Scott Sullivan
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COGConnected Latest Reviews
Back in 2014, a team of plucky video-game enthusiasts banded together to pitch Shovel Knight to Kickstarter. Little did Yacht Club know at the time of the meteoric rise to fame that they would soon be swept up in. What started as a retro-inspired homage soon grew into a treasure trove of content that continued to impress, with its latest campaign, King of Cards proving to be the biggest one yet. King of Cards casts you as the eponymous King Knight who sets out on his journey to create his own kingdom, and play a few rounds of Joustus in the process. Shovel Knight: King of Cards is a fitting send-off for Shovel Knight, serving up a conclusion fit for a king, or even a knight that is just pretending to be one.
Despite the timing of when it first debuted, Digimon never quite seemed to hit the same level of popularity that it’s monster raising counterpart Pokemon did. That being said, the franchise has a very hardcore fanbase, and has had a number of games in varying quality. Fortunately for those fans of Digimon, Cyber Sleuth and it’s followup Hacker’s Memory are both very strong entries for the Digimon franchise, and Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition wraps these two excellent RPGs into a must-have for fans not only of Digimon but of monster-collecting games as well.
The Game Kitchen’s highly anticipated Kickstarter title immediately impressed with its gorgeous pixel art and surprisingly grim premise. Fast forward two years, and we finally have our hands on the brutal action platformer that pays homage to series like Castlevania and Dark Souls. You assume the role of the Penitent one, the sole survivor of the massacre of his brotherhood, and your task is simple, the ascend to the peak of the city and break the curse of death and rebirth, all while battling some truly horrifying enemies and bosses and avenging your slain order. There are an abundance of metroidvanias over these past few years, but there’s a lot of things Blasphemous does better than any of them, and a lot of things that hold it back.
For Yakuza fans, they’re well acquainted with the city of Kamurocho. A metropolis that’s as glitzy as it is seedy, we grew well acquainted with the crime that goes on as we followed Kiryu’s exploits across six games (and a couple of excellent remasters as well), but Judgment gives us an interesting twist on this formula, casting us on the side of good for once. Playing as Takayuki Yagami, a former lawyer turned private investigator, you’re quickly wrapped up in a meticulously crafted tale of intrigue that will keep you gripped until the end, splicing in new mechanics that make Judgment feel fresh enough to warrant yet another visit to the city of Kamurocho.
Studio MDHR’s highly praised, tough as nails title Cuphead has finally landed on the Switch, and it pleases me immensely to see that the transition went off without a hitch. Featuring the same tight platforming, fantastic bosses, and jazzy big band soundtrack as the original version, the Switch version may even arguably be the definitive way to experience the game, thanks to the grab ‘n go nature of the Switch. There’s a lot to delve into, so let’s spill the tea (or coffee or milk or whatever you may drink out of a cup or mug. I won’t judge you.)
As terrible as it may sound, what stuck with me the most about Unravel’s initial E3 reveal way back in 2015 wasn’t quite the game itself. In fact, it was the endearing mixture of nervousness/clear passion for the game that Martin Sahlin was showing as he took us through what exactly Unravel was. Three years later, and after commercial success, we’re back in the tiny shoes of Yarny, the aptly named protagonist of Unravel, but they’re not alone this time. Featuring brilliantly designed co-operative gameplay and a whole lot of heart, Unravel Two is a brief, but thoroughly entertaining journey.
It’s hard to believe that Wargroove is finally here. Back at E3 2017, the uniquely styled strategy game immediately caught the eye of many, as it appeared to be filling a void left by a noted franchise for Nintendo in Advance Wars. Fast forward through two years and copious developer blog entries, and we have what is arguably a superbly crafted progression of the turn-based strategy style of gameplay that hadn’t really been done before. Chucklefish loved it so much that they took it a step further, putting their own spin on this genre with Wargroove. Those two plus years may have been tough to wait through, but you can stop holding your breath on this one, as Wargroove is not only worth the wait but a strong addition to the strategy genre as a whole.
Featuring a number of improvements over it’s initial PS2 release, Dragon Quest VIII comes to the 3DS to bolster the handheld’s already impressive library of JRPG titles. While it may look dated thanks in part to the restrictions of being on a handheld device, this game’s pleasing, colorful graphics are bolstered by the art of legendary manga-artist Akira Toriyama, of Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z fame. These charming character designs are backed up by some exceptional music, and while they aren’t quite on par with the original orchestral tracks, the quality of the music in place is by no means a slouch, featuring many excellent entries. One of the other newer features includes a boatload of voice-acting. Many scenes are enhanced with solid voice-acting, aside from a few instances that may be a bit too cockney for some. There are a few characters who seem almost stereotypically British, but for the majority of the scenes, the new voicework helps enhance the already well-written story. These aren’t the only latest additions to this re-mastering, though. A ton of additional content has been added to this title as well, helping to improve the length of an already seriously substantial RPG that will keep...
The latest DLC for Dark Souls 3 has hit, and it’s admittedly left a bit of a mixed taste in my mouth. It brings us to the world of Ariandel, a painted world slowly being consumed by a rotting plague, with you being summoned to help burn it away with a grand, sweeping flame. It fits right into the world of Dark Souls immediately, and while this world clearly has a lot of polish, the Ashes of Ariandel is over before it feels like it even begins. There’s a lot to like in this DLC, but there’s also some big points that left me wanting more, because I know From Software can do better. The Painted World may be cool, but it feels like it was made via speed-painting.
Gone are the days of throwing historical factions at one another. No longer will I be pitting Samurai against one another. No longer will I be sending my Spartans to push back the encroaching Egyptian forces. Instead, I now pit humankind as a whole against the gnashing, “WAAAAGH”-ing hordes of greenskins (Orcs, for those not acquainted with Warhammer) entering my lands, while brokering trade agreements with Dwarves. The undead loom in the area as well, but those all pale in comparison to the dire threat of the forces of Chaos. It all sounds like something out of Lord of the Rings, but this is Warhammer, and the marriage between its lore and ideas, with the gameplay of Total War makes for what could honestly be one of the best entries in the entire franchise. Total War: Warhammer was meant to be.