Chris Shive
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Hardcore Gamer Latest Reviews
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demons ignores everything that fans are looking for in a Bayonetta game to deliver a charming and deeply-emotional experience. Players who are only interested in the traditional Bayonetta experience might want to skip this, but those who are willing to see the familiar character...
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a dark fantasy take on the Three Kingdoms. The difficulty is high, almost seeming insurmountable at first, but part of what makes Wo Long great is how the difficulty isn't unfair. The gameplay is structured where players are rewarded for learning the fighting style of...
When compared to the original, Octopath Traveler II is largely more of the same but better. The battle system is just as enjoyable as it was the first time around with additional layers of strategy added. Solistia is a great new world to explore, and the added day and night...
Wild Hearts offers a fresh take on the monster hunting formula. The nature infused Kemono are an original approach to monster designs and some of them look so majestic you almost feel bad about killing them. Azuma is a gorgeous location, and using the different forms of the Karakuri to...
One Piece Odyssey delivers a great One Piece adventure, but without regard to the source material, is simply a good but unremarkable RPG. Hardcore One Piece fans will eat this up like a smorgasbord of Sanji's cooking, but even with the Memoria sections, it's a lot for newcomers to take...
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion walks a tightrope between a remake and remaster. Most elements of the PSP version remain unchanged, including the story, DMV system and mission progression. The voice acting was done with a new cast, many visuals have been completely rebuilt and the combat mechanics have...
Dragon Quest Treasures offers a glimpse into the early years of two intriguing Dragon Quest XI characters. The world of floating islands is a wonderful setting for open-ended adventure, where hunting for treasure and monsters can become equally addictive pursuits. The numerous callbacks to other Dragon Quest titles are sure...
Marvel's Midnight Suns pulls all its different elements together to create a memorable tactical RPG. The combat is the main event and its execution resulted in every battle being an enjoyable event, whether it was taking on a nefarious supervillain or relieving Hydra of the ownership of a valuable artifact....
Evil West deserves a spot among the best games that take place in the wild west. This isn't the first time cowboys have faced off against vampires, but this is one the better attempts at fusing the opposing genres. From the time Evil West sinks in its teeth, it immediately...
Harvestella attempts to create a unique gaming experience by combining farming and life sim elements with action RPG elements. The game suffers from an identity crisis both in regards to its narrative and gameplay. There's a great emphasis on interacting with villagers and helping them solve rather mundane problems with...
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars combines the style of traditional RPGs with a soulslike template, resulting in a challenging but more accessible game that's able to forge its own identity without hiding its influences. The final result isn't perfect as there's plenty of room for more polish. Despite these shortcomings,...
NieR: Automata: The End of YoRHa Edition combines top notch gameplay with an incredible story to create one of the most memorable and unique experiences in gaming. Certain concessions had to be made to accommodate the limitations of the Switch's hardware. The graphics had to take a minor downgrade and...
