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Karakara review

Often it’s the attractive full-screen images known as CGs (for Computer Graphics) which attracts an audience toward a visual novel. But arguably, it’s the narrative that faces a tougher job- with exposition and dialog tasked ...

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Full Mojo Rampage review

Unquestionably, Full Mojo Rampage is a game with a myriad of moving parts. On a rudimentary level, the circle-strafing protagonist launches an unrelenting flurry of projectiles at skeletons, snakes, and bomb-carrying foes. In another way, ...

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Highway Blossoms Review

Visual novels tend to be a hit-or-miss affair for most, with gamers being drawn to the strong narrative which often accompanies these titles or turned off by a lack of player input. Highway Blossoms takes ...

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The Labyrinth of Grisaia review

What is the concept? Following The Fruit of Grisaia’s (Gurizaia no Kajitsu) 2011 release in Japan, Sekai Project mounted a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising nearly half a million dollars to fund an English localization for ...

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Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma review

Here’s the irony surrounding a discussion of Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma- revealing even the slightest detail threatens to diminish the experience. So, if you were a fan of 2009’s Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors or ...

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Grand Kingdom review

Japanese role-playing games are often criticized for not offering enough innovation. According to detractors, most new efforts do little more than recycle well-established plots and play mechanics.  But spend a few hours with either the ...

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Clannad Side Stories review

What is the concept? When Clannad was originally released in 2004, the visual novel resonated with quite a few Japanese readers. Although identifying with a standoffish delinquent might seem like a lofty hurdle, the storyline ...

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Rogue Stormers review

Despite the advent of indie developers and a resurgence in several genres which had fallen out of style, it seems short, difficult action-oriented games similar to classic series like Metal Slug or Contra have yet ...

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Kirby: Planet Robobot review

Occasionally, the industry’s pursuit of emotive narrative and compulsion to harness the power of hardware means that games can overlook their most imperative element. All too often we’ve found ourselves marveling at an intricate storyline ...

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Stranger of Sword City review

With opposing trajectories and estranged timetables, Wizardry never got to make the acquaintance of its overseas-residing brethren. While Sir-Tech’s franchise helped to translate table-top tenets into computer role-playing game principal, its reign did not last ...

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