Ben Love
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Writing For
RPGFanLatest Reviews
Longtime series purists may scoff at this release as a lackluster treatment of a genre classic and stick to the fan translation of the Super Famicom original. As a longtime series fan that’s played many hours of the original, I can relate to that perspective. However, I think that even...
In attempting to bridge the gap between diehard fans of the cult franchise and newcomers unused to the Grand Strategy setup, Brigandine Abyss ends up watering down the elements that made it unique in the first place. There is still a compelling strategic experience here, particularly in Mission Mode, but the Story...
Culdcept Begins is a triumphant return for a series that’s been dormant for a decade. The new presentation style may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s the most cohesive visual design in the franchise, with special attention paid to clarity and consistency in its UI befitting such complex mechanics....
Town of Zoz
As it stands, these core design problems, coupled with a host of technical issues (frequent crashes, bugs that softlock the game, textures loading improperly half the time, etc.), leave me unable to give a wholehearted recommendation. Perhaps if the developers tweak the combat system and iron out some of the...
Zero Parades
The investors want their return on investment, and while they can’t own the people who created what we love, they can own the product of their labor under the guise of intellectual property, and wring out as much value as possible. It’s a reminder to value the people who made...
Pokopia is a rare example of a game that takes inspiration from as many genre juggernauts as possible, yet ultimately exceeds them all. The building mechanics may not be quite as expansive as Minecraft, and not all of the 1000+ Pokémon creatures feature here (though weekly events are scheduled to...
Under the Island falters in its combat and storytelling, but more than makes up for those shortcomings with engaging world design, clever puzzles, and creative boss encounters. Link’s boots are admittedly difficult to fill, but Under the Island has enough good ideas to set itself apart from its inspiration. The...
Cassette Boy
There are flashes of brilliance in Cassette Boy; the perspective gimmick applied to a top-down Zelda framework is delightfully novel. The game has a cozy retro aesthetic and a breezy, lo-fi soundtrack. If only the game had not been so slavish to its inspirations, ditched the lackluster combat & levelling...
Artis Impact
To add insult to injury, the game rushes to a ham-fisted and unsatisfying narrative conclusion that raises more questions than answers. The game attempts to encourage replays through optional sidequests that reveal more about the world, but I don’t think it would be worth trudging through the shoddy translation and...
Disgaea 7 is a mixed bag: while it addresses many of the issues present in its predecessor, it also fails to match the sereis’ best games it is trying to emulate. I enjoyed my time with the game, but I’m left wondering where the series can go from here. Disgaea...
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is the best iteration of Monolith Soft’s impressive open-world masterpiece. I’m so happy that the game is on a platform many people own, so they can finally experience the wondrous world of Mira for the first time, just as I did in 2015. Xenoblade Chronicles...
I can’t say I fully regret the time I spent with That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles, but the overall experience wasn’t incredibly memorable either. If you are a huge fan of the anime or light novel series, I think it’s worth checking out, as it’s a...
