RYAN JOHNSON
Monkey King: Hero is Back (PS4) Review
Monkey King: Hero is Back is an adaptation of the 2005 Chinese movie of the same name. Whilst it does have a few problems, it makes up for it in fun and presentation, and if anything is a better rendition of the movie’s story.
Spaceland (Switch) Review
Spaceland is a lite SRPG style game at a value price, but it brings a few innovations to the table worth paying attention to.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD (Switch) Review
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz was a unique entry into the series, fully utilizing the Wii’s motion controls at the peak of the hype. As a re-release, Banana Blitz HD drops the waggle in favor of a traditional control scheme. While it’s still Monkey Ball, you can really tell the game was created with motion in mind. It’s up to you to decide if the change is for the better.
Ghost Blade HD (Switch) Review
Ghost Blade HD, a Bullet-Hell SHMUP that released a few years ago on other systems, is being released on Switch. It’s a no-frills port, and the price went up, but it may be the best place to play the game thanks to the unique opportunities available on Switch.
Indivisible (PS4) Review
Indivisible, an RPG from the makers of Skullgirls, brings their beautiful art and some button-mashing combo stylings into a Metroidvania style RPG. With plenty of wit and humor, Indivisible tells a wonderful tale and keeps you coming back with unique RPG mechanics.
Sniper Elite III Ultimate Edition (Switch) Review
Sniper Elite 3 has been out for a long time, not even counting this Ultimate Edition back on PS4 and Xbox One. The Switch does a great job of taking this sniping adventure on the go.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III Review
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III brings us back into the world we became familiar with on the PS3 and Vita, but this time taking full advantage of the new system, and refining the gameplay into a more streamlined and entertaining form. With the fourth game on the way and the previous two remastered for PS4 as well, there’s never been a better time to get into this series.
Ling: A Road Alone (PS4) Review
Ling: A Road Alone is a budget-entry hack and slash game that trips up on it’s own merits. It wants to give you a glorious combat system but the sluggish controls and difficult angles make it hard to perform as the developer intended.
Dragon Star Varnir (Steam) Review
Dragon Star Varnir, previously a PS4 exclusive, comes to Steam. Basically the same game ported over, Steam users buying the Deluxe Edition can come across a few pieces of bonus artwork. Overall a great RPG that deserves equal billing as a visual novel.
The Alliance Alive HD Remastered Review
The Alliance Alive on 3DS was an amazing title released in the twilight of the system based on classic RPG gameplay. With an HD remaster on multiple platforms, it finally gets the attention it needs. True RPG fans shouldn’t miss out on this classic.
NASCAR Heat 4 Review
NASCAR Heat 4 starts out looking like more of the same, but people who go back to 3 will note that a lot of improvements have been made this year. Graphics, framerate, and AI have all been tweaked to make this year’s edition the definitive one.
The Sojourn Review
The Sojourn tries to represent the process of growing up and learning for oneself through a series of puzzles set around rules that make for tricky progress, much like the journey of life. This particular journey offers a lot of unique puzzles and an impactful story worth checking out.
The Long Journey Home (Switch) Review
The Long Journey Home provides a procedurally-generated universe that your rag tag crew of four finds themselves on the wrong side of. The game thrives in the mundane, with resource management being your prime objective. Unique interactions with alien species provide some much-needed flavor, but it’s hard to get past how easily damageable your ship is.
Catherine: Full Body (PS4) Review
Catherine returns in a richer, fuller bodied edition. Adding another potential love interest with multiple endings, new endings for the returning romances, twice the puzzles and more, this is really a piece-de-resistance for fans of the original release.
Vambrace: Cold Soul (Switch) Review
Vambrace: Cold Soul hits consoles, giving players an interesting Tactical-style RPG that is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons, with stats that usually don’t find their way into RPG combat. It’s a fresh take that brings old-school attitudes into the digital realm. A beautiful presentation, but is slightly hindered by cumbersome controls that may fit better on PC and a huge amount of lore that may bog down those just looking to game.
Din's Legacy Review
Din’s Legacy is a decent Diablo clone on the surface, but offers a lot more with it’s warring factions and deep character leveling and gameplay options. Unfortunately it stays rather shallow in storyline, but the gameplay loop itself is rather satisfying.
Winds of Change (Steam) Review
Tall Tail Studios’ Winds of Change makes a bold statement in crafting a visual novel with choice options to rival Mass Effect and Dragon Age in variety. While the game as a whole is a pleasure to play, there are a few continuity issues and a smattering of hunt-and-peck gameplay that could use a little more polish.
The Church in the Darkness (PS4) Review
The Church in the Darkness is a realistic dive into a cult like Jonestown and the stress and worry of family members of cultists. One family decides enough is enough and sends a member in to find their nephew and convince him to leave. with a randomized personality of each and every main character, TCitD may be a short game but offers variety in every replay.
Wargroove (PS4) Review
Wargroove finally hits the PlayStation 4. A tactical RPG with a classic twist, it feels more like a chess game than a frantic race to level up your characters and pound your enemy.
Horizon Chase Turbo Releases it’s first DLC: “Summer Vibes”
While amazing before, Horizon Chase Turbo finally reaches it’s potential by adding The Right Car for this classic retro 90s racer. With a roadmap for the future planned out with even more DLC, one wonders what else they can add. This little $2 add on is easily worth the price for any newcomers or those who have had the game since the beginning and are looking for a little refresh to this classic arcade racer.