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SteamWorld Dig 2 review

As an indie title that captured the polish and effervescent charm of a first-party Nintendo game, 2013’s SteamWorld Dig was a rarity. For a follow-up, Image & Form crafted SteamWorld Heist, which was based in ...

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Mary Skelter: Nightmares review

Following the success of 2010’s Hyperdimension Neptunia, developer Compile Heart’s output drifted toward the formulaic. Beyond a structure split between visual novel-based storytelling and turn-based combat, the Toshima-ku based studio integrated a copious amount of ...

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Senko no Ronde 2 review

Dedicated Japanese gamers might be familiar with the Senko no Ronde series. Originally released in arcades back in 2005, the franchise spurred a trio of follow-ups, with sequels like Senko no Ronde Rev. X and ...

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X-Morph: Defense review

What is the concept? Since the 1978 release of Space Invaders, players have persistently protected the Earth from alien attack. But with X-Morph: Defense, the tables are turned, with gamers playing the role of intergalactic ...

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Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana review

There’s the tacit expectation that franchises will evolve over time. But occasionally, the pressure to advance can spoil an otherwise splendid series when rash ideas or slipshod mechanics are needlessly shoehorned into a sequel. In ...

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Drive Girls review

Although disregarded by Sony, the PS Vita survives thanks to a steady stream of niche software. Sure, support from big third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts dried up years ago, but thanks to a ...

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Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth review

When Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception was released last May, we gave the title an affirmative review; albeit with a major caveat. Box art and promotional screenshots made the game look like a strategy role-playing game, ...

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The Last Birdling review

While it’s inspiring when a developer’s inaugural effort becomes an unqualified success, it’s tremendously gratifying to witness the gradual cultivation of an artist’s talents. The latter is especially true with InvertMouse (aka Marcus Lam), a ...

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Ys Seven review

Like most mediums, gaming has its own share of notable friendships. From the witty banter provided by eponymous duos like Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank, or the alliance between Uncharted’s Nathan Drake and ...

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Rock of Ages II: Bigger & Boulder review

Few developers have a body of work that demonstrates as much creativity as Santiago-based ACE Team. From surreal first-person fighter Zeno Clash, the integration of Chilean folklore and art nouveau into platformer Abyss Odyssey, to ...

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