Category Archives: Game Reviews

Earthbound Review

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It’s time to review one of the most iconic Nintendo RPGs of all time. Everyone has heard of this title and for good reason. They really pushed the envelope on this game with the amount of crazy visuals and just having a generally weird world around the main characters. Games like Undertale would end up continuing in this same light. Without Earthbound you can argue that many games would not exist. It really has aged quite well.

The story starts with a meteor crashing in Ness’ home town Onett. He goes out to check it along with another boy named Porky. Porky ends up succumbing to the dark side and serving the dark lord Giygas while Ness is tasked with saving the world. He will need several allies including a genius, a martial artist, and a psychic expert. Can these kids really stop the end of the world though? Giygas is a being that exists across dimensions and all of time with seemingly unlimited amounts of power. That’s not an easy opponent to overcome but Ness won’t give up!

This is a game where you really need to cling to everything that you are told because it always ends up being a lot more important than you would have guessed. Sometimes you have to talk to a character multiple times and other times you have to go back to an old town to grab an item you may have missed. The game is quite vast and I’m sure I didn’t talk to a bunch of people/witness bonus content. The dialogue is all a lot of fun here. It has that absurd comedy type angle where crazy things are happening and people don’t have much of a reaction to it which is a type of comedy in itself.

The writing is quite excellent. I like how your father will call in from time to time to check on you and give you some money to get items with. It has a very “Are you winning son?” vibe to it and it’s great to have supportive parents here. Your Mom is always around to give you a fresh pizza and recover your HP as well. Your sister even contributes by giving you items and a place to store extra ones. These are little elements that just help make the world feel a lot more fleshed out.

There’s also a lot of room for fun theories about different characters and what’s going on. You could really make a whole franchise out of this which is why it’s a shame that Nintendo hasn’t kept up with making a bunch of Earthbound games. There is so much potential to them and I’m sure with modern graphics and everything they could really make this massive. This game took me close to 30 hours as it is. In general a nice advantage of RPGs is that the long story really lets you connect to the characters.

One of the playable characters doesn’t show up until you’re over 20 hours in for example which is really impressive. I had actually forgotten about him for a while even though in the intro you get to name all of the characters so in a way you know that they’re coming. It’s just a long wait and you’re busy doing a lot of other things in the meanwhile to really keep track. The final boss is super iconic of course and then you’ve got a lot of other creative enemies and even full concerts in game. Yes this is an ambitious title.

At times it can be easy to get lost or not know what to do next. Fortunately their are hint shacks around. The NPCs aren’t generally very helpful so otherwise you would have been in a pretty tough spot. Also some areas are very well hidden so even when you’re following a path, try to keep note of which path you didn’t check in case you have to use it later on. As you progress through the game you unlock some quality of life features like teleportation which is definitely worth the wait.

If I have any issues here, I would say one gameplay mechanic doesn’t age too well. This one uses the old Final Fantasy 2 type of mechanic where if your character dies they won’t come back to life even at an inn. You have to specifically go to the hospital to revive the character and that’s a lot of work since those are rarer to come up against. Again this is a quality of life feature that comes in later on once your character learns how to revive someone. That’s near the very end of the game though so it takes a while.

Also your storage is very small per character so you will run out a lot. This means you will have to constantly toss items out to make room for new ones or pay the storage fee to put in some extra back at home. I think they could have been more generous on that front. It’s only a mild annoyance to have to go in and toss stuff since you can only do this one at a time but still it’s something where a sequel can improve a bit.

The soundtrack is definitely excellent, there are a lot of really good tunes you will hear as you go through the adventure. The graphics are also really solid for its era. Like I mentioned earlier the game is very creative here both in the enemy designs and the effects. It gets a bit trippy with Giygas and the game is just so far ahead of its time that I’m sure the reactions to that boss must have been crazy.

In terms of replay value, there is a lot in terms of talking to people and such but there isn’t really a post game. Regardless the main campaign is long enough where that isn’t a problem. Additionally the game can be rather difficult at times so you will have to stop and train at different points. Don’t think that you will just be coasting by and the whole thing is a breeze because you will be in for quite the surprise!

Meanwhile the ending of the game is really intense. I don’t know if Mother 3 actually follows up on this or not but it’s really a high note. Yet another reason why Nintendo needs to license that game already. It would be so much fun to play through! The music gets rather tense and for a split second you’re wondering if the game is actually going to just keep on going. To date Nexamon is probably the only game I can think of that keeps on going after the long credits play and is the most realistic fake stop. I’d like to see more games do that and it only works in an RPG type game like this because you can have it trigger after 20-25 hours which would be realistic to end with.

Overall, Earthbound is a great game all the way through. It excels in every area and makes for a really fun experience. The gameplay is really smooth and the world is just so large. It feels like they crammed in a toooooon of content here especially relative to the average SNES game. It’s extremely impressive and the fact that it still holds up to this day is also something to be proud of. I would highly recommend jumping into this game as soon as possible. You will be having a lot of fun all the way through.

Overall 8/10

Skull Island: Rise of Kong Review

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It’s time that we sat down and had a serious conversation about this game. It’s been getting grilled in the reviews and destroyed online for the poor looking graphics and short run time. Just how bad is it though? Ultimately I ended up pre ordering this game and while I can confirm that it’s not worth the full price..it’s not a bad game. It manages to do enough things right to stay in the middle and honestly that’s not the worst spot to be in. It’s a game that will constantly keep you guessing and wondering just what is going on.

The game starts off on a rather emotional note as a giant dinosaur appears and murders King Kong’s parents. Yes King Kong’s got his superhero origin in this game. He manages to survive in the wild but it’s not an easy journey and the narrator even notes that he grew up in fear. Many years pass and now King Kong is old enough to defend himself. He aims to turn Skull Island upside down until he finds this dinosaur and has his revenge. One Shall Stand….One Shall Fall! Nobody is getting in the way of this monstrous fighter.

I respect the attempt at the story here. There is actual voice acting and a serious story going on. While that may sound a bit condescending, I wasn’t expecting either to be honest. So that’s a nice little tough. The game is still way too short as some have beaten it in under 3 hours but granted I got lost so many times it was more like 6-7 for me. So the length is there even if it is for the wrong reasons. Also if we’re being honest it still should have been at least 10 hours.

The game has 5 levels with the first level easily being the longest one. I want to say it takes up at least half of the game and in part that is because you are still learning all of the attacks at this point. You’re trying to figure out how to navigate through the game since the map is completely broken. I’m not sure if I got hit with a glitch or something but the map never shows where you are. So it is completely pointless and even for this game I just don’t see how that’s possible. So either I’m missing something, I’m overrating the game, or it’s a glitch.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the latter because I got hit with glitches 3-4 times where I had to reset the game. There was really not a lot of quality testing on this one. I can also confirm that the graphics really are awful. There was no real time or effort put into these. I’ve certainly seen worse of course but for a PS4 game you really are expecting a whole lot better. You may enjoy it in an ironic sense since that can make the whole thing a little on the humorous side but in a way you can say that’s just coping by that point. Deep down we all wanted top notch graphics here or at least something solid. There’s not much of a soundtrack either.

What the game does well is the combat. It’s nothing fancy I’ll grant you that but it’s a classic beat em up where you stomp a bunch of enemies. There is no EXP system though which means there is no incentive to fight the minions. As a result I recommend skipping literally every optional minion. There are times where you have to beat a few to complete a mandatory challenge but outside of that don’t give them the time of day. There’s seriously just no benefit or reason to beat them. Not to mention that they endlessly spawn anyway.

You can cheese the gameplay a lot as well. Your roll stun locks an enemy so the trick I found is to roll, land 3 hits, then roll again, 3 hits, etc. Outside of bosses this will take out any minion without you getting hit. Now the bosses can be a little tough for sure and may take you some attempts. Best thing is to just try and hit them as fast as possible. There is rarely a lot of strategy that you have to use and I wouldn’t even try to make big plans. The camera angles will likely mess you up if you try anything too intricate so you want to be careful about that. Just go in and smash stuff, trust me it works pretty well.

King Kong himself feels pretty out of character. I get why the underdog story is appealing for a lot of characters but that’s never been King Kong’s thing so it feels really forced here. Personally I would have just kept him as a pure threat the whole time. You can still have his parents get bumped off as it’s well established that Kong is the last of his race but make him look tough or put up a fight and lose in the intro. Then the rest of the game is his quest to avenge them. Immediately it’s a much more compelling story right?

Overall, King Kong is a game that surprisingly will not be forgotten because of just how bad the rep is. Make no mistake this is not a good game but it’s not as awful as you may be thinking. Personally I recommend giving it a shot when the game inevitably drops down to the $5 bargain bin. Once that happens then there isn’t really a downside to giving it a chance right? You can at least see the potential while playing through the game even if the awful level designs and lack of a map hold it back. It’s too bad that this will likely send the King Kong game franchise back at least 50 years. You never forget the rep of a title like this.

Overall 5/10

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Review

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Whenever Nintendo releases a big Mario game you better believe that the whole planet is put on notice. It really feels like ages since the last big Mario game too, particularly the last 2D one. Fortunately Wonder is a great game that adds a lot of new mechanics and really feels like a fresh experience. It takes a few chances and not every gamble pays off but ultimately it’s just great to have more Mario content. I just wish Nintendo wouldn’t put their mascot on break for so many years at a time.

The basic plot here is that Bowser has merged with a giant ship and now he intends to take over the entire planet! Mario must team up with Daisy and co. to stop him. They’re in the Flower Kingdom this time which is a nice way to incorporate new supporting characters and whole new environments. I don’t think these guys will ever be as iconic as the Toads but they’re fun enough. We even have talking plants for full voice acting although I doubt most people will be big fans of them. I kept the voices on for the whole game but I did change the language to Japanese near the end for kicks.

The gameplay has a lot of the classic Mario elements you will recognize like running and jumping to the goal. You have some big power ups like the fire flower which are classic but also new ones like a bubble flower and elephant mode. I can’t say that Elephant mode is my favorite but the bubble form is really helpful. It can one shot almost any enemy and also gives you extra jumps by using the bubbles you shoot out. It is incredibly handy in a pinch! You’ve also got a drill hat to plunge into the ceiling. Most of the time you don’t really need to use the power ups so you can have fun in normal form but it’s nice to experiment a bit.

A new gimmick for this game are the badges which you can equip for all kinds of special abilities like an extra jump, being notified when you’re near a secret, etc. I held onto the glide from the tutorial but mainly stayed away from the badges so they wouldn’t make the game too easy. It’s easy to see how they would make this a bit of a cakewalk in the end. In terms of difficulty I would say this is easier than the last few 2D titles like New Super Mario Bros and Mario World but it has some reasonably tough levels so it’s not going to be on easy mode or anything.

One odd choice is that the worlds don’t get progressively harder the way they normally would. Every world has some easy levels and some hard ones and you get to see the difficulty counter before entering a level. This is because you don’t have to beat every level in order to move on. It’s all about the collectible like stars in this game. So for example you may need to get 15 collectibles in order to move onto the next world out of 25. So then you can skip like 3-4 levels. I actually 100% completed world 1 initially because I figured the stars would carry over but they don’t so just a heads up on that. When you have enough to fight the boss, just go ahead and fight him. There is no real benefit to waiting longer than that.

In addition to the normal levels there are mini ones that are like break levels. You get to master a badge in each level and some will just have a fun theme like trying to solve a puzzle or unravel a song. They are a nice break from the standard levels and are good additions to have here. I’m not always thrilled about the open world nature of the areas as you can sometimes waste some time trying to find the place you want to go but that’s mainly just an issue in the desert world which is the worst one by far. The rest are still pretty clearly labeled the whole time. When you lose a level you are also thrown right back in with incredible speed which is really a good thing.

The graphics are really top tier and this is some of the best visuals we’ve seen for a classic Nintendo type title. The environments are all very colorful and there are a lot of different enemies to take on. Each world feels different as well. The soundtrack is filled with a lot of fun themes and also some nice remixes. My favorite new theme has to be the final boss battle but in general I liked the villain themes here. They weren’t afraid to go all out and even seem a little towards the rock genre.

The actual campaign likely won’t take you too long, maybe around 6 hours or so. That said there is a good amount of replay value if you aim to 100% the game. I don’t actually know what you unlock for doing so yet. Hopefully a bonus ending or something cool like that. I don’t tend to 100% these since there are no trophies involved but if the reward is good enough then I’ll consider it. I also played the whole game as Daisy so it’ll be fun to play around as some of the other characters. I could even have fun using a bunch of badges now that I’ve beaten the game. So I can just relax and hang out while playing the levels.

Bowser not kidnapping Peach for a change is a nice twist but I would still like the series to take the story a bit farther at some point. It’s Mario so I’m not asking for something dark or super serious. Even happy type games can have a good story ongoing and that’s all I want. Give us some fun cutscenes, a cool journey to follow and I’m set. That would be completely ideal and I don’t think it would be all that hard. It’s hard to picture it ever happening but mix in the great gameplay with an awesome story and then we could be looking at one of the all time all stars.

Overall, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is definitely a great game. It is a lot of fun to play through and as you’d expect from Nintendo’s flagship character every detail has been given a lot of polish and attention. The only things keeping it from going a bit higher is the lack of a true story and the game also feeling a little short. In general platformers aren’t very long of course and that makes sense but I do feel you tend to need a certain amount of length in order to be one of those elite 9 star titles. I would definitely recommend picking this game up though. It’s not a title that you want to miss out on!

Overall 8/10

Sonic Superstars Review

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It’s time we had a talk about the latest Sonic game. I’ve always been more of a 3D Sonic fan to be honest and tend to mention that at every opportunity but the 2D games are fun enough. It just feels like they go against the nature of Sonic which is to run really fast. Ironically you are allowed to blast through stages at full speed much more often in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, another example of Mario just dominating in the 2D space. Sonic needs to stick to 3D and this game has all the issues the 2D titles tend to have. That said, it is still a pretty good game but I don’t think it will remain in most peoples’ memories for very long.

The general plot is that Fang and Trip are working for a mad genius known as Dr. Eggman. Eggman wants to destroy a blue speedster known as Sonic The Hedgehog and by utilizing the powers of the chaos emerald and time reversal technology, he may actually have a chance this time. Fortunately Sonic has his friends at the ready. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles are around to do their part and back Sonic up. Together there is no foe that can overcome this force for good!

There is barely a plot in the game though so you are really playing for the gameplay. I don’t really get why Sega refuses to let the 2D games have their own big stories. Sure you want to keep it distinct from the 3D titles but you could absolutely have fun plots with voice acting and everything in the 2D days. Just look at how top tier titles like Shantae handle this. You can interpret the general story from the animations we get of course but it won’t end up feeling quite as grand that way.

For the gameplay I don’t really have any issues. It’s very classic with how you can jump, run really fast, and spin dash. You maneuver through the levels by activating different devices and defeating enemies. At the end of the level naturally you will end up going against a giant boss as well. There is a lot of variety with the bosses and they’re all solid except for the final boss where I had issues with the sheer length. Difficulty isn’t a problem, it’s good when a final boss is tough but having to replay long segments can always be annoying. That final battle took me quite a few tries.

One thing I would recommend is using your chaos emerald powers as much as possible. They make a massive difference in combat. Fortunately the chaos emeralds are all in spots that are easy to find. I managed to gather them all during a normal playthrough which was nice since it meant I wouldn’t have to try and search them out later on. Now that’s really nice since usually they can be super hard to find. It can just be tough to get in the habit of using the powers since you’re so used to just using the normal platforming tricks but trust me when I say that it’s highly worth it. In particular summoning an army of mini Sonics does a lot of damage during boss battles.

The graphics are really great. The game feels like its in true HD the whole time and the character models are on point. It’s one of the clearest games I’ve played in some time. I would say the retro art style actually does a lot to support the game’s graphics there since there is less to load up and it can all be processed really quickly. The soundtrack is less memorable though as there are no real standout tracks here. You’ll forget them as soon as they have ended which is definitely not ideal. I suppose it’s better than having a bad soundtrack though.

The actual story is fairly short so you should beat it in 4-5 hours or so. There is some replay value though as you can play through the game again as Trip. Then there is also the journey of trying to get the Platinum trophy for this game which should also be a fairly long task at least. It doesn’t look particularly difficult but I’m betting it will add another 6-8 hours of playtime which is always cool. There is also a multiplayer mode here and while I didn’t get to try it yet, it looks like they really did put a good amount of effort into i.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous Sonic 2D games then you will enjoy this one. It’s really as simple as that. That said, it just feels like the devs could have pushed this a lot harder. Give us more true cutscenes during the story, incorporate more characters, and also just make the game longer. I wouldn’t blame someone for waiting until there is a price drop to pick this one up because it really is over in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t feel like the $60 experience even if it is polished. Also for all the marketing about Fang returning he pretty much played 0 role in this game. There wasn’t much point to his inclusion particularly as he doesn’t get a 1 on 1 boss fight where you have to deal with his gun. He’s always in a mech for some reason but I suppose Sonic The Fighters spoiled me on that one.

Overall, Sonic Superstars is definitely a fun game. The experience doesn’t last as long as you’d like but the technical elements are really up to par. The game looks really great and while the soundtrack isn’t the best, you’ll still enjoy the tunes while you play through the game. It’s why I would say this embodies what it means to be a very good game. It’s not great or anything but there’s never a moment where you’re wishing that it would be over already.

Overall 7/10

Sword of Elpisia Review

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It’s time for another fantastic RPG and this one gets exciting right out of the gate with the top tier gameplay and soundtrack. There’s a lot to love here and the positives just keep on rolling the whole time. The story is very strong with an emotional message about slowing forming bonds of friendship with others. The game even sidesteps the potential romance angle to actually have a wholesome friendship plot with no strings attached. Definitely great stuff all around.

The plot starts out by introducing us to a magic tool repairer. He’s a very serious kind of guy who is virtually emotionless and has no friends. He just does his duty and keeps it moving. Well, one day a bunch of monsters attack while he is working on repairs and he tries to stop it but nothing works. This ends up resulting in his blowing up a house which at best slows the creature down. What he didn’t realize is this was the home of a little girl who had been living by herself. To make it up to her he agrees to find a new place where she can live an uneventful life. It won’t be easy but now the two of them can be a team. Along the way they get wrapped up in a battle of utterly cosmic proportions with beings that transcend the very world itself. Aliens exist and there are a bunch of kingdoms fighting for global supremacy. All the hero wants to do is find a quiet place for this girl to live but he won’t let any of this stop him from making that a reality!

The gameplay here is your classic turn based adventure but with all of the extra bells and whistles that you always see in a Kemco game. You can speed up gameplay, turn off animation, etc. The new gimmick this time is you can summon little animals to help you out in combat. Personally I never really saw the point since they seemed weaker than the actual characters so I ended up putting them to the side. Still you could send them on missions to get items so that was cool. You don’t get the guaranteed currency for winning 3 battles in a row here the way you could in some older Kemco games but I can also see how that might make things a little too easy so I get why it wouldn’t be here now.

The level cap is very high since I managed to get all the way to level 500. I’m guessing 999 would be the max but it’s not like you really need to worry about that since you can get the Platinum a lot sooner. The trophies are all pretty reasonable and none of them should take you a whole lot of time. They are a great way to add a little replay value to the experience without feeling tedious or like you are wasting your time. So in that sense the game is once again landing a big W here because that’s how trophies should be. They should lengthen and enhance the experience but not make you regret going for 100%.

The story itself was also good with a lot of twists and turns. I already talked about how the game made some good decisions with the dynamics before. The character designs are on point and there are always a lot of moving pieces on the board which I appreciate. There is a good amount of world building here and the game stays epic the whole way through while having some emotional moments in there as well. So it’s super well balanced which again is not particularly surprising.

The soundtrack is pretty excellent. A lot of real fast paced tunes and intense boss fight themes. Unfortunately most of the tracks are not on Youtube yet but at least the main battle theme is which is the important part. I recommend giving it a good listen. The graphics look good with all of the illustrations really being on point. On the technical aspects the game is absolutely excellent and that’s why this is possibly the best company at making turn based RPGs. There really isn’t much more you can ask for. It hits every note on how to make the experience as fun as possible.

Surprisingly there is only one ending this time instead of having a bunch. Maybe they figured the ending was just that good so they didn’t need other versions this time. Who knows maybe it’ll get a sequel some day. Most of these RPGs don’t get sequels but sometimes they end up appearing and it’s hard to predict which title will continue. I’d still love some kind of big crossover game with all of their properties at some point but it would definitely be really ambitious and take a lot of time. Hopefully at some point in the future though!

Overall, This was a great game all around. You have a pretty solid main character cast with a lot of good character dynamics between them. The game is a decent length and it should take you some time to beat the game because of all the level ups you need. I ended up beating the game at around Level 500 which was absolutely overkill but it was also fun to just walk in and stomp the villains. It’s not every day you get to destroy the final boss like that after all. I’d definitely recommend this game if you’re looking for a solid RPG. It really doesn’t get much better than this after all.

Overall 8/10

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review

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I knew that this game was going to be a winner the instant it was announced. It still took me a little while to buy it but hey…better late than never right? It does feel a little barebones though which is why you wanted to wait for a discount because at full price this would really not be worth it at all. There is no story mode so you will just be playing arcade mode over and over again for the single player content. The multiplayer is the main hook of the game of course but I wouldn’t say that it is a very strong hook to be honest compared to the competitors. If you look at the game on its own though then it does well enough.

So you’ve got a decent amount of characters here. I’m pretty sure it’s over 20. All the classics like Spongebob and Danny Phantom. Admittedly I did not watch a lot of Nick as a kid so the character roster is definitely not as nostalgic as it would be to someone who grew up with the characters. That being said, I still know most of the characters through reputation so that’s something. I feel like the Ninja Turtles have the best movesets here. The weapons really help them have a solid range.

That said, I played way too casually to really be giving any serious tier list advice here. Try all of the characters and see what you think. There is definitely a lot to absorb here. The gameplay is the same as the Super Smash Bros experience. You have normal moves, specials, a third jump, and power attacks. Use these to knock the opponent off of the platform so they can lose a life. Repeat the process until time is up or all stocks have been removed. Then at that point you will have won the match.

There aren’t many unlockables to be had here but you can alter the rules so that the matches are all different. You can also jump online and fight other players. As mentioned that is a pretty big draw since you can fully test just how good you are. It’s easy to style on the computers of course but the real test is going up against other people who have put in a lot of time. The online servers will probably be pretty dead once the sequel comes out so you should keep that in mind. Of course there is still local multiplayer mode as well and some trophies will require you to be on there for quite a while.

There is a lot of replay value here thanks to the multiplayer options. So while the single player is rather limited, that is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the total experience. So keep that in mind, particularly since the price for this game is relatively cheap right now. It’s really not bad value for your dollar and in general I just love fighting games. So getting to play one is always a real treat even if there isn’t much to it. A fighting game is a great genre in that you don’t need much. As long as the gameplay is smooth and implemented carefully then you should really be all set.

The graphics are pretty good here. Perhaps not top of the line or anything like that but they are modern with no obvious issues. The soundtrack is more on the really underwhelming side. There weren’t any tunes that really stood out to me. There also aren’t a lot of stages so you will really be hearing all of the tunes over and over again as you try to beat arcade mode with everyone. Yes for the review as well as to get some more trophies I went ahead and completed the game with every character. Let me tell you, that was not easy! Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that it was easy but a little tedious.

Overall, Nick has a solid fighting game on their hands. It isn’t ruined by any random mechanic like the PS All Stars game either. So this one gets to really stand the test of time. It’s just a shame that there couldn’t have been a few more modes, features, and other stuff to make it stand out. Would have been so much fun! Instead it just fades away compared to the competition. It stands up to the test of time on its own but will always be seen as the B product instead of the A one. As long as Super Smash Bros exists that will be true for pretty much 99% of platform fighters but I still like to think that some day someone will come up with a rival so high budget and stuffed with features that even Smash can’t scare it away.

Overall 7/10

Ghost Sync Review

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Kemco is back with another great RPG. The company really never lets you down and its impressive just how many titles they have churned out. As always you have a ton of great gameplay mechanics here and they also try a few new techniques as well. In this case I don’t see the new gimmicks catching on but none of them were bad which is the important thing. It’s a bit on the shorter side compared to some of their other RPGs but ultimately it’s a solid experience through and through.

The plot starts with a whole lot of amnesia. The main heroine has lost her memories and then she bumps into a spirit who says he has also lost all of his memories. Ah well, they both like helping people which is the important part and so they travel the world fighting against monsters. This leads them to joining up with the national guild where they meet a travelling priest of sorts who is looking for someone. The three agree to form a team since you need 3 in order to be registered and they will help each other out along the way. Eventually they are joined by a hungry fairy who eats other creatures for power.

There are a ton of mysteries throughout the game as each team member is holding something back. I like just how many are ongoing at once too. There’s even one cutscene where each character has to face off with their dark self and so we see how everyone’s keeping a secret even up until the end of the game. I guess they just really don’t trust each other and of course that is part of the character development. By the end it’s all good and the ending may not be the most satisfying, but that’s one of 3. I’ll work on beating the other two endings shortly and getting the Platinum trophy because we’re already so close to getting that one as it is.

The story is fun here and the characters are all pretty reasonable. At most you can say that sometimes the weakness of a Kemco game is that some characters can be a bit overly weird with a gimmick that gets played out early. Fortunately that’s not the case here. Every character has a clearly defined personality and everything but they are never one note. They all have serious plots going on and we get a good amount of banter out of everyone. It helps make this a more complete experience.

Additionally for the gameplay it’s as streamlined and smooth as ever. You can speed up attack animations when grinding, turn off minion encounters for levels that you’ve already beaten, quick travel, etc. If there’s a nice quality of life feature that you can think of, this game almost certainly has it. That’s something I’ve always loved about these games. It makes it fun to level up and explore without having to be fighting minions every second.

The level cap is really high and I beat the game close to level 300 but getting those level ups is really quick. Just keep on fighting and you will secure the levels before long. For one of the new mechanics in this game you can absorb/take over monsters once they are weakened. It’s interesting but the main problem is that it’s never worth it. You do more damage normally so taking them over is only good for the novelty and since there’s no trophy for that…there’s no real point to doing so.

Then you have the skill leveling which is interesting enough. You can buy a ton of skills using blue points and then level them up with red points. It’s interesting but I’d say the reason it doesn’t work is due to just how many of them there are. Even by the end of the game I probably had at least half of the skills still locked and you don’t really need most of them. So buying them all is just fun for being a completionist but you’ll be okay with beating the game either way. I’s definitely not a make it or break it deal.

So I think you could leave that out of the next one. The equipment was solid though with ranking it up to work for you with better stats. That is pretty streamlined and easy to use which I appreciate. You can alter your team’s tactics, formation, etc. There is really a ton to do and you have complete control which is awesome. You can buy tons of great permanent upgrades from the shop and you can farm the currency through the triple fights in the cave. That is definitely the best part of the grinding because it basically turns itself into an extra boost.

Overall, Ghost Sync is definitely a great game. The gameplay is on point and the story is a lot of fun. The soundtrack is really fast paced and intense like you’d expect from this company. Really this is an RPG developed by a very experienced company and it shows. It shines on basically every level. While the replay value may be lower than some of the other games since you can platinum it fairly quick, you’ve still got a lot of good value for your buck which is what counts. Definitely a game that I will not be forgetting anytime soon.

Overall 8/10

My Hero Ultra Rumble Review

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It’s always cool to see another free to play game on the market. You’ve really got a lot of potential with those to make a super long running game with a huge cast. Of course because it is such a tempting option, it means that there is a ton of competition and the average game will be forgotten about almost immediately. Such is the battle that these games have to go through. That being said, My Hero is a solid one among the pack. I may not be keeping it around for long as I go back to other games but it does certainly have a good amount of potential.

As with most online games there isn’t really a story so you will be jumping right into the action from the jump. You can do team battles with computers, other players, unranked and ranked. There is one main issue that you may have already guessed here though and that is that there is no single player mode. Cmon that doesn’t quite seem right shouldn’t single player mode be a guarantee? I want to test my luck in surviving the map. Hopefully this is a mode that is added soon.

Regardless the general gameplay is that of a 3D fighter. You can run, jump, and use your standard attacks as well as projectiles and supers to try and take the other opponents down. I believe the match starts with 25 teams of 3 and you will see the numbers dwindling down as the fight goes on. Interestingly they hide the number of fighters left once you’ve reached a certain amount of teams. I’d prefer to see the number at all times but I guess it’s to add some tension.

I wasn’t able to get a win yet but I did come in 3rd once which was pretty neat. As with Fortnite a good strategy can be to avoid the fighting and hide in the buildings or bushes gathering weapons and armor until the end. The only tricky thing is that in a team battle your teammates often won’t want to do this so at the end it’s you against 3 fighters and you’re really not winning that. At that point even a pro would have trouble since the game is made to reinforce teamwork. 3 on 1 is an incredible disadvantage for you.

During the match there are item cards which will appear and you can use them to level up your super attacks. Naturally there are health and armor potions as well. Additionally there are civilians all over the map and if you heal one they will drop a bunch of power ups too. The level ups are really handy so I recommend grabbing a bunch. From there it’s really just about taking your opponent down.

One thing the game does well to differentiate itself from other survival games is how this one has so many buildings. In some stages you are really spending your time jumping around and doing all kinds of acrobatics rather than running through the forest. The downside is it can make it much easier to dodge attacks and prolong a battle for a while but the shrinking field will take care of that eventually.

The graphics are pretty solid too. Naturally this won’t look quite as solid as a AAA game targeted for single player campaigns and things like that but the game is very colorful and I’d say it works really well. There isn’t much of a soundtrack but in a game like this I can see how that would be distracting. You really want to be able to see the other characters after all and hear their approach. Optional music would still be cool though.

It can be a little hard to see the opponents closing in on you with how busy the maps are but i think that’s likely intentional. It means that you always have to keep your guard up or it’s all over and I’m definitely cool with that tension. While it can feel like a button masher when the opponent gets near, you can quickly tell the difference in skill when two characters are going at it. Personally I’d like the game to let teammates play the same character though. I always wanted to play as Deku because he has the best moveset but a teammate would grab him and so you aren’t able to proceed with the match until one player changes characters. In the end I would change just so I didn’t hold up the match for too long.

Overall, This is a pretty fun game with a lot of replay value due to the online system. I do think it’s a game that will be many times more fun if you have some friends to play with rather than the randoms for the online matches. You can activate voice chat which helps but for the most part you’ll feel like you are on your own otherwise. The gameplay is fun but can probably feel a bit repetitive after a while so I would recommend playing in lots of short bursts as opposed to long marathon styled play.

Overall 7/10

Justice Chronicles Review

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Justice Chronicles is one of those great games that really has everything you could want. A top tier soundtrack, a solid plot, good characters, great gameplay, etc. It’s really the whole package and you love to see it. The game can be difficult and will absolutely require some grinding but that’s how you know that it’s legit. It never feels annoying to grind either because the game is well developed. Yes sir this is the way to go without a doubt.

The plot starts off with the main character being a part of a legendary group of hunters who have to travel to the human world to check on things. There is a war brewing between both sides or at least that’s what the rumors say and so they have to check into this. Ultimately the group gets split up and the hero finds himself stranded in the human world. He ends up saving a girl who nearly died by making a pact with a demon in exchange for his soul. A nearby witch is able to halt the pact for a while but now the hero has to make sure to get back to his people and stop this war or a lot of good people are going to die.

There’s a ton more to this story as this is a proper RPG through and through. You have betrayals and conspiracy going on. There’s a fairly large cast here as well and you have time to get used to all of the characters. The game even has a bit of a double ending going for it so the experience lasts even longer than you would expect. I wouldn’t say the cast is quite ready to take down the Asdivine Hearts folks but it’s a pretty strong cast either way. They’re easy to root for and we get a lot of good banter the whole time.

For the gameplay, you have your classic attacks, special moves, and such. It’s turn based combat so you want to plan your attacks carefully. There are so many different things to level up with limited resources so choose carefully or you’ll end up regretting it later on. Of course at that point you could always do more grinding if necessary. One thing I didn’t focus on until the end was ranking up my weapons because the whole harvesting system looked a bit complicated. It probably is a little more complicated than it needs to be but in the end I wouldn’t say that it’s bad.

Basically you have to complete side quests in order to unlock different materials for purchase at the shop. For that reason I would say not to use any materials until you have unlocked them because you will need those eventually. The money will come naturally the more that you defeat the enemies so you really don’t have to worry about that. It does mean that like Harvestella you will often have to choose between focusing on your level or focusing on getting materials. For the most part I would say focus on levels first until you can easily one shot any minion from a weaker zone and then get the materials. Ranking up your weapon increases your attack power by about as much as 10 normal level ups which is why you want great weapons and armor. That said, you don’t want to forego either one of those for too long or you’ll really be in trouble.

I died several times during the game and had to spend hours grinding. So this isn’t a walk in the park but the grinding is always enjoyable. The EXP you get per battle is fair so you don’t feel like things are going too slowly. Throw in the resource grinding and that keeps you especially busy the whole time. I’d say what helps also keep things from getting stale is the soundtrack’s really good the whole time. Don’t underestimate the power of a great soundtrack to keep anything from being too tedious. The fast paced nature of the themes really work well.

Of course the visuals are also great here and I would expect no less. It’s all very streamlined and full of color. Yes the game succeeds on a technical level very well. Then there is a good amount of replay value here to get the trophies. The platinum will definitely take some time but I also wouldn’t say that it’s super difficult. It’s a pretty fair one where if you put in the effort then you will get it. By the time you beat the game you will be well on your way so I would definitely recommend going for it. I’ll probably work on this soon once I’ve worked on some other titles.

Overall, Justice Chronicles is definitely a great game and one that I highly recommend checking out. The story is really good and as always there are a ton of great quality of life features here. It may be lacking some of the functionality that Asdivine Hearts had and other gimmicks don’t play quite as strongly as the classic games yet I still had a lot of fun here. It’s still heads and shoulders above some of the other RPGs of the past. Additionally I really like how they went the extra mile for the opening cinematic. This is a game that was clearly giving its all right from the start and I can definitely respect that. I highly recommend checking this game out whenever possible.

Overall 8/10

Skelattack Review

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It’s time for a classic kind of platformer. Skelattack is a fun little game that plays a bit like Celeste with the endless lives and constant checkpoints but also takes queues from Shantae with the close quarters sword action. It’s a solid game all the way around but one that is a little limited by the short length. If it was just a little longer that would be perfect but ultimately that’s how it was meant to be.

The game starts you off as a skeleton in the underworld. He has amnesia but that’s actually normal. The way things work down here is after you die in the human world, you are taken to the underworld to lead a whole new life. After you have been dead for a while and conquered some trials, you are then able to learn about your past. It’s just about time for that here but then the underworld is attacked by the pesky humans. The humans tend to come down here every now and again to steal the Blue Flame of Life. This is what allows the underworld to function and gives all of the dead people complete immortality. If it is taken then everyone will die..for good this time. Of course the humans want it so they can enjoy these perks. What can one skeleton and a bat do against these armies though?

So yeah that’s a fun plot to work around. Naturally you can bet on some twists for once the skeleton gets his memories back. I wouldn’t say that there is anything particularly shocking in the game but it’s not really going for that vibe anyway. This is more about the adventure and just enjoying the gameplay the whole time. The game’s a bit weak on the banter side with the main characters but it tries pretty hard and does get serious when needed. The cast is fairly memorable as well which is always a good thing.

In terms of the length that I mentioned earlier, you can probably beat the game in around 3-4 hours. It’s not particularly hard for the most part so that length shouldn’t change much but there is an asterisk to that. So when you die you can quickly respawn and you just lose more and more gems each time. Not a big deal since you respawn when you have 0 gems anyway. However, the one big thing to watch out for is that you won’t have enough money to buy any health upgrades.

The one part of the game that can actually be really tough is the bosses and I finally figured out why. Basically since I was always out of gems I never had enough money to buy upgrades. Those upgrades extend your health bar which makes things easier but I ended up having to beat the game with the default amount. It’s a good incentive for you to play a bit more carefully. Honestly once I knew that we had unlimited lives I did not play carefully at all so I died over and over and over again. I probably racked up well over 100 deaths but that’s what happens when you get lax. It’s why I don’t really hold it against immortal villains in shows and such when they get sloppy because it does make sense to an extent.

For the bosses just memorize the attack patterns and ultimately you will be okay. In a lot of ways it’s like fighting a classic Mega Man Zero type of boss. They’re fast, hit like a tank, and have a lot of health. It feels really satisfying to defeat them though because the bosses are well made. This is also why it’s nice to have so many checkpoints and of course no big cutscenes to have to skip through. After you die the first time, the boss just starts right when you enter the room and I appreciate that. It’s a good quality of life feature.

Meanwhile the graphics here are pretty good. It’s definitely going for that classic sprite kind of look and it works well for the game. The levels are vibrant with lots of colors and I definitely have no issues there. The soundtrack is also pretty good. Perhaps not the most memorable or anything like that but I definitely enjoyed listening to all of the tunes. Maybe throw in an extra rock or metal song for next time and then we’d really be cooking.

There are trophies in the game but none of them are missable so for once it doesn’t really affect the replay value. In general I would say the game doesn’t really have any. Once you complete it, that’s it so there’s nothing to extend the length. That’s why you have to play for the fun gameplay/story and just not worry about it ending so quickly. I can’t imagine the price would be very high already so this is your chance to jump in and grab it.

Overall, Skelattack is definitely a fun game. It may not last very long but I didn’t really have any negatives to speak of. So it ends up being a positive experience all around with no buts or caveats. That’s what you want to see from any title in the end. I’d like to see a sequel someday and then they can make things a little longer to make this a true sequel. They can also probably experiment a bit since this one was content to just be a basic platformer but it’s risky since you also don’t want to bring in a gimmick that hurts the title. Don’t fix what isn’t broken after all. I’d recommend checking this game out but definitely make sure that you get it at a good price. Then you will really have no regrets or anything here.

Overall 7/10