Jowi Girard-Meli
This author account hasn't been claimed yet. To claim this account, please contact the outlet owner to request access.
Writing For
Playstation Lifestyle Latest Reviews
I have to be honest, people; when it comes to reviewing games, few franchises leave me with less to say than Hyperdimension Neptunia. It’s not that I feel overwhelmingly positive or negative about the series; on the contrary, I find it so middle-of-the-road that it’s difficult to come up with much to say about how one entry compares to the others. For me, it’s one of those “play one, you’ve played them all” sort of things. I’d be hard-pressed to name any one part of any of the other games, as they’ve all blended together into a sort of Neptunian mélange in my brain. Simple turn-based or button-mashing action RPG gameplay; the same few enemies repeated over and over; very goofy game industry, er, Gamindustri, jokes; and bizarre cutscenes that involve a lot of sexual tension between the girls, some of whom look definitively underage.
Despite the fact that I am ostensibly not the target demographic for otome games, I’ve always found a special place in my heart for them. Perhaps it’s on account of my having been indoctrinated into the niche cult of folks who like Japanese games with their absurdity turned up to 11, or maybe it’s the fact that I got into journalism in the first place because I find other people’s interests and passions – no matter how bizarre, to include the aforementioned genre of games – absolutely fascinating. I find it a somewhat happy coincidence, then, that after reviewing such gems as Norn9: Var Commons, Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ and Amnesia: Memories for PSLS back before my departure in 2016, the second game waiting for me upon my return is the next game in Idea Factory’s Otomate line: Collar x Malice.
As far as I can tell, I was one of the most ardent supporters of the original The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, at least where reviews were concerned. I loved the ways that game reminded me of my favorite JRPG franchise, Persona – there’s a lot to compare, from the story centering on a ragtag group of different students at a school (in this case, a military academy called Thors) to a system where relationships could be fostered between said students for advantages in battle (using the “Link” system, echoing the “Social Links” of the Shin Megami Tensei spinoff).
Spike Chunsoft and Aksys have brought a new roguelike quest to Vita. Check out our Shiren the Wanderer Vita review!