Japan Curiosity
HomepageJapan Curiosity's Reviews
Gundam Versus is a very good game that features some great combat and runs really well. It might disappoint some with the lack of certain characters and series from the roster, but the roster is still very strong. Overall Gundam fans will find something to like, there’s a lot on offer with this game and it should have you hooked for a good amount of time.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy is a real treat for existing fans of Naruto. The four games perfectly recreate some of the best battles from the start of the series right up to the final showdown. If you already own the games then the only real benefits are the improved graphics and having all of the games on a current-gen console, which is arguably worth it because of how easy it is to switch between the games and play your favourite matches. Overall, as someone who had yet to play the earlier entries in the series, I am really pleased with the Legacy release and highly recommend it to all Naruto fans. It’s a must-own collection if you’ve never played these games before, but if you have then it depends how much the upgrade is worth to you.
Knack II is a fun, but disjointed experience. It's made better with a friend by your side. Although the story isn’t anything special, it’s still a decent adventure with extremely satisfying combat. This is not a game you’ll want to miss.
Cat Quest is overall quite a simplistic game, however, simplicity does have its charm. It is an easy game to get into as well as fun to play for those wanting to experience a light-hearted RPG.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a really good game and easily the best way to experience this entry in the franchise. I recommend to anyone that didn't like it back on the PlayStation 2 to give this version a try, as I'm sure it would be a much more enjoyable experience. That said, I still find Final Fantasy XII to be an odd duck in the realms of Final Fantasy, and it will always be overshadowed by those that came before it.
I enjoyed my time with Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star on the PlayStation 4 even with its few shortcomings, but I really enjoy playing it on the Nintendo Switch. I feel as if the game was made for the Switch as it's a much smoother and more satisfying experience. While both the PlayStation and Nintendo Switch offerings will serve you well, I definitely recommend the Switch version as the definitive release to go for.
To say the least, the port is quite decent with the ability to play with either a controller or a mouse and keyboard. My biggest gripe, however, is that there is no online mode to battle against other people like in the original PS Vita version, which may affect whether or not someone wants to buy the game. However, the cards are uncensored in the PC port which is a plus. Overall, while I will not say it is a game that should be prioritized being bought first, it does have a fair price tag.
I was first exposed to the franchise from watching the Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid anime series which led me to start with a negative bias coming into playing Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni. Thankfully, Bhikkhuni was a much better experience than Mermaid ever was. Despite the story being quite lacklustre, the real gem should be the gameplay and the diversity of options available.
There is a reason to buy Dark Rose Valkyrie. Play it so that you can see the investigation segments, put that system into your own game and create the world’s next Danganronpa.
Overall, I found Mask of Deception to be a slow affair with big chunks of the game being text-based and the battle sections few and far between. I’ve played a few other VN’s in the past so I knew what to expect but I wasn’t expecting it to be that text-heavy. There were moments where I’ve set the text to autoplay, and I’ve not touched the controller for a few hours. The battle sections are very enjoyable to play, although at first, they can be quite confusing to understand. Mask of Deception isn’t a bad game, the story is very enjoyable, blending in humour and seriousness very well, and the artwork along with the background music are some of the best I’ve seen in a Japanese game.
Despite the story and character development being quite praiseworthy, there are unfortunately too many negatives that kill those positives. Though it is not a bad game, it is not something I would personally recommend other than for fans of urban fantasy visual novels. If someone is able to own the game, might as well play it.
Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 is worth the purchase as DLC if you already own and like Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator. But in a niche market that is getting a bit crowded, I cannot recommend it be at the top of your list. Only when compared to fighting game releases of this year does it come out on top and that will not be for long.
Disgaea 5 Complete is a fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch library since Nintendo's own flagship Fire Emblem series is noticeably absent on the system so far. You can see from my review of the PlayStation 4 version of the game that I love my time with it and found it even more enjoyable this time round, given the adaptability the Switch offers. If you're a Disgaea fan and own a Switch, then you should definitely pick up Disgaea 5 Complete even if you have played it already!
While this is the definitive Hakuoki experience, it is also the most complicated one. Best to be something that you pick up if you really love the otome games. If you do, then there are no other games out on the vita at the moment that offer you this much. Both in the scale of the story and even more so in the choice of romance options.
Operation Babel: New Tokyo Legacy, it has to be said, is essentially just more of the same. When the only feature that I can talk about as a good improvement is the fast-action option during battles, then you know not much effort has gone into this. It’s still a solid Dungeon Crawler RPG and if that’s all you’re looking for or you want to continue the New Tokyo Legacy story, then look no further but don’t expect anything more than just average.
Birthdays The Beginning can be a very fun and addictive game if only for a short while, the ‘beginning’ in the title feels very apt as the game feels like the beginning of something much larger that we’re just not being given in this game. The gameplay is a bit of a mixed bag as some features work brilliantly within the setting while others are straight-up broken or extremely frustrating to use. The positives of the game outweigh the negatives, but there just isn't enough of it to keep you around for that long. *It's worth noting that Birthdays The Beginning has received a day-one patch which, according to the patch notes, should fix some of the issues that I have laid out in this review and aims to improve other aspects of the game.
Puyo Puyo Tetris feels perfectly at home on the Nintendo Switch; the nature of the game just seems to fit what the Switch offers. I would say that is the best way to experience such a fun game as Puyo Puyo Tetris, but I have to factor in the cost. It is more expensive, and if the price is a concern, then go with PlayStation 4 but the Switch remains my recommendation. Don’t write Puyo Puyo Tetris off as a simple puzzle game that you may have played before because it's far from it. It features numerous game modes that will have you entertained for hours with friends and without. It’s so easy to jump in and out of games that you could play it anywhere and I recommend doing so; it makes those early morning commutes go by in a flash.
Taking you to magical worlds filled with lovable, memorable and frankly odd characters, Yooka-Laylee captures what made us love and hate 3D Platformers. If you weren’t a fan of this type of game in the past, then it’s very doubtful this new entry in the genre will change your mind. If you were a fan, then you’re in for a treat.
Overall, Episode Gladiolus is well worth picking up. It’s a little on the short side, but playing as Gladio is an absolute joy and the extras help give it some re-playability. I will definitely be sinking a bit more time on it over the next few days and I can’t wait for Episode Prompto in June.
Touhou Genso Wanderer is still easily the best ‘Mystery Dungeon’ style game you can buy in English right now with a far better combat system and a great sense of humour. It is just sad that the game seems to take every opportunity to stop you from getting to that fun, by either making movement far more complicated than it needs to be to unusual localisation decisions. These are things that just get in the way of a game that has been released at an incredibly competitive time of the year. With loads of other games also coming out that will be demanding attention, Touhou Genso Wanderer needed a bit more polish than it got to stand out.