Nicholas Tan
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Game RevolutionLatest Reviews
On concept alone, Metaphor: ReFantazio works. This new IP from Atlus attempts to reinvigorate the classic fantasy JRPG genre by introducing the familiar calendar of the popular Persona series and the press turn combat from the mainline Shin Megami Tensei series. Through a modern lens, Metaphor reexamines tropes like the job system, the mythological journey of the hero, and the purpose of fantasy itself, building an intriguing world full of magic, wonder, and strife. This isn’t to say that the game doesn’t have any weaknesses, but by and large the game is a masterstroke in imagination and ideas, daringly improving upon what makes Persona so exceptional.
It’s understandable if Persona fans are skeptical about Persona 3 Reload. The original game released way back in 2007, and since then, we’ve had Persona 3 FES (along with The Answer) and Persona 3 Portable. So the idea of playing Persona 3 again after all these years can feel like being asked to retread the same material in a similar way to Bethesda asking us to buy Skyrim one more time. That said, Persona 3 is beloved enough that P3R could have been a graphical remaster without facing too many complaints. So the fact that Atlus has actually gone through the trouble of making numerous gameplay tweaks while adding a wealth of quality-of-life enhancements here is a minor miracle.
Despite being a niche genre, fighting games are in the midst of a renaissance. Tekken 8 is a welcome addition to the party that includes Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1, and Guilty Gear Strive, just to name a few fantastic brawlers released over the last two years. This installment has impressive graphics, a solid character roster, and a robust combat system with several new twists. While some of the extra modes, particularly Arcade Quest, are a swing and a miss, the game still packs a mighty punch.
Atlus is not done pulling the Phantom Thieves through yet another adventure. Compared to other P5 offshoots like Strikers and Dancing in Starlight, Persona 5 Tactica hits closer to home. This time around, the familiar cast needs to fight through a grid-based tactical RPG, similar to the SMT: Devil Survivor series, in a new story that takes place between the second and third semesters of high school in the original Persona 5 timeline. The solid combat system, though limited to a three-person party, allows for a lot of finely-tuned strategy. However, the linear plot is tangential at best and focuses on characters who aren’t the Phantom Thieves.
To say that Kazuma Kiryu is facing an identity crisis is an understatement. As the name of Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name references, Kiryu made a deal with the Daidoji Faction to fake his death at the end of Yakuza 6. As a result, he’s in purgatory, unable to reach out to the Tojo Clan and, most important of all, Haruka at Morning Glory Orphanage. Outside of that, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku has moved away from the Yakuza brand and towards the Like A Dragon name instead. Though the game’s length is relatively short, the game is a fond farewell for Kiryu before the series turns the page to another chapter.
EA Sports UFC 5 is more of a remaster of UFC 4 than it is a new game. This may not be a surprise to folks who are used to the annualized sports franchises from EA Sports, but UFC 5 had three years to make major upgrades since its predecessor. Most of the effort has gone into remaking the character models in EA’s Frostbite engine, making a few control tweaks, and adding an impressive cut system. However, the roster, career mode, and presentation have been copied over with little effort and in some cases left to atrophy.