[Review] Warriors Orochi 4
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 16, 2018
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
The Warriors series spans decades across a multitude of eras, spinoffs, and properties, and has become a cornerstone in what it means to have feel-good hack-and-slash gameplay that’s as fun as it is memorable and unique. Warriors Orochi itself – a crossover between the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series – is over ten years old now, and with each new entry has come new mechanics, more playable characters, and a story that’s as wacky as it is over-the-top with its action prowess. Warriors Orochi 4 has its biggest roster yet, spanning 170 characters across both series each with their own era, specialty, class, weapon, and fighting style. The biggest difference between this and other entries, however, is the inclusion of magic, which really helps to change things up and introduce a fresh and exciting way to execute moves and combos out on the battlefield.
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[Review] Dragon Ball FighterZ
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 28, 2018
Developer: Arc System Works
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Arc System Works has had a long history of developing and publishing refined fighters going all the way back to the late 90’s with the original Guilty Gear, so it’s undoubtedly a match made in heaven for the studio and Dragon Ball to partner up and deliver one of the best 2D fighters in quite some time, Dragon Ball FighterZ. Having initially been released in January, I’d like to think that Dragon Ball and fighting game fans alike were consumed by it completely. It was difficult to put down as it had an intriguing story, introduced new characters like Android 21, and played and performed like a dream. Fast-forward a few months later, and now Switch owners can experience the fight for themselves with a stellar port that brings with it all the beautiful animations and accessibility with little to no sacrifice other than a missing d-pad.
[Review] SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 7, 2018
Developer: SNK
Publisher: NIS America
SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy takes the powerful female stars of the King of Fighters franchise and gives them a game all to themselves, bringing together an illustrious cast of fan favorites while retaining smooth and flashy gameplay. Although familiar in its presentation and charismatic roster of fighters, the game is a little different from its mainline King of Fighters counterparts by making it extremely accessible to newcomers or casual players of the genre, while also being a fun pick-me-up for seasoned players. Accessibility comes with sacrifice, however, making just about every character’s move-set slim and uneventful, with most of the roster feeling similar in their fighting styles.
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[Review] Pato Box
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: July 9, 2018
Developer: Bromio
Publisher: Bromio
Pato Box is one of the weirdest games I’ve played in recent memory. On the surface, it almost looks like it has some sort of fusion between Punch Out!! and Sin City sprinkled with Hotline Miami, but once the game begins and gameplay actually starts, you begin to notice a shift in tone, progression, and even genre going from section to section. It’s a unique experience that may not be for everyone, but should be commended for blending tons of styles and creating something as goofy as it is intriguing.
[Review] MUSYNX
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: June 21, 2018
Developer: I-Inferno
Publisher: PM Studios
Music does a lot for the soul, whether you’re an avid listener of a multitude of genres or a musician yourself, and that’s why I’ve always felt that rhythm games were one of the best places to escape reality. While we’ve seen the rhythm genre take on multiple forms and have its highs and lows, at the end of the day it’s the games that focus on the music and accessibility more than anything else that shine the most and remain consistent in relevancy and lifespan. With MUSYNX’s eclectic library of music and ease of access for beginners and veterans alike, I think we can safely add it to a promising new wave of rhythm games looking to blend forward-thinking ideas with an extremely clean interface where it’s just you and the music.
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[Review] Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in 3DS, Reviews | 0 comments
System: 3DS
Release date: May 15, 2018
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Shin Megami Tensei’s extensive and illustrious history since the late 80s (as Megami Tensei) and early 90s has rightfully set it as one of gaming’s original RPGs that established trends and influenced a multitude of games that succeeded it. What’s also made it so great is that outside of its mainline titles, the myriad of spinoffs have tackled various genres and have been consistently great with addictive yet intuitive demon taming and fusion mechanics. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux now brings new life to 2009’s Strange Journey by adding tons of quality of life enhancements, a new storyline and character(s), new apps, endings and tons more to make it one of 3DS’s best dungeon-crawling titles, and yet another gem for Atlus.
[Review] Penny-Punching Princess
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 3, 2018
Developer: Nippon Ichi
Publisher: NIS America
Penny-Punching Princess checks all the right boxes in things I love: it’s got arcade-inspired gameplay in which you’ll brawl your way through dungeons (or castles) in a level, a section by section format that is reminiscent of classics like Double Dragon or Streets of Rage, a simple light and heavy attack button that you can mix and match for combos, and a very straight-forward approach in how to complete each level. Racking up points and cash so you can bribe, upgrade, and loot your way to victory is also an intriguing element, and the adorable pixel art style looks nice. However, all of the enjoyment is quickly interrupted thanks to non-intuitive controls, uninspired levels, repetitive gameplay, and a story that’s so banal and aimless you’ll find yourself either falling asleep to the dialogue or skipping the text entirely.
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[Review] Attack on Titan 2
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 20, 2018
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
If you watch anime or have even the slightest knowledge of it, chances are you’ve heard of Attack on Titan. In the last few years alone, the franchise has grown to be a globally known property that’s quickly making its way up the ranks to the likes of Tokyo Ghoul, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and One Punch Man in terms of surge of popularity, and it shows no signs of slowing down. For its new game, Attack on Titan 2 sees developer Omega Force return for a sequel to the 2016 original, and while that title undoubtedly had issues with its repetitiveness and uninspired progression, this new title feels very much like an overhaul where they’ve learned from mistakes, what worked and didn’t work, and with an attempt to make this a lot more personal and captivating by experiencing the events through the eyes of your created character, rather than simply playing what you’ve watched and read. There are still improvements to be made before we get that perfect Attack on Titan experience, but this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
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[Review] Dragon Quest Builders
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 9, 2018
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Nintendo
Dragon Quest has always been one of those series that’s remained niche for some reason, despite having a long and seminal history within video games. Throughout its many installments, we’ve seen Dragon Quest branch out and explore genres outside of its familiar RPG style. Dragon Quest, unlike some other properties that have a myriad of spinoffs, has actually adapted into these other genres rather fluidly, and the addition of Dragon Quest Builders adds to the list of awesome titles that hold their own outside of the main series, bringing a Minecraft aesthetic to the universe. While it may look like Minecraft at a glance, at the end of the day this really is just another Dragon Quest RPG, only with an emphasis for building and crafting. It’s an amazing mechanic that works to its favor, and with a storyline and vibrant worlds to keep you busy from chapter to chapter, Dragon Quest Builders is a game that’s very difficult to put down whether you’re familiar with the series, genre or not.
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[Review] Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in 3DS, Reviews | 0 comments
System: 3DS
Release date: February 13, 2018
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
It amazes me how even after years of incredible games from a system’s lifecycle, we have been consistently impressed with the “cherry on top”, if you will, at the very end that leaves its mark and gives players one last hoorah before the inevitable new generation. It was Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Wii U for example, and now Radiant Historia on 3DS. With Radiant Historia, we can revisit one of the titles that made the DS so great, and gladly add it to the 3DS’ ineffable library of RPGs. It’s an encore that shows nothing but respect for the craft, the legacy of the DS and 3DS, as well as the genre as whole.
