Typically, Armageddon is handled by muscular soldiers packing obscene amounts of firepower. But when developer Compile Heart envisions doomsday, it’s energetic J-pop idols who are responsible for saving our hides. Previously, the Shibuya-based studio crafted ...
Read More »Paperbound review
Local multiplayer sessions can lack convenience, requiring a careful synchronization of schedules and venues. But often, they’re worth every iota of effort, producing the type of spirited camaraderie that’s missing from online play. From childhood ...
Read More »Toukiden: Kiwami review
If the success of a game can be measured by the number imitators it spawns, then Monster Hunter is irrefutably triumphant. Once a multiplatform franchise which graced the PlayStation 2, PSP, and Wii, in recent ...
Read More »Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo review
In many ways, mech-based games are the quintessential conduit for wish fulfillment. Typically, players are able to pilot awe-inspiring machines, each packed with munitions and appendage-mounted weapons capable of slicing a car in half. Commonly, ...
Read More »Bladestorm: Nightmare review
Disparagers often state that developer Omega Force’s output represents variations on a single theme. Irrefutably, there’s some truth in that assentation, with a throng of titles (typically, but not always having ‘Warrior’ in the title) ...
Read More »The Awakened Fate Ultimatum review
In 2010, NIS America published Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman, a game that was every bit as eclectic as it name suggested. With Rogue-like mechanics and a storyline teeming with references to classic tokusatsu, ...
Read More »Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea review
Quite often, Western dystopia is rendered in a very distinct manner. Outdoor settings are often sun-beached and desiccated, dotted with the rotting remnants of a once-industrious society. Whether the context is Borderlands, Homefront, or the ...
Read More »Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires review
There’s little excuse as to why consummate gamers don’t have a scholarly understanding of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. After eight main adaptions of as well as five additional expansions, Luo Guanzhong’s intermingling of the ...
Read More »Dead or Alive 5: Last Round review
Remarkably, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is best symbolized by the title’s two, quasi-new, playable characters. Originally, a boss from the franchise’s inaugural entry, Raidou, points to Dead or Alive’s adherence to tradition. At ...
Read More »Jungle Rumble: Freedom, Happiness, and Bananas review
One of the more common design philosophies in contemporary gaming can be found in the mash-up. Take two or more stagnant genres, mix them together- and with a bit of creative inspiration and programming prowess, ...
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