Meghan Sullivan
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Writing For
IGNLatest Reviews
The malleable quality of Fire Emblem’s weapons-triangle and pairing systems make them a natural fit for the hack n’ slash genre. Even when I could barely tell what was going on on the crowded battlefield and my troops were a little too codependent, I enjoyed directing the action and jumping in to be part of the carnage. And while Fire Emblem Warriors makes poor use of the Fire Emblem universe’s story and history, we still get traces of the relationships between the characters that make it memorable.
Nier: Automata is a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of nutty ideas and awesome gameplay. It may not include the most sensical story or compelling characters, but its frenzied combat -- coupled with beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack – make it too much fun to pass up.
Tales of Zestiria doesn’t deviate too far from its competent predecessors, but it’s not a carbon copy, either. It may have linear dungeons and a less-than-stellar story, but it’s open-world exploration, enjoyable customization, and flashy new Armitization feature are enough for it to stand on its own.
In large part, I enjoyed Steins;Gate. Its first half is smartly told, its characters are genuinely likable, and I enjoyed learning about science in humorous ways. I just wish that the dating elements had been more smoothly incorporated into the established narrative and not forced (gruesomely at times) on the player. Sometimes, it’s enough to just be friends.
I give Apotheon high praise for its homage to old-school side-scrolling adventures and its ability to recreate the captivating style of Ancient Greek art. Unfortunately, a ho-hum story and frustrating controls prevent me from doing the same for its moment-to-moment gameplay. No matter how pretty it is, unless it nails the feeling of movement and smooth combat, an action-platformer can’t be much more than an enjoyable diversion.
I did everything I could to overlook Drakengard 3’s shoddy graphics, repetitive gameplay, poor controls, and shallow characters. Alas, this RPG is its own worst enemy. Everything about it feels underdeveloped and cobbled together. If there’s ever another Drakengard, I hope the developers do it justice and invest in smoother technology and a better-written script.