Search found 235 matches for review

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Ninjatastic Jutsu Ninpo'ing Its Way To Greatness!

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Developed by Tanuki Creative Studios, published by ININ games, and public relations by PR Hound, Jitsu Squad is a fast-paced and action-packed beat em' up with a lot going for it in-terms of gameplay features and potential! Does the game live up to this potential? Continue reading our review to find out!



The gameplay in Jitsu Squad is highly refined and has all of the best aspects needed for a top-notch beat 'em up. The characters are unique and each have plenty of zany and over-the-top attacks that will leave their enemies black and blue in the most outlandish cartoony ways possible! Support characters such as Yooka And Laylee can jump in occasionally to lend a hand by wiping the floor with massive groups of enemies.

The controls are simple yet challenging to master and in-terms of content the game is a bit lacking as it can be beaten in 2-3 hours and there's not a lot to keep you coming back for more too often outside of multiplayer with buddies.



The audio-visual presentation of Jitsu Squad is where the game truly shines with amazing special effects, gorgeous backgrounds and highly detailed worlds with zany characters and enemies that breathe life into this absolutely beautiful game and a soundtrack that will knock your socks off! Overall the game is nearly flawless in the audio-visual department, however some minor frame-rate issues do drop the game's overall score. It's nothing major, but is certainly noticeable.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, good controls and a nearly perfect audio-visual presentation, Jitsu Squad for the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic beat 'em up for sure, but minor frame-rate issues and a relatively limited amount of content do hold the game back a bit. Overall, however we do give Jitsu Squad a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #PRHound #ININ #TanukiCreativeStudios #JitsuSquad #BeatEmUp #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Action #Scrolling

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Feel The Power of The Monado!

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Developed by Monolithsoft and published by Nintendo, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the epic conclusion of the first story arc of the Xenoblade franchise and is easily the darkest game in the entire series so far. Does Xenoblade Chronicles 3 hold-up against its predecessors? We think so, but you'll need to continue reading the rest of our review to find out why!



So going in we knew this game was going to have a massive world and dark story, but we honestly weren't expecting the story to be as dark as it is. There's a lot of British swearing compared to previous games, but the world the game is set in is literally worse than hell on earth, without going into huge spoilers everyone in the whole world basically has to kill to live and the level of brutality you see on a number of occasions left us wondering how the game didn't receive an M rating. Honestly I would not recommend this game for kids under 16, that said the story-telling is brilliant and without being held back by trying to aim for a T rating, which it still managed but barely.

The game is huge spanning 6-8 different regions each with multiple cities and or colonies and vast wildlands filled with dangerous monsters, enemy soldiers, and much more. It took us upwards of 200 hours to complete and we still wanted more, which certainly isn't a bad thing and has us hyped for the story expansion that is scheduled to release sometime next year!



The battles use a refined version of the system seen in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but with several twists such as transformations and a much more in-depth chain attack system that allows you to use exclusive moves and finishers only available during chain attacks to rack-up huge amounts of damage on unsuspecting enemies. The hero system allows you to unlock new classes for your characters as well as fight alongside the master during combat which is a great feature with a lot of flexibility in customization which is fantastic! Also unlike in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 each class has 8-12 arts so you aren't stuck using 4 preset moves on your pallet, which was something we really didn't like in XBC2.

The world is filled with quests including missable Hero Quests so be diligent if you want to unlock everything on your playthrough. The only negative aspect of XBC2 that has returned in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the lack of weapons and armor to equip so your strength and defense are mostly tied to your class and level, but can be slightly boosted with accessories and the returning gem system from XBC1 which allows you to boost stats or add effects to your characters which is certainly better than the pouch items in XBC2 for sure!



The controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always good, of course and as for the audiovisual-presentation? This game looks absolutely amazing with detailed environments chock full of life and breathtaking landmarks this game might have the best graphics of any game currently on Switch and looks like something even the PS4 would have difficulty topping. As for the music, it is unique and really quite charming, but isn't quite as good as 1 & 2 in this regard mainly because we weren't digging the wind instruments as much as the guitars, violins, and drums that were more prevalent in the other games in the series. It still was amazing overall.



Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, a dark and intriguing story, tons of content, great controls, and graphics that truly push the Nintendo Switch to its absolute limits, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the best JRPG's of the generation and as such we give the game a perfect level of recommendation for all fans of JRPG's and open world games in-general!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #MonolithSoft #Nintendo #Switch #Retail #Exclusive #JRPG #XenobladeChronicles

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Trails From Tio-Tot!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published in the West by NIS America, The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero is the first game in the long-awaited and previously skipped story arc in the series "at least outside of Japan" starring Lloyd Bannings, Elie MacDowel, Randy Orlando, and Tio Plato formally known as the Special Support Section A.K.A. the SSS. Their job is to restore the Crossbell PD's broken reputation and help civilians in need, but things aren't always so simple. There's a HUGE reason why the Crossbell games are so well-loved and are necessary to understand the series' overarching story in both Cold Steel III & IV as well as in Reverie, and Kuro I & II. Singularly Crossbell's storyline might be the most important one to the series' story as whole. While we obviously can't spoil major story content, we can at least give context as to why. As always continue reading our review to find out why and we hope you enjoy it!



The story in Trails from Zero is absolutely amazing, taking the storytelling of the Sky games and upping the bar several fold. It's an extremely important chapter for giving context in future installments of the series as well such as Trails of Cold Steel III & IV and it is recommended you play this and Azure first if you haven't played anything past Trails of Cold Steel II yet. The gameplay is quite interesting and differs quite a bit from the Cold Steel arc, but is also a bit different from the formula seen in the Sky arc as well.

The battles are also much improved over the Sky Trilogy's, but uses the same engine with grid based movement. There are a bunch of new nuances, but the UI and targeting are far better in Zero. It's really just a ton of small changes that culminate into a much better experience overall. The game even features a trophy system that pops a notification when you earn a trophy and is a nice touch for sure, something we'd like to see used more often in Switch games. The game also features a speed mode to increase gameplay speed from 2-8x normal speed which is a HUGE time-saver for sure, especially when the game itself clocks in at around 100 hours in length give or take 40 hours depending on your pacing.



The audiovisual presentation is really good in this remaster with sharp high quality HD textures, character models, and enemies, gorgeous special effects with equally good lighting and shadowing effects. It is honestly hard to imagine at its core it ever was a PSP title. And the music is exceptional as well with loads of bangers that fit the game like a glove! Overall the game's presentation is a HUGE step-up from the Sky games and looks gorgeous in this remaster!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay and a ton of content, an amazing story, and a masterpiece of an audiovisual presentation, The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero is a nearly flawless game from start to finish, and just barely fails to reach the heights of the Cold Steel games "with the exception of Trails of Cold Steel I which we gave a 7/10 for being a SUPER slow burner in-terms of how quickly or lack thereof the story pacing was in the game". Overall we give this game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #NihonFalcom #NISA #Kiseki #Trails #JRPG #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN #SpecialSupportSection #Geofront

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Absolute Hero or Absolute Zero?

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Developed by Curious Fate Games and published by Akupara Games, Absolute Tactics is a refreshingly enjoyable take on the Strategy RPG genre that doesn't innovate, but does it stand tall by its quality? We think so continue reading the rest of our review to find out why:



The story in Absolute Tactics is dark and edgy, but quite well-told with a definite gothic fantasy setting. The story has some pretty solid voice acting for an indie title in the genre and the pacing is well-done. The gameplay is fairly straightforward, but well-designed with enough mechanics to make the game engaging, but not so many to turn-off casual players or those new to the genre.

The game is fairly average in length for a game in the genre sitting at around 20 hours in length, and the controls are very responsive which is always a good thing when playing a SRPG.



Visually Absolute Tactics is a real treat with a vibrant yet sadistically dark and detailed gothic inspired world with gorgeous character designs and remarkably detailed stages the game looks on-par if not slightly better visually than the disgaea series. The soundtrack is also quite good and the game's voice acting while sporadic is a real treat to hear. Overall the audio-visual presentation is a real strong point of the game!



Bottom-Line: With a good story, great gameplay, and an excellent audiovisual presentation, Absolute Tactics will draw you in while it's interesting cast of characters and intuitive controls will keep you hooked! Overall we give Absolute Tactics for the Nintendo Switch a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #AbsoluteTactics #CuriousFateGames #AcuparaGames #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #SRPG

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The Princess Is Hangin' In Another Castle!

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Developed by AweKteaM, published by Hypetrain Digital, and public relations by Vicarious PR, Tower Princess is a roguelike 3D platformer with sadistically challenging soulslike gameplay that is sure to challenge even the most stalwart video game champions and do so in a way that's possible for average gamers to learn its difficulty curve! Does this equate to an enjoyable experience? We think so and here's why:



The story is pretty straightforward in Tower Princess, save a princess from a deadly tower and become her suitor, pretty much just flavor text for a HUGE portion of the game, but it gives you a reason for venturing into the dangerous towers filled with enemies and traps. The gameplay is where the real meat of the game lies with expansive roguelike towers filled with danger and adventure as well as upgrades and power-up's for your randomly generated protagonists that will help you further progress in the game's very light, but at times can be quite engaging the two or three times the game gets story-heavy for a moment.

The platforming can require extreme precision at times and there are many deviously difficult puzzles that can spawn during a run that can challenge even the most observant of players. Bosses also require a lot of strategy so don't expect to survive if you try to mindlessly hack away at a boss in this game.



The levels are brilliantly generated with tons of possible layouts with no issues as far as things such as poorly generated terrain so you don't have to worry about getting stuck due to bad RNG. The difficulty is SUPER challenging and can feel  impassable at times, but with enough grinding and practice most gamers should be able to beat the game eventually.

The controls are easy to learn and very responsive and the length of Tower Princess' story is roughly around 30 hours in length give or take depending on your skill level.



The audiovisual presentation of Tower Princess is solid with good 3D levels that have some good details, decent character and enemy designs, and great shadowing and lighting effects such as torchlight, and solar blooming in outdoor sections that look really quite nice! And lastly the extremely limited voice acting is in the forgettable territory, but not bad and the soundtrack while not the most fitting for the game is still largely enjoyable.



Bottom-Line:With great gameplay, a solid audiovisual presentation, and responsive and easy to learn controls, Tower Princess is a great 3D platformer that is sure to keep players coming back for more, but lack of story might be a bit disappointing for some as what is present is really enjoyable. Overall we give Tower Princess for Nintendo Switch a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #TowerPrincess #AweKteaM #HypetrainDigital #Switch #eShop #Indie #Nindie #3DPlatformer #Roguelike

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For Puzzlery!

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Developed by Vine and Yacht Club Games and published by Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon is a unique blend of roguelike, puzzler, RPG, and a bit of adventure gameplay elements that meld together into a highly compelling and ultra enjoyable package and to be honest is every bit as good as the original Shovel Knight title. Continue reading our review to find out why:



As previously stated, Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon's gameplay is a mixture of many different genres blended together in perfect harmony. The roguelike elements add an unpredictable, but fair level of randomness to the puzzler aspect of the game, while the RPG and adventure genre elements allow for a compelling and enjoyable story and feeling of progression for your characters as the gain new skills and abilities from the shop. There are loads of characters in the game to be unlocked, each with their own weapons, skills, and unique gameplay mechanics which adds a lot of replayability to the game.

You can also unlock 10 skins per character and many other things while grinding the game's endless content which is quite enjoyable for completionists. The game also features a Vs. Mode which is a great way to enjoy the game with a friend and had us hooked for hours! The story is relatively short on its own, clocking in at only a handful of hours, but the unlockable content, random nature of the game, and addictive gameplay will keep you coming back for dozens or even hundreds of hours and you'll likely enjoy every single minute of it due to the insane amount of polish this game possesses!



As for the game's difficulty? It's fair, but has a steep learning curve to master and can take quite a few hours to fully grasp how everything works, but the journey of mastering this game is where a lot of the fun is derived from! The controls are very intuitive and respond very well which obviously is always a good thing!

As for Shovel Knght: Pocket Dungeon's audio-visual presentation, it's a true masterpiece! Great looking overworld? Check! Breathtaking character and enemy designs? Check! Gorgeous and streamlined user interface? Check! And the soundtrack is easily the best of any puzzler we've heard in years as well as arcade-style sound effects that are absolute ear-candy!



Bottom-Line: With unique and amazing gameplay, excellent controls, and gorgeous visuals, Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon will have players hooked right from the start, while the endless replay-value and best soundtrack in the puzzler genre in years will keep players coming back time and time again! We give Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon for the Nintendo Switch a perfect-level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #ShovelKnight #YachtClubGames #VineGames #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Puzzler #Roguelike #RPG #Adventure

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Cannon-Bombing The 7-Seas of Fun!!!

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Developed and published by 7 Raven Studios Dyna Bomb 2 is the sequel to the relatively old Switch action-platformer Dyna Bomb which was a solid game with a lot of unrealized potential. Does this sequel fully live up to its predecessor's potential? No, but it's still a much better realization of the potential we saw in the original Dyna Bomb and here's why:



The gameplay in Dyna Bomb 2 is really addictive and quite fun when you get into the curve of the game's mechanics. You have a jetpack with limited fuel, limited ammo in the form of bombs, and must reach the end of a stage circumnavigating enemies and a number of extremely hazardous and devious environmental dangers as well as traps. There's much more to the game though as doing things such as killing all enemies and collecting all gems can earn you the ability to unlock character skins and loads of other bonuses in the in-game shop. This is the best addition to the series as you no longer have to rely on gacha mechanics to unlock bonuses.

Each world also has a challenging boss at the end that can oftentimes require a bit of strategy to beat and are really fun to fight. There are other intricacies such as hidden paths and other mechanics that make exploration more challenging, but oh so rewarding!



The game itself isn't super long, but should take most gamers at least a few sessions to beat, clocking in at around 10-14 hours in length, however unlocking everything and completing all levels 100% can take nearly double that amount of time! As for the difficulty, Dyna Bomb 2 starts off pretty easy, but gets more challenging by the second half of the game. The controls? Silky smooth and responsive as well as super easy to learn. And of course the biggest draw of Dyna Bomb 2 is the co-op multiplayer which is extremely fun, however things can get quite hectic if you and your friend start going bomb crazy firing bombs all over the place at the same time.

As for the audio-visual presentation? The graphics are colorful and cheery, the enemy and boss models are full of character and detail, the game's special effects and environmental effects such as snow and rain are a HUGE step-up from the original Dyna Bomb and look remarkable! The soundtrack is quite catchy and fits the mood of the game, but can get a bit repetitive at times.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay that is much improved from the game's predecessor, fun co-op multiplayer, flawless controls, and an amazing visual presentation, Dyna Bomb 2 is a vast improvement over the original in every conceivable way. Slightly short game length and a few music tracks that are a bit repetitive in an otherwise remarkable soundtrack do hold this game back just slightly, but overall we highly recomment adding this game to your Nintendo Switch library of games! We give Dyna Bomb 2 for the Nintendo Switch a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #7RavenStudios #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Action #Platformer

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A Classic Masterpiece Roars Onto The Nintendo Switch!

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Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, Prinny Presents Volume 3 is a collection of two amazing strategy RPG's from NIS's back catalog of classic titles that really have withstood the test of time and are still excellent games today! How excellent you ask? Continue reading our review to find out!



The UI in the main menu of the collection is pretty basic, but sleek, however there's no bonus materials such as artwork or anything else of the sort whic is a tad disappointing, but no real biggie. The actual games are where the real draw lies, especially the never-before-released in the West PSP version of La-Pucelle Tactics, A.K.A La-Pucelle Ragnarok which has loads of bonus content including all DLC released in the PSP game and newly voiced lines from the original VA's from the English release of the PS2 version of the game "or at least VA's that pull off sounding exactly like the original VA's" either way the voice acting is pretty good and the new voiced lines add to the already enjoyable audio presentation. The controls are smooth and work well as expected while the isotopic 3-D camera works remarkably well compared to other games in the genre.

The gameplay plays almost exactly like Disgaea including an item world and geo panels which are called something else, but work similarly, with the caveat of being able to be purified. Purifying these panels actually plays a HUGE role in getting not only a good ending in a chapter, but also the good ending of the entire game. Which is important because failing to get the good will be terrible for the protagonists and the world while the worst ending makes the world of Disgaea look warm and fuzzy in comparison. You'll have to play the game if you want to know what happens in the bad endings, but it's bad in a good way! Overall La-Pucelle Ragnarok is a worthwhile game that fans of Disgaea fans and fans of tactical RPG's is general should thoroughly enjoy and as such receives a score of 9.5/10



The gameplay in Rhapsody A Musical Adventure is fun, with dungeon exploration, fun tactical battles, and a unique puppet mechanic that allows you to speak to and bring puppets to life. The main mechanic of the game is its musical scenes which are pretty well-done even if you play the game with the English voice overs.

The battles are more simplistic than La-Pucelle Ragnarok's was, but still is fun enough to keep most players engaged. The audio-visual presentation of Rhapsody A Musical Adventure is amazing, with great voice overs, top-notch retro visuals, and amazing music! Overall we give Rhapsody A Musical Adventure a good to great level of recommendation. The game receives a score of 8.5/10!



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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #Switch #Retail #eShop #JRPG #SRPG #LaPucelleRagnarok #RhapsodyAMA #Collection #NISAmerica

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Splashing In The Puddles of Childlike Adventures!

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Published by Joystick Ventures and developed by Happy Juice Games, Lost In Play is a fantastic and whimsical point and click style adventure that REALLY works well on Switch. Continue reading our review to find out why!



The gameplay in most point and click games on consoles are done quite wrong using cumbersome cursors that might work well on PC with a mouse, but this seldom translates well when using a controller. Luckily Happy Juice Games designed the game to work by moving your character with the analogue sticks which makes the game feel leagues better than most games in the genre that are ported to home consoles. The controls are responsive and work well in solving the game's many challenging puzzles and beating the handful of minigames as well.

The puzzles are extremely challenging at times and require players to not only problem solve, but also lookout for visual cues that are easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. That said it makes solving the puzzles a very rewarding experience! The only gripe we have is the game is extremely short, even though the puzzles were challenging we managed to be the game in two three hour long sessions, but we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our playthrough.



As for the game's audio-visual presentation, the artwork and characters are absolutely gorgeous and feel as if they were ripped straight out of a child's storybook! The characters have an imaginative and whimsical feel too them and in-general will put a smile on your face as you try to solve the many puzzles in the game. The soundtrack is also cheery and fits the game to a tee.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, challenging puzzles, and a truly amazing audio-visual presentation, Lost In Play is a near perfect experience on the Nintendo Switch, the only downside is that the game is extremely short and can be beaten in roughly 5-8 hours. Overall we give the game a near-perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¾ 9.75/10

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#Review #Switch #eShop #PointAndClick #Adventure #HappyJuiceGames #JoystickVentures

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Gotta Gigantamax Em' All!

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Article Originally Written By: @Unrealgamergirl



Pokemon sword/shield is full of adventure as you travel through the Galarian Region discovering the mythicals and Pokemon this area has to offer! Your adventures will include trainer battles, gym battles, new enemies, Gigantamax Pokemon and more! Your journey starts off like all the others meeting your newest professor and picking your starter Pokemon. The three wonderful pokemon you may choose from this time include: Scorbunny (Fire type) that some people say looks like a fire Trix Rabbit, Sobble (Water type) which seems to have varying moods, and then Grokey (Grass type) a cute little monkey that’s ready for adventure! Once you choose your Pokemon you head into the focus of the Galarian Region where you can explore the different areas containing all the different types of Pokemon from ice to steel, to dark, and more! Be careful though as some of these Pokemon are too high level for you to fight or capture first so pay attention to what you do!

Also a new feature you are introduced in this game is Gigantamax Raids, this is found in the town center also. If you choose you can ride your bike or walk up to one of the wishing wells that have red lights coming from them. Once you enter the well you began a Gigantamax battle, but not to worry your friends can help! A time counts down to where other trainers or friends can join you, if successful you get the chance to catch an oversized and overpowered version of the said Pokemon using a special Gigantamax version of the pokeball!



Story mode wise your journey is to pursue the different paths and areas to earn gym badges to become a Pokemon master and impress Chairman Rose so that you may enter the ultimate Pokemon tournament! Along your journey you may uncover some new mysterious Pokemon from this region so keep your eyes open and have plenty of pokeballs ready at all times! There is a twist to the story mode end, but that I will leave for you to unfold! Your overall goal is to capture the legendary for the game, these include: Zacian (sword) and Zamazenta (shield) and then head into the tournament to prove your worth! The story mode is overall pretty fun, and depending on which version of the game is what will determine the path and Pokemon you will come across so choose wisely and make sure to work with friends to trade towards a full Pokedex!

The last feature of this game that we’d like to highlight is that Nintendo has also released DLC that will unlock two new regions onto your Galarian map! Again this will depend on what version you have, but either way this brings two new regions to life for you and lots of new local Pokemon! Along with new gyms to battle and badges to claim! This is exciting as these are the first ever Pokemon games to get DLC so make sure to take full advantage of these awesome add ons trainers!

One negative side to this game that trainers around found was that there was no regional Pokedex, but trainers around the world have come together to find ways to work around this! So keep your eyes posted and connections sharp!



Overall I’d give these games a great level of recommendation as the graphics are amazing, the story play is well thought out and fun, and overall this is a great addition the Pokemon collection I do feel!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #Switch #Retail #eShop #JRPG #Pokemon #TPC #GameFreak #Nintendo

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The Final Frontier...TWO!

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Developed by Granzella and published by NIS America, R-Type Final 2 is the latest game in the long-running R-Type series with updated gameplay mechanics and fresh new visuals. Is this new game as good as its predecessors? No, but it is a solid game in its own right and here's why:



The gameplay in R-Type Final 2 is fantastic even by sidescrolling Shoot em' up standards. There are plenty of game modes and options to give players quite a few ways to play the game. The game itself is more refined than its predecessors with additional upgrades, more responsive controlls, and more which makes the game feel fresh, and while the game has a decent amount of content, a huge chunk is also locked as paid dlc, which is rather unfortunate. The game also suffers from a bit of stuttering and several second loading times between deaths which is a bit jarring and lowers our overall score of the game by a bit.

As for the audio-visual presentation the game looks amazing with gorgeous level backgrounds, excellent ship and enemy models as well as great looking UI's and menus. The soundtrack is also absolutely incredible and fits the mood of the game well as do the myriad of sound effects in the game!



Bottom-Line: With good gameplay, excellent controls, and a top-notch audio-visual presentation, R-Type Final 2 is an enjoyable romp through a new entry in a beloved series, however technical issues and long loading times hold this game back quite a bit. We still give R-Type Final 2 a solid level of recommendation despite its flaws!

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Score: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

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#Review #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Granzella #NISAmerica #SHMUP

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Space Fish In 3-D!

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Developed by TAITO, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, G-Darius HD for the PS4 is a 3-D Polygonal arcade space shoot em' up in the long-running Darius series and the first one that was in 3-D. The original arcade release back in the 90's was amazing and while the PSOne port wasn't quite as good, it was still quite an enjoyable experience. Does this HD remaster live up to the previous iterations of the game? We think so, and we'll tell you why, so continue reading our review to find out!



The gameplay in G-Darius HD, is jam-packed with a robust power-up system, dozens of types of enemies, branching level paths, and epic bosses and mid-bosses that are sure to provide a challenge to all players. The games' zones vary widely and add a ton of replayabilty to an already content rich game, which is always a good thing. The game also features alien ship capturing allowing players to capture enemies or even mid-bosses and add them as an ally!

The difficulty can be challenging, but is fair and as for the controls, they work exceptionally well. The game also features loads of cabinet settings, screen settings, and an assortment of widgets that can display various information regarding the game on-screen which is a nice touch!



The audiovisual presentation is fantastic with detailed environments, gorgeous 3-D enemies, and crazy special effects that are actually quite impressive for a game released back in the late-90's. The soundtrack is also extremely enjoyable and fits the game like a glove! The sound effects and other audio is just as pleasing to the ears as well!



Bottom-Line: With excellent gameplay with tons of replayabilty, great controls, and a top-notch audiovisual presentation, G-Darius HD for the PS4 is a superb remaster of one of the first 3-D scrolling shmups released in the arcades and the amount of customization adds to the replayabilty of the game! Overall we give G-Darius HD for PS4 a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #TAITO #M2 #PRHound #ININ #SHMUP #Arcade #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Let There Be Light...And Lots of Slimes!

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Published by Zordix and developed by Rock Square Thunder, The Lightbringer is a 3-D puzzle platformer with some light Zelda-esque gameplay elements that meld together in quite an enjoyable way! Is this enough to earn a recommendation from our crew? Yes, and here's why:



The story is pretty straightforward, slimes have taken over the world and our protagonist must salvage society by wrestling it back from the slimey overlords! Well that might be a bit of an embellishment, but it's quite a dark premise for such a cute game. The game utilizes isometric 3-D for its tight platforming, and occasionally mind-bending puzzles that really control well. Even the camera control is pretty well calibrated in this game which is always a good thing of course.

There are some items to collect, but the game doesn't really make collecting items a big focus. The battles are swift and fluid and you will fight many slimes! Slimes, Slimes with helmets, Slimes with spikes, giant Slimes, even Slimes in exploding barrels. The use of items and simple sword play feels truly at home on the Switch and is certainly heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda series. The game is fairly short though and can be beaten within 5-8 hours easily enough.



The audiovisual presentation in The Lightbringer is good, the graphics are nice to look at, the enemies are fairly detailed, the levels have nice looking layouts and designs, and the soundtrack is rather enjoyable as well, HOWEVER...nothing really stood out to us on either front, so despite being good the game won't stick with you in your memory for very long.



Bottom-Line: With a simple and enjoyable story, excellent gameplay with tight controls, and a good, albeit not overly memorable audiovisual presentation, The Lightbringer is a fun 3D isometric platformer that's both fun and challenging, however its short length is a bit of a letdown, that said we give The Lightbringer for the Nintendo Switch a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #TheLightbringer #Zordix #RockSquareThunder #3DPlatformer #Switch #eShop

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Monstrous Fun!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America, YS IX: Monstrum Nox is the ninth main installment in the long-running YS series, ten if you count Ys Origins, but is this darker brother of the series worth a purchase? We think so and here's why:



The game has all the typical action-rpg goodness you've come to expect from the series with fast-paced battles, interesting and unique bosses, and a diverse cast of likeable characters. The formula is mostly intact including the raid battles from Ys VIII, but the puzzle-solving has been watered down quite a bit which isn't a good thing, but doesn't hurt the game that much either, much to our surprise. The story is incredibly dark this time around so expect some really sad moments during the game's 8 lengthy chapters!

The game is also a fair bit shorter than its predecessor clocking in at around 30 hours in length if you know what you're doing. The controls are quite responsive and easy to learn which is always a good thing, and the difficulty is fairly challenging even on the normal setting.



The audiovisual-presentation in YS IX is quite good with lush open-world regions, and fantastic special effects and character designs. The only downside visually is that the game doesn't quite look as impressive as its predecessor, YS VIII, but overall it's a really nice looking game. On the audio side of things, the voice acting is superb and the soundtrack is as good as you'd expect from a Nihon Falcom game, which is nothing short of perfection!

The Switch Difference:

There are two big things to take note about the Switch version of the game, and neither are particularly positive. First the frame-rate is quite bad on Switch, sometimes dropping to sub 20 FPS, but aside from those there are frequent smaller dips the cause the game to frequently stutter which is not great to be honest. The other issus is battery life in handheld mode which is quite bad. We only managed to get a paltry 1 hour and 35 minutes of play-time off of a full charge. These two issues definitely hurt the game's overall score, but it's still a worthwhile purchase if you don't own a PS4 or PS5.



Bottom-Line: With a dark and amazing story, excellent gameplay, solid controls and a top-notch audiovisual-presentation, YS IX: Monstrum Nox is a nearly flawless action-rpg that is an absolute blast to play, however the Switch version has frame-rate issues and drains the battery quickly in handheld mode and as such We give the Switch version a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #YS #NihonFalcom #NISAmerica #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #ActionRPG #JRPG

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Invincibility = MC Squared!

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Developed by TAITO, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Space Inviders: Invincible Collection is the definitive collection for any fan of the nearly 45 year old franchise and has all the bells and whistles that arcade aficionados could possibly ask for! While the collection is super pricy, we do think it's well worth the cost, and here's why:



Hot on the heels of Space Invaders: Forever, is the fantastic follow-up collection, Space Invaders: Invincible Collection which is a massive collection of the earlier Space Invaders titles, including Majestic Twelve and Space Invaders '91! The first game is included in both black & white as well as in color with the same gameplay between the two, and yeah it HASN'T aged well at all with extremely slow-paced gameplay, but it's sequel Space Invaders II is much better and is also included in the collection. Majestic Twelve and Space Invaders '91 are the cream of the crop and will be what most players will sink their time into with unique missions, more action-oriented gameplay, and much more responsive controls than the previously mentioned games in this collection!

A few additional games are available that were also in the Space Invaders: Forever collection so there's no real need to mention them here as we already reviewed that collection. As for the menu and options, Space Invaders: Invincible Collection is loaded with cabinet options, including difficulty and screen settings, A.I. settings, cabinet backgrounds, and much, much more!



As for the audiovisual presentation, the games look and sound authentic and exactly how they did in the arcades which is definitely a nostalgic trip down memory lane if you grew up around arcades in the 80's and 90's! Each game also plays as it should with every little flaw and or detail displayed correctly so the emulation is spot-on!



Bottom-Line: With an excellent line-up of games with great gameplay, and a ton of nostalgia if you're a gamers from the 70's, 80's, or 90's. The U.I. is intuitive, with a ton of options allowing for a highly customized experience while the faithful audiovisual presentation will transport you back to simpler times when gameplay was king! Overall we give Space Invaders: Invincible Collection for the Nintendo Switch a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¼ 9.25/10

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#Review #TAITO #ININ #PRHound #Switch #Retail #eShop #Retro #Compilation

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Witchtastic!

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Developed by KiwiWalks and Ikina Games, published by ININ, and public relations by PR Hound, WitchSpring 3 Re:Fine is an RPG that feels a lot like a Atelier series title, but more simplistic. For better or worse the game is short at around 12 hours in length, but is that a turn-off to recommending purchasing the game? Yes, but it's mostly due to the price and there are a myriad of reasons why you should at least consider this game if it's discounted.



The gameplay is simple enough, but has quite an addictive curve to its formula in much the same way an Atelier game does with a robust item creation system that is heavily integrated into the story itself. The battles are also quite unique with the golem like puppets that you fight battles with. Overall this is where the game shines the most.

As for the controls the can be somewhat cumbersome at times, but aren't bad overall, the game is also a bit on the easy side and the length of the game is VERY short at around 12 hours in length as we already said. The audiovisual presentation is also merely adequate while it's not bad, nothing really struck us as being memorable in that department.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay with a fun and addictive alchemy system, WitchSpring 3 will draw players in with its charm, however a short story length, overly easy difficulty, somewhat cumbersome controls, and unremarkable audio presentation really hold this game back, as does its $40 price tag. It's not without its merits and is definitely enjoyable for fans of the Atelier series so we do give the game a decent to solid level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★¾☆☆☆ 6.75/10

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#Review #WitchSpring #KiwiWalks #IkinaGames #ININ #PRHound #Switch #Retail #eShop #RPG

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Spelunking Ahoy!

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Developed by Tozai Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Spelunker HD Deluxe for the PS4 is an action-platformer from the NES era that has been revived on PS4 with optional enhanced graphics, leaderboards, online multiplayer, and several enjoyable new game modes. Is this enough to make the game enjoyable for modern audiences? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay is straightforward enough, collect treasure, avoid enemies and traps, and DON'T FALL! Seriously elevation is deadly in this game and while frustrating at times it isn't unfair. You'll never feel like a death was undeserved, which is a sign of a well-designed game. The myriad of game modes adds a ton of replayability to the game, especially the Championship Mode and the roguelike mode exclusively available on this re-release.

The controls are easy to learn and are quite intuitive while the multiplayer is a ton of fun for players of all ages! The audiovisual presentation is also extremely well-done with great visuals and superb music that fits the game like a glove!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation, Spelunker HD for the PS4 is a quality remaster of a forgotten retro gem that we highly recommend to all PS4 owners as such we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #MiniReview #TozaiGames #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Platformer #Retro #Spelunker

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Bursting The Waves of Adventure!

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Developed by TAITO, published by TAITO and M2, with PR by PR Hound, Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a console port of the arcade title Darius Burst: Another Chronicle, and while it might not have as much content as Chronicle Saviors, it's every bit as enjoyable! Continue reading our review to find out why!



The gameplay in Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ is split into several different modes, these include Original which is a traditional arcade experience through three branching zones. While fun, this mode is extremely short and has a limited number of zones, which means very low replay value can be found in this mode. Then EX mode which is basically a more challenging remix of Original Mode and is quite enjoyable if not a tad too similar to Original Mode.

Another mode is Chronicle Mode which has many missions and custom zones with specific goals that must be met. This mode is quite beefy and adds many hours of gameplay to the game. We highly recommend playing through Chronicle Mode for the best experience. Finally there's event mode which features all of the limited time Chronicle Mode events from the arcade release of the game which is exceptionally fun to play and quite difficult to boot. The only downside is that there are only around 20 missions in this mode so don't expect much replayability here.



The gameplay will be familiar for those who are longtime fans of the Darius series, with challenging waves of enemies, tough as nails bosses, and tight controls that are very responsive which is always important in Shoot 'em up titles! As for the audiovisual presentation, the game looks fantastic despite its age with impressive special effects, detailed enemies and backgrounds, and a rocking soundtrack that fits the hectic mood of the game!



Bottom-Line: With many fantastic and fun game modes, excellent gameplay, and a superb audiovisual presentation that has aged extremely well, Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ for the PS4 is one whale of a shmup that no fan of the genre should let get away! We give the game a perfect level f recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #TAITO #M2 #PRHound #Darius #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Shmup

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The Final Wave!

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Developed by SideQuest Studios and published by EastAsiaSoft, Soldner-X 2 Final Prototype: Definitive Edition for the PS4 is the best edition of the game originally released way back in 2010 on PS3 and Vita. The game comes with all three DLC packs, as well as a full trophy list including a platinum trophy which the original lacked, an art gallery, and bonus stages that can be unlocked by collecting five hidden keys in the game's various stages! If this sounds good so far, continue reading our review, because this is just a tip in the iceberg in-terms of this game's awesomeness:



You are one of the best pilots left in an apocalyptic world and are the last line of defense between the enemy and human extinction as is common in the genre. Cliches aside, the gameplay in Soldner-X 2 Final Prototype Definitive Edition is super refined and feels like a cross between a bullet hell shmup and something more traditional such as Gradius. The enemies are varied and oftentimes drop power-up's that will help players out immensely while the combo system will allow you to score massive points. The bosses are where the real challenges lie, however as they will shower players with complex bullet patterns, lasers, and even hordes of enemies which will truly test players' mettle in the game!



The difficulty is very challenging, though more fair than most bullet hell games, with fairly small bullet hit boxes, and fair enemy movements. The controls are also very tight and responsive so expect to not get frustrated with the controls all that often which is always great for games in the genre! The audiovisual presentation is good. It won't wow with its dated modern graphics, but looks nice and the soundtrack on the other hand sound absolutely fantastic and fits the game to a tee!



Bottom-Line: With great challenging gameplay, excellent music, good graphics, and tight as well as intuitive controls, Soldner-X 2 Final Prototype: Definitive Edition for the PS4 is an amazing game that is well worth the cost of admission and we highly recommend the game to all fans of shmups and arcade games of the 90's and early 2000's. We give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #EastAsiaSoft #SideQuestStudios #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #SHMUP #Arcade

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The End of A Saga!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is the final game in the Erabonian storyline in the long-running series and has been highly anticipated by fans, but does the game deliver the quality that fans have come to expect? We think so and here's why:



In-terms of story and gameplay, Trails of Cold Steel IV picks up where the third game left off, and while it doesn't immediately get you into the meat of the gameplay, it does quickly recap what happened at the end of ToCS III, just in more detail. Once you do gain control you'll quickly notice that the battles are a good deal more challenging this time around with orders taking a massive drop in efficacy, but aside from that most of the changes in gameplay are pretty minimal outside of the new minigames and few new features that were added in this game.



The game is quite the beast in-terms of length as well, clocking in at between 100 and 150 hours to beat even on the easiest difficulty. The game has a host of missables as usual which can make earning the platinum trophy quite difficult to obtain without some sort of assistance, such as a guide or walkthrough. The controls in the game are intuitive and easy to learn if you're a newcomer, though we highly recommend playing the games in order to avoid spoilers.



The audiovisual presentation is absolutely breathtaking as the visuals have seen a increase in detail and the cutscenes in particular look amazing with higher quality special effects than the previous game possessed. The new locations are quite enjoyable and look a good deal better than the returning locations, which still look great and the characters new looks are quite fantastic!



The soundtrack also is one of the best in video game history in our honest opinions, it easily has the best soundtrack we've heard since ToCS II and possibly even eclipses the soundtrack of the original Xenoblade Chronicles!

The Switch Difference:



There are a few noteworthy differences between the PS4 and Switch versions of Trails of Cold Steel IV. The first is obviously the portability allowing players to play on the go which is always a great feature no-doubt, however that's the only positive difference. The game is surprisingly harsh on the analog sticks on the Switch Lite so we'd imagine it might spell doom for any Joycon controlers on a standard Switch Model. The second issue is a significant downgrade in the graphics which felt much closer to those seen in the first two Trails of Cold Steel games, which while not terrible, feels like a big step backwards. And the last issue are frame-rates that occasionally drop below 20 FPS with more frequent drops to around 25 FPS which REALLY hurts the game's audiovisual rating.

Bottom-Line: With challenging yet amazing gameplay with a ton of content, excellent story, and a fully portable experience if desired, JRPG fans and fans of RPG's in-general will certainly fall in love with this charming and epic role-playing game. The only downside is that the audiovisual presentation has taken a HUGE hit on the limited power of the Switch hardware. Overall we give the game a good to great recommendation to all Switch owners who love a great JRPG!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #NihonFalcomGames #NISAmerica #TheLegendOfHeroes #Kiseki #Switch #eShop #PS4 #Retail #PSN #JRPG #RPG #SRPG

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Wild XenoArms!

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Developed by Hit Point Co. Ltd. and published by KEMCO, Armed Emeth is a wild west themed steampunk JRPG that takes cues from popular series such as Xenogears and Wild Arms and is quite good in its own right. Continue reading our article to learn more:



The story in Armed Emeth is great as expected from a KEMCO game, but what's not always a given is the gameplay which is so different from other KEMCO games or JRGP's in general I feel the need to give it extra points just for its fresh take on the genre. The game itself is quite short at less than 20 hours from start to finish and can be a bit easy at times, but I enjoyed every minute of my playthrough.

The controls are serviceable and would be rather concerned if they weren't since we're talking about a turn based JRPG.



The graphics in the game while not technically impressive are good enough to earn a passing grade with a good art direction. The soundtrack and retro sfx on the other hand are sublime and worthy of high praise! We can't stress how nostalgic the audio presentation is!



Bottom-Line: With a great story, fresh and enjoyable gameplay, decent graphics, and sublime soundtrack, Armed Emeth for the Switch is a highly enjoyable JRPG that we can't recommend enough to fans of the genre! We give the game an excellent level of recommendation!

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Score: 9.5/10

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#Review #KEMCO #HitPoint #Switch #eShop #JRPG

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Find The Blade Within Yourself!

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Developed by Ametist, published by Ametist and Ratalaika Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Within The Blade is a 2-D action-platformer that is heavily inspired by games such as Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, and other ninja platformers from the 80's and 90's. But does Within The Blade live up to the standards set by those aforementioned titles? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay is quite challenging and plays a lot like Ninja Gaiden for the NES or Shinobi for the SEGA Genesis, with a heavy emphasis on action with challenging platforming thrown in for good measure. The game is relatively short, clocking in at around an hour or two in length, but you'll thoroughly enjoy every minute of it if you're a fan of the action-platformer genre! Also the controls are tight and very responsive as expected from an action oriented game.



As for the audiovisual presentation, Within The Blade does a good job emulating the visual style of retro games, though if you're a western gamer, you'll notice much more blood than you saw in any NES or SNES game. This might break the retro immersion for some, but still looks great. The soundtrack sounds great as well with retro vibes that fit the game like a well-worn glove!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, and a enjoyably retro audiovisual presentation, Within The Blade is a great platformer that we highly recommend adding to your PS4 or Switch's library of games and there's really nothing negative to report as such, we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #Ametist #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Action #Platformer #Retro #Ninja

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Seasonal Fun!

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Developed by Exe-Create and published by KEMCO, Chroma Quaternion is another colorful and cheery JRPG from the prolific developer, and it is a REALLY good one this time! Continue reading our review to find out just how much we recommend this amazing JRPG!



The story in Chroma Quaternion is one of the best that KEMCO and Exe-Create has ever created from the selection of games that they have developed and published on dedicated gaming devices, the characters are extremely likeable, there are hilarious jokes abounding within the more serious overarching story, and possibly our favorite aspect are the guest characters Elimi and Extermi, who happen to be loveable idols in the game. The story is at least 25 hours in length, but to complete it will take most players 40+ hours.

The gameplay in Chroma Quaternion is quite refined with elements from many previous KEMCO titles including a job class system, 3x3 grid battle system, and plenty other mechanics that all blend together harmoniously. The difficulty is relatively easy, though a few difficulty spikes might require short level grinding, but nothing that detracts from the enjoyment factor of the game. As for the controls there's nothing negative to report as expected from a turn-based JRPG.



The audiovisual presentation in Chroma Quaternion is a real treat with colorful visuals, vibrant and detailed characters, and varied environments and the 2-D anime style story scenes are more vibrant than in other KEMCO titles which gives the game even more character. The soundtrack is extremely good and sets the tone for the entire game while the music tracks are varied and catchy and will leave players humming the tunes long after they have finished the game!



Bottom-Line: With a great story, excellent gameplay, and a nearly perfect audiovisual presentation, Chroma Quaternion is one JRPG we cannot recommend enough! We give the game an great level of recommendation to all fans of RPG's!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #KEMCO #ExeCreate #JRPG #ChromaQuaternion #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop

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It's A Small Kingdom After All.

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Developed by Ratalaika Games and Spoonbox Studio, and published by EastAsiaSoft, Kingdom of Arcadia is a bite-sized Metroidvania that has a cool premise, but is there more to this title than just that? Continue reading our review to find out!



Kingdom of Arcadia's gameplay is simple and straightforward for better or worse and ends up coming across a bit more of a standard platformer with a few Metroidvania mechanics at times. There are very few upgrades other that stat boosts for your equipment which makes the game start feeling repetitive rather quickly. The game is also super short with five worlds separated into small little sections. The game can easily be beaten in an hour or two and while challenging at times doesn't make up for its relative lack of content. The controls while easy to learn feel a bit off at times though we're pretty sure it has more to do with the game's physics rather than its actual controller responsiveness.

The audiovisual presentation is super simple with unimpressive level backgrounds and a sheer lack of music, with maybe two or three tracks in the entire game which only makes the repetitiveness of the game even more noticeable.



Bottom-Line: With solid gameplay that is a bit basic and repetitive at times, short playtime, and a lackluster audiovisual presentation, Kingdom of Arcadia is a solid game that is missing the polish and content it needs to live up to its potential, however at $5.99 the game is good for what you pay for and is better than most games at its price point and as such we give the game a decent level of recommendation.

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Score: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10

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#Review #RatalaikaGames #SpoonboxStudio #EastAsiaSoft #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Metroidvania

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Cottonly Smooth Shmup Experience!

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Developed by Success, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Cotton Reboot is an absolutely adorable shoot 'em up game from a series previously not available in the Western Hemisphere, but is this game worth checking out? We think so and here's why:

Cotton Reboot is as its name suggests a reboot of the popular Japanese "Witch 'Em Up" series Cotton, which is a bullet hell shooter series known for its cute graphics and challenging gameplay and this reboot delivers both in spades with silky smoth gameplay regardless of how much chaos is on-screen at any given time, a wide array of power ups and challenging enemies and bosses with sophisticated bullet patterns.



Cotton Reboot is quite challenging and will really test your skills, however the intuitive controls will make it possible even for novice bullet hell fans to eventually beat the game. The audiovisual presentation is breathtaking with gorgeous level backgrounds, detailed characters and enemies, and great anime cutscenes between the levels! The soundtrack is also catchy and fits the game's setting perfectly!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, challenging yet fair difficulty, intuitive controls, and an amazing audiovisual presentation, Cotton Reboot is one retro-style shoot 'em up series that can stand up to modern games in genre in-terms of features, while staying faithful to the charm and tried and true design of the golden age era games of the genre. It isn't the best shoot 'em up out there, but its charm and utter lack of any flaws whatsoever make it a great game to add to your PS4 library of games!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #Success #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Shmup #Reboot #Cotton

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The Origin of A Saga!

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Developed by Retro Revolution and 7 Raven Studios and published by EastAsiaSoft, Metaloid Origin is the prequel to the fantastic Mega Man clone, Metagal which was previously released on the Switch and PS4. That game was like a lost gem on the SNES, but how does Metaloid Origin compare? To be quite honest, it's every bit as good as Metagal, if not better and here's why:



The gameplay feels straight out of Mega Man X, and that's not a bad thing as you can play as one of three characters with different move sets across six biomes as well as the final stretch series of courses at the end of the game as you'd expect. But the gameplay is flawless, with cleverly designed levels and ingenious boss designs that have very complex attack patterns and weaknesses.

The courses not only have typical hazards, but also unique gimmicks such as moving walls that you can grip on, and much more which adds variety to the various levels in the game. The difficulty is slightly lower than the series this game pays homage to, but will still provide a stiff challenge for first-time players! The controls are also well thought out and easy to learn which is always a plus!



Metaloid Origin's audiovisual presentation is superb with amazing character design and superb level backgrounds, overall the game does a good job recreating authentic 16-bit graphics. The chiptunes in the game are also top-notch and fit the atmosphere of the game to a tee while the sound effects make you feel like you've fired up your SNES for some retro game-time!



Bottom-Line: With superb gameplay, excellent controls, and challenging yet fair difficulty, Metaloid Origins is a great game that will have you hooked from the start while the amazing audiovisual presentation will keep you coming back for more! As such this game earns itself a nearly perfect level of recommendation.

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #RetroRevolution #7RavenStudios #EastAsiaSoft #MetaGalSequel #MetaloidOrigin #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #RunNGun #MegaManInspired

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Shakin' That Treasure Booty!

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Developed by STUDIOARTDINK and the digital version published by STUDIOARTDINK with the physical version published by ININ Games and public relations by PR Hound, Wonderboy: Asha In Monster World is a platforming RPG and a remake of the fourth game in the long-running Wonderboy series and "Boy" is it an amazing game! Continue reading our review to learn just how amazing we feel this remake is, along with our recommendation score!



The classic sidescrolling gameplay with smooth combat, puzzle solving, and zelda-esque progression is mostly intact in this remake of the legendary fourth installment of the Wonderboy series, however several new sections have been added to the game as have completely reworked 3-D sections that add a whole new dimension of gameplay to the already enjoyable Platforming-RPG.

The game is much easier than the original version that was initially localized in the west on the Wii and PS3, but still provides a challenge that will test many gamer's skills. The controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions! In-terms of length, Wonderboy: Asha in Monster World will take most first-timers around 15-20 hours to beat, though to complete 100% expect to spend an additional 10 hours of time sinking into the game!



The audiovisual presentation in the game is absolutely amazing with cute chibi 3-D characters, detailed towns and areas, and special effects that really pop. As for the soundtrack, it's quite charming and oh so catchy and will draw players into the game's whimsical world.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, intuitive controls, and a top-notch audiovisual presentation, Wonderboy: Asha in Monster World is a fantastic game worthy of being in any gamer's video games collection, and the additions in this remake make this an absolute must-have for any fan of the genre and as such we give this game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #WonderboyIV #Remake #ININGames #StudioArtDink #PRHound #Retail #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Platformer #RPG #Action

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The King of Swing?

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Developed and published by Drowning Monkey Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Castle Kong is a homage to classic arcade games of the 80's and Donkey Kong Arcade in particular, but does it live up to the giant Kong of legend? Not quite, but it is still a worthwhile title to pick up and here's why:



The gameplay is quite simple, but somewhat entertaining and plays quite similarly to the old-school classic arcade game Donkey Kong. There are some tweaks and changes to the formula that make the game feel at least somewhat unique, but overall it's a pretty similar title. The controls are good and easy to learn and the game's difficulty is also well-balanced which is always a good thing.

The visual presentation in Castle Kong is pretty good looking and the soundtrack fits the game to a tee. The sound effects are also varied and work well with the soundtrack. Overall the audiovisual presentation is slightly above par.



Bottom-Line: With decent gameplay, great controls, and an above average audiovisual presentation, Castle Kong is a relatively enjoyable Donkey Kong arcade clone that feels right at home on the Switch and as such we give the game a decent level of recommendation.

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★★★★★★¾☆☆☆ 6.75/10

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#Review #CastleKong #DrowningMonkeyGames #PRHound #Arcade #Action #Platformer #Switch #eShop

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Monstrous Fun!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America, YS IX: Monstrum Nox is the ninth main installment in the long-running YS series, ten if you count Ys Origins, but is this darker brother of the series worth a purchase? We think so and here's why:



The game has all the typical action-rpg goodness you've come to expect from the series with fast-paced battles, interesting and unique bosses, and a diverse cast of likeable characters. The formula is mostly intact including the raid battles from Ys VIII, but the puzzle-solving has been watered down quite a bit which isn't a good thing, but doesn't hurt the game that much either, much to our surprise. The story is incredibly dark this time around so expect some really sad moments during the game's 8 lengthy chapters!

The game is also a fair bit shorter than its predecessor clocking in at around 30 hours in length if you know what you're doing. The controls are quite responsive and easy to learn which is always a good thing, and the difficulty is fairly challenging even on the normal setting.



The audiovisual-presentation in YS IX is quite good with lush open-world regions, and fantastic special effects and character designs. The only downside visually is that the game doesn't quite look as impressive as its predecessor, YS VIII, but overall it's a really nice looking game. On the audio side of things, the voice acting is superb and the soundtrack is as good as you'd expect from a Nihon Falcom game, which is nothing short of perfection!



Bottom-Line: With a dark and amazing story, excellent gameplay, solid controls and a top-notch audiovisual-presentation, YS IX: Monstrum Nox is a nearly flawless action-rpg that is an absolute blast to play and as such we give the game a perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #YS #NihonFalcom #NISAmerica #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #ActionRPG #JRPG

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A Turret Full O' Fun!

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Developed by Factor 5 and Ratalaika Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Turrican Flashback Collection is a great compilation of four highly enjoyable games in the Turrican franchise with loads of visual options and other bonuses that truly make this a worthwhile collection, but how good is it overall? Continue reading to find out!



Turrican Flashback Collection includes Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Super Turrican, if and Mega Turrican and each game has some pretty amazing visual options, including several scanlines filters and color filters which is absolute eye-candy, but aside from that the package lacks any real bonus features, but is an overall pretty nice compilation. The gameplay feels something like a cross between Megaman and Contra, but leans more heavily towards being like Contra, the key difference being that this series is quite a bit easier in-terms of difficulty. The power-up system is quite robust, the platforming is challenging, and the bosses require careful strategy to defeat!

The controls are also quite intuitive and easy to learn while the navigation menu in this collection is streamlined and a cinch to navigate. The audiovisual presentation is superb and faithly recreates the retro feel of these games! The visuals are spot-on with little in the way of undesired visual flaws, and the audio sounds just as it did in the original releases of the games in this compilation!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay that's as enjoyable as it is challenging, excellent controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation that is sure to please, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute that we played of this fantastic compilation and as such we give Turrican Flashback Collection for the PS4 a great level of recommendation to all fans of the action-platformer genre of games!

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★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #Turrican #ININGames #Factor5 #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Action #Platformer

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Invading Our Hearts Forever!

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Developed by TAITO Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Space Invaders: Forever is a handpicked collection of three superb games in the long-running TAITO shmup series, Space Invaders, but is it worth picking up in 2021? We think so and here's why:



The three games in the collection are quite varied and enjoyable with a multiplayer take on the original formula in Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE. It doesn't do a lot to reinvent the original Space Invader's gameplay outside of 4 player co-op and while a nice novelty it does grow tired fairly fast. Thankfully it is the weakest title in the collection, but it's still not bad for what it is and there is fun in short bursts, so it's still well worth booting up from the title select screen every now and then.

Arkanoid Vs. Space Invaders is a fantastic breakout and shoot 'em up hybrid of the two titular series and is a blast to play. This breakout clone has you reflect the invaders shots back to destroy them and each stage has a specific number of invaders to destroy to beat the level. Seems easy, right? Not quite as not only is there a time limit for each stage, but bricks and other obstacles will interfere with your ability to destroy the pesky invaders. A boss also appears every 15 stages and takes loads of hits to destroy and can often prove to be quite a challenge. Luckily the game is somewhat merciful as it offers power-up's, special attacks, and more that will be quite helpful in beating the game's more difficult stages. This game is definitely one you'll want to play most of the times you boot-up Space Invaders Forever as it is a fantastic and enjoyable title!

Space Invaders Extreme is a modern take on the original Space Invaders formula complete with power-up's, bonus stages, much more complex enemy waves and patterns, and a flashy new coat of paint which is absolute eye candy! The game is as addictive as it is fun and is easily the most enjoyable game in the collection and is well worth the price of the entire package even by itself!



The controls in the collection are silky smoth and quite intuitive and the menus are easy to navigate which is always a good thing. The lack of any sort of bonus content seen in previous ININ arcade collections is a bit of a letdown, but not a deal-breaker. As for the audiovisual presentation, the games are true to the originals, with zero emulation issues, the soundtracks are great, the visuals pop, especially in Arkanoid Vs and Extreme. The navigation menus are also glossy and are pleasant to the eyes!



Bottom-Line: With a great trio of excellent games filled with plenty of amazing gameplay, great controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation, Space Invaders Forever is a great game compilation that is sure to please the fans and as such we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #TAITO #ININGames #PRHound #Arcade #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Crystal Amazing!

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Developed by Hit-Point and published by KEMCO Crystal Ortha is a love-letter to retro RPG's of the 90's and does a great job emulating the games that it's inspired by, but does it live up to those legendary titles? Not quite, but it is still an amazing game in its own right, and here's why:



The story in Crystal Ortha is quite enjoyable with several twists and turns that you won't be expecting and the pacing of the story is perfect. The characters are likable and grow as the story progresses and the setting of the world is rather interesting! The gameplay is like a blend of Final Fantasy IV, Secret of Mana, Romancing Saga, and Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, with a whole bevy of interesting features and gameplay elements that will draw players into the game's enjoyable world.

The game is also exceptionally challenging as there are no healing items to restore your characters which forces you to carefully plan your next move as skills and inns are the only ways to heal. As for the controls, they are intuitive and easy to master, which is always a good thing.



The audiovisual presentation is decidedly old-school and we enjoyed every bit of it between the gorgeous pixel-art and absolutely amazing soundtrack. Overall the game has this old-school feel and sound, but with a superb modern touch which makes it look and sound amazing!



Bottom-Line: With amazing retro-style gameplay, a superb story, and excellent audio-visual presentation, Crystal Ortha for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch is a highly enjoyable experience that any and all fans of the genre should purchase and as such we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #KEMCO #HitPoint #JRPG #Retro #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Double Splasher!

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Published by Sekai Games, developed by Regista Games and Yeti Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Double Root is a sci-fi visual novel with all the strengths and pitfalls of the genre, however it shines brilliantly in its unique storytelling! Is this enough to award it with an amazing level of recommendation? We think so and here's why:



The story in one possible route of the game is set in a severely damaged nuclear power facility that you must try to escape at all costs, however many suspicious characters and mysteries will stand in your way of the goal. Some of these characters will naturally help, but others have less than helpful ambitions that could spell trouble for your protagonist and allies. The game has a unique system of travel and certain unique features that really flesh-out this rather enjoyable visual novel.

The other route is a slice of life story that shows the daily lives of the protagonist and his friends and is quite lighthearted and bubbly compared to the other story route.

The length of the game of course depends greatly on the player, but a single playthrough should take less than 20 hours for most players. The controls are oddly a bit cumbersome at first, but it's pretty easy to adjust to rather quickly.



The audiovisual presentation of Root Double is absolutely gorgeous with gorgeous character designs, stylish UI, and great special effects you'd be hard-pressed to find anything unenjoyable about the graphics, and the soundtrack is just as amazing and fits the game like a glove!



Bottom-Line:With amazing storytelling, great characters with plenty of growth over the course of the story, and an incredible audiovisual presentation, Root Double is a top-notch sci-fi visual novel that is well worth purchasing if you enjoy the genre and as such, we give the game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¾ 9.75/10

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#Review #PRHound #SekaiGames #YetiGames #RegistaGames #Switch #eShop #Retail #VisualNovel

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An Absolute Blast!

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Developed by Studio Saizensen, published by ININ Games, and Public Relations by PR Hound, Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is an action-arcade game like no other! Is this a good thing, however? We think so, but you'll need to read the rest of our review to find out why!



The gameplay in Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is quite enjoyable with small platforming stages with unique enemies to annihilate. To win each stage, players must defeat wave after wave of enemies. Some enemies are simple and straightforward to defeat, while others can only be defeated through very specific methods which adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise simplistic arcade-platforming formula. Multiplayer plays a huge role in this title, with online leaderboards, multiplayer co-op, and even competitive battle modes, the game is truly a blast for upto four players!



The final level of each world has a boss to vanquish which is a cut-above the canon fodder that you face in the other stages and can prove quite challenging to beat. As for the game's length, it can be beaten in a single day, but the multiplayer adds countless hours of potential enjoyment to the game. The controls are a bit cumbersome at times, but after a while you start getting used to them, however this is definitely the low-point of the game though it's not something that should sway your decision to purchase the game unless you are really, debating whether or not to get the game and are leaning much more towards not getting the game.



The visuals in Umihara Kawase BaZooKa are quite vibrant and detailed and standout as being super cutesy, but in a way that still has that cool factor that older kids and adults can enjoy, much like the beloved Kirby series. The stages are detailed, the characters are cute and full of life, and even the enemies have a certain charm to them. The audio is great as well with all the sound effects you'd expect from an arcade game and an absolutely charming soundtrack that fits the mood of the game to a tee.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, an excellent audiovisual presentation, and superb multiplayer gameplay Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is a great game that has a lot of positive aspects that most fans of the genre will truly enjoy, however awkward controls do make the game take a hit in our overall score of the game, but despite this we still give the game a solid to good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★¾☆☆ 7.75/10

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#Review #StudioSaizensen #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Arcade #Platformer

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The End of A Saga!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is the final game in the Erabonian storyline in the long-running series and has been highly anticipated by fans, but does the game deliver the quality that fans have come to expect? We think so and here's why:



In-terms of story and gameplay, Trails of Cold Steel IV picks up where the third game left off, and while it doesn't immediately get you into the meat of the gameplay, it does quickly recap what happened at the end of ToCS III, just in more detail. Once you do gain control you'll quickly notice that the battles are a good deal more challenging this time around with orders taking a massive drop in efficacy, but aside from that most of the changes in gameplay are pretty minimal outside of the new minigames and few new features that were added in this game.



The game is quite the beast in-terms of length as well, clocking in at between 100 and 150 hours to beat even on the easiest difficulty. The game has a host of missables as usual which can make earning the platinum trophy quite difficult to obtain without some sort of assistance, such as a guide or walkthrough. The controls in the game are intuitive and easy to learn if you're a newcomer, though we highly recommend playing the games in order to avoid spoilers.



The audiovisual presentation is absolutely breathtaking as the visuals have seen a increase in detail and the cutscenes in particular look amazing with higher quality special effects than the previous game possessed. The new locations are quite enjoyable and look a good deal better than the returning locations, which still look great and the characters new looks are quite fantastic!



The soundtrack also is one of the best in video game history in our honest opinions, it easily has the best soundtrack we've heard since ToCS II and possibly even eclipses the soundtrack of the original Xenoblade Chronicles!

Bottom-Line: With challenging yet amazing gameplay with a ton of content, excellent story, and a top-notch audiovisual presentation, JRPG fans and fans of RPG's in-general will certainly fall in love with this charming and epic role-playing game, and we'd even argue it's the best game in the past 4 or 5 years at the very least. As such, we give The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV for the PS4 a perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #NihonFalcomGames #NISAmerica #TheLegendOfHeroes #Kiseki #PS4 #Retail #PSN #JRPG #RPG #SRPG

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Bubble Busting Fun Featuring Baron Von Blubba!

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Developed by Taito and ININ Games and published by PR Hound, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron Is Back is an expansion to the previously released, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends that adds a new mode with 50 additional stages to the base-game. What do we think about the new content? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!



Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has frantic and highly enjoyable gameplay for 1 to 4 players where you must encase enemies in bubbles and then pop them to defeat said enemies much like in the arcade game back during the 80's. Bonus rounds are back and just as fun as ever, and there are tons of new power-ups to help you defeat your enemies. All in all, the game is a blast that faithfully recreates the nostalgic feel of the original Bubble Bobble. That said as good as the game is, the game is SUPER short and clocks in at less than half the length of the original "game-time not the number of stages" which is the main reason why this game isn't receiving a perfect score.

The entire Bubble Bobble classic arcade game is included in this title which we highly recommend playing! The difficulty is pretty easy and the controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions. As for the audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has colorful and detailed retro themed graphics that feel like a perfect blend between retro charm and modern flare and it really stands out. And the soundtrack is bubbly and cheerful which fits the game perfectly!

The new tower arcade game featuring Baron Von Blubba, the indestructible bone whale is a nice addition that adds a great deal of extra content to the game. It's basically a challenge mode and is far more difficult than the standard levels in the game. This new mode can be accessed from the arcade machine in the world hub, but only in hard mode. This new mode is also free for those of you who previously purchased BB4F on Nintendo Switch!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, flawless controls, and an excellent audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will have you hooked from the get-go, while the inclusion of the original 80's arcade game will keep you coming back for more! The only negative aspect of this game is that the new content is pretty short due to quicker movement and other adjustments and can be finished in a half an hour which does hurt the overall score of the game, however the additional content corrects most of the problems we had with the base-game so we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #Taito #PRHound #BubbleBobble #Arcade #Platformer #Action #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN

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CLEArly Terrifying Fun!

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Developed by InvertMouse, published by Sekai Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Clea for the Nintendo Switch, is a spooky adventure title, with heavy puzzle and stealth elements and loads of twists and turns, but will it bring players a sense of enjoyment or a sense of terror that they wasted their money? We think it's the former as we thoroughly enjoyed our time with the game! Continue reading our review to find out why we enjoyed Clea!



The story in CLEA is simple, as a young girl, you must guide your brother to safety in a literal house of horrors chock full of frightening enemies and devious traps. The game is made up of three distinctly different gameplay elements. The first is exploration trying to get your bearings in the labyrinthian house of horrors while gathering clues and important items is paramount. The second thing that you must do is solve puzzles and use key items you have found to progress past certain areas of the map, these can be quite challenging.

The third aspect of the game which most often occurs when you progress past puzzles or locked doors is stealth-based gameplay. Your character and her brother don't have powers of any kind, and if the spooks find you and catch you, it's game over. Luckily there are plenty of spacious wardrobes to hide in when things get a little dicey. The game is VERY difficult and will likely take newcomers dozens of hours to finish, but if you know what to do it can be beaten in a few hours.



The controls in CLEA are intuitive and extremely simple so players should have no problem learning how to navigate the corridors of the map. The audiovisual presentation is quite good with gorgeous hand-drawn characters and spooks as well as a decent map layout. The sound effects are decent enough while the eerie ambience sets the mood of the game quite well!



Bottom-Line: With a simple story and great gameplay with easy to learn controls and an above average audiovisual presentation, CLEA for the Nintendo Switch is a great horror game at its core and is well worth checking out, however the steep difficulty might be a turn-off for some players. As for us, we give the game a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #InvertMouse #SekaiGames #PRHound #Switch #eShop #Horror #Puzzler #Stealth #Narrative

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Dragons, Heroes, And Destruction!

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Developed by Hit-Point and published by KEMCO, Liege Dragon is an epic tale of legendary heroes, an ancient evil, and betrayal that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what's next. If this sounds like good fun, it is so continue reading the review to learn more!



The story in Liege Dragon is one of ancestry, friendship, and betrayal with plot-twists will keep you returning time and time again. The characters are charming and likable, and their personal growth is very apparent over the course of the game's 20-25 hour long story. The gameplay is rather interesting with characters facing hordes of enemies at once. Each enemy cluster loses strength as the cluster gets weeded out as it takes damage which adds a fun layer of strategy to the game. The controls are fully serviceable and the difficulty can be super hard at times which might be off puting to some players.



The graphics are nice enough with good retro inspired 16-bit characters and world and nice visual novel like story scenes which looks amazing. The music is also great with some rockin' chiptunes that will entertain most retro aficionados.



Bottom-Line: With a great story, good gameplay, and excellent audiovisual presentation we give Liege Dragon for the Nintendo Switch and PS4 a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #KEMCO #HitPoint #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #RPG

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War of The Clones!

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Developed and published by KEMCO Alphadia Genesis is a JRPG that combines SNES era elements with some modern elements thrown in and features a fully 3-D battle system, but are these features enough to give this game an edge over its competition? Keep reading to find out!

Alphadia Genesis' story is part medieval fantasy and part sci-fi and involves the typical ragtag group of characters that must work together to prevent a rebellion, but it later becomes a journey to save the entire world! While we can't get much into the details without spoiling the story, we can say that the characters are unique and the development of the characters and relationships between them is presented flawlessly in this game!

The gameplay is standard RPG fare with random battles, great storytelling, and alot of experience grinding "late game", but this game has almost perfected the classic formula to the point that it still feels like a fresh experience! The energy ring system is similar to the magic system in some of the Final Fantasy titles where your party members can essentially learn any magic in the game by equipping energi rings and battling while they're equipped! The game also has many sidequests and guild missions to tackle which adds many hours to the game for completionists!

The only major complaint that we have with the game is that the difficulty is far too easy early on, but suddenly spikes to being a little too difficult after a certain point in the game. It's certainly not gamebreaking, but it is an issue nonetheless.



Alphadia Genesis also has a superb soundtrack that not only fits the game well, but also is very memorable! The Japanese voice acting "which is turned off by default" is quite a nice touch and those of you who are fans of the Sword Art Online anime series should instantly recognize the main character Fray's voice actor! The other sound effects in the game are decidedly retro, but work well with the game.

As for the graphics the 2-D world map, towns, and dungeons look quite nice and will remind players of classic 16-bit RPG's and the anime-style character portraits during cut-scenes look gorgeous. The battles on the other hand are in 3-D and though the battle effects and character models are a little rough around the edges the overall feel will remind players of classic RPG's such as Wild Arms and certain Dreamcast RPG's!



Bottom-Line:

With a great story, excellent gameplay, superb soundtrack, and for the most part excellent graphics Alphadia Genesis is a game that any fan of the RPG genre should purchase, however issues with the difficulty curve and slightly unpolished visuals during battles prevent this game from receiving a perfect score. Regardless we still highly recommend downloading this game!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #KEMCO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #RPG

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Chillaxing Like A Giraffe!

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Developed by Atelier Mimina Games and published by NIS America, Giraffe And Annika is a very relaxing 3D platforming adventure game hybrid game that is fun to play, but how does it compare to the competition in the genre? Continue reading our review to find out:



The gameplay for the most part is simple 3D Platforming with very casual difficulty that might put-off some hardcore gamers, but it all comes together in a very harmonious way that is both entertaining and enjoyable. The 3D Platforming is interrupted by boss battles which are decided in a sort of rhythm based minigame that are extremely fun in our opinions.

The story is quite simple, but is well-conveyed and is pleasing to watch during the handful of cutscenes that occur over the course of the game. It isn't a blockbuster story by any stretch, but most will likely enjoy it.



The controls are intuitive and easy to learn and the game while chill and super easy is still worth playing even if only for its charming story and gameplay! The visuals in the game are cheerful and pleasing to the eyes and will feel like you're playing an actual anime or cartoon with great character details and nice world design. As for the audio, the voice acting, or rather what little there is, is quite pleasing to the ears, while the soundtrack is pretty good albeit not all that memorable.



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, a charming story, excellent controls, and an above average audio-visual presentation we highly recommend the fans of Japanese games and 3D Platformers, however the easy difficulty might be a turn-off for some. Overall we give Giraffe And Annika a good to great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #AtelierMiminaGames #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #3DPlatformer #Rhythm

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Spelunking Daughter: Return of The Spelunker!

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Developed by Nigoro Games and published by NIS America, La-Mulana 2 is a direct sequel to La-Mulana that plays like a more refined version of the first game and has quite a compelling story to boot, but is that enough for the game to stand out from the crowd of other games in the genre? We think so, but you'll need to continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!



Building off of the success of the original La-Mulana, the sequel doesn't stray too far from the formula the first game set in place, but rather reinforces its strengths with more apps that do even more useful functions and far more devious traps that will literally kill you every step of the way if you aren't careful. The platforming is quite challenging as well, though the bosses and mid-bosses take center stage this time with some really tricky beasts that require you to memorize their attack patterns if you hope to survive the encounters.

The story takes place years after the original and you assume the role of the previous protagonist's daughter as she tries to learn what has become of her father after the events of La-Mulana 1. There are nods to the original game and easter eggs abound which adds to the charm of the game. The humor from the first game is back as you'll receive help from the same zany village chief who helped the protagonist of La-Mulana 1 in this sequel so expect dry humor and a serious dose of snark!



The controls in La-Mulana 2 are intuitive and easy to learn and as for the difficulty...the term NES hard comes to mind, which certainly isn't a bad thing if you're looking for a challenge! The game is quite lengthy as well as it took us over 45 hours to beat and we didn't even fully collect all of the apps or items that you can obtain. Oh and one word of warning, that dangerous relic in The Land of Giants is still there and if you read it twice you are going to have to face an army of Anubis that can one hit kill you for the rest of the game.

The visual presentation in La-Mulana 2 is gorgeous with even more environmental details, better animated sprites, and a much more varied stage design than the original title possessed and the soundtrack is an absolute treat and fits the game like a glove!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent story, and a top-notch audio-visual presentation, La-Mulana 2 is on of the best MetroidVania platformers we've ever played and we thoroughly believe that it deserves to be in every PS4 and Nintendo Switch owner's library of games!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #Nigoro #NISAmerica #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #MetroidVania #Platformer

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Alien Wars Begin Anew?

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Developed by DICE, published by ININ, and public relations by PR Hound, Ultracore is a resurrected SEGA Genesis / SEGA Megadrive run and gun MetroidVania that has finally been released over 20 years after its cancellation. Does it live up to other gems of the genre from the 90's? We think so, but you'll have to continue reading our review to find out why!



If you're interested in a run and gun platformer with exploration elements you need look no further than Ultracore a cancelled SEGA Genesis title under the original name Hardcore that was previewed in certain gaming magazines before being cancelled. The gameplay is reminiscent of Contra and features similar hardcore platforming with endless waves of enemies who try to utterly destroy you while you traverse the game's many challenging stages.

There is exploration and hidden goodies as well, but good luck finding everything since you are given a timer to beat each stage and if it runs out BOOM! The game is roughly 2-3 hours in length, but has a good amount of replayability which is always a good thing. The difficulty is stiff, but fair so no Contra (NES) hair-ripping difficulty with this title! As for the controls, they are quite straightforward and easy to learn while complex enough to give you alot of freedom of movement and shooting!



The audio-visual presentation in the game is an absolute blast from the past with true Genesis/Megadrive graphics that look actually quite nice considering that the game is limited by the hardware it was originally meant to release on. The soundtrack is top-notch and is easily one of the best aspects of the game as it sounds on-par with some of the greats of the Genesis era!

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The Vita Difference: The Vita version while a worthy port of the game has a few ever so slight issues that affect the overall score of the game. The first is that the frame-rate does dip ever so slightly more than in the PS4 version, but overall this is extremely minor, the more noticeable issue is the flickering graphics when there are too many enemies on-screen at once which is definitely a bit of an eyesore, but luckily only occurs once in a blue moon under very certain circumstances and we still thoroughly enjoyed the Vita port quite a bit!

Bottom-Line: With superb gameplay, excellent controls, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation with a few minor visual issues in the Vita port. Ultracore for the Vita is a great game that's a blast to play and we highly recommend it to all fans of MetroidVania's and the Contra series. We give Ultracore a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #ININ #PRHound #DICE #Action #Platformer #MetroidVania #PS4 #Vita #PSN #Switch #eShop

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The Luck of A Gamer!

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Developed by Playful Studios and published by PQube Games, New Super Lucky's Tale is a 3D platformer at its core with lighthearted and fun gameplay that gamers are sure to enjoy, but is it worth the cost of admission? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay in New Super Lucky's Tale is standard 3D Platforming at its very core and doesn't do a whole lot to reinvent the genre, which isn't at all a bad thing as its mechanics are refined and work incredibly well. The game also blends many other genres in the game's various courses including 2D-platforming, a Dance Dance Revolution style level, and much more which all come together brilliantly well and make the experience fun from start to finish! The bosses are also equally enjoyable and all have different mechanics separating them from each previous battle which makes each battle refreshingly enjoyable!



The story of course is lighthearted and isn't important, but still oozes with charm and is fun to watch unfold. Other unique features include massive hub worlds with npc's and even a shop to deck out your character and make him represent who you truly are or just to make the most adorable anamorphic fox ever, it's your choice! The Hauntington Hub even adds a carnival theme with unique elements that really add to the game, but you'll have to reach that point in the game to learn what we mean by that!



The game is pretty easy there's no getting around that fact, yet despite this we never grew bored of the game in the nearly 20 hours it took us to beat the game. This was in no small part due to the unique genre-melding courses in the game, which clearly shows that the developer knows how to keep players entertained through top-notch game design! The controls in the game are easy to learn and even the camera is quite intuitive and never gave us any issues, which is rare to see in a 3D platformer.

The audio-visual presentation in New Super Lucky's Tale is top-notch between gorgeous world design, detailed and cutesy characters that simply ooze with charm, and an excellent art-direction. The soundtrack is also catchy and highly memorable as well. Overall the game is incredible in nearly every aspect!



Bottom-Line: With excellent gameplay, a fun story, superb controls, and a fantastic audio-visual presentation, New Super Lucky's Tale is a top-tier 3D platformer that's worthy of every fan of the genre, the only downside being that the game is a bit on the short side. Overall, however we give the game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¾ 9.75/10

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#Review #PQube #PlayfulStudios #3DPlatformer #Collectathon #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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CrossDimensional Fun!

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Developed by Radical Fish Games, published by Deck 13, and public relations by PR Hound, CrossCode is an action RPG set in a simulated VRMMORPG that pays homage to many classic games in the genre. How does it stack up to other simulated VRMMORPG's or action RPG's in general? Continue reading our review to find out!



The gameplay in CrossCode is basically like The Legend of Zelda crossed with a ton of MMO features such as quests, landmarks, fast travel, and other nuances, but the game also focuses on intricate puzzle-solving and some of the puzzles are incredibly difficult even compared to the almighty king of puzzles The Legend of Zelda series. The game's world is quite expansive for a 2-D RPG, but not so big that it becomes a hassle to traverse.

The game is extremely long as well clocking in at a whopping 60-80 hours in length depending on a player's skill level and we mean it when we say this could have been a AAA RPG back during the SNES era, but of course things like MMO's didn't exactly exist during those days, at least not in the capacity that they have existed in for the past 20-22 years so simulated MMO's obviously didn't exist either, but we digress. As for the controls, they are silky smooth, intuitive, and a breeze to learn which is always a good thing!



The audio-visual presentation while decidedly retro has a unique style all its own and is very fitting since every other aspect of the game feels like an absolute piece of art. There is no doubt that this game would have been among the most gorgeous looking games during the 16-bit era and even in the modern era of gaming it still looks stylishly amazing! The soundtrack is extremely varied and there aren't any music tracks that we felt weren't amazing. Overall the audio-visual presentation is as close to perfection as possible!



Bottom-Line: With a fantastic story, amazing gameplay, excellent controls, a ton of content, and an absolutely perfect audio-visual presentation, there's just no reason not to add CrossCode to your collection of games be it on PS4 or Nintendo Switch! We give the game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #PRHound #Deck13 #RadicalFishGames #RPG #Adventure #SimulatedMMO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Alien Wars Begin Anew?

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Developed by DICE, published by ININ, and public relations by PR Hound, Ultracore is a resurrected SEGA Genesis / SEGA Megadrive run and gun MetroidVania that has finally been released over 20 years after its cancellation. Does it live up to other gems of the genre from the 90's? We think so, but you'll have to continue reading our review to find out why!



If you're interested in a run and gun platformer with exploration elements you need look no further than Ultracore a cancelled SEGA Genesis title under the original name Hardcore that was previewed in certain gaming magazines before being cancelled. The gameplay is reminiscent of Contra and features similar hardcore platforming with endless waves of enemies who try to utterly destroy you while you traverse the game's many challenging stages.

There is exploration and hidden goodies as well, but good luck finding everything since you are given a timer to beat each stage and if it runs out BOOM! The game is roughly 2-3 hours in length, but has a good amount of replayability which is always a good thing. The difficulty is stiff, but fair so no Contra (NES) hair-ripping difficulty with this title! As for the controls, they are quite straightforward and easy to learn while complex enough to give you alot of freedom of movement and shooting!



The audio-visual presentation in the game is an absolute blast from the past with true Genesis/Megadrive graphics that look actually quite nice considering that the game is limited by the hardware it was originally meant to release on. The soundtrack is top-notch and is easily one of the best aspects of the game as it sounds on-par with some of the greats of the Genesis era!



Bottom-Line: With superb gameplay, excellent controls, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation, Ultracore for the PS4 is a great game that's a blast to play and we highly recommend it to all fans of MetroidVania's and the Contra series. We give Ultracore a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #ININ #PRHound #DICE #Action #Platformer #MetroidVania #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop

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A Journey That Any Archeologist Would Absolutely Love!

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Developed by Nigoro Games and published by NIS America, La-Mulana is a remake of a 2005 freeware pc title with vastly improved graphics and music and is an enhanced port of the WiiWare and Vita versions of the game. The WiiWare version of the game saw many delays and the previous publisher even cancelled the North American and European releases, luckily EnjoyUp games picked up the game and it was finally released in North America and Europe in 2012. Is this game worth checking out? Continue reading our review to find out!



Story and Gameplay

The story in La-Mulana is fairly important despite how it feels, the story and events often uncover clues to difficult puzzles so the difficulty of the game can vary depending on how well you pay attention to what's going on around you. The game is a platformer that feels a lot like an Indiana Jones meets Metroid style of game with tricky puzzles, platforming, and treasure hunting this game will never leave you bored!

The bosses in the game can be nightmarishly difficult or very easy depending on your weapon choices so be sure to not use up all of a particular sub weapon before fighting the boss of a temple.

A word to the wise collect the item near the start of the game because without it you may need to backtrack or worse yet could end up stuck in a pit or other trap with no way out forcing you to reset the game!



Also avoid a particular item in The Temple of The Giants that will literally tell you not to open it and if you don't heed this warning the game will unleash Anubus like reapers everywhere that are virtually immortal and can one-hit K-O you regardless of how much health you possess and it will remain like this for the rest of the game making it nigh impossible for all, but the most skilled players to beat. We left this out in our previous reviews of La-Mulana, but we thought to ourselves, who doesn't like a free tip?

A unique feature in La-Mulana is the .EXE system that grants you power-ups from .EXE files that can be found, but your cpu memory is limited so don't expect to use every good .EXE file you find at the same time.

The game is very long and can easily take more than 40 hours to beat, but can take over 80 hours for completionists to collect every item and fully explore every area in the game which is absolutely incredible!



Graphics and Music

The graphics in the Nintendo Switch port have been slightly improved over the WiiWare and Vita versions of the game as the details are breath-taking as every single area looks not only beautiful, but also completely unique with so many background objects and enemy designs you'll wonder how Nigoro put so much detail into a retro-styled MetroidVania!

The soundtrack is quite possibly the most impressive feature of La-Mulana as there are easily 50+ music tracks in the game and every one of them sounds like something straight from a PS1 platformer! How Nigoro managed this we'll never know, but you won't hear a better sounding CD quality 8-bit soundtrack very often on the eShop!



The Switch Difference: The Switch version comes with the usual handheld mode upgrade which is done really well with little to no difference in frame-rate or visual quality. There is a negative and that is the Joycons' abysmal d-pad which is extremely cumbersome in this game. If you play on Switch either the handheld exclusive Switch Lite or Switch Pro Controller is recommended.

Bottom Line

With fun, yet challenging gameplay and unrivaled retro graphics and soundtrack, La-Mulana is as fun as ever and with the added features as well as a boss rush and time trials mode as well as great arcade borders to replace the black bars on your screen, and the handheld mode on Switch is superb with little to no drops in frame-rate or graphical quality, however the Joycon d-pad will prove frustrating to those without a Switch Pro Controller or Switch Lite. The addition of being able to play on-the-go with no reduction in the quality of the gameplay is what really gives this version a leg-up over the others and as such we give La-Mulana for the Nintendo Switch a nearly perfect level of recommendation to all Switch owners who enjoy a challenging MetroidVania!

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Score ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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[size=18]#Review #NISA #Nigoro #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Platformer #MetroidVania #Adventure #Action

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An Off-The-Rails Epic Adventure With Class VII!

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Developed by Nihon Falcom Games, the developer best-known in the western hemisphere for its Ys series. We have recently fallen in absolute love with the Trails series which is one of the most well thought out series we've ever experienced! Does the third entry in the Trails of Cold Steel arc of the series live up to the previous two games? We think so and here's why!

After a nearly three year wait, Class VII is finally back in session, but this time you, as Rean Shwarzer take on the role of instructor of the class in the newly built Thors Branch Campus. The game starts off quite similarly to the first Trails of Cold Steel title, and there are tons of nods and parallels to the first game between the storytelling and the structure of the game's chapters.



the game is a whopper in length as it can easily take well over 150 hours to do a 100% run and nearly 250 hours minimum to earn the platinum trophy. Divine Knight battles return, but the system has been streamlined and is much more fun this time around!

Battles have also been revamped with new turn bonuses as well as the new order command system that allows you to use BP to issue orders that grant beneficial buffs and effects for a set number of turns which adds another strategic layer to the series' already deceptively deep battles! The menues have been streamlined as well both in and outside of battles and visually look much tidier which is a nice touch!



The controls are flawless in this game and the game's difficulty is well-balanced regardless of which level of difficulty you select, though Nightmare is not recommended during your first playthrough. The visuals in this game are by far more detailed and gorgeous than the first two Cold Steel titles, with excellent lighting, and amazingly detailed textures and character models! The music is amazing as well, though a few of the best tracks are missing from previous games which is a shame, but otherwise the audio-visual presentation is simply flawless!



The Nintendo Switch Difference: The Switch version of the game brings with it a slight visual downgrade, but this pales in comparison to the improvement of the frame-rate when compared to the PS4 version. Gone are the slight frequent dips in frames and jerky movement, but even better is that you can play the game on the go with almost no drop in resolution or graphical quality compared to playing in docked mode. Overall we'd say the Switch version is the superior port of this game, the only downside is parts I & II still aren't available on Nintendo's hardware which needs to be rectified at some point.



Bottom-Line: With an amazing story, excellent gameplay, flawless controls, and an absolutely fantastic audio-visual presentation, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is one of the best JRPG's of the generation and there's really no reason not to add it to your Nintendo Switch collection of games. better frame-rate and almost no drop in graphical quality in handheld mode make this version the definitive port of the game! We do highly recommend playing the first two Cold Steel games first, however. Overall we give the game a perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #NISA #NihonFalcom #Switch #eShop #PS4 #Retail #PSN #JRPG #PerfectScore

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A Whopper of A Collection!

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Developed by M2, published by ININ, and localized by ININ, Darius Cozmic Collection Console is a collection of console versions of several of the flagship shoot 'em up's from the famous TAITO series Darius. Does the game hold up as a true masterpiece like the Arcade Collection of Darius that we recently reviewed? No, but it's still a good collection nonetheless and here's why:



This collection features several versions of a few different Darius console titles which have all of the great shmup action you'd expect from the series, only a bit shorter and more simplified than the arcade counterparts. You still must fight hordes of ships modelled after marine life, avoid hazards, collect power-up's for your ship, etc. As per usual the console titles in the series feature branching level progression with dozens of level possibilities, although the courses are a bit shorter and there are fewer of them when compared to the arcade versions. There are a couple of games that are console exclusive that make this collection worthwhile, but the lack of options compared to the arcade collection and the missing UI elements do make this collection the less exciting of the two, which is a shame because it could have been so much better.

The difficulty is ironically harder than the arcade collection due to the lack of being able to add infinite continues in the games, despite the games themselves actually being easier. The controls are quite easy to learn, but hard to master with a bit of a frame delay. It's nothing substantial or even bad, but it takes a bit of getting used to. Overall the gameplay and controls are solid in this collection!



The visuals in this collection won't wow anyone, but are quite good with great backgrounds, detailed character and enemy models, and great special effects for games of their time! The soundtrack is absolutely incredible and will have you humming for hours afterwards. The music not only fits the games well, but is extremely memorable! Overall the audio-visual presentation of this collection is great!



Bottom-Line: With solid gameplay and controls, and good graphics Darius Cozmic Collection Console will draw fans of the genre in and the amazing and memorable soundtrack will keep them hooked and coming back for more! We give Darius Cozmic Collection Console for the PS4 a good to great level of recommendation to all arcade aficionados and fans of shmups in general!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #M2 #PRHound #ININ #TAITO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Shmup #Arcade #Console

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Battling The Aquatic Alien Menace!

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Developed by M2, published by ININ, and localized by ININ, Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade is a definitive collection of several of the flagship shoot 'em up's from the famous TAITO series Darius, but is it worth the price of admission? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay in this arcade collection is frantic high-octane borderline bullet-hell goodness that'll likely hook any fan of the shooter genre hook, line, and sinker! The included games are varied and there are several versions of each game aside from Gaiden that are from various regions or with updated gameplay. The gameplay is slightly different with each game, but the basic gist is you defeat hordes of enemies and avoid a myriad of obstacles and hazards and usually face a mid-boss sometime during each level and face a boss at the end. Defeating an entire wave of enemies usually results in a large sum of bonus points and sometimes leaves you a ship upgrade to boost your firepower, shield, speed, or grants you a powerful silver form with a massive boost in power!

Each game is divided into sectors and at the end of each level you can select one of two. This selection changes based on your previous decisions allowing for a playthrough typically around 6-8 of up to 26 possible courses depending on the game you're playing in the collection! The menu allows you to view online manuals of each game, change difficulty, starting lives, whether or not continues are available, and tons of HUD display options for the on-screen UI. Overall the game offers a considerable amount of customization for each game and is a much-appreciated aspect of the collection!



The difficulty of the games in this collection is tough-as-nails even on the easy difficulty setting, however the fact that you can add as many continues as you want going forward, it's pretty easy to beat the games, of course getting a competitively high score is another matter entirely. The controls are quite easy to pick up as expected from old-school arcade games, however the original Darius does have noticeably less responsive controls that take some time getting used to, but overall the collection is good in this regard.

As for the audio-visual presentation, the visuals aren't going to impress anyone in today's time, but the mechanical sea creatures that you fight in the games are quite unique and the aesthetics of the backgrounds are a step-above most games of that era. Darius Gaiden in particular looks absolutely amazing for an arcade game released in 1994. As for the audio side of things, the sound effects are of high quality and the soundtrack for each game is quite memorable and fits the games mood perfectly, overall the audio-visual presentation is nearly flawless in this collection.



Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, a flawless audio-visual presentation, and a myriad of options available for each game in this collection, any fan of the genre will take the bait and snatch up this collection and the controls work as they were meant to in the original arcade releases which will reel you potential buyers all the way in! We give Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade for the PS4 a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #PRHound #M2 #ININ #TAITO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Retail #Arcade #Darius #Collection

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Plunging Into The Depths

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Developed and Published by WarpedCore Studio Aqua Lungers is a couch co-op platformer for up to 4 players that will provide both a sufficient challenge as well as good fun, but does that mean it's worth a download? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay is split up between solo and multiplayer modes and each with their own nuances and challenges. To start off let's talk about the general gameplay as you'll be fighting tons of enemies during the course of the game's many stages and collecting treasures to beat the "boss" of each stage. The normal enemies, especially during the first stage are an absolute joke with one or two stabs you can do away with them, but in later stages the difficulty ramps up to insanely challenging levels. The bosses also require intelligent strategies otherwise they will literally one-hit kill you. This was both a good thing and bad depending on your skill-level, however the bosses are never truly unfair because with enough practice you can breeze through the battles. There are a few types of power-up's as well which will help players out in a pinch!

The solo campaign is actually a fair bit more difficult than multiplayer assuming your friends aren't saboteurs, there are more enemies and the levels don't scale-down either so expect a serious challenge while playing alone, but fear not it is by no means impossible to beat the game solo, you'll just need a lot of practice to accomplish this feat!



In multiplayer you and up to  three friends can compete against each other to see who can get the most treasure each round. Multiplayer also adds the necessity to keep an eye out for your friends who may decide to go rogue and attack you to steel your treasure which can be quite the task. As for the rest of the aspects of the game, the controls are quite decent and are a breeze to learn. The audio-visual presentation is also quite enjoyable with vibrant colors, excellent music, and a decidedly retro world design!

Bottom -Line: With superb gameplay, an excellent audio-visual presentation, and decent controls that are easy to pick up, Aqua Lungers is a great game at its core and its multiplayer can be a blast to play! As such we give Aqua Lungers for the Nintendo Switch a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #WarpedCoreStudio #Switch #eShop #Party #Multiplayer

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