DENNIS GAGLIARDOTTO
Flowstone Saga Review
Flowstone Saga has an equal number of pros and cons that balance itself out for better or for worse, so ultimately a game like this, while creative, still leaves a lot to be desired and may leave players yearning for more, but you also won’t find a game quite like Flowstone Saga, and it at the very least set out to do what it wanted to do very well, combining two beloved yet very different types of games in a harmonious way.
Final Fantasy II – Pixel Remaster Mini Review
Not only is there a package here compiling a series that has held its weight and become globally beloved, but looking at concept art and listening to its original and modern orchestrations in a menu of its own is hugely appreciated when the nostalgia and historian inside us hits hard. Final Fantasy II is definitely an odd duckling in the series but remains great all the same.
Final Fantasy I – Pixel Remaster Mini Review
Final Fantasy [Pixel Remaster] is a great game through and through, and with all the quality-of-life enhancements added to make the game more accessible and approachable for today, it feels like a must-play for fans of the genre, and certainly those devoted to the Final Fantasy franchise that want to see where it all began.
Infinite Links (Switch) Review
There's a lot to like about Infinite Links that will please more casual players than hardcore, but even the hardcore crowd like myself should have something to appreciate here as the simplicity of it all makes the experience oddly relaxing as you're essentially on auto-pilot while playing. From a compelling enough group of characters, diverse kingdoms, and biomes, as well as a battle system that's palatable and intuitive, Infinite Links is a great pick-me-up for those wanting a budget-friendly JRPG that won't ask too much of you while still providing an epic that's engaging enough to sink your teeth into no differently than the juggernauts of the genre.
The Caligula Effect: Overdose Review
Fast-forward to 2019 and Caligula Effect loses its Vita exclusivity and makes its presence known now on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as The Caligula Effect: Overdose. Surely with an increase in power on both of these systems, all the issues that held the Vita version back should be cleaned up and addressed, but unfortunately all we really get here is a feeling of déjà vu made to be covered up by a new story route, avatar, and content that are practically negligible.
Death end re;Quest Review
Death end re;Quest finds itself touching upon the idea of what it would be like to truly find yourself in one to the point where receptors and any action you take mirrors the real world on a neural level, but with a more scary twist than the typical "what if we get stuck in here?" scenario by implementing the idea of a game so early in development it's filled to the brim with bugs - some of which could have corrosive and fatal effects in-game and out.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Review
Stranded on a cursed Island, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana takes you on a journey of recollection, mystery, and adventure as you go on a journey in the shoes of Adol Christin - the recurring main protagonist throughout the Ys franchise. While stuck on the island due to an attack on his ship, The Lombardia, Adol must find a way to get back hope and find others along the way that have been stranded to help him on his journey.
Valkyria Revolution Review
Valkyria Revolution brings back the beloved series in a brand new direction from its Valkyria Chronicles predecessors and takes everything we've known mechanically about the series' past and turns it on its head. While hardcore fans of Valkyria Chronicles may be disappointed by this new direction, Revolution does well to stand out and become its own thing. This is a brand new look for the series and introduces some welcoming new elements that freshens it up, but there are also lots about it that feel either backwards or much to be desired.
Dark Rose Valkyrie Review
The year is 1929 and a good portion of humanity has been wiped out thanks to a rapidly spreading Chimera virus brought down by a meteor impact. Japan is forced to close off their nation to keep the virus from spreading, but many lives have already been lost in the process. A special military unit known as ACID, the Anti-Chimera Interception Division, is formed to combat this deadly virus and the effects and horrors it has on people, turning them into corrupt creatures with inhuman power. It's a great premise that has a sci-fi horror-ish spin on it but delivered in a more lighthearted, fun fashion, but the story is heavily undermined by the poor quality of the overall game and lack of polish delivered in almost all directions.
Operation Babel: New Tokyo Legacy Review
The sequel to NIS America's Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy, Operation Babel: New Tokyo Legacy, arrives exclusively on the PlayStation Vita nearly two years later and brings with it a brand new mission in the heart of Tokyo, where otherworldly monsters known as Variants have crossed over into our dimension and have begun to wreak havoc. It is up to you, a high school student unbeknownst of the powers you hold, to form a team of others like you and help save Tokyo from a potential demise.
The Caligula Effect Review
The Caligula Effect sees Persona's prestigious writer Tadashi Satomi at the helm taking on this new JRPG adventure set in the virtual setting of Mobius, where players will awaken and realize their lives are a lie and that they must escape a music-filled landscape of corrupted individuals or be destined to remain there forever. Given ATLUS's quality of localization and Tadashi Satomi's credibility, get ready to go on another unique adventure with a stunning art style along the way.