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I can’t help but feel a smidgeon of culpability for the stateside appearance of Criminal Girls. Several years ago, lascivious PS Vita games like Monster Monpiece, Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed, and Senran Kagura: Shinovi ...

Robert’s take: After infiltrating a quarantine zone to uncover the cause of a pestilent outbreak, protagonist Kyle Crane demonstrates a dexterous command of parkour while traversing the region. From scampering across lofty, patchwork rooftops to ...

Although the PSP might have lost the sales battle to the Nintendo DS, Sony’s prodigious PlayStation Portable prevailed in the niche war, hosting dozens of delightfully quirky titles during its decade-long prime. From Kenka Bancho: ...

Last month I previewed Daedalic Entertainment’s Blackguards 2, and though it had potential, the game sadly didn’t win me over. Now, a few weeks after this tactical RPG’s launch, I can safely say my opinion ...

Most game franchises don’t achieve immediate, unreserved success. Instead, properties are conscientiously cultivated, with each subsequent iteration demonstrating a conciliation between developers and fans. Case in point: when Hyperdimension Neptunia emerged stateside in 2011, the ...

One of the ironies of dating sims is that they rarely simulate the complexities of courtship. Routinely, players study the specifics of a potential partner’s personality, before they make decisions based on an anticipated outcome. ...

If the role-playing output of Square-Enix, Atlus is akin to blockbuster theatrical films, then Kemco’s titles are the direct-to-video offerings of the interactive world. You don’t pick up one expecting dazzling CG-fueled cinematics, technical innovation, ...

Look past the coquettish DLC swimsuits and intermittent instances where ditziness serves as comic relief, and the Atelier franchise reveals its principal virtue: it’s a series that focuses on female empowerment.  From Rorona’s efforts to ...

Pundits argue that the medium of anime is teeming in trope. Yet that allegation could be leveled at the creative efforts of any culture; entertainment acts as a transmitter of social norms and practices. Certainly, ...

Much like a respectable bottle of riesling, or Guile’s Theme from Street Fighter II, role-playing mechanics can complement almost everything. A good example of this axiom was found in Defender’s Quest: Valley of the Forgotten. ...