Reviews
248
Overall, this is definitely a game for fans of the original. However, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity still delivers the fun action of Dynasty Warriors is known for while looking and feeling like a true prequel to Breath of the Wild, which is not an easy feat.
Overall, the title has an immersive story and impressive world-building, making it an easy suggestion for those who are new to the otome genre who may or may not be the targeted demographic. It’s simply that good. With a story rich in detail and the especially exciting moments of exploring the “Isekai” side of the game, it’s filled with unexpected twists and turns by the latter part of its story. Café Enchanté is in the higher tier of otome titles to me, with a plot that exceeds expectations and is equipped with one of the most endearing and delightful otome casts within the genre. It sits comfortably up there with the likes of Collar x Malice and Code: Realize.
While I may have criticized Yakuza: Like a Dragon for a decent chunk of this review, there’s still a lot to love about it. Ichiban is the perfect character to usher in this new era of Yakuza, and the amount of things to do outside of the main story is almost overwhelming. However, Yakuza 8 will need a lot of work put into it to make the RPG elements more balanced and engaging.
While I’ve played worse, Vigil: The Longest Night just has too many flaws for me to wholeheartedly recommend it. The visual style, despite the bad animations, is still pleasing, and you’re generally rewarded well for exploring. I just wish that the combat had more impact to it, especially the bosses.
If you enjoyed Monster Prom (which you did because you have excellent taste), then Monster Camp is a great continuation of that experience. It doesn’t change things up massively as far as gameplay goes, but that’s because very little needed changing from the original.
Still, there’s fun to be had for at least a few hours before the novelty wears off, and it’s hard not to enjoy seeing Mario speed around track you have made. There’s potential, just not enough for this to be worth it for most Mario Kart fans (though cats certainly seem to love it).
Ghost of Tsushima may or may not be the game of the year for a lot of people. Between the stunning visuals, solid story and characters, and one of the best uses of the open world framework I’ve seen, it is a strong contender for me, even in a year that has included some fantastic releases.
There is a lot to love about this game. If you’re a fan of the surprisingly popular farming-simulator/RPG genre, then picking up Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town for the Nintendo Switch or the PC is a pretty solid bet to keep you entertained. While parts of it feel dated at times, all the charm and joy that the series brings to the table are there so it is worth picking up.
As a stand out in the Project DIVA series with its notable additions of customisation options, MegaMix is welcoming to newcomers with accessible and adaptable difficulty, and for fans who are craving a new experience in the series with the exclusive Mix mode. With its crisp presentation, and over 100 songs available as soon as you boot up the game, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix makes for yet another brilliant rhythm game for the Switch’s library that is worthy of your time, attention and dedication.
Sakura Wars is a Dating Sim with acceptable combat. I mean that as a huge compliment! Sure, there are some flaws and oddities about it in terms of combat, but I feel the game’s strengths are with the storytelling, the endearing and likeable characters, as well as the very anime-style presentation. There is a lot to like here as an anime fan and a fan of Dating Sims or Visual Novels. I really recommend fans of Sakura Wars or people who are into anime and visual novels to check this one out!