Reno Gazette-Journal
HomepageReno Gazette-Journal's Reviews
The premise behind Arc of Alchemist’s world and its story is a good one. The implementation, however, could be better and the game feels incomplete due to its uneven combat as well as its awkward interface and systems. Given my affinity for old-school JRPGs and cute character designs, Arc of Alchemist should be a game that I absolutely love. Instead, I now find myself wondering what could have been.
Despite the solid foundation laid by Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain, Metal Gear Survive trips before crossing the finish line thanks to some questionable decisions with some of its mechanics and microtransactions. It's a shame as there are some good and fun things in here that could have given birth to an excellent survival game. In the end, however, Survive just can't seem to figure out exactly what kind of game it wants to be.
Kirby: Battle Royale trades in the pink puffballs platforming adventure with a collection of arena battles and mini-games. The game certainly can be fun in short bursts but lacks the depth of the mainline titles. It also gets a bit boring when playing solo so you'll want to scrounge up some warm bodies for this one. It's great if you like party games with combat but feels more like a light appetizer than a main course.
A solid base mechanic with potential and affordable price make Flip Wars an intriguing proposition for party game lovers. Its lack of content, however, reduce the mileage you might otherwise get from the game, especially in solo play. If you like to see a different take on Bomberman-style games and can round up folks to play with you, however, this budget title can still be worth flipping into.
Ultimately, Touhou Double Focus is a game that appeals to a narrow slice of the gaming community. The tough Metroidvania mechanics won't be for everybody and the game has a bit of that rough, "dojin" or fan-made taste to it. If you enjoy old-school games with an indie feel and loads of Japanese flavor, however, this one just might humor the otaku in you.
“Aegis of Earth: Protonovus” is a refreshing take on the genre despite its budget feel. The use of a rotating ring mechanic provides a different experience but the game can get repetitive during extended play. Despite its rough spots, however, this game still can be fun, especially in short bursts. It’s not for everyone but tower defense fans will likely enjoy it.
Although Telltale's "Game of Thrones" series started out on a promising note, the constant barrage of shocking and depressing developments involving its protagonists will test even the most well-adjusted person. The fact that episode six fails to provide a resolution to House Forrester's story and kicks the can down toward a second season also leaves players hanging. Fans who enjoy Game of Thrones' gritty and brutal storytelling might enjoy the ride. For others, however, the unyielding narrative formula eventually gets a bit old.
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival is a spinoff title that features plenty of the charm and cuteness the franchise is known for but lacks the depth of other games in the series. Although the production values are great, the gameplay for the main mode is a bit on the shallow side and the amiibo figure and card integration also can be a bit cumbersome. It's ideal for young kids and family-friendly gaming but likely won't hold the interest of older gamers for extended play. The includes amiibo figures, on the other hand, are freaking awesome. I'd actually get this for those two amiibos alone.
In short, this is not a game for everyone. Still, I had a cousin who totally enjoyed playing this game and bashing the undead all over the place. If a first-person, Splatterhouse-type game is your idea of a good time, though, you'll want to give this game a look.
Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is a tale of two games. The storytelling remains a strong point and is what keeps you playing. The combat, however, is a bit vanilla and the exploration drags the overall experience down. Fans of the series will still want to play it for the story, characters and world building. Newcomers, however, might feel differently.
Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a spinoff that’s a bit of an odd duck in the Fairy Fencer F series. It tries to do some things differently by opting for a completely different battle system. At the same time, it doesn’t continue the story of the previous games and essentially does a creative retelling of the already existing narrative instead. The result is a game that will likely confuse series fans and newcomers alike. It’s a shame as Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force already did a great job in retelling the first game. For fans looking for a true sequel, however, they’ll just have to wait for now.
Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook is a game with a brilliant recipe that falls a bit short due to a lack of ingredients. The idea of a roguelike tactical RPG based on cooking is certainly an intriguing one, especially the concept of being able to devour friend and foe alike. Unfortunately, the absence of a compelling story as well as the game’s repetitive levels and foes leave Monster Menu tasting somewhat undercooked. It’s not bad but it isn’t a dish that will be suitable for everyone either.
I really wanted to like Madden NFL 22. After a hiatus from the franchise, however, I find myself facing the very same issues that made me stop playing the game in the first place after trying out this year’s iteration. These include a lack of significant changes to the gameplay as well as a host of game-breaking bugs and glitches. All in all, Madden NFL 22 probably isn’t as bad as some of the game’s more vociferous critics make it out to be. But “not as bad” isn’t exactly something to aspire to when you’re the only football game in town — or for any game for that matter. As a longtime player since the 16-bit days, seeing Madden stuck in neutral once again is a heartbreaker. Here’s hoping things get better as no one would like to see Madden make a comeback more than longtime fans such as myself.
Neptunia Virtual Stars serves up the same zany storytelling that you’ve come to expect from the series mixed with third-person shooting and hack-and-slash action. While the gameplay shows flashes of promise, the overall experience is stymied by the game’s basic level design, uneven difficulty and poor AI for whichever partner you are not controlling. While the game might be a pass for most, it might still be worth getting for hardcore Neptunia fans for the dialogue alone, which remains hilariously on point.
Kirby Fighters 2 is a family-friendly game that serves as a great introduction to the genre, especially for younger children. Content is a bit on the sparse side, however, and will leave you wanting more. And for folks who want more technical combat from their fighting games, the simple mechanics of Kirby Fighters 2 likely won’t hold their attention for long. If you’re a big Kirby fan or want a cute and accessible game to play with your family, however, Kirby Fighters 2 is still worth biting into, especially given its affordable price.
All in all, Resident Evil Resistance and its various concepts certainly show promise. Heck, it can even be an adrenaline rush when things go right. As it is now, however, the lack of content prevents it from reaching its true potential. It’s not dead on arrival like Umbrella Corps was. Unless it gets more fleshed out, however, Resistance is more akin to an ambling zombie that’s holding on to life.
The Princess Guide is a loot-based action RPG with a twist that involves teaching four princesses about the ways of life. While the concept is intriguing, the game's unique teaching mechanic isn't used as much as I'd like and the campaign could also use some extra world-building to make you care more about what's actually going on within it. On the plus side, the actual dungeon crawling can be fun and even addicting once you get the right loadout going. The game just needs a little bit extra to get it over the hump.
Jump Force features a nice mix of characters from Shonen Jump's storied history of franchises for manga fans. The visuals feel a bit off for manga crossover and elements of the game feel quite rough around the edges. Gameplay is also a bit too simple but does make for some fast-paced action. Manga fans intrigued by dream matches between their favorite characters might still want to give this one a shot as this type of game doesn't come around often. Unlike many of the protagonists that show up in this game, however, Jump Force doesn't quite break its limits to realize its full potential.
As a fitness app, Fitness Boxing is actually quite solid. As a “game,” however, the title is admittedly lacking, especially for the price. As such, the mileage and enjoyment you will get from this game depends on your expectations. Personally, I wanted to have my cake as a gamer and eat it too, so Fitness Boxing didn’t quite meet my expectations. If you’re primarily interested in it as an exercise tool that you can easily load up and work out to each day, however, then this fits the bill nicely.
Naruto to Boruto Shinobi Striker is a game that seems to have the right ingredients in place but didn't quite come out of the oven the way that you wanted to. I like the combat mechanics, the various classes, the ability to tailor your character to your needs, and the multiplayer aspect of it. Mission design, however, could be more interesting and the balance could be better. As it is now, the overall experience just feels a bit incomplete and filled with empty calories. If you're a big Naruto fan, however, this is one dish that might still be worth sampling.