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All in all, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a great experience. If you have the slightest interest in sci-fi, fantasy, and action RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play it. This remake proves that old games can become new and better than ever.
Like every compelling puzzle/strategy game, Howl’s basic mechanics are easy to grasp, but using them effectively is the challenge. Its seemingly bite-sized puzzles are deceptive and require real thought and planning. I wish there was a little more variety in a few key areas, but Howl is a unique game that will appeal to tactical RPG fans, puzzle lovers, and medieval werewolf aficionados alike.
While I had a good time with The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk was a marked improvement. You’ve got more Pokemon to catch, tougher battles to win, and more to do. On top of that, the story told in the two releases wraps up in a satisfying, well-crafted way. I still wish the clothing options were more robust, to be sure. And the game still doesn’t always run great. But it got me playing Pokemon Violet again, and I’m going to keep doing so. There’s more Legendaries to scoop up, after all. If you’re looking for more from the latest Pokemon game, the Area Zero DLC has some serious bang for your buck.
Final Fantasy XVI is crammed with narrative momentum. Which is amazing, until it’s time to do things like sidequests and DLC. Then the guillotine of the climax hangs over your head, impatient and sharp. In other words, it’s hard for me to get as invested in the DLC as I’d like. The combat is terrific, the new dungeon is beautiful, but it feels like I’m spinning my wheels. At the same time, I’ll take any excuse to spend more time with this game. Echoes of The Fallen is a great addition to a perfect Final Fantasy Experience.
Cookie Cutter is a bloody blast! Its punk rock attitude seeps through to help the game stand out amongst the crowd. Platforming and combat are tight which makes the moment-to-moment gameplay feel great. There’s an overuse of certain gameplay segments and reliance on conventions, however, the rebel spirit pierces through to make this an essential title for fans of Metroidvanias.
To sum it all up. As good as the flat version of the remake of Resident Evil 4 is, the VR version is the superior way to the play the game.
Trinity Fusion has a unique premise but quickly falls into the tried and tested conventions of the genre. The gameplay loop is addictive and offers variety through the number of options available and different locations for each character. While elements of the combat are strong, such as evasion, it lacks the fluidity seen with its peers. Trinity Fusion has a lot of interesting ideas and the drip-fed story adds intrigue, however, its reliance on familiar traits makes this blend into the crowd.
GranBlue Fantasy Versus: Rising is an accessible and deep fighter. You can easily combine moves and unleash cinematic super moves which allows newcomers to pick up and play instantly. However, nuances permeate the combat which allows veterans of the genre to delve into the mechanics to hone their skills. While at a glance, the game looks similar to its predecessor, new combat and online options flesh out the game to make this a superior fighter.
Custom Mech Wars is all about construction and experimentation. There’s a dense system for putting mechs together, and all of it feels friendly and approachable. You have a ton of options, a lot of freedom, and multiple ways to test things out. But that’s sort of where the good times dry up. The campaign is crazy boring otherwise, and the multiplayer options are equally threadbare. If you can get a good group together for playing online, you might find more fun than I did. But on your own, Custom Mech Wars has limited appeal. If you’ve got a lot of mechs in your heart begging to be built, you’re in for a good time. Otherwise I can’t really recommend this game.
Arizona Sunshine 2 improves on every aspect of the original to make this one of the best zombie games on the PSVR 2. The weapons have never felt better and make mowing down enemies a thrill. Although the horde mode is a little basic and you’ll encounter the odd glitch, the fact you can play everything with a friend improves the entire experience. With its dark humor and well-designed world, you’ll have a sadistic time annihilating foes on your trek through a post-apocalyptic world.
CRPG fans heavily invested in Warhammer 40K will thoroughly enjoy Rogue Trader, but there’s enough backstory and written lore to bring newcomers up to speed and into the fold. Rogue Trader is generous to a fault with combat and sometimes the momentum stalls in the naval combat or over-lengthy tactical battles. Overall, Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader is an engaging turn-based RPG and another reminder of how rich the Warhammer universe can be.
If you are a pinball fan, Pinball M is a no-brainer. The tables, their campaigns, and the extra play modes make for a solid package. If you’ve never been a pinball fan but have fond feelings for any of the franchises mentioned, Pinball M may be the game to convert you.
Outer Wilds: Archeologist Edition on the Switch is obviously lacking in its graphical presentation and controls remain as trying as ever. But the call to explore, discover and find a story remains a solid call to take up the game. But for the best and most immersive experience, other consoles or PC are your best bet.
Racket Club offers a pretty spare experience that only really works with a community of online players. The sport itself feels pretty familiar but I wasn’t crazy about the restricted, walled-in court design and lack of single-player options. The game certainly doesn’t make use of PC-VR or the Quest 3’s increased power and fidelity but it’s still a moderately successful iteration of a brand new sport.
For gamers with a current gen console or powerful PC, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an incredible-looking open world experience. It is a seamless extension of the films, which will appeal to many fans. But underneath all that flash, flora, and fauna is a lack of imagination and unsatisfying FPS combat. Pandora’s lovingly recreated beauty contains mystery, power and a fair amount of disappointment.
LEGO Bricktales was one of the best and purest versions of the brick building experience. On the Meta Quest 3, and especially in the AR mode, the game takes on a whole new life that comes very close to the real thing. The puzzles are challenging and the tone is lighthearted. Aside from some fiddly controls, LEGO Bricktales is more proof that the Meta Quest 3 is the VR headset to have.
A Highland Song is wonderful. The atmosphere that permeates the game is intoxicating and will make you want to search every inch of the environment. There is a real incentive to replay the game due to the many routes and the timed objective. Although the survival aspect feels a little unnecessary, there are plenty of elements within the design that will make you fall in love with Scotland.
Overall, Last Train Home is a difficult, stressful, and wonderful experience. It is beautiful and brutal tale of perseverance and war that doubles as a strategy game. Aside from a few clunky feeling commands on the battlefield and the, easily circumvented, wait-time mechanic on the top-down map, there is really no issues with this gem. Despite the difficulty of the normal game mode, it would be a mistake to miss this train.
At first, this game seems simpler than most city builders. After playing through it, the right word is approachable. You’re eased into things with straightforward systems and limited units. Then things escalate, slow and steady. By the end, without realizing it, you’ve built a complex settlement full of moving parts and balanced resource ecosystems. I wish certain things like population breakdowns were more robust, but I still loved this game. For a deceptively deep city builder, you’ll want to check out SteamWorld Build.
Nightdive’s excellent work aside, this is a remaster of an OK game. If you’ve played the previous two installments, remember that going into this one. The deficiencies of the original game in terms of storytelling and overall design are still present. If you keep that in mind, be prepared to enjoy the best version of Turok 3 possible.