Netto’s Game Room's Reviews
I can easily recommend Phasmophobia, even if you're a certified scaredy-cat like me. Playing this with my friends was some of the most fun I've ever had with a video game. It's easy to learn and has intuitive controls, and you can scare yourself silly with little effort.
Shrine's Legacy is a pure love letter to classic SNES action RPGs. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel—instead, it offers a simple, nostalgic journey designed to transport both veteran and new players back to a simpler time. Best of all? You can bring a buddy along for two-player co-op.
Meg's Monster is an unforgettable and deeply heartwarming tale of a young girl and the powerful bond she forms with a monster. While its simple gameplay and RPG mechanics effectively propel the narrative forward, it is the overarching mystery and the charming cast of characters that truly resonate and leave a lasting impact.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a very interesting game. While I cannot recommend it to anyone looking for a solid platforming experience, I can recommend it to families who want to play through it together. At the very least, the full digital storybook alone is worth the price, and the hours spent playing with your kids are simply priceless. It is not a good platformer by any means, but the overall novelty can still provide some enjoyment.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Iron Harvest. While the gameplay and unique aesthetic of the in-game universe were the main draws for me, I found myself enthralled by the tense story and curious how it would develop. I feel like the game tested my strategical skills and made me try new methods and army combinations to overcome some of its tougher challenges.
Neon Inferno is a vibrant throwback to the classic run-and-gun shooters that defined the '80s and '90s. While it perfectly captures the nostalgia one might crave, the unique shooting gallery mechanics put a fun spin on the genre, and it is an absolute joy to play—if you can handle the difficulty.
Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is the perfect example of what a remake should be, plus more. It goes above and beyond the expectations set by the original title, while also keeping things fresh. The incredible world development and amazing cast of characters make this a universe you will never want to leave, and seeing it brought to life in full 3D is a wonderful experience.
I Write Games Not Tragedies is a short story that has potential. On the surface, it is a story of the emo lifestyle, but in reality, it is a story of regrets and discovery. Not everyone will be able to relate to Ash and his struggles, however, and that alone is what makes it hard to fully recommend. The flashy emo art style is outstanding, and the foundation is solid; however, many might step away from the experience wanting more.
Aeruta is truly a gem of a game; with a heart-warming story, a silly but adorable cast of characters, and a unique gameplay experience that has the player juggle running a bakery with running Rogue-lite dungeons. Finishing it was truly a joy.
Overall, Tales of Xillia is still a worthy JRPG all of these years later, and fans really shouldn't sleep on it. The battle system alone is what carries this title, but the great cast of characters doesn't hurt either.
Hades 2 is a fully worthy sequel to the original Hades, perfectly combining gameplay and story into an intense, fun, and fully engaging narrative that will continuously make you say, "just one more run!" This game was made with a lot of love and passion for gaming as a whole and perfectly shows the industry how to make a truly great game with a compelling story.
Although I wasn't initially sold on the open-world and the shift from giant robots to mecha suits, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a fantastic game. Its high-speed action combat, thousands of customization options, and addictive gameplay loop make it a title you can easily lose yourself in. Unfortunately, it is held back in a few areas, mainly graphically, but despite this, it's a fun experience that mecha fans will not want to miss out on.
I enjoyed my time with Full Metal Schoolgirl. Its simple, repetitive gameplay loop managed to hook me from beginning to end, and the pure chaos brought on by raiding an office building filled with robots was entertaining, to say the least. There were moments where I had to take a break and step away, but after a quick recharge I was back at it and ready for more. It might not be the greatest or most ambitious roguelite on the market, but there is still fun to be had here.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a fun action take on the classic Shin Megami Tensei series. It draws players in with its initial mystery and keeps them coming back for more as they dive deeper into this rabbit hole. It might have some rough edges, but it is still an unforgettable journey.
The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit isn't just a fun retro throwback to days gone by; it is a legitimate modern-day NES game that captures what made these games special. Drawing heavy inspiration from Mega Man, it successfully blends the series' classic gameplay mechanics with stages and ideas from other NES titles, and the end result is a game all platforming fans can enjoy. While you do not need to be a fan of AVGN to enjoy this title, it is packed full of fan service that will put a smile on your face, and the live-action skits are nice to see as well. This game is in fact an Angry Video Game Nerd episode in disguise; it's just you are the one playing it this time, and not the Nerd. Either way, if you are a fan of retro platformers, and especially the classic Mega Man series, then this is a game you will not want to miss out on.
There's so much more I could say about this game, but I don't want to give away everything to prospective players. I will say that this is one of the better games in the series as far as gameplay goes. It doesn't have quite the same depth as Trio of Towns, but it gets pretty close, and it has you think about your farming differently than usual since you want to plan around not just the seasons, but the weekly bazaar. I like the characters, though I think I liked the ones in the 3DS entries better than this one. Overall I'm really enjoying my time in Zephyr Town and am looking forward to quite a bit more. If you like farming games, this one will definitely not disappoint.
Bye Sweet Carole ultimately leaves me disappointed. It had so much potential to be a modern classic but fumbled the writing so hard in the second half that it only made me laugh. The gameplay is at times interesting and intense but often feels unpolished and clunky. It is a truly beautiful looking game with an amazing soundtrack. However, visuals and music alone aren't enough to carry a game. It truly saddens me that I can't recommend it, because I genuinely wanted to love this game that reminded me of my favorite childhood movies.
Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is a fun arena fighter that successfully blends the hectic boss fights the Ys series is known for with classic player-versus-player action. No two fights will ever be the same thanks to the game's vast customization options, and being able to play as fan-favorite characters is a real treat. The game will not be for everyone, but those who are fans of both series and are itching for something different to play should look no further. There is a learning curve to overcome, but once you climb that hill, you will be in for a great time.
This game is utterly fantastic. I went into it thinking that if it was even half as good as Cyber Sleuth, it would be amazing, but aside from my distaste for launch-DLC locking quests behind it, and the fact that I like the characters a bit better in Cyber Sleuth, this game exceeds it in every way. The story is great, the world feels alive, the visuals are vastly improved, and it has a lot of quality-of-life improvements that previous entries in the series lack. It's extremely approachable whether you're a longtime Digimon fan, or entirely new to the franchise, and it manages to be challenging at times throughout(unless you go overboard on grinding, which you definitely can if you want an easier experience). This is the definitive Digimon game, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Yooka-RePlaylee is still the same love letter to Nintendo 64 classics as the original release was, but in a much more refined form. The game contains roughly double the challenges as the original, there are hundreds of ways to customize the experience in unique ways, the controls have never felt better, and the quality-of-life upgrades really go a long way in improving the experience. This is, in fact, Yooka-Laylee in its best form, and it gives little reason for players to go back and play the original.