Jake Su's Reviews
Nevertheless, The Devil in Me runs close to being the best in the series alongside House of Ashes, with a good-paced story and genuine characters that are probably better off alive than dead. The gameplay sections have been freshened up, even if the engine and look of everything feel just a little dated for the final entry in the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology. Hopefully, the second will feel more like a killer attraction.
In the end, The Callisto Protocol ramps up the atmospheric horror with plenty of visceral action, with the linear design helping to keep the focus on the main objective from start to finish. Although it can have trouble when it comes to empowering the player and losing its horror edge, the main issue remains the fact that we have all seen and done this before. Depending on your preference, that might just be exactly what you want, but the nightmare fades a little, especially with the Dead Space remake on the horizon.
Put that unfairness together with the annoying tendencies of the cops in Need for Speed Unbound, and the entire experience is full of peaks and valleys that curtail the progress that this game is supposed to be making. Beyond its art style that stands tall on its own, Need for Speed Unbound feels less like an innovation and more like a new body kit installed on an old engine. When the competition is already miles ahead, what this series needed was a nitrous boost of epic proportions, but sadly, it doesn’t seem like it will ever catch up.
To sum it all up, Marvel’s Midnight Suns is everything a licensed game can be with a sprinkling of Firaxis magic in many areas. The action is bombastic and great to see in action, the top-tier tactical depth and strategic play deliver near-infinite replayability, and the narrative does consistently surprise in the most pleasant of ways. While there are areas that can be further refined, it shouldn’t take too much away from what is a quintessential turn-based affair, and a true superhero fantasy come to life.
Soccer Story is by no means a perfect game, especially where there are bugs and glitches that require a hard reset and cause a loss of progression, but it does manage to deliver an entertaining time on occasion, even if it doesn’t necessarily have to do with the ball on the pitch. It might not be a great recommendation for those that are looking for more soccer action, but as a narrative-driven roleplaying title that just so happens to involve soccer, Soccer Story remains something worth checking out if you temper your expectations.
All things considered, The DioField Chronicle does what it needs to for the most part. Players will be entering a world full of action-packed instances, plenty of opportunity for tactics and strategic nous, and a bunch of characters that can be made truly your own. As long as you can ignore the less-than-ideal controls and narrative, this is one medieval adventure that is still worth having.
Despite the nature of this recognisable mascot character, Sonic Frontiers is perhaps best enjoyed when you take the time to see everything each island has to offer. Be it combat, platforming, or exploration; there is something in it for every kind of Sonic player, even if frustrations are never too far away. Yet, the overall direction of Sonic Frontiers is exactly what the series needs, and hopefully, future releases will continue to build on this foundation and go full steam ahead.
Despite these issues, Evil West will most certainly become a better experience with some fine-tuning and a patch or two. As far as I am concerned, its core formula is an entertaining one, bringing players on a linear ride into the wild west and unleashing the darkness of vampires for good measure. For those seeking a pleasant time of vanquishing evil for 10-15 hours using your fists and guns without the stress of needing to do too much, Evil West should firmly be in your sights as your next call of adventure.
Do the latest Pokémon games get everything right? Not always, but when they do, therein lie adventures that is giving players the keys to crafting their own experiences in a wonderful world filled with fantastic creatures. Whether you are chasing down the title of the best in the land or hoping to detail the hundreds of Pokémon out there, there is always something fun waiting for you down the line, and that’s a world we can all agree is one that is exciting to be a part of, much less a key figure in.
At the end of the day, there were always some risks involved with Return to Monkey Island, and opinions are going to be divided among the hardcore fans and relative newcomers. What cannot be denied, however, is that this is an amazing point-and-click adventure that retains much of the beloved charm, while still updating the experience to be a more well-balanced affair. This is an excellent return, to say the least, and I can only hope this is the beginning of a new age that Terrible Toybox will be leading from the front.
It is clear that there have always been high hopes for the sequel, but the fear was that the heights of the reboot could not be reached again or even surpassed. Yet, just like how it did four years ago, the final product blew our expectations out of the water, a divine experience that marries storytelling, gameplay, and presentation as flawlessly as it could. Descending upon the PlayStation audience like nectar of the gods, God of War Ragnarok is a game that truly deserves its place as one of gaming’s greatest achievements, and a legendary addition to the pantheon of best games ever made.
Despite efforts to include a vast collection of Dragon Ball characters and references in The Breakers, going as far as to provide a somewhat logical explanation of why it is possible for dead villains and normal civilians being able to transform into your favorite heroes, the game is ultimately let down by its poor mechanics and systems. Instead of giving players a chance to sink their teeth into a new way to enjoy the storied franchise, Dragon Ball: The Breakers will only be consigned to the place of a bad memory, much like a poor filler episode of an anime.
Moonscars remain an utterly impressive debut outing for Black Mermaid, an entertaining action-platformer that is full of atmosphere and cryptic worldbuilding, and a visual style that showcases just how awesome pixel art continues to be in modern gaming. At about 20-odd hours, it is a game not to be rushed but savoured, and the darkness never looked so enticing.
At its core, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars pretty much accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is to deliver an indie Soulslike experience that does things differently, and for the better in most cases. The world is great to marvel at and explore, the combat system is utterly entertaining with room for experimentation, and all of the systems are seemingly designed to make the players’ lives more convenient but not easier. As a debut project, this game is definitely a great start, and I would be extremely excited to see more from Acme Gamestudio in the future.
Gotham Knights brings to the table a still-satisfying blend of combat and stealth, four distinct enough superheroes that should really get their own standalone games, and some interesting story beats that could use more time to be fleshed out. Whether that is enough to mask the issues will be a decision players will have to make, just like the contrast with the Arkham games. No one said being a superhero was easy, and the growing pains of Gotham Knights are a clear indication that the mantle of Batman is one that is hard to wear.
Take away all of that, and herein lies a more than competent turn-based tactical RPG that weaves a grand tale full of drama, stakes, and plenty of bloodshed. Lost Eidolons’ combat system is familiar yet different, offering strategic flexibility with the use of terrain and elements, and giving players the tools to succeed or fail on their own merits. Add to that the depth of its character development and worldbuilding, and it is likely anyone looking to invest considerable time into the game will enjoy themselves immensely. To say Lost Eidolons is an indie title with AAA aspirations is not a knock against it, but a true reflection of its quality and the potential it has if its edges were more refined.
Nevertheless, it is rare to find a game like LEGO Bricktales, which embraces the building aspect of things rather than going the more tried-and-tested route. It will be the closest thing you can get to building LEGO in the real world without the investment or mess, but this good idea comes with its own challenges when it comes to the controls and, to a lesser extent, the lack of a helping hand. Hopefully, this will only be the beginning of a new way to look at LEGO games, and certainly a good foundation to build off of.
Foretales has been an entertaining ride, especially when it comes to the writing and the smart way in which cards are used during the non-combat sequences. The way the story expands and changes based on decisions means there is much replayability and more great writing to enjoy, and as long as you can avoid too much combat, Foretales has every reason to be a game to look out for when compared to contemporaries like Inscryption or Voice of Cards, or its real-life counterparts like Yu-Gi-Oh!.
With the sunset of the EA Sports-led FIFA franchise approaching fast, it is perhaps fitting that FIFA 23 goes beyond its usual remit by making a more significant improvement on the strong foundations already laid. While there are still areas of improvement to be made, like in Career Mode, everything else has been improved in big and small ways. Sure, players can afford to look less plastic-like, but that’s still a smallish gripe considering the scope involved. If EA Sports can keep this up, it won’t be a wonder to see EA Sports FC topple the next FIFA game around this time next year, and we are all for it.
As a stealth-action experience, Serial Cleaners is most certainly a breath of fresh air, continuing to build on the foundations set by the series’ first outing in 2017. Between the added uniqueness of the rest of the crew, the diverse and interesting level designs, the non-linear story with freedom of choice, and just good old cleaning action to be had, Serial Cleaners is everything you would want in a sequel; just be wary that some polishing is still needed for the perfect finish.