Latest Reviews
In short, Hidden Dragon Legend requires a lot more polish. The basics are all there, but just about everything is implemented poorly and makes for a frustrating experience. The storytelling is lackluster and it manages to make combat, what should be the core of an action game, into something that...
The game does feel like it has some balance issues that need some tweaking, but they weren’t enough to keep from spending hours getting my ass handed to me in multiplayer mode. I personally hope the series continues to pursue this genre, as the potential exists to create a truly...
Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is an addition to a series that adds deeper gameplay mechanics at the removal of some of the characters and aesthetic that made the game popular in the first place. The story mode is a welcome addition for more casual players and the auto combo and...
Needless to say, though, if you’ve even passingly enjoyed previous series entries, this is a game that absolutely must be played through. Lulls in the plot and some dull mini-games aside, I’d easily rank this as the best entry in the Danganronpa franchise thus far. I do wish it was...
The Vita seems to have become inundated with dungeon crawlers in recent years, but Mary Skelter is one that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re raring for a challenge, paired up with a great storyline, this is definitely a title to add to your library.
Trudging towards the hundredth hour, my resolve to exalt Mask of Truth for sustaining Utawarerumono’s charm while buttressing its weaknesses began to waver. So far from the core scenario did it wander (tying off the franchise’s loose ends and tidying up its unanswered questions) that it began to feel like the...
Like any other iterative series, Warriors has its faithful followers that will devour every new entry with gusto. However, if Koei Tecmo wants to attract newcomers, I really think they need to start bringing some real innovation to the formula. Something beyond the minor mechanical tweaks in each entry. Something...
While some could argue that having limited changes just makes for more of the same, this gameplay is still fun and engaging. I really can’t recommend this title enough. It may not hit as high as Zero did, but it does a damned fine job modernizing a game that fans fell...
Despite the complaints, I can easily see Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana going down as a modern classic of the genre. The sense of wonder the game offers during exploration, the beautiful artistic presentation, and the just plain solid and fun gameplay make this a title that you absolutely should...
As I mentioned, this game probably would have been much stronger as an adventure game or visual novel. Excise the combat and the codex, and you’d have a solid narrative-driven game. The shear amount of new vocabulary the game throws at you would’ve been a much smaller complaint if text...
Overall, Cold Steel is an incredible JRPG, but somewhat disappointing taken in the context of its own series. The repetitiveness of the school life portions is the greatest offender – the game really comes into its own when you’re out of the school environment and exploring Erebonia. Still, if you’ve...
Without straying into spoiler territory, I also felt that the ending lacked a quarter-measure of closure on my first pass. An unexpectedly sentimental conclusion sacrifices a plot thread to get there, and the final moments felt like they were leading somewhere more. Perhaps, as talk of mice pirates and dog...
