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Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is a must-have if you are a fan of Nitroplus which should be a great deal of people. But anyone else is likely to find the game offering far too little to be worth buying on release.
Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time is an underwhelming experience made all the more frustrating by that feeling of how it could have been so much better. The characters and visuals are a highlight throughout and for fans of the series may be enough to see the game through. Expectations are a powerful thing and unfortunately, Chamber of Time just doesn’t live up to mine.
Vampyr’s biggest issue is in its price. It’s a full RRP game at £40+ and I think it would’ve performed better had it been around £25-30. I was excited for the game as release neared but so much walking around looking for clues and what not to progress the story. This wasn’t entertaining gameplay and it slowed the plot down, and it almost felt as if Dontnod were still in the mindset of creating an episodic game. Vampyr is worth giving a go, but there’s a lot of potential untapped here.
It’s hard to say whether Punch Line as a game is a good jumping-in point for those that haven’t seen the anime prior, but I enjoyed my time somewhat more with the game. It’s silly, downright ridiculous at pretty much all times, but it’s the interaction with the story that the game allows, which makes it a more engaging experience.
Integrity and Faithlessness is a little less than stellar it has to be said, it’s possible that my expectations going in were a little too high maybe. It’s definitely not a bad game, though I feel a large portion of this review was negative, but just not as good as I had hoped. The game does feature some gorgeous visuals, a vast open world to explore and a really fun battle system. Did the bare-bones plot affect my enjoyment, yes somewhat, but it’s still a fun and enjoyable game and I’m sure Star Ocean fans will enjoy it.
Akiba's Trip is made for the people who love otaku culture, the combat system is simple and fun but can be a bit irritating at times when crowds of enemies gang up on you, but for the most part, it's enjoyable and rewarding. With a wide range of weapons to use, clothes to wear, side missions to complete and multiple endings to view, there is a lot of reasons to pick it up even after you've finished your first play-through.
While 2D Fighters are not my forte I'll admit, Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! Is definitely enjoyable and with tons of extra content, it's definitely worth the money. Visually it looks fantastic, it's great to see sprites back in action, as the jump to 3D characters in other franchises has not always been a good thing. Having the option of a portable version is also a plus, as it's the kind of game you can pull out and play in short bursts.
If you really want to play Akiba's Trip, you've probably already picked it up. The PS4 version does improve, but the limitations of previous systems really hold it back from being the best it could be. If I could go, Basque, I would play this on a handheld, it just doesn't feel right on a home console. Is it a good game? Corset is! It just doesn't warrant a premium price for a portable game. It's still a great nod to otaku culture and is filled with both clever and not-so-subtle jokes, and if you can look past its flaws as a PS4 title you'll enjoy its depth and atmosphere.
This title has fast become a favourite of mine on the Vita, and despite the dub-only nature of the release it is definitely worth picking up if you have a Vita. The battle mechanics are enjoyable and intuitive, yet not too simplistic. The systems in place to determine the traitor certainly take some getting used to, but improve the game for the better. Though, if a character you're fond of, and is not the traitor, is voted out, you may grow to resent the remaining characters for their decision The English dub leaves a lot to be desired but, while annoying, it doesn't detract too much from the game overall.
This game is enjoyable, with mechanics that are easy to get the hang of. Unfortunately, the difficulty curve from tutorial to first mission seems excessive and was almost enough to deter me from the game entirely. Thankfully, after this mission, the difficulty curve seems less steep, allowing for enjoyment, especially as you work through dungeons multiple times to accomplish multiple quests. If grinding is something you don't enjoy, this game is not for you, but if you don't mind some as you work through the, sometimes barely differing, quests, this game will provide hours of fun.
Tales of Zestiria is a good JRPG, but it always just feels like the same game in a different shell. If you didn't like Xillia or Graces, you probably won't be turned around by Zestiria. However, I like them because I know what I'm getting, an over-acted story with daft and sometimes creepy humour, all wrapped up in an action RPG that hides surprising depth.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a good JRPG that will kill some time and provide some enjoyable turn-based battles. I’d recommend picking it up on PlayStation Vita if you can, as I think it would work well in quick pick up and play sessions. If you’re finding the opening hours a little tedious, stick with it; you will be rewarded, and with Trails of Cold Steel II confirmed for a western release, you’re not going to want to hang around as you’ll easily sink many hours into this game.
The story mode is easily the best part of the game a lot of attention and effort has clearly been put into it. Unfortunately, other areas of the game have suffered slightly but thankfully not to the point where it’s unenjoyable. The anime-like cut-scenes and character designs are highly praiseworthy and the new features in combat make battles just as exciting as previous Warrior iterations. Ultimately Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a great game but feels somewhat lacking in some areas. The biggest question though is when is its sequel coming out?
Everything about Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is, let’s face it, pretty below par when it comes to technical, visual and audio quality. The gameplay isn’t the smoothest, the visuals leave a lot to be desired and the audio, what little of it, is just basic. Given all that, though I still can’t help but really enjoy the game, it’s just so stupid, so ridiculous that’s it’s actually a fun game to play. It’s even better when you can play it with a couple of friends as the ridiculousness just never ends.
Nights of Azure on PlayStation 4 from Gust and Koei Tecmo is visually gorgeous and features an attractive soundtrack. If you’re a fan of Gust titles or new to their games you need to give this Action-RPG a try.
The game is quite enticing during the first run, however, the constant puzzle-solving can be quite tedious at times. The tediousness is exacerbated by Moin’s excruciatingly slow walking pace, taking a long time just to move from one point to another. It is unfortunate that game speed cannot be adjusted. Though the replay value is not high, the game presents amazing auditory and visual sensations. Admittedly, if Nippon Ichi Software develops another game like htoL#NiQ, I would probably play it. However, it must be kept short like this one or else my impatience towards the tedious gameplay may get the better of me.
If you played Criminal Girls: Invite Only, then Party Favors will offer you more of the same with a few minor improvements but a slightly less engrossing story to pull it along. With less frustration from the Motivation system, gameplay is only made more accessible, it just comes down to whether that makes up for a slightly inferior story. However, there still remains a very solid and enjoyable RPG at its core that should easily please fans of its predecessor.
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.
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.
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.