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Tomas Franzese


Favorite Games:
  • Star Wars: Battlefront 2
  • Pokémon Sapphire
  • Batman: Arkham City

173 games reviewed
72.3 average score
75 median score
48.6% of games recommended

Tomas Franzese's Reviews

Tomas Franzese is a Video Game News Writer at Inverse. He started writing about games in 2016 and has barely put his controller or keyboard down since! Tomas was formerly News Editor at DualShockers.
5.5 / 10.0 - Miitopia
Jul 27, 2017

While a party can contain up to four members, players only directly control themselves. One can even set autobattle to have battles play out without having to interfere.  The whole battling process is pretty hands-off, and can be sped up with the press of a button, which can make Miitopia a nice game to have on in the background or play in very short bursts. In longer gaming sessions however, the experience can really drag.

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8 / 10.0 - Namco Museum
Aug 8, 2017

Namco Museum was able to preserve games that I remember fondly, and introduced me to some enjoyable new experiences that I can't wait to get back to. It could have had a bit more meat on its bones, but this collection ultimately is a great addition to the Nintendo Switch's ever growing library and a fitting tribute to some of Namco's greatest hits.

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7.5 / 10.0 - West of Loathing
Aug 10, 2017

West of Loathing is one of the most memorable games I have played this year. It's unique simple-yet-detailed visuals and witty writing for everything from basic dialogue to item descriptions will keep fans of both westerns and RPGs very entertained. Unfortunately, once you hop into battle, the game's cracks start to show. While there is a great feeling of progression, West of Loathing's combat never did much to stand out from the systems in countless other turn-based RPGs. While I won't forget this Western romp anytime soon, I'll be remembering the witty dialogue exchanges and unique graphics more than its gameplay.

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8 / 10.0 - Ironcast
Aug 14, 2017

The system's portability is also a great fit for the game, as I could easily knock out one or two missions while on the go. It reminded me of puzzle games from the heyday of Xbox Live Arcade such as Peggle and Puzzle Quest, and makes me hopeful that the Nintendo Switch will be a similarly great platform for smaller, outside the box indie games such as Ironcast.

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7.5 / 10.0 - Agents of Mayhem
Aug 15, 2017

From a creative standpoint, Agents of Mayhem is great. Its world stands on its own, looks good, and is hilariously written well… for the most part. Playing around with the agents' special abilities can even be fun, but many missions felt repetitive and dull. If the world of Agents of Mayhem intrigues you, I would recommend diving into it — just know that under the hood, its missions and open world aren't as creative as the rest of the game.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Madden NFL 18
Aug 17, 2017

Madden NFL 18, with its variety of new modes and features, has quickly become may favorite entry in the Madden series to date. MUT Squads and Longshot are both very engaging, and the new playstyles and target passing mechanics spice up regular games and Franchise mode. Though the transition to Frostbite wasn't flawless, as the game suffers from long loading times and occasional slowdown, gameplay and content wise, Madden NFL 18 is the strongest in the series, so I would recommend it to both avid football fans and those who have not picked up Madden over the past few years.

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Sep 18, 2017

The Joy-Cons themselves can also be uncomfortable to use and take away from "play with anyone, anywhere" vibe that this game has going for it at face value. If you missed Pokkén Tournament on Wii U and are a fan of fighting games, I highly recommend it, as it is easy to get into and brings some interesting changes to genre. That being said, it really isn't worth double-dipping with Pokkén Tournament DX, as this version doesn't add too much to the core experience outside of a couple new fighters.

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Oct 23, 2017

I found immense enjoyment in watching some of my favorite Fire Emblem characters fight hordes of foes in 3D, as it something we have never really gotten with the series before. While the game is let down a bit by mediocre AI and underwhelming voice acting and story, Fire Emblem Warriors delivers with enjoyable gameplay that blends mechanics from both Fire Emblem and Warriors games into something unique and unlike anything else on the Nintendo Switch. I hope Koei Tecmo continue this collaboration with Nintendo, either on sequels to Fire Emblem and Hyrule Warriors, or another IP like Xenoblade.

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Nov 3, 2017

I really wanted Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back to be good, or at least entertainingly bad, but I was just left with a tepid, overpriced, and somewhat generic 2D platformer that wasn't funny or fulfilling enough to justify a $30 purchase. If you are really dedicated to the character, I would wait until it drops to around $5 or $10. Once you beat the game, Accolade promises that “Bubsy will return,” so let's just hope his next outing is funnier, lengthier, and more memorable than Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back. Bubsy 3D 2 anyone?

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Nov 23, 2017

It is a shame to see the series fizzle out like this on 3DS. At this point, I just want Nintendo to bring the game over to the Switch with Mario Party 11, as that may be the breath of fresh air this series desperately needs to stay relevant. If that doesn't work out, then it may be time for Nintendo and Nd Cube to finally put this once great series to rest.

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7 / 10.0 - Tower 57
Dec 30, 2017

If you are a fan of pixel art or Amiga-style twin-stick shooters, you will probably have a nice time with Tower 57, especially if you are playing with a friend. Unfortunately, if you are playing in single-player, the title's flaws become a lot more noticeable and annoying, leaving me tepid wanting. If the game was polished up a bit more and made its way to a co-op friendly console like the Nintendo Switch, I could recommend it more, but as it stands, Tower 57 is best suited for those I mentioned above.

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9 / 10.0 - Celeste
Jan 25, 2018

On top of that, there is a great story that addresses themes of depression, self-discovery, and ultimately perseverance, which can be applied to both one's personal life and the experience one has in general when playing a difficult game. You may get mad at a few points, but that peak is always there waiting for you, within reach, and is something we should all strive for, whether it is in-game or not.

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7.5 / 10.0 - Mulaka
Feb 26, 2018

If you can get past the somewhat janky visuals and combat, you will find a decent action-adventure game that does an excellent job exposing new people to an intriguing culture and mythology. If you are a fan of games that infuse history or different mythologies into the experience and have not heard of the Tarahumara people, Mulaka is definitely worth checking out. It is vital to preserve smaller and somewhat ignored cultures through things like storytelling, so I'm glad Lienzo choose to do so for the Tarahumara people in an interactive way with Mulaka.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Gravel
Feb 27, 2018

If you are a huge racing game fan that is interested in what the game is trying to do, it may be worth checking out, as it's not a poorly-made game. Otherwise, I'd wait for a price drop before adding this to your collection. Gravel does have a lot of room to expand for a sequel, so I do hope Milestone gives this type of racing game another stab with more memorable results.

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Mar 5, 2018

While I have come out of Kingdom Come: Deliverance somewhat disappointed, Warhorse Studios still did deliver on their original KickStarter promise of creating a realistic RPG unlike any other. While the developers did squeeze as much potential as their studio could out of this concept, to sometimes remarkable results, Kingdom Come: Deliverance may have been a tad too bit ambitious for them on a technical level, and it really shows.

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If you can get past the slow start and some of the glaring technical problems of The Mad Ones, then you will find the most innovative episodic adventure games to come from a studio other than Telltale. I can see The Council becoming a standout title within its genre when it's finished, but as it stands The Mad Ones has enough problems to where everyone may not be on board just yet.

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8 / 10.0 - Masters of Anima
Apr 9, 2018

This niche of the RTS genre isn't often catered-to outside of the Pikmin series, so it's nice to see these developers branch out and be successful. While the game may have benefitted from more puzzles, the combat focus of Masters of Anima shows that there is still room to expand and be unique in this segment of the genre. If you are looking for a new strategy game to tide you over until a genuine Pikmin 4 comes out, I definitely recommend Masters of Anima.

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5.5 / 10.0 - Extinction
Apr 10, 2018

If you are looking for a game that will give you an adrenalin rush by letting you fight a giant ogre, then you may come away satisfied from Extinction. When you are felling a Ravenii in slow motion, things can get real gratifying, you just do have to trudge through a ton of mediocre and repetitive elements to get there. Extinction's story and some repetitiveness do ultimately let the package down as a whole, but I am glad to see Iron Galaxy tried tackle a different idea outside of their comfort zone, even if it didn't pan out entirely.

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8 / 10.0 - For the King
Apr 19, 2018

As a fan of the genre, I can see myself consistently returning to For the King, and think other roguelike fans and people who enjoy tabletop RPGs will find something to enjoy here.

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Apr 19, 2018

If you are itching for a new space shooter on Switch, you may be able to squeeze a bit of enjoyment out of Manticore – Galaxy on Fire, but you are probably just better to wait until Everspace or a new Star Fox comes to the system. If the game still interests you, it's probably best to just check it out on mobile, where it is available for free. While I do see the potential in bringing mobile games over to consoles like the Switch and improving upon them, Manticore – Galaxy on Fire's mobile origins still hold it back in too many areas to make it a proper example of what can be done with that transition.

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