Stephanie Sung
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COGConnectedLatest Reviews
Aragami 2 is a solid third-person stealth game that involves combat and making decisions on the fly. As a shadow spirit protagonist, we wield a number of different abilities as we try to get past guards, defeat enemies, and use a wide variety of tactics to get the job done. It isn’t always easy and sometimes the game can feel frustratingly repetitive, but the smooth sprinting and shadow leaping allows you to zoom past repeated environments relatively quickly. It may not have the most engaging story, but the gameplay is great and the smooth, intuitive controls feel incredibly satisfying.
What’s interesting about Banner of the Maid is that it’s nothing you would expect at first. It is a game with cute anime-style characters, voiced in Chinese, subtitled in English, and based on the historical events that took place around the French Revolution in the late 18th to early 19th century. While it feels like none of these traits have anything in common with one another, it actually works well once you get past the initial surprise. It is a story about what could have happened instead, and presents an alternate timeline to a fascinating time. Understandably not everyone may be familiar with this moment in history, but if you know in general what happened and who Napoleon Bonaparte is, then there’s a chance you will be alright.
If you were a judge, would you be a fair one? I’m sure most of us would try to be, but what if you knew that some of your decisions will impact your country, your career, and your life? What if you knew that bringing the right person to justice can cause an uprising, or maintain harmony within the city? We. The Revolution is such a game, where you play as a judge and make tough decisions to appease the greater good. With a story presented mostly through text and some dialogue and some gorgeous artwork, We. The Revolution delves into the darker sides of history by casting you as a key player in its grim storyline.
When Final Fantasy VII was released 22 years ago, I was a small child and needless to say I did not understand its impact and influence in the gaming world. However, the game had always been around in my life, from playing with older friends on the PS One as a scrawny little kid, to watching Last Order and Advent Children as a teenager, and finally to buying myself the PSP release of Crisis Core in the late 2000s. It was the game that changed my life, and also the game that made me realize you can fall in love with video game characters (Zack Fair, I’m looking at you).
428: Shibuya Scramble is a visual novel with an innovative method of storytelling. At first glance it seems like a simple choose-your-own-adventure game, but it becomes more complicated and interesting as the plot develops. Its characters are played by real life actors, with still images in the background of the text and video clips for cutscenes. Originally released in 2008, the game was remastered and released this year for the PS4 and PC. With a thrilling story and a delightful cast of characters, 428: Shibuya Scramble is still one of the most unique visual novels that remains undefeated in terms of its originality and creativity – in fact, it is the best I have ever played.
I play many platforming games, and although I am terrible at landing in the right places and staying alive, there is a certain appeal to the challenge that I can’t quite put into words. When I first saw the trailer for Planet Alpha, I knew that I had to try it out. I thought to myself: “This game is going to be spectacular if it is anything close to the graphics in this trailer”. And, let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised because it was really just as good.