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Search found 24 matches for NISAmerica

by KeAfan7
on September 12th 2023, 2:36 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails Into Reverie (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 41
Views: 1178

Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails Into Reverie (PS4 Retail)


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A Perfect Feeling of Reverie!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  80010

Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie is the continuation and ending point for the main plot from the Sky trilogy, Crossbell dualogy, and Cold Steel quadralogy, and boy does it live up to its hype! Continue reading our review to find out why we think Reverie is by far the best game in the entire series thus-far!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  800_210

The story in Trails Into Reverie is peak fiction in so many ways, but without spoiling things or going into crazy details about the insanity that is this game's crazy-good plot, but we can tell you the way that it's handled is radically different from previously released titles in the series in the most interesting ways possible in our opinions!

The game's story is split into three split paths that converge at points which leads to some extremely stellar plot-twists and storytelling unlike anything we've seen before in the Trails series! The gameplay has several new nuances as well including a roguelike dungeon called The True Reverie Corridor as well as a new group skill feature that allows all party, reserve, and guest characters attack, use arts, or heal all at once! These new features add a new layer of complexity to the series' already brilliant combat which is fantastic to say the least!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  800_110

The game also has self-contained minigames and fully voiced side-stories in the form of Daydreams, these mysterious tales must be unlocked later on in the game's story, but to detail how, where, and why would be delving into spoiler territory so we'll leave it up to you to find out!

The controls in the game are pretty snappy and easy to use which is always a good thing, of course and the game's difficulty is much more challenging than previous games in the series "especially at higher difficulty levels" so expect to struggle at times if you try to play on Nightmare or Abyss difficulty! The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie is also a fair bit shorter than other Trails games, clocking in at around 60 hours in length, however doing all of the side content, minigames, and post-game as well, will likely take 150-200 hours to complete making this a rather beefy game to say the least!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  800_310

The visuals in Reverie are a HUGE step-up from the previous games in the series, with a better frame-rate, better lighting and shadow effects, vastly superior special effects, a decent jump in texture quality from Trails of Cold Steel IV. There's also a cutscene in the game that showcases Kuro No Kiseki's graphics engine which looks insanely good and pushes the PS4's capabilities much further than any previous game in the series that has been localized so far!

As for the soundtrack? It's filled to the brim with banger after banger of absolute ear candy and each and every track fits the game's mood perfectly! The voice acting is also superb as usual and most of the VA's from Trails of Cold Steel IV have returned with the exception a two. Both of the new VA's did a spectacular job as well, so we give the voice acting a perfect grade!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  800_410

Bottom-Line: With an amazing story, flawless gameplay, superb controls, and a top-tier audiovisual-presentation, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie will leave players in a state of reverie as it's easily the best game so far in the series and that's saying a lot! As such we give the game a perfect level of recommendation on the PS4!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #NihonFalcom #Trails #Kiseki #Hajimari #JRPG #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch

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by KeAfan7
on March 19th 2023, 8:41 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails To Azure (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 13
Views: 786

Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails To Azure (PS4 Retail)


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Soaring High In The Azure Sky!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_74

Developed by Nihon Falcom and published by NIS America, The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure is the thrilling conclusion of the Crossbell story arc in the long-running Trails series, and it might be one of the best on a storytelling standpoint! Continue reading the rest of our review to get the full scoop regarding our thoughts and opinions of this game and how it stacks up to its predecessor, The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_75

The story in The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure picks up a few months after the events in The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero, and is a substantial step-up in relevance to the Trails of Cold Steel series which most of you are likely more familiar with. This game will likely fill in a lot of the blanks that were caused due to the Crossbell games not being localized till now, and the new members of the SSS, Noel Seeker and Wazy Hemisphere really add a lot to the game with their personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. This game ties up most of the loose ends and will set players up to be fully informed of the lore for when The Legend of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie releases in July in the Western Wazysphere, bad puns aside Azure has some of the finest storytelling in the history of the series and has enough twists and turns to keep players on the edge of their seats!

The gameplay in Trails To Azure is absolutely amazing and adds a ton of new nuances such as decking out and riding the new Orbal car. The origin of Master Quartz is revealed as the feature from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel made its debut in this title, giving characters a much higher degree of customization which is always a good thing! In-terms of content, the game is loaded, taking 50-60 hours to beat, while completionists can expect around 100+ hours to see everything The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure has to offer! The controls in the game are intuitive and just as easy to use as they were in Trails From Zero.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_76

As for the visual presentation of the game? The visual novel cutscenes look a bit more vibrant this time and the characters have a few extra expressions which is a nice touch. The rest of the game has a bit more polish in the visual department with extra details in the character sprites and textures, as well as a bit flashier special effects which add some extra flare to the overall nice looking game!

As for the audio presentation, Trails To Azure has one of the best soundtracks in the entire series, especially the battle and boss themes which are REAL bangers and set the mood for the entire game! The voice acting again is in Japanese with no English option which is a bit disappointing, but expected from a budget standpoint to make localizing these older games a bit more cost effective. The sound effects are quite good as well, adding to the overall audio presentation!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_77

Bottom-Line: With an amazing story, excellent gameplay, and a flawless audiovisual-presentation, The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure is a masterpiece in every conceivable way and will draw in any player willing to give the game a shot and as such we give the game a perfect level of recommendation for all PS4 and Switch owners!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #NISA #NihonFalcom #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #JRPG #Kiseki

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by KeAfan7
on August 26th 2022, 1:07 pm
 
Search in: Switch Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Prinny Presents ~ NIS Classics Volume 3 (Switch Retail)
Replies: 15
Views: 1830

Review: Prinny Presents ~ NIS Classics Volume 3 (Switch Retail)


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A Classic Masterpiece Roars Onto The Nintendo Switch!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_611

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_411

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

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_510

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_311

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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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by KeAfan7
on August 21st 2022, 12:51 pm
 
Search in: Switch Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: R-Type Final 2 (Switch Retail)
Replies: 16
Views: 1099

Review: R-Type Final 2 (Switch Retail)

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The Final Frontier...TWO!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_211

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_w10

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x_113

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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by KeAfan7
on October 25th 2021, 9:28 pm
 
Search in: Switch Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: YS IX ~ Monstrum Nox (Switch Retail)
Replies: 16
Views: 1730

Review: YS IX ~ Monstrum Nox (Switch Retail)


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Monstrous Fun!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-12

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-11

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-10

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-13

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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by KeAfan7
on August 26th 2021, 6:26 am
 
Search in: Switch Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV (Switch Retail)
Replies: 14
Views: 1641

Review: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV (Switch Retail)


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The End of A Saga!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large510

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large210

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large310

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large410

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large110

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Maxres11

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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by KeAfan7
on March 7th 2021, 8:29 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: YS IX - Monstrum Nox (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 25
Views: 1863

Review: YS IX - Monstrum Nox (PS4 Retail)


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Monstrous Fun!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-12

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-11

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-10

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ys-ix-13

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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by KeAfan7
on December 19th 2020, 7:20 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails of Cold Steel IV (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 24
Views: 1832

Review: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails of Cold Steel IV (PS4 Retail)


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The End of A Saga!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large510

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large210

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large310

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large410

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large110

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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by KeAfan7
on September 22nd 2020, 3:37 am
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Giraffe And Annika (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 14
Views: 1840

Review: Giraffe And Annika (PS4 Retail)


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Chillaxing Like A Giraffe!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_37  

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:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_38

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_39

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.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_40

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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by KeAfan7
on August 25th 2020, 11:24 am
 
Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
Topic: Review: La-Mulana 2 (PS4 PSN)
Replies: 13
Views: 1858

Review: La-Mulana 2 (PS4 PSN)


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Spelunking Daughter: Return of The Spelunker!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_28

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_29

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_30

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!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_31

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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by KeAfan7
on July 13th 2020, 6:56 pm
 
Search in: Latest Playstation News
Topic: News: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails of Cold Steel IV Releases On PS4 In North America And Europe In October!
Replies: 24
Views: 1847

News: The Legend of Heroes ~ Trails of Cold Steel IV Releases On PS4 In North America And Europe In October!


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The End of A Saga!

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NIS America recently announced that the fourth title in their Trails of Cold Steel sub-series will be releasing in North America and Europe on October 27th on PS4 and in 2021 on the Nintendo Switch! You can watch the latest English trailer above! Will you be purchasing this Japanese Role-Playing Gem? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in our comments section below!

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#Trailer #NISAmerica #NihonFalcom #TheLegendOfHeroes #TrailsOfColdSteel4 #ReleaseDate #News #JRPG

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by KeAfan7
on June 7th 2020, 5:30 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Disaster Report 4 (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 15
Views: 1884

Review: Disaster Report 4 (PS4 Retail)


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Cataclysmic Devastation!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_20

Developed by Granzella Inc and published by NIS America, Disaster Report 4 is a disaster survival game where every choice you make affects the game's story and you are always one wrong choice away from certain death. Does this game deserve praise or should it be passed up? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to this all-important question!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_21

The gameplay in Disaster Report 4 is basically that of a survival horror game, except instead of surviving against the supernatural, you must survive a series of natural disasters. It's all there, limited inventory, tools, first aid kits, etc. The dangers are always present and a keen sense of your surroundings is paramount if you don't want to die a horrific death in the game. Helping others can be very helpful later on as they may well save your life later on in the game, but on the other hand they can pose a threat to you if they are less than honorable people. This system of decision making is what makes Disaster Report 4 so great and we truly appreciated the effort Granzella Inc put into these little details in the game!

The UI can be a bit confusing at times and the controls aren't flawless, but they're good enough that we didn't dock any points from the final score of the game. As for the audio-visual presentation, it's pretty good the characters are pretty detailed, the special effects are realistic enough and the sound effects are top-notch and make you feel like you're really in Japan during a mega disaster!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Large_22

Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, good controls, and an above average audio-visual presentation, Disaster Report 4 is a game that every gamer should at least try out and was a amazing experience from beginning to end! As such we give Disaster Report 4 for the PS4 a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.25/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #PS4 #Retail #Switch #eShop #Action #Adventure #NaturalDisaster

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by KeAfan7
on December 9th 2019, 12:36 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Alliance Alive HD Remaster (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 20
Views: 2181

Review: Alliance Alive HD Remaster (PS4 Retail)


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A Demonic Adventure To Restore The World!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  The-al10

Developed by  Cattle Call Games and published by NIS America, Alliance Alive HD is a remaster of the 3DS JRPG of the same name which was met with a somewhat mixed reception from critics, but we rather enjoyed the game and this version is a great game as well in our opinions! Continue reading our review to find out why we think this game is worth a purchase!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ss-01010

The story in Alliance Alive is pretty good, but is decidedly retro with very simplistic story-telling as well as no voice acting. It all ties together with the old-school look and feel of the game. The game is pretty short only clocking in at around 20 hours in length. As for the gameplay the battles are done in simplistic turn-based fashion with a slight twist to the skill learning formula which is actually quite advanced as you learn skills based on the way you battle, but the algorithm is extremely complex and thus is difficult to figure out what actions trigger certain skills to "spark" and be learned.

The game has a ton of side-quests as well so completionists can expect to add an additional 15-20 or so hours into the game just for the side-quests and if you want to unlock every skill for every character chances are you'll need to sink 80+ hours into this game. As short as the game is, it truly shines in its replayability which is fantastic news! Now for the downsides, the dungeons are too simplistic and can be boring at times, the story is very predictable and uses many overused tropes, there isn't enough variety in enemies, there are a few glitches here and there, though none we experienced were game-breaking, and in-general Alliance Alive is simply solid to good in its best aspects, luckily there isn't a whole lot wrong with the game so it's still a fun game for JRPG fans.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Allian10

The audio-visual presentation of the game is quite nice, but of course it won't wow gamers though that's sort of expected from a game that was designed from the ground up to be a love-letter to the classic 32-bit era classics in the genre. The world map feels like it was ripped straight out of a PSOne era JRPG and that's a good thing in our opinions! The character models are gorgeous however thanks to the unique art direction the game uses, and some locales look breathtaking as well, but again it's a result of the amazing art direction rather than the actual graphics engine the game's assets utilize. LUL

The soundtrack is pretty enjoyable as well with some catchy tunes here and there that fit the game quite well, but there are other tracks that feel out of place or are rather forgettable which is a shame, but overall the audio-visual presentation is good!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Ss-06110

Bottom-Line: With a good, but cliched story, solid gameplay, and good audio-visual presentation Alliance Alive HD Remaster is an enjoyable experience for all fans of the JRPG genre, but a few issues do hold the game back a bit. Overall, however we give the game a solid to good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 7.5/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #CattleCallGames #JRPG #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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by KeAfan7
on April 14th 2019, 11:55 am
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 24
Views: 3982

Review: SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4 Retail)


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Classic Arcade Goodness Making A Splash On PS4 and Switch!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x19

Developed by Digital Eclipse and published by NIS America, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a compilation of excellent retro arcade games from SNK's rich catalogue of software and there's a large variety of genres to be had so there's something for everyone in this collection of games. Is it worth its price though? We think so and here's why:

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x20

This collection of games is pretty impressive with fantastic emulation and amazing bonus content. You can choose the region of most games and some games you can even choose between a home console version and the original arcade version which is a nice touch. The games span several different genres so there is something for gamers of different tastes, however scrolling shmup's do dominate the lineup somewhat.

The games run as they should with little to no issues. The games also have a sharp image mode and even a full-screen mode and stretch mode if you want the original aspect ratio or don't like borders or arcade cabinet images on your TV screen while playing respectively. The gameplay options are somewhat limited, but are serviceable.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x21

A cool feature of this compilation is that you can activate "watch mode" at the start to watch how the courses should be played and can jump in at any time which can help if you get stuck on a particular part of one of the games or to help you boost your scores by knowing how to do certain things in a particular way.

Back to the bonus content there's a plethora of cool info regarding  the included games in Museum Mode and tons of other juicy tidbits of awesomeness that you likely wouldn't expect to be included which is great for any arcade aficionado's!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x22

The controls are pretty responsive and work as they are intended to which is nice as well. The audio-visual presentation is what it is and is more or less perfectly rendered from the source material. Sure there's a very rare visual or audio blip every now and then, but you'll likely not even notice these while playing and some of the games hold up quite well visually given their age. The soundtracks of many of the games range from good to great, but a few of the older titles do have rather limited chiptunes and can be somewhat grating, but overall it's a non-issue.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x23

Bottom-Line: With a great selection of arcade game classics with tons of bonus content in the museum, excellent controls, and  near-perfect emulation including the audio-visual side of things, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection for the PS4 is a good title that is well worth purchasing if you're a fan of arcade gameplay and grew up with older games. On the downside these games are bite-sized compared to modern games and are mostly good for short-bursts of challenging fun. Overall we give the game a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #DigitalEclipse #Arcade #Compilation #Platformer #Action #Shmup #RPG #PS4 #PSN #Retail #Switch #eShop

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by KeAfan7
on March 19th 2019, 7:03 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: The Princess Guide (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 18
Views: 2555

Review: The Princess Guide (PS4 Retail)


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A Guiding Lighthearted Adventure To Enjoy!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x15

Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, The Princess Guide is a strategic beat 'em up with RPG elements and is similar to Penny Punching Princess in many ways, but very different in others. How does this game stack-up in comparison to Penny Punching Princess? Continue reading our review to find out the answer!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x16

First off the story in the game, while somewhat basic is quite charming and sets the mood for the mostly enjoyable adventure. The characters are charming and lovable, the plot in borderline genius at times with clever plot-twists in a few of the four character's stories. Overall in this aspect the game is absolutely amazing.

The gameplay is good too, however several issues do hold the game back, which we'll explain a bit later on, but first let's talk about the positives! The zany beat 'em up formula from Penny Punching Princess is mostly intact here, but is more refined with a Full-fledged skill and stat building system for your princesses. With four princesses and four stories between them the game is quite substantially longer than Penny Punching Princess which is great as we felt that the aforementioned game was a tad on the short side.

The mechanics and enemies attack patterns also add almost a bit of a shoot 'em up feel to the game unlike the mostly hand-to-hand combat in PPP. There are even heavy tactical RPG elements thrown into the mix, further adding to the game's depth especially in the overworld area. Another HUGE difference between the two games is the added depth in the character building aspect of the game where you can really power-up your princesses. The main character "you" a.k.a. The Guide is able to be customized with whatever gender you want, and your choice  between different voices, character portraits, and name. Overall this does add a nice personal touch to the game and is much appreciated!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x17

The downsides are basically bugs or technical issues. While rare, it is possible to accomplish every goal during a stage and still lose thanks to a rather unfortunate bug. There are a handful of visual bugs as well as semi-frequent crashes that we also encountered which hurts the game's overall score. Essentially without these bugs the game would have received a near-perfect score.

The controls in the game are intuitive and easy to learn yet can take a few days to fully master. The audio-visual presentation is vibrant and cheerful while absolutely ludicrous in some ways "We're looking at you boob jiggle". Otherwise it's quite good with excellent visual novel style storytelling with gorgeous character designs and backgrounds and a superb soundtrack. The character's voice acting did get on our nerves a bit however which is unfortunate, but only a minor gripe.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x18

Bottom-Line: With an amazing story, good, but flawed gameplay, a mostly great audio-visual presentation, and solid controls, The Princess Guide is a great game in many ways and is well worth diving into, however some technical issues hold the game back quite a bit and as such we give The Princess Guide for the PS4 a solid level of recommendation.

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Score: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

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#Review #NISAmerica #DeveloperPlaceholder #JRPG #Action #Strategy #BeatEmUp #PS4 #Retail #PSN

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by KeAfan7
on March 6th 2019, 10:09 pm
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Caligula Effect Overdose (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 27
Views: 2300

Review: Caligula Effect Overdose (PS4 Retail)


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Digiheads Ahoy!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Overdo11

Developed by Aquria and published by NIS America, Caligula Effect: Overdose is a unique JRPG with some pretty interesting concepts, but is this enough to make the game shine? We think so and here's why.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Overdo12

The story in Caligula Effect Overdose is pretty good sci-fi stuff and has an extremely dark tone oftentimes. What caught us off guard were the sheer amount of drastically different directions the story can take depending on your decisions. It's on par with visual novels in this regard which is an oddity amongst JRPG's, but a very welcome one at that.

The gameplay might seem like standard JRPG fare at first, but there is so much depth if you're willing to explore the game's features and learn how to battle utilizing the game's very complex systems. There are a ton of different elements such as using social media and taking quests for students that can help weave the story in Caligula Effect: Overdose. Perhaps the biggest change in the new Overdose version is the inclusion of the-similar-yet-different storyline in the perspective of a female student, while the differences aren't huge there are some varying storyline branches between the male and female student paths.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  Overdo13

Speaking of the battles they are turn-based in this game, but utilize a unique rock-paper-scissors approach with the skill system, but it's actually deeper then that as your position and the position of the enemies on the battlefield can drastically affect the effectiveness of your skills and the same is true of your enemies who're usually pretty dumb digiheads who don't have a lick of strategy to their attacks or even spam the same action endlessly. These cannon-fodder are usually a breeze to take out, but the named bosses that retain their intelligence can be extremely difficult and require a sound strategy to defeat.

The game is reasonably long and can take 50 hours to beat and the controls are pretty straightforward and easy to learn. The audio-visual presentation is decent as well. The standard graphics outside of the animated cutscenes aren't all that impressive, but they get the job done. The several anime cutscenes in the game are gorgeous however. The soundtrack is quite good, however the lack of English voice acting is quite disappointing. Overall the audio-visual is decent to solid quality.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  110

Bottom-Line: With deep and enjoyable gameplay, an excellent branching story, superb controls, and a decent audio-visual presentation, Caligula Effect: Overdose is a good game through-and-through, however the lack of english voice acting was a bit of a letdown. We do recommend this game to older audiences who are fans of the JRPG genre! We give Caligula Effect: Overdose a solid to good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★¾☆☆ 7.75/10

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#Review #Aquria #NISAmerica #JRPG #PS4 #Retail

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by KeAfan7
on September 21st 2018, 10:37 am
 
Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: SNK Heroines ~ Tag Team Frenzy (PS4 Retail)
Replies: 22
Views: 3518

Review: SNK Heroines ~ Tag Team Frenzy (PS4 Retail)


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Scantily Clad Girls Everywhere!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Developed by SNK and published by NIS America, SNK Heroines is a fighting game for people who for a lack of better words like a full cast of female characters in their fighting games. So you know there will be oversexualized characters, however once you get into the meat of the game it is excellent at least in-terms of its gameplay mechanics, but is this enough to earn a passing grade from us? Keep reading to find out!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The story is mostly forgettable, but the characters are quite humorous and will constantly complain about things such as their bust size, or their outfits which is hilarious to be honest. The gameplay mechanics are actually quite accessible and easy to learn and the combo input is definitely fast-paced so expect battles to end rather swiftly rather than slow-paced technical fights.

Overall SNK Heroines feels like an old-school arcade fighter in every way which is nice for longtime fans of the genre. There are several modes, but nothing all that unusual for a fighting title

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a must in a fighting game. The visuals are nice, sure they won't blow you away, but are definitely detailed and at times quite pretty. The music is also quite solid and fits the game perfectly.

Bottom-Line:

With great gameplay and controls, and solid audio-visual presentation the game had potential to be extremely good, but a forgettable story and ridiculous amount of fan-service held this game back from its potential, regardless the game is still a solid choice for fans of old-school arcade-fighters and as such we give SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy a solid level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

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#Review #NiSAmerica #NiSA #SNK #Fighter #Arcade #PS4 #Vita #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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by KeAfan7
on November 22nd 2017, 11:52 am
 
Search in: Vita Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Touhou Kobuto V ~ Burst Battle (Vita Retail)
Replies: 10
Views: 2642

Review: Touhou Kobuto V ~ Burst Battle (Vita Retail)


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The Bullet-Hell And Fighting Genres Unite For An Epic Battle!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Developed by CUBETYPE and published by Nis America, Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle is a fighting game at it's core, but like all games in the Touhou franchise it has very prominent bullet-hell gameplay elements! Does this work well with the fighting genre? We think so and here's why:

The gameplay is relatively straightforward with each character being assigned a relatively small number of attacks and no real combo system to speak of. While this might seem overly simplistic at first it actually makes the game very strategic and forces you to learn the enemy's patterns to secure consistent victories against them! The most unique move in each character's arsenal is their bullet-hell barrage which shoots a ton of projectiles in a set pattern at the enemy which can overwhelm them if timed correctly.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The game features a story campaign for each character, but each campaign is so short that the mode feels rather shallow. Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle also has less than 10 characters which is somewhat disappointing. The online multiplayer can be a blast to play and is easily the highlight of this game! The game is also PSTV compatible which is great news for those of you who enjoy playing the game on the big-screen! The controls of the game are extremely simple and easy to learn, but in this particular case it might be a bit too simplistic for some gamers tastes.

The difficulty of the game can range from extremely challenging to easy as pie depending on how much practice you get and how much you've mastered the gameplay. In-terms of the audio-visual presentation the game is decent enough. Visually it looks nice, but it certainly won't impress many Vita players, and the soundtrack fits the game well, but isn't overly memorable.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Bottom-Line:

With strategic and fun gameplay Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle for the Vita is a blast to play, but the game is somewhat light in content and might be a bit simplistic for some gamers. Overall, however we found the game to be enjoyable and as such we give Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle for Vita a solid level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

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#Review #CUBETYPE #NisAmerica #Vita #PSTV #Fighter #BulletHell

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by KeAfan7
on October 31st 2017, 7:37 pm
 
Search in: Vita Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Yomawari ~ Midnight Shadows (Vita Retail)
Replies: 14
Views: 2639

Review: Yomawari ~ Midnight Shadows (Vita Retail)


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A Frightening Tale of Friendship & Togetherness!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  YomawariHaru-noscale

Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by Nis America, Yomawari: Midnight Shadows is a creepy game that proves that friendship can overcome anything, with a heartfelt premise like that it must be a fantastic game, right? Continue reading the rest of our review to find out!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  20171025203930_1-noscale

The story of Yomawari: Midnight Shadows follows two girls trapped in a nightmarish hell where ghosts and other supernatural creatures are running rampant in their hometown. They must reunite and work together for there to be any hope for them to figure out what has happened to their town and to survive. The gameplay and settings in Yomawari: Midnight Shadows are surprisingly eerie and gave us plenty of jump-scares during the course of the game.

Basically the flashlight you obtain early on in the game allows you to see spirits and other dangers, however you can't fight them and instead must hide until the creatures or spirits who spotted you give up their search. This stealth element is pretty enjoyable, but doesn't always work if a certain creature knows where you are so it's best to get a little distance between you and the immediate threat before hiding if at all possible. There are times where certain key items are needed to distract certain spirits or ghosts, but if you are an old-school gamer this will pose little to no problems at all.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  469143-YomawariMidnightShadows

The controls in the game are straightforward and easy to learn while the difficulty can be quite unforgiving if you aren't used to  retro-style stealth-based adventure games. The game is fairly short as we beat the game in under 10 hours though it might be possible that we didn't fully explore the game's areas. The game is PSTV compatible which is always a plus in our opinions!

The audio-visual presentation is superb as expected from Nippon Ichi Software! The pixel art is flawless, the dim lighting adds to the eeriness of the game, especially if you play the game with the lights off in your room as the developer intended.  The character and enemy models as well as the world itself look gorgeous as Nippon Ichi put alot of love and attention into the intricate details that give this game and series a distinct level of uniqueness that will leave a lasting impression.

The soundtrack is mostly ambient, but it really adds to the eeriness of the game. It might not be all that memorable, but it's still nice to hear nonetheless. Some of the sound effects such as screams, heartbeats, and other spooky sounds really add to the overall experience we had with the game!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  20171025200545_1-noscale

Bottom-Line:

With great gameplay, flawless controls, and a fantastic audio-visual presentation, Yomawari: Midnight Shadows will draw you in from beginning to end with it's spooky gameplay and charming visuals. If you're a fan of retro adventure games this is a must-have! We give Yomawari: Midnight Shadows for Vita a good level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #NisAmerica #NipponIchiSoftware #Adventure #Yomawari #Vita #PSTV #Gaming

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by KeAfan7
on October 18th 2017, 6:28 pm
 
Search in: 3DS Reviews
Topic: Review: Culdcept Revolt (3DS Retail)
Replies: 14
Views: 2591

Review: Culdcept Revolt (3DS Retail)


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Revolutionary Party!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

Developed by Omiya Soft and published by Nis America, Culdcept Revolt is a party game that fuses together gameplay elements from trading card games, board games, and other forms of entertainment. The game is actually very similar to Fortune Street which was released on the Wii and became somewhat of a cult hit in the West. So does Culdcept Revolt hold a candle to other party games such as Mario Party or Fortune Street? Continue reading our review to find out!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

This isn't the first time a game in the Culdcept series has been released in the West as the first entry on the Sega Saturn did release outside of Japan. This is a definite step-up from its Saturn predecessor with a ton of new cards, boards, and gameplay features.

The rules can be pretty daunting at first, but the game's single player campaign does an excellent job at easing players into the nuances and intricacies of the game. You basically earn territories and buy and upgrade guardian monsters to guard your territory your opponents have to pay a toll when they land on your territory with an unlucky roll of the dice, however they can opt to attack your guardian and steal your property. There are much more crazy rules and points of interest such as gates that when passed earn you magic "in-game currency" as well which can be used to upgrade various things such as guardians and territories.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

There are other rules typical of card games that apply such as card fusion and evolution which adds another layer of strategy to the game. The multiplayer is as fun as you'd expect from a AAA party game which is a must. The contols are also solid and easy to learn.

The audio-visual presentation is quite good. As you'd probably imagine the graphics are nothing that'll blow your mind, but they're still quite pleasing while the sound-track is very enjoyable and fits the mood of the game like a glove!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

Bottom-Line:

With excellent gameplay, frantically amazing multiplayer, solid controls, and a rather enjoyable audio-visual presentation, Culdcept Revolt for the 3DS is a great game that any fan of the party genre should thoroughly enjoy as such we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¼ 9.25/10

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#Review #CuldceptRevolt #NisAmerica #Party #3DS #Retail #Gaming

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by KeAfan7
on October 14th 2017, 5:43 pm
 
Search in: 3DS Reviews
Topic: Review: RPG Maker ~ FES (3DS Retail)
Replies: 24
Views: 3371

Review: RPG Maker ~ FES (3DS Retail)


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A lightweight but intuitive game making engine for all to enjoy!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

Created by Kadokawa / Jupiter and published by Nis America, RPG Maker: FES is a lightweight and very flexible game creation engine that's is fun to tinker around with, but how does it compare to its PC counterpart? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question and many more!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

The FES game engine allows users to place preset assets and events with ease as well as letting them create maps with a robust world map and dungeon creator. The touch controls allow for easy placement and drawing for the various functions which is incredibly intuitive and gives the engine unparalleled ease of use which as you can probably already tell is the tool's strongest asset. You can even tweak some functions if you have basic knowledge of how game engine coding works such as creating a time of day or weather engine to run in your game or even make an adventure game similar to Zelda without using the built-in default battle system!

This game engine isn't perfect however, as a big flaw it has is a severe lack of assets such as character models, enemies, and objects. There's no way to create your own assets as far as we know which is a shame as that would alleviate much of the issues we have with the software. The biggest issue we have with the software "by a longshot" is that you can only upload a single project at a time for other players to download. This not only limits developers, but has caused a severe dearth of games to be released in the community download area of the app. Again you can purchase additional slots, but most people won't bother which is a very big problem for an app that relies on user-created content.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

There's also a free player app that allows anyone to play games created on the engine free of charge on the 3DS which is nice, but there isn't alot of completed content available to the community, just a bunch of short user-created demo's which won't hold most players attention for long. Bottom line, the developers should have made at least one or two finished games available from the start to showcase what the engine is capable of and to appease the players who are interested in playing rather than creation.

Visually the engine allows players to create games that look like they belong on the Gameboy Advance, which is impressive given the hardware you're working with and the art-style of the pre-made assets are gorgeous in all of their 16-bit glory! The audio is another limitation that the game has as there just aren't many tracks so don't expect to craft a masterpiece in that regard, but what is there is pretty good.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  300x

Bottom-Line:

With easy to use tools and an intuitive interface RPG Maker: FES is one of the easiest game creation engines we've ever seen so even the most inexperienced developers can craft an epic adventure of their own with this software, however many aspects of the software leave much to be desired, but if you can live with these limitations this software is a real gem albeit a flawed one. We give RPG Maker: FES for the 3DS a decently solid level of recommendation.

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Score: ★★★★★★¾☆☆☆ 6.75/10

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#Review #KadokawaGames #NisAmerica #RPGMaker #GameEngine #3DS #Retail #eShop #Gaming

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by KeAfan7
on October 8th 2017, 12:24 am
 
Search in: Vita Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Danganronpa V3 ~ Killing Harmony (Vita Retail)
Replies: 25
Views: 4027

Review: Danganronpa V3 ~ Killing Harmony (Vita Retail)


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Glorious Murder-Fest!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Nis America, Danganronpa V3 is a visual novel crime-solving game where the protagonist and 15 other characters are forced into a killing game and must kill to survive long enough to solve an even bigger mystery that is keeping the main character and the others from escaping the madness. Is the game worth your time and money? We think so and here's why!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Danganronpa V3, follows the same formula as the previous titles in the series with a few new twists, however this game's story is leagues ahead of its predecessors with great character development and a plot-twist at the end of chapter one that you'll never see coming.

As always the game allows you to socialize with the group of 16 new characters and build a relationship with them, and then one member will get killed forcing you to solve the mystery through an investigation, followed by a class trial. If you guess wrong it's game over. All of this occurs while trying to find a way to escape with as many of the protagonist's newfound friends as you can!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The characters are all quite fantastic this time around with quirky and in some cases bizarre personalities. As always however, Monokuma takes center stage and often derails conversations and instigates violence and this time he's joined by his five cubs. The crimes are much more clever and thought out in V3 than in previous titles in the series which is fantastic for any would-be crime solving sleuths, however it does make the game a good deal more difficult as a result.

The real heart of the game are the class trials which can be quite hectic and ridiculously difficult at times especially if you suffer from any sort of eyesight issues, that said the whole trial system is brilliant and is done in the style of a shooting gallery. The game does a great job explaining the rules and controls of the different phases of the trial and we suggest you give them a thorough reading before starting each phase because forgetting mid-trial can easily lead to a game over.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The game is absolutely massive as it took us more than 60 hours to complete, which was quite unexpected to be honest. The controls in the game are also superb, but will likely take a half an hour or so to get used to for most players.

The audio-visual presentation of the game is nothing short of breathtaking, with manga-like story scenes, hand-drawn characters and backgrounds, as well as a great use of colors to give the game a masterful art direction. The game looks just as good on the big-screen via PSTV. Also the game's soundtrack is equally as good with a wide variety of tunes that set the mood of the game perfectly. The voice acting is also top-notch, but we highly recommend downloading the free high quality audio pack from PSN for the best audio experience.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Bottom-Line:

With a superb story and gameplay, a ton of content, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is one of the best visual novels we have played yet and if you're a fan of mystery/crime solving or visual novels in-general we highly recommend purchasing this game. However if that isn't your cup of tea then you should probably pass on this game. Anyways, we give Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony for the Vita a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #Chunsoft #NisAmerica #VisualNovel #Crime #Mystery #Vita #PSTV #Gaming

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by KeAfan7
on September 27th 2017, 1:05 pm
 
Search in: Vita Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: Ys VIII ~ Lacrimosa of DANA (Vita Retail)
Replies: 36
Views: 3436

Review: Ys VIII ~ Lacrimosa of DANA (Vita Retail)


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A Deserted Paradise!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  2017-010

Developed by Nihon Falcom Games and published by NIS America Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is the eighth numbered entry in the long-running, exploration-heavy Ys series and is one of the best Action-RPG's available on the Vita in our opinions! Why do we hold this game in such high regards? Continue reading our review to find out!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  2017-011

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is an Action-RPG at its core, much like previous entries in the series. The game emphasises on exploration and does an excellent job at puting player's into Adol Christin's shoes with its semi open world, complete with various vast ecosystems. The objective in this game is to find survivors from your ship that help you unlock new facilities in Castaway Village as well as helping you remove barriers to reach previously impossible to reach areas of the island!

Along the way you'll face many enemies and a seemingly endless barrage of bosses bent on ending your desperate plan to escape the island. Much like Zelda games you can obtain tools to solve certain issues or reach areas you couldn't before such as high ledges using the double-jump tool or walking across a swamp using a certain other tool. These tools are a core mechanic of the series and really add to the games and in YS VIII things are no different in this regard!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  2017-012

Ys VIII also adds various new minigames such as fishing and interception missions where you must fight off hordes of monsters in a raid-like battle to protect Castaway Village. These add quite a bit of replay value to the game which is always a good thing! Also Ys VIII is easily the longest game in the entire series and can take first-timers upwards to 50+ hours to beat!

The controls are decent, however you might want to remap some of the buttons should you decide to play the game on a PSTV. In-terms of difficulty, Ys VIII ranges from easy on the easiest setting to rage-inducing on the most challenging setting so expect to be able to play at your own level be you a pro or newbie to the series!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  2017-015

The visuals in the game are among the best we've ever seen on the Vita. The character models are gorgeous and unique with a ton of details while the world itself is lush and full of life. The game quite literally looks like it belongs on the PS3 which blew our minds.  We never imagined that such amazing graphics were even possible on the hardware so kudos to Nihon Falcom for pulling off this hat-trick!

The soundtrack is equally impressive as expected of the in-house Falcom music studio! While not quite as good as the music in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, it's still top-notch and even has a cameo track from The Legend of Heroes: Trails in The Sky which is a nice touch!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  2017-016

Bottom-Line:

With highly enjoyable and nearly flawless gameplay, tons of content and fun minigames, good controls, and an excellent story, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA will have any fans of the RPG genre instantly hooked, and the difficulty options, gorgeous visuals, and top-notch soundtrack will keep you coming back for more! Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is in our opinions one of the very best experiences available for the Vita and as such we give the game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#NihonFalcom #NisAmerica #Review #YSVIII #Sony #Vita #Gaming #PSN

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by KeAfan7
on September 17th 2017, 6:22 pm
 
Search in: Vita Retail Reviews
Topic: Review: God Wars ~ Future Past (Vita Retail)
Replies: 23
Views: 2900

Review: God Wars ~ Future Past (Vita Retail)


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Tactical Paradise!

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Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Developed by Kadokawa Games and published by NIS America, God Wars: Future Past is a Japanese warring states era tactical RPG that is absolutely breathtaking in its art-direction, but how is the rest of the game you ask? Continue reading our review to find out!

The gameplay is relatively straightforward with classes, a grid-based battle system, and stage based story progression so don't expect the unexpected with this game, but what you can expect is extremely solid mechanics and a fantastic story that will have you facing off against soldiers, demi humans, and even gods. Also every character possesses a unique job class of their own which gives players incentive to try to place every character in their party at some point which is always fantastic. Lastly the maps in God Wars: Future Past are relatively straightforward and there aren't too many gimmicks that will pose much of a threat to new players of the genre.

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

The controls are solid and easy to learn which is always a good thing. The difficulty on the other hand does experience frequent and sudden spikes that can be annoying at time, but shouldn't prevent you from progressing through the game with enough grinding.

Visually the game is gorgeous and possesses a very unique art-style that sets it apart from other SRPG's on the platform. The anime cutscenes of which there are a good deal of in the game are amazing as well. The soundtrack is also just as enjoyable as is the voice acting so expect to be blown-away by the game's audio-visual presentation!

Topics tagged under nisamerica on  900x

Bottom-Line:

With excellent gameplay, solid controls, PSTV compatibility, and a flawless audio-visual presentation, God Wars: Future Past is an excellent Strategy RPG that's well worth getting if you're a fan of the genre and while there are some difficulty spikes, none of them were too difficult to get past by merely grinding a bit. Overall we give God Wars: Future Past for the Playstation Vita a superb level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#NisAmerica #KadokawaGames #Review #Vita #PSTV #SRPG

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