Onsen Master Review

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Release Date: September 1, 2022 (Switch)
Platform: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch (Reviewed)
Developer: Waking Oni Games
Publisher: Whitethorn Games
MSRP: $14.99

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Onsen Master attempts to combine the chaotic fun of Overcooked with the charm and comfort of Spirited Way. While the overall presentation and gameplay provide plenty of memorable moments, a few stumbles keep it from realizing it’s full potential.

Onsen Master’s concept is simple, but satisfying: you play as Mu, an apprentice tasked with running an Onsen in the absence of his sensei. It’s a challenge he’s been preparing for, but still daunting nonetheless. You’ll see waves and waves of loyal customers, who Mu is happy to help and provide the relaxation and healing they all need.

The moment to moment gameplay takes a brief moment to get your head around, but is explained well. You must lead your incoming customers to a bath/hot spring, while preparing them with the corresponding ingredients (which must be mixed at your work station before dropping in the bath). Your supplies and are placed at random across the Onsen, so familiarizing yourself with the map quickly (and while working) is critical. Luckily, you can carry 2 different ingredients at once, as well as lead 2 customers at once - you’ll need to multitask, as you’ll also need to clean up the messes left by your customers as they leave, and clean out the baths, too!

Once you find your footing, the game’s pace picks up as well, leading to some fun and focused gameplay. It feels very satisfying to find yourself in the zone, leading customers around your Onsen and grabbing supplies on the way. Finding your groove amidst the chaos is the highlight of this game.

As the story progresses, Mu finds out that yokai (Japanese spirits) exist, thanks to Hitotsume - a one-eyed yokai hiding in his Onsen. Hitotsume explains that something has been off about the yokai recently, and they’re not acting themselves. You see this firsthand, as kappa begin invading your Onsen, kicking customers out of their baths and causing messes everywhere. Mu and Hitotsume decide to travel to every Onsen across their island, hoping to find Mu’s sensei and heal the ailing yokai.

The yokai add a fun wrinkle to the overall gameplay, actively antagonizing you as you try to help your customers. You can heal the yokai of their ailments, just as you do your customers, but wrangling them to do so is a challenge in and of itself. Their presence also leads to my favorite part of Onsen Master - boss fights. These encounters are found at the end of each Onsen you visit, and each require a unique way to defeat them. One involves dodging a charging kappa, or finding the real spirit amidst its clones.

Throughout these levels you’re treating to a delightful soundtrack that perfectly sets the tone of the game. It’s not overbearing, but flows perfectly with the sometimes breakneck gameplay. The traditional Japanese music fits the relaxing nature of the Onsen, but still has spurts to remind you to stay busy. The highlight of the soundtrack are the boss fight themes, which set the serious and dangerous tone of the encounters perfectly, in an otherwise charming and lighthearted adventure. This is coupled with a very charming, simplistic art style, reminiscent of Japanese paintings - its execution reminded me a lot of Okami, in the best way.

The game also has a multiplayer mode, which works well. It’s incredibly fun to tend to customers and clean up messes with a friend, and makes the overall experience much more manageable. Comparisons will be made to Overcooked, but I will say that Onsen Master executes this style of chaotic fun well.

The game doesn’t come without its faults, however. Collision detection isn’t always consistent, and can lead to you getting stuck in a strange nook or cranny that doesn’t quite read that way. I also ran into an issue involving a boss who’s routine never kicked in, halting my progression in the story mode entirely. I’m hoping this issue can be fixed once the game is fully released.

Overall, Onsen Master is a charming game that executes it’s premise and core gameplay very well. Beautiful music and a simplistic art style fit the concept perfectly. However, a lack of variety in game modes leads to very little replay value, and some deal breaking bugs put a damper on an otherwise refreshing and fun experience.

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The Good
- Fun and fast-paced gameplay
- Charming setting and art style
- Joyously chaotic multiplayer
- Fitting and catchy soundtrack

The Bad
- Lack of gameplay modes
- Sporadic (albeit few) difficulty spikes
- Progression halting bugs

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review: A Scary Good Time

SPOILERS AHEAD: PLOT DETAILS WILL BE DISCUSSED.

Ambitious. Gory. Wild.

Those are the three words that come to mind after experience Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This follow up to 2016’s Doctor Strange may be Marvel’s most unique film to date, and all of that is owed to director Sam Raimi, who is making his return to the genre of movies he once defined.

Raimi’s style is in full force during this film, which sees Benedict Cumberbatch returning as Doctor Strange to save a fleeing America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) from the grasp of Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The Scarlet Witch wants to steal America’s powers - the ability to hop across the multiverse - to find her children. The Disney+ series ‘WandaVision’ is absolutely required viewing before seeing this film.

Marvel Studios held their cards close to their chest in terms of plot details leading up to release, and this film is all the better for it. Wanda is revealed early on as the primary antagonist (after a fun tussle between Doctor Strange and Shuma Gor… er, Gargantos), and becomes the MCU’s creepiest, deadliest villain to date. Raimi’s style and horror expertise is in full force, with twisted limbs, gory deaths, dutch angles, quick zooms, and jump scares galore - not to detract of course from Olsen’s superb performance as the Scarlet Witch - someone who elicits sympathy, not for their cause, but for the fact that they’ve lost so much of themselves in their own grief.

Doctor Strange, America Chavez, and a multiverse variant of Christine Palmer

Gomez’s America Chavez is a fun and welcome new face to Marvel’s cinematic universe. Her powers are incredibly fun to watch, and Chavez gives a much needed voice to the younger side of Marvel heroes. Gomez absolutely hold her own alongside her veteran cast members, and I can’t wait to see her interact with other heroes in the future.

Wong (Benedict Wong) returns as the new Sorcerer Supreme, and is unfortunately set on the backboned for a good portion of the film. Not that he has nothing to do, but for the most part he takes a beating and delivers some fun one-liners while the multiversal adventures ensue. Additionally, the MCU’s trademark humor and quips are back this time around, with some jokes landing and some not quite hitting the mark. While it’s a signature at this point, it felt a bit out of place in such a unique, horrific take on the Marvel formula.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch

It wouldn’t be a movie about the multiverse without some fun alternate realities - the pivotal one in the film being a New York that is home to the Illuminati, a peace-keeping team of heroes concerned with keeping the universe from an incursion (but not so much the Scarlet Witch). The team is comprised of Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Black Bolt (Anson Mount), Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Reed Richards (John Krasinski), and Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart).

This team is an absolute treat to see on screen, with John Krazinski standing out in what can only be seen as his on-screen audition to play Mr. Fantastic in the future. Anson Mount gets a chance to redeem himself after the poorly-received Inhumans TV series, and doesn’t disappoint. Patrick Stewart returns as Professor Xavier, this time from the 1990’s cartoon series’ universe. Hayley Atwell getting to be Captain Carter from Disney+’s What If… is a fun choice. Much like Stewart’s Professor X, it’s almost novel to see an animated character cross into the live action realm. Lashana Lynch’s Captain Marvel is a nod to the character’s comic origins, albeit an underwhelming one.

Not to be forgotten, Rachel McAdams also returns as Christine Palmer, pulling double duty as the version we all know, as well as an Illuminati scientist. McAdams feels a bit wasted in this role, mostly serving as an emotional catalyst for Strange to resolve his own romantic feeling towards a recently wed (main universe) Christine.

America Chavez is a welcome addition to the MCU

The Illuminati don’t overstay their welcome, however, clocking in at roughly 10 minutes of screen time before meeting their grisly demise in what can only be described as the most brutal and gory fight Marvel has put to screen yet. Luckily, with such a huge open door to the multiverse, there’s plenty of possibility for these characters to return. I must also applaud Marvel for reigning themselves in when it comes to cameos. The premise of this film lends itself to dozens more cameos just like the Illuminati (especially after Endgame and No Way Home), but would ultimately distract from the flow of the main story. Electing to have some fun, but quick cameos before moving on was a good choice in terms of pacing.

It can’t be stated enough what a breath of fresh air this film is to the overall MCU - letting Sam Raimi be himself while directing this movie gives it more character to stand out from the admittedly cookie cutter (but still fun) formula of recent Marvel films. Notable instances are Wanda breaking the fourth wall (absolutely chilling) and Strange possessing a dead body and using the souls of the damned as giant wings. It can’t be overstated how much of Raimi is in this film’s DNA, right down to his take on New York City being immediately recognizable as his own.

Overall, Doctor Strange takes a bit to warm up (and not all of its jokes quite land) - but once it starts, it absolutely does not stop. It’s notably more brutal and scary than previous Marvel films, but it’s absolutely what gives the movie its voice. The tail end of the film opens up even more fun possibilities, and I can’t wait to see what these characters do next - hopefully Raimi’s take will start a new trend of experimentation from Marvel and their cinematic outings.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review: High Speed Adventure

The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie (directed by Jeff Fowler) was a pleasant surprise. After a few speed bumps, delays, and… design choices, the 2020 film went on to gross $319.7 million worldwide and was met with mixed, but overall positive reviews. Critics and fans alike praised Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik, who’s performance harkens back to some of his most memorable films. Most importantly, it proved that not all video game films had to miss the mark. Paramount Pictures had an unexpected hit on their hands – do they have another with 2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2?

Sonic’s sidekick Tails makes his debut in Sonic 2

Sonic 2 decides to build on what made the first one so great – leaning into the things that fans love about Sonic. This time, he’s joined by Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) for a worldwide adventure as they race to find the Master Emerald, a powerful gem that holds unlimited power. Hardcore fans don’t have to worry – the Sonic lore is brought to the forefront in this story, with fun nods and Easter eggs around every corner. Luckily, dull exposition isn’t an issue. Much like the titular character, the story speeds along, with brief explanations that don’t give too much or too little to the audience.

Carrey returns as the sinister Dr. Robotnik, this time with his signature mustache. The character features a more cartoonish and sinister vibe this time around but is served well by the more outlandish plot and locations. He never feels out of place when sharing the screen with our CGI heroes.

Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Robotnik

Idris Elba delights as the hard-headed Knuckles, a no-nonsense Echidna warrior who teams up with Robotnik to find the Master Emerald. Colleen O’Shaughnessey makes her big screen debut as Tails, and is a true highlight. Having voiced the character in the games and cartoons since 2014, she delivers a genuinely heartwarming performance alongside Ben Schwartz. Speaking of Schwartz, his Sonic is once again the heart of the film and nails the speedy, impatient personality the blue blur is known for, while also serving up the gravitas needed for a character that is still learning what it means to be a hero.

What Sonic 2 gains in scope it does lose a bit in heart. The smaller story in the first film led to more genuine and earned growth from everyone involved. In Sonic 2, the action is turned up to 11, but speeds through some moments that needed more time to breathe. Aside from Carrey’s Robotnik, the other human characters (James Marsden’s Tom, Tika Sumpter’s Maddie, and Natasha Rothwell’s Rachel) from the first film are pushed to the side in a wedding subplot that, while having a few fun sequences, eventually overstays its welcome. Sonic 2 could have benefited from a shorter run time, but there’s rarely a dull moment.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s action is a visual treat

 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is proof that not being ashamed of your source material ultimately pays off, and much like its video game counterpart, is a rare video game sequel that exceeds the first. Paramount clearly has faith in this franchise, having already announced Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (and a Knuckles spinoff series for Paramount+), and Sonic 2 has given good reason for said faith. Families everywhere will have a good time with Sonic’s latest big screen adventure, and the future of the series looks bright.