MonsterVine
We Cover Video Game News, Reviews, Previews, and More.
Latest Reviews
There were two instances in which I took issue with the story. The first is how one of the characters, Lent, is continually abused by his father and how all the characters just shrug it off. The second involves an illogical behavioral moment between two groups of kids. While it...
Shenmue III
Shenmue III’s visuals serve as an excellent evolution for the distinct style of the first two titles. It’s a pleasing mix of cartoonish colors and almost realistic qualities. It’s the settings that really stand out though, with the colorful fields of flowers in Bailu Village and the lit streets of...
The designers have described themselves as “the last living Soviet game designers,” and that may or may not be true, but it feels true. The aesthetic is distinctly Eastern European–your Pathologics, your Metros have a similar vibe–and the sense of humor is as bleak as a good Russian joke. Not...
Artistically, Arise maintains a consistent style through sun, snow, thunderstorms, and time. The beautiful art manages to capture each moment in time and let you live in this world as though it were real. The story is told in such an abstract way that a lackluster art style might ruin...
Romancing SaGa 3
The visuals of Romancing SaGa 3 are excellent, as it features some exceptionally detailed sprite work. Characters and enemies are all distinct and well-designed, Bosses are slightly animated through tweening, which makes them feel more special and imposing. The music is top-notch as well, as could be expected from a...
Visually, New Super Lucky’s Tale feels like a colorful and whimsical children’s book brought to life. The side-characters are all wacky and cartoonish, while the fantasy-based environments have a squeaky-clean feeling to them. The music is catchy and fitting for each stage, and further adds to the game’s light sense...
Visually, Death Stranding is a sight to behold. The notable actors look remarkably realistic, but the environments take the cake in the visuals department. From snowy mountains to desolate dusty plains, the world of Death Stranding is breath-taking to look upon as you travel throughout every corner of it. I’ve...
John Wick Hex
It’s a minor thing, but the voice acting is all recorded at different volumes which means SOME GUYS YELL ALL THE TIME and some only speak in growly criminal lowercase and lends a “Mommy and Daddy are fighting!” feel to the cutscenes. Also, I am pretty sure that’s not Keanu...
Moons of Madness
I went into Moons of Madness hoping for a Lovecraftian story, and it delivered. It has that Lovecraft-inspired tone through and through, so if cosmic horror is your thing, you should be pleased with the way Moons of Madness develops. A few parts of the story feel a little disconnected...
Deliver Us the Moon
Exploring an abandoned station while piecing together events from the past to learn what happened to the people there is hardly an original concept, but Deliver Us The Moon does an excellent job with it. Aside from a couple of tedious gameplay sections near the end, I enjoyed all 7...
Visually, Ninja Saviors is quite impressive. The sprites are expressive and impeccably designed, with the player characters standing out as particularly fun to look at. The environments are detailed and appropriate for the weird world of Ninja Saviors, boasting a harsh industrial feeling with just a bit of shlocky camp...
Code Vein
While multiplayer is there, it’s a little on the ehhhh side. The floaty combat and weird camera angles and weird, finicky controls are much more of a hassle when lag hits or when actual people are involved. Flaws you’d write off when you’re poking around a dungeon alone are much...
