Latest Reviews
Gensou Skydrift feels more like the fan game it actually is than I hoped. The references to Mario Kart: Double Dash are warranted, but it lacks the polish and finesse of that GameCube classic. If anything, Gensou Skydrift shows how far Mario Kart has come, because this might as well...
It’s safe to say that SaGa: Scarlet Grace - Ambitions does everything that fans of the series have grown to love over the years. It manages to stay faithful to the spirit of SaGa but wraps it in a package that looks great and feels like a fresh take on...
Jamestown+
Jamestown+ is an incredibly competent and satisfying vertical shooter with a unique setting and a fair amount of content. If you enjoy unlocking new ships and replaying levels with your new toys and on higher difficulty settings, you can’t go wrong here. Those who enjoy co-op player with their shoot-’em-ups...
Despite my misgivings with our royal protagonist’s moveset, King of Cards is an excellent cap on what’s become a downright amazing collection of games. Players who already own Treasure Trove get this one for free, and if you’ve ever been on the fence about buying it, I really can’t recommend...
If the major selling point of Riverbond is the wide variety of character skins and weapon types, that’s just not enough to create a very compelling gameplay experience. Yes, it’s funny to run around as a voxelized slice of watermelon swinging a pirate sword or wielding dual hammers, but...
While Tokyo Dark sets an appropriately haunting tone, and weaves a competent mystery, it just doesn’t do much else. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but the game would have been much better served to either streamline all the walking about and poking things into a proper visual novel or...
Overall, if you enjoy a very slow burn game that really seems better suited to being played for an hour or so a day, or just really want something with a huge focus on narrative, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine may scratch that itch. Those looking for a game...
Regardless, Star Ocean: First Departure R is an overall port of a good game. It stands out in a few ways from its contemporaries, mostly in its Tales-esque battle system and character recruitment and affection minutiae. My best recommendation for First Departure R might be that it’s a story-heavy RPG...
The Bradwell Conspiracy feels like a waste. The game pulls you in on a high, but falters every step of the way. The puzzles can be entertaining, but the Substance system is frustrating and cumbersome at its absolute best moments. The story makes a big deal out of various themes,...
Heroland relies far too much on the style over substance, and while I do really enjoy the style, especially the Paper Mario-esque pixelated characters, I’m let down by how unsatisfying the game is overall. It’s imminently cute with a solid sense of humor that just unravels into a slog of...
EarthNight
Thankfully, EarthNight wins the day with its enthralling style and art, packing in so many secrets inside its distinctive look. A few issues crop up, chiefly the narrower viewpoint during the fast levels and some long-tail grindy repetition, but the overwhelming killer vibe of this uniquely beautiful video game make...
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is the best game in the series. With a brand new starting point and important changes to the game's mechanics, a larger number of players can come in and enjoy the journey. The battle system is challenging at first, but I got...
