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The story threatens to be interesting, but is laughably bad, as is the dialogue in the game (such as the lady who constantly talks about being "punished"). I'll give it this, it has a pretty cool version of Moonlight Sonata as part of its soundtrack. At least Phantom Dust dared to try something different, which is more than can be said for most AAA games these days.
Even though Compile Heart had a couple interesting ideas with this game, its execution failed to bring out its true potential. And despite having two Tales of series members on board, their involvement couldn't stop Dark Rose Valkyrie from wasting people's valuable time. At least Fujishima's character designs continue to look gorgeous.
I was pleasantly surprised with Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, and will be keeping up with the meta and pro scene for the first time in years. While Harada and his crew could have easily given us a little more to do long term other than chase more treasure, it doesn't feel like grinding in the slightest given how fun it is to play.
I have a very strange relationship with Block'hood. I've enjoyed my time with it, though I did get frustrated because my eyes are dumb and don't see colors well. I also never quite felt inspired to create the grandiose skyscrapers that the promotional materials and community show off. The story mode is delightfully elegant and the challenge mode is great for fans of puzzle games, though I don't think this is a game for the hardcore city-building crowd.
Even with the occasional camera-related annoyance and a couple of less-than-stellar timed platforming challenges, Tokyo 42 is a thrilling game.
If A New Frontier is a sort of mission statement for this franchise going forward, does it succeed in making me want another season of The Walking Dead? I know I don't want the Season Four they're selling (which is set up in a manner that makes me think Telltale is threatening me personally) but if we're looking at this season by itself, as a whole the character work in A New Frontier does a lot to make up for the finale's shortcomings. I got the ending I wanted, but I wouldn't have wanted a specific ending if I didn't care about these people and where they ended up. A disappointing finale doesn't completely undo the goodwill earned by the rest of the season, but a sour aftertaste is still pretty hard to wash out.
In the end, isn't that exactly what Danger Zone should be? It may be short, but it is ever so sweet. Hopefully we can see more of this, either with a full-on sequel or some DLC, because it's been too damn long since we've had a proper Burnout game. Arcade racers need a comeback and Danger Zone would be a perfect reigning champion.
Astro Duel Deluxe is easily the least impressive game visually on the console, does little to nothing to show off your fancy new tech, and it isn't all that fun for more than half an hour at a time. I will say it has a decent soundtrack -- not "$15 for short bursts of gameplay" decent -- but pretty good.
The low price of admission is also nice, since spending $5 is hardly what I'd call expensive. I don't know if I care for choose-your-own-adventure games (they, effectively, have no drama), but Emily is Away Too does enough right to make it easy to recommend.
In general, as much as I enjoy the experience of Rock Band VR, it's hard to imagine coming back to it time and time again. The DLC songs cost more than they do in the console counterparts and can only be played on guitar, so those who don't typically play guitar like me may not have a long-term interest in the product. The experience is wonderful and I am excited to introduce others to it, but its lasting appeal is a hard sell, especially for those who can simply jump over to traditional Rock Band and play any other instrument.
I was really torn on Rime until I got caught up in its emotional ending, capped off by a fantastic unexpected chapter select reveal. I really saw what Tequila Works was trying to do by the time the curtain closed and it ended up spurring another partial playthrough in the process. Even during its most underwhelming moments Rime got a response out of me, and I'll remember it for years to come.
Platinum didn't create a captivating narrative with Vanquish, but it serves as a showcase of some of their best pure action work. If you haven't had a chance to give it a shot yet you might as well with the definitive version on PC.
Maybe I was expecting too much from Perception, but it doesn't deliver on any of its promises.
At the same time, if you're an enthusiast fighter and want a competitively viable game with a lot of depth to explore, Injustice 2 makes a strong case for itself. It's the full package in a market filled with fighters that have come out half-cooked. I plan on savoring it for months to come.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada brings plenty of welcome elements to the formula and makes me excited for what Omega Force holds for us in the future once it fine tunes everything introduced in this game. While it brings plenty of shiny new features, it feels smaller in scale compared to the last mainline entry. But those new little things do add up to a lot. Spirit of Sanada offers a fresh take on the Warriors experience that can be very welcoming to newcomers and veterans alike.
Meet the new Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers, mostly the same as the old Street Fighter II. Beyond the veil of some visual wizardry and a few rote fleeting fluff modes, this is the old school foundation that a lot of folks built their fighting game careers on. That's not a bad thing, especially with the Switch's on-the-go hook, but it could just as easily have been a downloadable release.
Guilty Gear Xrd is possibly the best fighter out right now. It took three tries to round up this cast (and you can bet your bottom dollar there will be DLC or a Rev 3), but the cycle is complete. With one of the best tutorials outside of Skullgirls it won't even be that hard to break in, either.
While Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception won't break new ground in terms of narrative novelty or tactical depth, it remains an attractive, polished fantasy romp that will especially delight fans familiar with the original story. Everyone else, though, should be prepared to pick up the sequel, lest they leave the story halfway done.
There is a certain type of person who is going to enjoy this, and Cooking Mama: Sweet Shot has the good fortune to arrive at a time when I write for Destructoid, a man whose basic enjoyment of video gaming is such a low bar to hurdle that it can essentially get a pass other writers probably wouldn't give it. I like the game, warts and all. Objectively, you should be able to tell for yourself it shows nary a whisper of growth or innovation since the series' debut. Subjectively, I'm somehow that giggling schoolgirl once more, fawning over a cake I just mini-gamed into existence.
Simplicity is the biggest strength of Old Man's Journey. It doesn't require you to be a genius or a master gamer, but to have a penchant for something more oft-kilter. That it manages to be a satisfying experience all without saying a single word is remarkable and definitely worth a look.