Cyber Chicken could eventually become a decent shooter, but it needs a lot of work. Badly-tuned boss fights, poor mechanics, and massive game-halting bugs completely obliterate any possibility of deriving enjoyment from this game. The dated jokes are more likely to cause stomach cramps than laughter. Gamers looking for a Metroidvania fix will find nothing but misery here.
Somewhere in Trulon: The Shadow Engine lies what could be a decent little RPG. The use of cards makes for an interesting spin on tradition. The somewhat bland characters and storyline are balanced out by quaint graphics and pleasant music. However, in its current state, this game is broken. It's far too easy to soft-lock it, or even ruin a save. Progress is constantly at the mercy of increasingly slipshod scripts. Attempting to play an RPG where potentially everything can go wrong is nothing more than an exercise in frustration.
Inferno Climber: Reborn has a few interesting qualities, but they are completely buried by a combination of poor controls, an awful camera, and quite possibly the worst frame-rate since Virtual Hydlide. Anybody who dares to take on this action-RPG will have to endure a ton of pain. Perhaps, if they suffer in torment for several hours, they'll uncover something of merit. Even then, is it really worth the cost of their soul?
As bad as Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is, it could always be worse.
All that really needs to be said is that Fantasy Hero ~unsigned legacy~ is an effortless slog. Considering the glut of action RPGs, it's understandable that there would be derivative elements, but this one doesn't even try to do anything unique. Worse, the lack of balance or polish results in a series of escalating aggravations. Before long, the very concept of "fun" is set ablaze, until nothing but ashes remain.
To summarise, Kyurinaga's Revenge has aggressively bland level design, flawed mechanics, and the only purpose its few bosses serve is to put expensive HDTVs and controllers at risk. Although the backgrounds show some creativity and the combat mode is a serviceable distraction, they do little to stem the tide of misery that is this game.
There is enjoyment to be found in Run Run and Die. The plethora of issues is so bad that they're liable to shock gamers into fits of laughter. All they'll be able to think about is how a video game with such a simple concept could fail so spectacularly. Sometimes the camera will shift to an impossible angle, or the penguin will die unfairly, and it is absolutely hilarious. This game might make for a fun prank to play on friends, or to create a reaction video for a YouTube channel. If that doesn't sound appealing, then stay far away from Run Run and Die.
At times, the secret to enjoying a video game is patience. Like a seemingly incomprehensible puzzle, it's up to the player to take their time, giving careful consideration to every aspect. However, as Noahmund proves, patience can have its limits. There is merit to be found in this strategy RPG, but it's buried under a number of issues, namely the uneven pacing, annoying combat, and progress-halting bugs. Some people might be able to struggle through them; others will feel that their time is better invested elsewhere.
In short, it's not worth the grey hairs.
When it comes to Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package, the same question comes up over and over again: Who is this for? Here's a title that not only fails to win over fans of Dead Rising, but it also fails to win over fans of videogames. Slaying hundreds of thousands of zombies is not compelling entertainment, especially when the combat mechanics are so unsatisfying. The entire adventure just feels tired and cynical, sapping players of the necessary energy to carry on with their day. This critic racked up well over 25 hours of play and didn't laugh, not even once. What else needs to be said? Maybe this game is for people who no longer wish to experience joy.
Witchinour isn't worth the hassle. While it does have a firm grasp of the basic essentials, it's difficult in all of the wrong ways. The stages are boring, the bosses are insufferable, and the spells are woefully inadequate. Even in games where the learning curve is akin to a steep cliff wall, there's at least something the player can do to make it palatable. That simply isn't the case here. Fans of shooters beware; nothing but misery awaits.
All told, Valkyria Revolution isn't a complete disaster. Every now and then, it manages to hoist itself out of the loathsome depths, and deliver an adequate strategy RPG. The ragnites and other abilities are fun to play around with. There is also a small level of satisfaction in crushing hapless soldiers. Still, outside of very specific circumstances, this title demands absolutely nothing from its players, so it's unlikely to hold their attention for long. The intriguing plot is completely wasted by a combination of bad storytelling, laughable cut-scenes, and exorbitant loading screens. All in all, it's a shameful affair.
With games like Sakura Nova, it's obvious that Winged Cloud knows where their bread is buttered. Still, it's hard to ignore the lack of a compelling story and interesting characters. Mikage is nothing more than an everyday harem dullard, and his relationship with Arisa and Kaguya progresses far too rapidly. They go from awkward meetings in the changing room to best friends to living together in just a few short days. There's nothing to keep the player engaged, unless, of course, they're sticking around just to see the naughty pictures.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle hits the right nostalgic notes, but it's a clearly rushed affair. The most important elements are in place, the fighting system is solid and pretty fun, and the campaign is suitably lengthy. However, the lack of polish just buries it. The wonky hit detection and control issues are a constant nuisance. Support for up to four players is appreciated, but there aren't any online modes, which is just plain baffling. Altogether, this makes for a game that's just not as tightly designed as it could be. Another few months of development time could've made a big difference.
MagicalxSpiral is a short game that still manages to be very monotonous. The level of difficulty never reaches a point that can be considered "sufficient." The presentation is decent enough, thanks in part to every character being nicely drawn and voiced. Still, that provides little incentive to see the story all the way to its conclusion. If this platformer was more polished and challenging, it might have been a weekend well spent.
All in all, Zenith's shallow combat and lack of replay value would have been easy to ignore if the game had delivered on its promise of humour. Instead, there are tons of jokes, but most of them miss the mark. After a long enough period of time, the bad jokes stack themselves to the ceiling, and then topple over. This creates what can only be described as an apocalyptic level of misery. Whatever interesting qualities Zenith had to offer are buried, and the player is left sitting in uncomfortable silence. Suddenly, ten hours feels like an eternity.
Crimson Room Decade is an interesting little experiment, but it lacks content. Granted, an alternate version of the game that has hundreds of puzzles wouldn't be ideal, either. Still, it really feels like more could have been done with the concept. A few clever ideas just aren't enough for this game to receive a recommendation.
The problems with Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 are manifold. Although some players might be able to stomach the long load times and poor framerate, it's unlikely they'll endure the countless bugs. The three regions that the game takes place in are sufficiently large. They're also filled with the appropriate amount of secrets and general busywork. Unfortunately, Georgia feels static and lifeless. Enemy troops don't have a purpose beyond shooting it out with the protagonist. While putting an end to these hapless goons is entertaining, it doesn't justify suffering through all of the other setbacks.
Ultimately, WWE 2K20 is the same old story of good ideas and bad execution. Having both female and male main characters in the MyCareer story mode is great. When presented alongside the "Four Horsewomen" mode/documentary, it shows 2K's commitment towards inclusivity. However, this is frequently undone by a plethora of bugs and glitches. In just a short amount of play-time, you're guaranteed to run into any number of them. Even if you can inexplicably manage to look past these problems, you're treated to original content that's also pretty flawed. Wrestling fans deserve better.
True to fashion, Senran Kagura Peach Ball takes a ridiculous concept, and revels in it. As a pinball game, it's not all that complex or rewarding