Dean James
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Attack of the Fanboy
DualShockers
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Whether it’s taking down hordes of Slimes or fighting to save the world, there is always something magical about Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake showcases why it is still one of the best entries in the series more than 36 years after its initial release. The HD-2D style is a great way to relive older games like this, giving me hope we may see more in the coming years with a game like Chrono Trigger, and this is yet another fantastic use of it. Mixing in the gorgeous visuals and quality of life improvements on top of what was already a great, yet still a bit dated in some ways game, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a must play for fans of the series as well as any RPG fan that has been waiting to jump into the series for the very first time.
Like past entries in the series, it may take a little while for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero to really click with you due to the perceived difficulty at the start. Once it does click though, you are in for a real treat with easily one of the best Dragon Ball games to date. With a massive character roster and high flying combat that perfectly emulates the series, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers a Kamehameha of gratification for fans of the series and is something that would have made series creator Akira Toriyama very proud.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection may only have two entries in it compared to three in most of the other collections, but the two games included are well worth it by themselves. Not only do the two Investigations games have compelling stories and cases within it, but they also have arguably the best gameplay in the entire series. While the courtroom structure of the mainline games is also great, both Ace Attorney Investigations 1 and 2 were so refreshing for their mix of in-the-field investigations and interrogations with people. The only downside is that it can start to feel a bit like trial and error with presenting evidence, but that is something you come to expect with the Ace Attorney series. Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is a must play for fans of the series, especially with the second game never being localized before, but it also is a great starting point for people who have never played an Ace Attorney game due to the standalone nature of the two included entries.
Finally being able to retire my old copy of NCAA Football 14 for Xbox 360, I was so happy to find that EA Sports College Football 25 was all I wanted and more in its return. There is still room to improve in some areas like with the bugs or additional game modes in the future, but this is a fantastic jumping back on point for the franchise after more than 10 years. For anybody who loved the original series or is just tired of the usual Madden formula, EA Sports College Football 25 may be just the game you’re looking for as it is a love letter to what makes college football so special from the bottom to the top.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape is a fantastic conclusion to this ongoing story arc by offering an abundance of content, brand new enemies, and a respectable difficulty across the missions and especially the final raid, with the only real downside being the connectivity issues that come with any always-online game. There is still more to come in the two upcoming episodes as mentioned prior, but there is no reason why you can’t jump in now to experience The Final Shape as it is now. This expansion is obviously aimed at those who have been playing Destiny 2 throughout the years, but it also works well enough as a standalone expansion as well that players can jump in and enjoy with no prior Destiny knowledge or experience. Even so, those who have not been fans of the series in the past are not likely to change their mind with this expansion.
Braid Anniversary Edition is a good example of it being very hard to mess up a great thing, which Braid itself already was. Every change or addition in this remake was for the better, as the game itself was not just updated superficially, but also received new content for players old and new to experience. The original Braid still holds up well today as one of the best puzzle-platformers ever made and now Braid Anniversary Edition continues to prove that in this stellar remake.
It took a long time for Sand Land to transition from manga to other mediums, but I am certainly glad we have gotten the opportunity now to appreciate another of Toriyama’s creations in multiple ways after his passing. Sand Land as a game is a solid action RPG that tries some new things with the vehicle-based combat on top of a standard regular combat system, albeit with some flaws, along with keeping you invested for much longer through the captivating story largely propelled by the likable characters themselves. For those who have watched the anime and want to explore this world or those who know absolutely nothing about the story going in, Sand Land is a worthwhile experience for anybody looking for a fairly safe RPG that will give them about 20-30 hours of gameplay overall, even more so if they appreciate the art style of Toriyama.
WWE 2K24 continues the upward trend of WWE game releases from 2K and Visual concepts, taking what has worked so well the last couple of years and adding to it with the new features. This year’s Showcase mode is very refreshing with a focus on WrestleMania as a whole and its most iconic matches rather than focusing on a specific superstar like in the past. The dual MyRISE mode is also very well done this year, even though it still has some of the flaws that have befallen it in the past with cringy dialogue and stilted performances. Introducing enticing new match types like Gauntlet matches and Guest Referee matches continues to add even more versatility to the overall product and makes WWE 2K24 the best in the series to date that fans and non-fans alike can have a lot of fun with for countless hours.
There is no objection needed here, as Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is just what we wanted to see with the re-release of these three classic games in the series. You may not have the convenience of the second screen from the originals, but pretty much everything else is better here than in the past. The visual upgrades for all three are impressive and are very much in line with other modern games and releases, while the gameplay for the trio still holds up very well today. While the Ace Attorney series is definitely not for everyone as a visual novel game, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is yet another winning re-release for this franchise that will have fans itching even more for a new entry in the franchise to be announced.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may not have had the strongest response from fans upon its initial announcement, but Ubisoft really knocked it out of the ballpark with this one in the end. Coming in at about the 20 to 25-hour mark for a well-explored playthrough felt just about right for this type of game to avoid overstaying its welcome. Taking Prince of Persia and mixing it with the Metroidvania genre was a brilliant move, as the gameplay and abilities from the series mesh very well with this style, and it makes me hope this is only the beginning of this franchise’s foray into this new direction and is not just a one-off experience.