Qualbert.com's Reviews
An iconic story deserves to be told on a proper platform, and this is an almost perfect one. Kakarot’s upgrade is a must for long-time fans but also newcomers that might struggle on where to start in the Dragon ball universe. Although a bit repetitive, if you delve into the upgrades and different moves, there is enough variety here, especially for a fighting game.
Dead Island 2 is an extremely fun game that doesn’t mess with the dumb gameplay of bashing around zombies. However, not every game is perfect. Between the rushed ending and the audio problems, it feels like they wanted to ship this game out ASAP. It’s always a little worrying when a game is set to come out of Development Hell, the vast majority of the time it’s either a glitchy piece of garbage or just boring. Dead Island 2 is definitely far better than most other games that have been through Development Hell, but I wish they had taken a little extra time to polish it up before shipping it out.
Smashing straight through the main story will take around 12 to 15 hours, though there are plenty of side quests and some post-game activities that can stretch gameplay by another 10 hours if you want to collect all of the treasure and fight some of the more difficult battles. The action battle system is definitely a highlight, mixing together the best elements of Secret of Mana (with none of the annoying charge/wait times) with Hades’ dodge-heavy movement. Overall, this is a game well worth the short time investment if you are looking for a smooth action-JRPG with beautiful presentation.
As a lifelong Star Wars fan and one that’s partaken in dozens of the video game iterations over almost three decades, I can safely say that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sits at a close number two in the best of the best, number one going to 2005’s Star Wars Battlefront II. This is a Star Wars game that not only honors and expands its canon, but delivers a rewarding combat experience that will make fans of the source materials’ imaginations go wild.
I dove with both feet into the turn-based strategy genre with Showgunners and came out pleasantly surprised. This is a mechanically-sound, polished experience with a strong blend of challenge and gratification. It also never managed to be stale, as it introduced new enemies and upgrades at a steady rate.
Advance Wars – what is it good for? Absolutely everything. While the GameBoy Advance classics are turn-based gems, WayForward have magnificently modernised these military masterpieces. More than just a gorgeous visual style to bring beloved characters to life; gameplay, music, and accessibility have been revitalised for a new audience. So if you’re a strategy game fan, then head to your nearest recruitment centre and enlist in Re-Boot Camp today!
Over the several hours I played, I felt like I did everything I could in the beta, unlockable skins aside. Each match rarely took longer than 10 minutes and occasionally I had such a bad team it was over in 5. There is a real lack of depth here which is probably not that surprising, however I was hoping for something more than just a general multiplayer game.
Bramble is known as a rough and prickly shrub which has long thorny roots that generally grows different types of sweet berries. This is exactly what this game is, a rough adventure with a sweet message at its core. This game is heavy in its exposition and themes, so if you decide to open this book be wary but also you will get glued to the screen to see what happens next. Although only taking about six hours to roll credits, this is definitely an experience that everyone should enjoy.
Let me be the one to get the brew ha ha happening for Coffee Talk 2. Toge Productions have definitely served up some liquid gold here. If you are looking for a cute story with interesting characters and simple gameplay then this might be the game for you. Though it will be served up on every platform, the morning buzz is that Coffee Talk 2 is releasing day one on Xbox Gamepass – so anybody on that platform in particular has no excuse not to wake up and pour themselves a cup of Joe.
For a spin-off to stray so far from the gameplay of its source material is a huge risk, and yet Bayonetta Origins somehow delivers this in spades. Crafting a charming narrative exploring Bayonetta’s beginnings, this game does so with a delightfully unique visual style and unbelievably polished audio design. By blending fairy-tale style with intuitive single-player co-op that relies upon the relationship of its protagonists, Cereza and the Lost Demon is an origin story you won’t want to put down until you close the book on the final chapter.
Black Salt Games have certainly proven they can create something that is set apart from everything else. Dredge will reel you in with its addictive gameplay loop and beautiful landscapes. Whilst the story and music lack slightly, for a developer team size of four, this is an incredible feat for a first outing. If you love fishing in larger sized games as a side activity and want to play something solely focused on that, then this is the one!
It was a pleasure to return to the world of Tales of Symphonia and experience the fantastic story once again. However, it was not a pleasure to look at this version of the game. Maybe we are spoiled in this era of 4k / 60fps games, but I honestly found it hard to push through this one, even knowing the excellent narrative that awaited.
Like a Dragon: Ishin has a little something for everyone. A compelling story, mini games to suit all tastes, an easy to learn but repetitive combat system and plenty of side jobs to keep you busy. At first I found it all a little overwhelming but found myself soon running all over the city knowing I had so much to do. Even after almost a hundred hours in, I still haven’t finished everything. Though I have also heard that if you just want to stick to the story you can get everything done in as fast as four hours. Why you want to do something crazy like that though is beyond me.
At the time of its original release in 2005, Resident Evil 4 was hailed as one of the finest horror games of all-time. Almost 20 years later, the Resident Evil 4 Remake reaffirms that claim to fame. Through a near flawless remake, Capcom reinvigorate the horror classic and add a level of polish rarely seen in remakes. By crafting the perfect blend of new gameplay while staying true to the original, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is without a doubt the definitive way to enjoy the series at its peak. So now that you’ve finished reading our review, I have one question to ask about which game you’ll be purchasing next: Whattaya buyin’?
Given time to polish their new formula over the last few years, Square Enix have finally crafted the crown jewel of the HD-2D series in Octopath Traveler II. Improving on all aspects of the original game, this engaging tale of eight delivers superb visuals, a colossal soundtrack, and one of the most charming sets of characters ever to feature in a single title. The classic JRPG is well and truly alive, and if you’re eager for yet another incredible adventure, we encourage you to follow the Octopath.
If you’re wanting to stay up-to-date with your WWE video gaming roster, are looking to delve into the two-decade career of John Cena with an autobiography flair, or just want to experience WWE on your own terms with no questions asked, WWE 2K23 can do all that and more.
Crossovers can be hit-or-miss, but this one makes more sense than the majority of them – the difficulty, tone, and slow approach to fighting is positively seamless and ensures this game will not only appeal to fans of each/both franchises, but will serve as a nice entry point to those even slightly interested.
Hogwarts Legacy is a fantastic return to the Wizarding World and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In my 50 hour playthrough of the game I finished all of the major character driven side quests, but left many of the minor open world activities uncompleted. There certainly wasn’t any shortage of things to do in this world and it was an enjoyable experience from start to finish.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line truly is the Ultima musical love letter to Final Fantasy. With a gargantuan offering of tracks from across 35 years of musical history, and a tonne of added gameplay to keep you hooked, this is easily one of the most impressive rhythm games ever made. Where the series set a solid foundation on the 3DS with the original and Curtain Call, Final Bar Line lifts the bar in every single way possible.
My main complaint is that there isn’t enough content here. Yes, there is the Generator Mode where an endless array of levels can be created, shared and raced against friends. But after a while these feel very ‘similar’. I do admit that I was unable to test out the multiplayer mode, however I doubt that this would provide significant longevity to the title. Rooftop Renegade isn’t quite the smash hit game I was hoping for, but as a first up effort there are still enough things here to like that I’ll definitely raise my expectations for Melonhead’s follow-up game.