adding the INTERmission side content enables the story to open up to a much larger world away from the Midgar-centric stage.
Well deserved commendations are in order for Insomniac Games and Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, as they’ve preserved the integrity and charm of the franchise while introducing fantastic quality of life improvements to make the game feel like a massive improvement from its predecessor. In a way, it’s definitely the same Ratchet & Clank flavor but wrapped in a shiny and technically masterful package. The addition of new characters like Rivet and the multiple dimensions dynamic is icing on the cake for such a must-play, next-gen feel-good experience.
These three games are a generation-defining series that have shaped many players’ lives, that I actually envy some people who are able to experience this for the first time. To some, this may even be the best trilogy of games ever created, with Mass Effect 2 possibly being up there in the “greatest of all time” conversation. This shared experience causes many of them to bond over their distinct adventures, cry over lost squadmates, and share their common frustration with driving the Mako or the divisive conclusion. Either way, it was a fantastic journey, and while not all of our collective emotions could be bottled up and re-lived, it feels so nice to be back in the shoes of Commander Shepard once again.
I commend Neil Jones for his passion project and providing us with a unique experience with this free-running game, and I fully support his vision. While the game is a bit light on gameplay, the soundtrack to it is the icing on the cake and I would most definitely recommend buying it and supporting his composer Daniel Wilkins as well. As for the game, it’s an accessible experience that could be easily picked up and once you complete it, harder difficulties could be unlocked for some speedrunning options.
NEO: The World Ends with You stands strong among a sea of releases, and is a worthwhile entry whether or not you’ve played the first game from 2007. The story of a game organized by Reapers is interesting enough, but the fun combat system and catchy soundtrack wrap it up in a fantastically presented package that is nothing but a treat to play.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a great way for potential fans to hop on and check out the Ace Attorney series. For those who can appreciate the visual novel storytelling and its light-hearted wonder, you get two games for the price of one, and it really doesn’t get better than that.
Hades is a triumph from Supergiant Games, and despite losing the charm of portable play from the Switch, seeing it all play out in glorious 4K is more than worth the trade-off. Hades is the culmination of the lessons learned from the Supergiant's previous releases, resulting in a masterful effort that will appeal even to players who aren't fans of the genre.
In a time where we’re being bombarded with larger open worlds with endless fetch quests and high-difficulty roguelike combat in every corner, it’s refreshing to have a game that just charms us traditionally, and Greak: Memories of Azur does just that.
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is a standout experience especially on the Playstation 5. It has enhanced the already beloved title with many improvements over its PS4 counterpart including improved visuals, DualSense support, and much-improved frame rates among other things. While the $10 upgrade fee is a bitter pill to swallow for some, we feel that the proof is in the pudding, and the upgrades are substantial enough to make the experience even better.
Overall, Hoa was quite the treat. The game could be finished in one sitting, which will understandably be too short for a lot of gamers, but the price tag should be easy enough on the pocket to enjoy a relaxing campaign filled with beautiful backgrounds accompanied by a fantastic musical score.
I really enjoyed Psychonauts 2 despite not having played the first game and as someone who generally ignores mascot platformers. The unique visual style may not be for everybody, but the charming and heartwarming story can really get you into the groove. Coupled with an easy control scheme mixed in with a semi-open world enabling you to explore different mind mazes, there's a lot to love about this game.
After a drought of 5 years, Tales is Arise makes a stunning return and thoroughly sticks the landing. This latest entry in the series is a solid outing that we can't recommend enough and should prove to be a must-play for longtime fans and even newcomers to the series.
Cris Tales has its fair share of problems, but if you don’t mind a little bit of jank and a full dose of nostalgia, this non-Japanese developed JRPG is definitely for you. It’s a simple game that follows many of its tropes to the letter, sometimes to a fault, but it does just enough to become a charming ride without it overstaying its welcome.