Steve Jackson's Sorcery! is a classic set of adventure books from the 80's that, over the course of the past three years, have made their way into an interactive "port" onto iOS, Steam, and Google Play stores. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge has been with the series since the beginning, and give his opinion of the crown jewel of the series.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is an MMO for people who don't have time for MMO's. A SPORPG (Single Player MMO??) with Online elements (umm...), it gets a little confusing, but it all makes perfect sense for people steeped in the lore. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge takes a dip in the water and sees if someone new to the series can truly enjoy this unique experience.
Primordia is a 2012 PC point and click game from some of the modern masters of the genre. While an easy purchase for fans of sci fi or the P&C genre, the translation to iOS and touchscreens in general leave some to be desired. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge was able to put Primordia (iOS) through it's paces, and comes back with his opinions.
How many Saiyans does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one, but it takes him 27 episodes....
As an anime fan who has been jaded to the long, drawn out world of DBZ and it's filler episodes, Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge wondered how that universe would fare if it were distilled down to it's pure form, allowing you to leap in and really be a part of the world. The result? Dragonball Xenoverse 2 expands on what made XV1 great and makes you feel like a kick-butt Saiyan, without ten episodes of sweating and yelling to get there. Read in to get a full story on the good and bad behind the newest online edition of the Dragonball world.
Superdimension Neptune Vs. Sega Hard Girls--A title that both confuses the living heck out of you and also helps you completely understand what it's about. It's definitely a niche title, as it's about the only title in memory to pit two warring factions of anthropomorphic video game consoles against each other. In this visual novel/RPG game, you find yourself fighting to save history in a way that lightheartedly pokes at some of the greatest (and darkest) moments in Sega history. Read in for Ryan's full review of this title.
Bullet Hell + Mega Man + Portal = Rive. If that gets your attention, then you should be playing. Rive is sadly the last game to be made by Two Tribes, because they are going out with a (literal) bang (actually, quite a few billion bangs). Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge was able to put in time with the game and gives you his frantic review inside.
It's been a long time since movie games have been good. Seen more as a cash-in to get a little more revenue, it's hard to see a game come from a Hollywood plotline and be quality. The Huntsman: Winter's Curse works hard to buck that trend, and Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge runs it through it's paces in the hopes of catching a diamond in the rough. Read in to see his thoughts.
Psycho-Pass is a new visual novel from the world of the anime, letting you see a side story that runs along the same time as the anime. Not a traditional game per se, more of a "choose your own adventure" book. But even then, there are basic mechanics that are needed in a game where your choices can change the fate of the story. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge takes a look at it to see if this visual novel is worth your time.
Severed is the newest title from Drinkbox Studios, makers of the super excellent Guacamelee. Within, we control Sasha as she fights to regain her memories and enact revenge on those who attacked her family. Severed is a touch-heavy game, but does not fall into the traditional tropes of the touchscreen genre. Severed cuts away the negativity that encroaches on bland iOS games and gives a satisfying experience all around.
"Do I have to go in there?" As probably the most un-horror fan on The Gamer's Lounge team, Ryan gave the original Layers of Fear his coveted NOPE award, meaning he couldn't handle the scares and horrors inherent in it. However, when distilled down to it's core elements, Layers of Fear was a horror-walking simulator, with nothing much to do short of going through the motions. Here in the Inheritance DLC, the developers have produced that same icky feeling, with a resounding NOPE coming out of Ryan's brain. For true fans of the genre, though, they couldn't ask for anything more.
Hatsune Miku. A strange story, indeed. Starting as a synthesized voice model, she has expanded to an internet phenomenon, and now this virtual idol has tours across America and has even appeared on the David Letterman show. With her catchy tunes and upbeat music, Miku has captured the heart of many fans around the world. This rhythm game allows you to play along with her, with your button presses helping Miku hit the notes. The presentation is unique, but will Miku capture the hearts of your average fan outside of Japan? Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge investigates.
King of Fighters returns this year with a different art style. For the first time in the main series, the graphics have jumped to full polygons instead of the sprite-based gameplay that the series has held onto for so long. But did the base gameplay transition well? Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge investigates.
A mere two years ago, Fairy Fencer F was released on the PS3. It is now being remastered and brought back with a release on the PS4, bigger and better than before. A lot has been added to the game since the first release. Lovers of the first release will find a lot to appreciate, as the original's hindrances have been attended to, but does that make it a great game? Ryan at The Gamer's Lounge investigates.
Hard Reset is a 2016 rerelease of a 2011 game in the works since 2009 that was dedicated to reviving the FPS gameplay stylings popular in 1993. Much like the title of the game itself, the newly released console edition is a "hard reset" of the genre, giving people who miss the days of Quake and Wolfenstein 3D exactly what they ask for. Does it hold up to modern gaming archetypes, or should this style of gameplay be left in history where it belongs? Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge investigates.
In Between is a very artistic game about a man coming to grips with his own demise. Within, the feeling of not knowing which way is up becomes literal, as our hero manipulates (or is manipulated by) the very force of gravity, and changing the direction of that force is integral to success and helping our protagonist find his own ending. Here's hoping it's a good one. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge investigates.
Stories: The Path of Destinies is a recent release on PC and PS4. Within, you play as a swashbuckling sky pirate fox out to overthrow an evil emperor. Not all decisions lead to a happy ending, though, and you find yourself Groundhog Day-ing through your adventure, learning from your mistakes to come out as a true hero. Ryan Johnson at The Gamer's Lounge sits down with the game and gives you the full scoop.
Ryan Johnson | The Gamer's Lounge
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs. Zombies is a long mouthful to say. Unfortunately the quality gameplay and excellent work done in making a solid title is wasted on levels that you can beat in the time it takes to say the name of the game four times, and that's not really stretching the truth. A solid title that could have benefitted from a bit more fleshing out, Ryan Johnson gets to put it through the paces and comes out with a final review.
