#Review
#Review
By: RJ (@rga_02)
2018 was a lackluster year for me in terms of video games. Sure, there were some great releases such as Forza Horizon 4, DJMax Respect, Tokimeki Idol and Soulcalibur IV – but 2018 was alright for the most part. However, there was a game that was released this year that was more than “alright.” A game that not only captivates my imagination but also places me in a trance that I never thought I would experience from a home setting.
My game of the year for 2018 is Groove Coaster.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
I know my tastes. FM synth. Grappling hooks. Momentum platformers. That’s what Grapple Force Rena’s got and what I expected to enjoy about it. What I didn’t expect was it to be so goddamn funny.
There’s none of that groan worthy videogame humor that other games use as a crutch. Rena is clear-eyed comedy–using smartly written character dialogue, situations, timing and visual gags to deliver punctuation to a scene. It’s got a wonderful cadence and playfulness to it. Honestly, I’m laughing to myself just remembering them.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Before I even began Mutant Year Zero it was broken. Starting a new game greeted me with a bizarre “Do you want to continue without saving?” prompt which didn’t allow me to continue unless I said yes. It was only after I played a session without dialogue or area transitions triggering, dying to enemies I obviously wasn’t supposed to fight, that I was able to play the game intact. Even then it was clear that this game was going to be a rough ride. This is a harsh game that made it clear it would beat me down every step of the way, sometimes with exhilarating, but often frustrating, results.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Good hand drawn art always gets to me. Despite how impressive games look now, with all the variety of art styles, there’s a certain warmth to hand drawn art and the effort put into them that never fails to charm me. Nairi: Tower of Shirin is one of those charming entries, and it takes full advantage of that warmth with a strong storybook vibe.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
It took a lot of reprogramming for me to get into Override: Mech City Brawl. Out of the gate it reminded me of other arena fighters like Gundam Versus or ARMS. Override is slower paced, focused more on physicality than speed. If other arena fighters present their characters as nimble fighter jets, then Override’s mechs are thrashing heavyweight boxers, crushing the city underfoot as they battle. It’s awkward to start with, but as I adapted to it the game started to show promise.
By: RJ (@rga_02)
What pops up to mind when you hear “VIIR?” You might think, “oh, it could be the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake.” But surprise! It isn’t. It’s actually Megadimension Neptunia VIIR – but this time you get to be with your console goddess up close and personal, but would you want to?
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Born of a daughter’s request to have a version of Ghosts ‘N Goblins with a playable girl, Battle Princess Madelyn carries both the spirit of that childhood desire and the series it pays homage to. This results in a game that both challenged and charmed me, bringing spooky character designs with a sense of cuteness, alongside familiar chaotic action.
It leaves a good first impression. I was drawn into the world and simple joy of warding of the assault of the undead. Changing the damsel into a pup that needed to be avenged (and watches over you as a spirit) was a cute, if sad, touch. But as I went on it slowly dawned on me that it wasn’t the game I wanted. The levels were unfocused, too often full of sprawling areas that felt barren and tedious to navigate. Alternate paths and secret areas seemed promising but often led to…dead ends? Or side quests with no tangible reward.
I felt pretty down on it. Until I was met with the realization that Battle Princess Madelyn was actually two totally different games.
by Amr @siegarettes
Arca’s Path is straightforward. It’s a game about rolling a ball through abstract spaces, framed in a basic sci-fi plot. It never struck me as something with any big ideas, about its worldview or its mechanics. What it does have is a wonderful sense of tangibility.
The environments are basic but are rendered in chunky shapes and textured with visible brush strokes. Objects fade into view, with a gentle fog revealing the path and objects unfolding into full detail. Paired with VR’s 3D display it gives spaces a diorama-like appeal, where the materials themselves catch your attention. This works even better within its story scenes, where its comic style presentation lays panels in impressionistic spaces and uses the panel borders as windows into multi-layered scenes.
