HIGH The platforming is only slightly tedious now!

LOW The final fight with Darth Maul is still basically impossible.

WTF Someone at Lucasfilm Games keeps approving these things.

Star Wars: Episode One: Jedi Power Battles is the latest Star Wars game remaster from Aspyr Studios, and I have to say that even after all of my trepidation over their last few remasters that this is somehow worse than I expected. Mad props, I did not see that coming.

Jedi Power Battles is a 2.5D brawler which sees up to two players fighting random enemies as Jedi across linear stages. The scenarios include familiar locales taken from The Phantom Menace and mostly involve fighting droids, but sometimes bandits or mercenaries. There are also two barely functional vehicle sequences — one in a tank that can be hopped out of to explore on foot, the other on a STAP hovercraft driven in the worst 3D Galaga clone to bear the Star Wars license.

Of the playable leads, anyone wanting to retain their sanity will play the campaign as Adi Gallia, who easily has the most combat utility due to speed and stun ability. Qui-Gon is too slow, Obi-Wan is bland, while Mace, Ki Adi, and Plo Koon are just different, worse versions of Adi. Why are all these extra Jedi who barely appeared in the movie here? Because reasons, as there’s barely any story to speak of — this is only about beating up enemies to score points.

The player can acquire temporary power-ups, such as making their saber the size of Staten Island so it can actually hit an enemy before they’re nose to nose. There’s also a random box that grants players a one-use item only useful to Plo Koon or Adi Gallia. Why? Because everyone else gets a grenade, yet Plo and Adi both turn into invincible balls of death for a few seconds, damaging every enemy just by running into them.

Players can also find bonus points they’ll need for a scoring system that’s tied to progression in the least intuitive way possible. See, it’s not about spending points on the upgrades, but hitting certain thresholds to then get access to stat boosts, and every character levels up individually, so that means grinding the campaign missions for each of them. In theory this adds replay value.

The combat is pedestrian button mashing, with a combo system struggling to register single button combos, let alone more complex strings. I’m not asking for Bayonetta-tier smoothness from a game first released on the original PlayStation, but even for the ’90s, this was bad input buffering. As an example of the poor inputs, it’s not possible to jump and hit the attack button, but there is a dedicated jump attack button. Yes, an entire face button that could’ve been used for dodging, parrying, or literally anything else is utilized to perform an attack that should’ve been the first combo any player would typically try. Players can also block, yet while blocking it’s impossible to do anything else, so it’s just delaying the inevitable.

There’s also platforming that will eat up most of a player’s limited lives. At least this is a more arcade-style experience with bonus lives that can be acquired, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not irritating.

If that wasn’t bad enough, how about getting ringed out by a boss into the foreground of the level! The combat never grows more complex, B1 battle droids can shrug off a lightsaber like it’s a hairbrush, and worse still, this remaster somehow manages to have tons of graphical oversights like huge gaps in level environments without any assets or adjustments made to account for a wider aspect ratio than standard definition 4:3. It’s also easy to see objects rendering (or not rendering) in ways they aren’t supposed to. These aren’t elaborate 3D models — even just extending the environmental textures a couple of inches would’ve done the minimum required here.

While these issues were left unattended, the remaster team put time towards converting a bunch of random enemies into “new playable characters” for various modes.

It’s also particularly impressive that someone went to the effort of re-rendering the cinematics to change Adi’s saber from an orange-red to blue. Placing a priority on whether a saber color matches a different canon’s rules than the storyline is more important than fixing Qui-Gon’s eyes, which are still untextured, soulless black orbs for half of the intro cinematic. To quote anti-sand propagandist Anakin Skywalker, that’s “absolutely wizard.”

It’s kind of perfect though, because this is such a lifeless, soulless cash-in of a remaster. Even by the standards Lucasfilm Games is evidently quite comfortable with, this is bad, and I refuse to believe that this is the best Aspyr can do. Their Tomb Raider remaster demonstrated they are capable of more. I don’t know if Lucasfilm isn’t giving them enough time or resources, but this is simply unacceptable. 

Between this disaster, the Switch port of Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords’ lack of promised restored content, Republic Commando’s still-unpatched camera bug on Switch, Battlefront Classic Collection being an unmitigated disaster on almost every front and Bounty Hunter’s questionably redesigned gameplay, we can’t keep accepting that half-baked, unfinished remasters are the best that can be done. 

It’s not even like Jedi Power Battles is the most beloved game from its era. Why release it in this state, and an even better question is, why release it at all? If there were at least new graphics, or if they bundled the GameBoy version as a bonus extra, I could at least rate it a little higher, but no. This is not the droid that anyone is looking for.

Final Score: 2.5 out of 10 

Buy Star Wars: Episode One: Jedi Power Battles – PC – PS – XB

Disclosures: This game is developed by Aspyr and published by Lucasfilm Games. It is currently available on PC, PS5, XBS/X, and Switch. This copy of Jedi Power Battles was provided by the publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 5 hours were dedicated to the single-player campaign and bonus modes, and it was not completed.

Parents: This game is Rated T by the ESRB, for containing Violence. If your child can watch Star Wars, they can play this. Not that they should, but that’s a matter of it being a pain to play — impatient kids in particular are likely to get very frustrated. There’s nothing gory, no expletives (fictional or otherwise) and the graphics are so low detail it’s hard to view any elements as anything more than rudimentary computer graphics.

Colorblind modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are multiple visual prompts doubling for audio prompts. There are no subtitles options, but also next to no spoken dialogue, with visual context prompts compensating for this. I would say that it’s not fully accessible.

Remappable controls: No, this game does not offer remappable controls. Playes can only swap between Modern and Classic bindings, which just alters which face buttons do what and whether a bumper or trigger is used for Force powers.

The post Star Wars: Episode One: Jedi Power Battles Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Prosecutor’s Gambit had some great twists and turns…

LOW …but the first entry definitely didn’t have as many.

WTF Wow! The second title’s initial case sure feels timely!

Fans of the Ace Attorney series have been asking for ports of the back catalog, and Capcom has been listening. This time, the Investigations subseries is being given its time in the sun.

While the Ace Attorney titles typically focus on defense attorneys in courtroom-focused legal battles, the Investigations Collection puts players in the shoes — and the cravat — of Miles Edgeworth, one of series protagonist Phoenix Wright’s main prosecutorial rivals. Instead of going in front of a court of law, this 2D adventure title had me investigating crime scenes myself, gathering evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and figuring out how disparate pieces of complex puzzles fit together.

What’s great about this collection is that it has both games in the Investigations subseries — Miles Edgeworth and Prosecutor’s Gambit, the latter of which was never released outside of Japan. This makes this collection a must-have for fans of the Ace Attorney series. It also provides a unique perspective not often seen in the series, that of a prosecutor and a crime scene investigator.

This new formula makes for an interesting break from the rest of the series, which most often focuses on the courtroom. This time around, it was refreshing to be the one bringing a case to the court, rather than simply working with defendants. Each scenario also features new types of areas to explore outside the usual courtrooms, such as the inside of an airplane or even Miles’ office, which was very appreciated.

Each of the two titles in this collection has five scenarios, each consisting of (typically) three acts and an overarching plot that ties each investigation together. What’s nice about this collection is the ability to select not just which episode to start with, but also which chapter. This gives players the ability to jump in during a favorite scene without having to play the entire game or episode. There’s also a generous checkpoint system that allows one to reload without losing too much progress — great if someone bungles a clue or botches an examination.

As the entry that US players haven’t seen before, the second half of the collection expands the narrative of the first by providing additional background to Miles’s motives as a prosecutor, which make him more relatable. Also, since it’s set only a couple of weeks after the first title, it builds to create a bigger story for the attorney.

The gameplay is wonderful, as it allowed me to get into the head of a crime scene investigator. There were lots of things to look at in each area, such as items found in safes, objects hidden under chairs, and the like. Some clues, however, may not be relevant or — worse — red herrings to throw one off. Ace Attorney as a whole is a logic game of putting together individual pieces of a puzzle in order to bring the right people to justice.

For those looking for a more relaxed experience, a “story mode” is available and will automatically progress through each chapter, including answering questions and presenting the evidence for players. This comes with the trade-off that specific achievements are disabled. For newer players, this may be the preferred way to play, as cases can get fairly complex — even the first episodes of each title had some head scratchers.

Longtime fans will notice that the new hand-drawn art looks fantastic. Each character is rendered with an exceptional amount of care, often highly detailed. (There’s also an option for an old-school pixelated look, for anyone nostalgic for the Nintendo DS, where the series debuted.) Thanks to this high-quality work, these versions do look and feel like definitive versions.

I’d be remiss not to provide some objections to this collection, however. I found that Prosecutor’s Gambit was the stronger of the two in this collection because the pace of delivering information to players was much slower — an important aspect that the first didn’t nail. For example, the first case in Miles Edgeworth reveals who the murderer is during the first scene of the first case. It felt like I was reading a book’s last chapter, then going back to read the rest, and it’s not my preferred way to engage with crime content. Other cases which made me work to find out the truth were more enjoyable due to the thrill of the chase, false leads and finally nabbing the culprit. It’s the more exhilarating approach, if you ask me.

Another issue is that there are some confusing leaps in logic at times. During testimony phases, there were often obvious openings to make an accusation or to present a piece of evidence, but the game wanted something else to be said or done first. In one example, I was able to match a specific piece of evidence to an accused person, but the game wanted me to go through a different prescribed step first before it would allow me to move on, even though my hunch was correct.

Despite some small issues, the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection will be a wonderful experience for any Ace Attorney fan. It shines a much-needed light on the prosecutorial side of the courtroom, and leads players through the questions that have to be answered before a case can be brought to trial. Miles Edgeworth is also strong, holding his own as both a protagonist and Phoenix Wright’s rival, and I’d love to see him get a starring role more often!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed and published by Capcom Co., Ltd. It is currently available on PC, PS4/5, XBO/S/X, and Switch. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher, and reviewed on PS5. Approximately 7 hours was devoted to the game, and it was not completed. There is no multiplayer mode.

Parents: This game has an ESRB rating of T rating for Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, and Mild Violence. The official rating states: “This is a collection of two mystery-text adventure games in which players help a prosecutor solve a series of murders. As players investigate crime scenes in detail, cutscenes briefly depict characters shot (off-camera) or held at gunpoint. Murder victims are depicted with bloodstained clothing and gunshot/knife wounds; some corpses are sometimes shown lying in pools of blood. One female character is depicted wearing a low-cut top that reveals deep cleavage. The word ‘bastard’ appears in the game.”

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game offers subtitles. (See examples above.) Subtitles cannot be resized. Since the text cannot be resized, and this title relies so heavily on reading, this may hinder a player who needs bigger text.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. There is no controller diagram. The game uses simplie one-button controls, as most of the experience revolves around dialogue. X is used to progress dialogue, L1 is used in specific sections to access clues and some profiles about the case, R1 is used to access information about evidence and actors in the case, Square is used to review the dialogue history, Triangle is used in some cases to deduce what clues meant, or to pin an accusation on a suspect.

The post Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The light and shadow system creates some clever puzzles.

LOW A few moments of trial-and-error thanks to artificially high difficulty.

WTF All those little girls’ corpses hanging from trees.

Hotaru no Nikki (stylized as htoL#NIQ and translated as The Firefly Diary) casts players in the role of Mion, a young girl with horns who awakens in a strange world with no memories of her past. Guided by a pair of fireflies, she sets out to discover who she is and how she came to be there.

Based on that description, players might assume this to be a sweet, family-friendly adventure with a few dark moments–basically, a coming-of-age story for Mion. The storybook-inspired hand-drawn background art, ethereal music and moe design of Mion only strengthen that presumption.

That assumption changed once I reached the end of the first chapter.

Shortly after Mion embarks on her journey, it’s revealed that the world is much bleaker than expected. Plant life has grown wild and entangles long-abandoned buildings. Bizarre monsters lurk within the shadows, eager to strike at helpless victims. Corrupted versions of objects from Mion’s past life, and even lifeless bodies that resemble her, taunt the implication that something horrible happened before she awoke. It’s a grim, often disturbing world that still has an eerie beauty somewhat reminiscent of Limbo.

Without wishing to spoil too much, htoL#NIQ is a sorrowful, chilling look at obsession, fear of abandonment, and how grief after loss can drive otherwise rational people to drastic measures–and it’s all conveyed effectively without a single line of spoken dialogue. However, the backstory is only revealed by collecting ‘memory fragments’ hidden in each stage, so players will need to work to uncover the truth. It’s not an easy task, though–the game can be surprisingly challenging.

After the first chapter, players are thrust into one hazardous level after another. There are a variety of deadly traps like moving sawblades, crushing pistons, carnivorous plants, and flamethrowers. Additional dangers arise from the shadow monsters which pose no danger to Mion’s body, but kill her if they come into contact with her shadow.  Of course, the game engineers many situations where there will be a physical hazard on one side and a monster threatening her on the other, requiring quick action to avoid falling prey to either.

Navigating these hazards is made trickier since players have no direct control over Mion. Instead, they must move one of her companion fireflies (named Lumen) to dictate her actions. Mion will walk in whatever direction or interact with anything Lumen highlights. It should be noted that while Lumen’s speed is dependent on how fast the player drags him, Mion always moves at the same pace. This differential needs to be accounted for when dealing with the timing of moving platforms and such.

Raising the difficulty of this setup is that players will encounter switches and machines that Mion can’t get to because of some obstruction. In these situations they’ll need to utilize her other firefly assistant Umbra.

Umbra can move through the shadows cast by objects in the environment to reach and activate distant devices. Being in shadow can also reveal hidden areas and can stun or disorient monsters that harm Mion. There is some inconsistency in how these mechanics operate though… Umbra is only able to pass from one silhouette to another if they’re touching, yet in some cases the game allowed for a slight gap. In other areas, a sliver of space prevented me from moving between them.

These two mechanics also affect each other since many of htoL#NIQ ‘s stages require effective use of both fireflies in order to progress. For example, moving Lumen to different areas of the screen alters the angle and direction of shadows, and can create new paths for Umbra to travel through. In the late-game, moving Lumen over certain flowers changes their facing as they follow its light, and the plants can be activated by Umbra to fire seeds at monsters.

As creative as this shadow system is, there are times when it feels like victory is dependent on luck, rather than mastery. For example, there’s a section where Mion is on a moving platform heading towards columns of sawblades. To deactivate them, I had to move Umbra through shadows to reach a switch. The problem came from getting the timing exactly right and having Lumen in the perfect position so that the shadows would form a proper bridge. If I was even slightly off on the timing or the angle, there’d be a gap in the shadows and I couldn’t succeed. It took me 20 minutes to get through this segment, and the only thing that mitigated my frustration was the checkpoint right before it.

Another issue is that htoL#NIQ seems to run out of ideas (and content) too quickly. Aside from a hidden ending there are only four chapters, each with three stages and a boss fight. Since the first chapter is mainly a tutorial, finding that the rest of the content doesn’t offer any real change in execution or any new surprises is a letdown. Most disappointing is that the final chapter is more of the same again, just with traps and auto-scrolling segments.

While the game is relatively short, it ends before overstaying its welcome and the difficulty in many stages means players won’t be breezing through on their first pass. It also makes up for its brevity by providing strong atmosphere and an intriguing story. Despite the issues I had with it, it’s worth seeking out every one of Mion’s memories and uncovering how this little girl and her fireflies ended up in such a dire situation. Rating: 7 out of 10

Disclaimer: This game was obtained from the publisher and played on PC. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the campaign, and it was completed. There is no multiplayer mode.

Parents: This game has been rated T by the ESRB for containing blood and fantasy violence. Blood splatters on the screen whenever Mion dies, though her body is never shown mutilated or damaged in a grotesque manner. Some of the events depicted in memories could be unsettling to young players.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing: There is no in-game dialogue; the few instructions for how to play given in the first chapter are provided as text. Audio cues are not necessary to complete the game, though the second boss has a special attack telegraphed by a roar, so not being able to hear it could make the fight more difficult.

Controls: This game’s controls cannot be remapped.

Colorblind: This game does not offer a colorblind mode in its options. This could make navigating shadow segments harder for some players if they cannot distinguish where the shadows end or start.

The post htoL#NIQ: The Firefly Diary Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH: Finally taking down a Titan on my 71^st attempt.

LOW: The previous 70 deaths.

WTF: Oh joy, another vague “artistic” ending that tries to be intelligent but says nothing profound.

Imitation will always be present in the world of entertainment. Whenever something unique and innovative resonates with the general public, it’s a certainty that others will try to copy the formula to share in some of that fame, for good (the birth of the grunge movement following Nirvana’s phenomenal success) and for ill (the glut of teenage paranormal romance in the wake of Twilight.) Video games are no exception to this phenomenon.

Titan Souls is an interesting specimen. Its name is clearly cribbing from the Demon’s Souls/Dark Souls franchise which has become a critical success by combining intense-yet-fair difficulty, bleak atmospheres, and fascinating worlds which gradually reveal their secrets to players diligent enough to keep pressing on through the pain. Playing Titan Souls also reveals that it borrows ideas from Shadow of the Colossus, clearly attempting to tell its own version of that tragic tale about the loss of humanity as desire begets obsession. Unfortunately, the final product suggests the developers had no real understanding of what made those other games work, resulting in theirs being an overall mess.

In Titan Souls, a nameless warrior has traveled to a mysterious land to obtain mystical power held by the beasts that inhabit this realm. (Sound familiar?) The young man encounters a variety of monsters to slay with an enchanted bow. Strangely, none of the Titans will attack unless provoked. Eventually he encounters a Titan capable of human speech who expresses pity for the protagonist, suggesting he is on a futile quest, and doesn’t even bother to defend itself before being slain.

These factors (among others) are apparently intended to set up a “The player character is the real monster!” moment, but it’s all so blatantly telegraphed and predictable that I doubt anyone would consider this “twist” shocking.

Aside from its superficial and lazy approach to ripping off Shadow of the Colossus, the narrative also fails to establish any sense of wonder about the game’s world. Far too much is left unanswered. Why exactly does the warrior need these souls–what calamity has occurred that only their power can resolve? How many have come to the sacred land before him? Where did the mystical bow the warrior wields come from, and why does the speaking Titan call it an abomination?

I can understand leaving some questions unanswered for the sake of mystique, but there’s too much that goes unexplained and it prevents me from becoming invested in the world. This isn’t minimalist storytelling, it’s incomplete storytelling. Not even defeating the true final boss, ironically dubbed “Truth,” reveals anything to shed light on the plot.

Gameplay is where Titan Souls attempts to emulate From Software’s hit series, and the game is painfully difficult. Conceived during a Ludum Dare game jam with the theme “You Only Get One,” the developers cooked up a prototype where the player dies after only one hit. Extending that concept, the Titans can also be killed with one shot to their weak points.

The player’s only weapon is a single arrow that must be summoned back to the quiver or physically picked up after being launched. It’s used quite cleverly in a few boss fights, but there’s a temporary delay between calling the arrow back and when it actually moves. If using a keyboard instead of a controller, it’s a bit harder to aim diagonally. Worse, some Titans are capable of jumping, and this vertical movement makes it difficult to judge whether they’re still on the same plane as the player, or if the arrow will sail under them. I think the concept would have worked better in a 3D setting, or at least, it would have resulted in fewer missed shots and less frustration.

Controls aside, almost every boss fight centers on exposing a Titan’s weak spot, but this is easier in theory than in practice. While a few Titans are stationary, most move quickly when attacking and they tend to recover almost as quickly after a rampage, leaving very little opportunity to get a shot in. Making things worse is the fact that the player cannot move while aiming, essentially leaving them an open target. This becomes more problematic when encountering a boss whose attack range covers a large area like the Plant and Skull Titans, or when facing a monster that can unleash a large number of projectile attacks like the Lava Blob and Mask Titans. It’s easy to die over and over by being overwhelmed with massive attacks or by the Titans’ speed. When this happens repeatedly, it’s likely to lead to a ragequit or a thrown controller.

The Titans’ rapid movements also make it difficult to get a handle on attack patterns, so most of my time was spent desperately dodging and hoping I could take a clear shot before the window of opportunity closed. Fellow reviewer Derek Alexander provided an apt assessment when he said that victory in Titan Souls isn’t satisfying because when the killing blow is finally delivered, it more often feels like luck than skill.

Aside from the boss fights there’s really nothing to do, and the game’s world is completely barren. There are some enigmatic features like cryptic hieroglyphics and skeletal remains of humongous beasts dotting the landscape, but they don’t provide substantial lore. These features appear to be there because other games like this have similar visual elements. Any secrets and puzzles (a hidden passage behind a mountain wall, a torch lighting puzzle, a simple forest maze) serve no purpose other than to open a path to more Titans. It’s unbelievably dull, and makes an unsatisfying journey feel even more pointless.

I welcome a challenge when I play games, but only if there’s a satisfying payoff for my struggles. Titan Souls strikes me as a time-wasting boss-rush that constantly tried my patience and delivered no enjoyable or profound climax–it just peters out and credits roll. Hardcore gamers looking for a test of skill should avoid Titan Souls, as there are better games out there to satisfy their urge for difficulty. And those players who aren’t in the market for masochism? There’s nothing for them here. Rating: 4.0 out of 10

Disclosure: This game was obtained from the publisher and played on the PC. Approximately 4 hours of play were devoted to the game, and it was completed once on normal difficulty. There is no multiplayer mode

Parents: This game is rated T by the ESRB for containing blood and violence, though the pixelated presentation will make it difficult to find any of the death scenes objectionable. Titan Souls is devoid of profanity, though I imagine several players will be swearing excessively after constantly dying to some of the more difficult bosses.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing: There is hardly any dialogue and the few lines of narration are provided with captions. Some of the boss fights, such as that against Knight Elhanan, do incorporate subtle audio cues as a hint for when to strike. Being unable to hear those cues can make the battles much more difficult than they already are.

The post Titan Souls Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Some genuinely tense, unnerving moments in the first chapter.

LOW Everything after the first chapter

WTF An entire novella’s worth of backstory is included as optional collectibles.

Atmospheric exploration games have seen a surge in recent years. Drawing inspiration from classics like Myst, games in this genre attempt to deliver a sense of “wondering while wandering,” putting players into enigmatic worlds that gradually reveal their secrets the further the player goes.

The best of these titles pair clever, thought-provoking narratives with curious environments to truly engross the player. Gone Home, The Stanley Parable, Journey, Ether One and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter are several recent examples of how games in this genre are done correctly. Of course, if developers fail to engross players in the mysteries of their world, forcing them to travel from one point to another while subjecting them to trite pseudo-philosophical messages quickly becomes a tedious slog.

Regretfully, The Old City: Leviathan falls into this latter category, resting alongside other lethargic “walking simulators” like Dear Esther and The Graveyard as a game that promotes itself as having a clever, introspective plot, but ultimately provides nothing more than shallow navel-gazing.

The Old City begins well by establishing a strong sense of intrigue with the promise that players “are about to inhabit a broken mind,” and that nothing they see or hear can be trusted. From the outset, main character Jonah appears to be mentally disturbed. He refers to the sewage tunnels he inhabits as the “innards” of a massive creature he calls the Leviathan, treating the structure as though it were alive. Several notes are plastered across his walls with references to Minotaurs, and he mentions that he only saw what the world truly was after he drank “unclean water.” These are not the thought processes of a sane person.

Once I was able to control Jonah, I searched his section of the sewers for a few minutes until I came across a child’s bedroom. Opening a door revealed a huge black staircase with a faint light at the top. The destination was a massive dining hall with statues (or mummified humans) seated at the table. After looking around for a few minutes, Jonah asked to be freed because he couldn’t “swim this deep” and seemed to wake from a dream. This sequence actually achieved the rare feat of making a sewer level compelling, and I was hopeful that the rest of the game would build on this atmosphere. After this first chapter, however, my interest dropped.

In each new area there’s really nothing to do except look for notes detailing the history of the island and the conflict between three factions of survivors: The Guild of the Greater Eye (a deistic religion,) the Order of the Cosmos (promoting logic and secular atheism,) and the Unknowing, a neutral group distrustful of the other two.

These accounts piqued my curiosity, but did nothing to satiate it. I’ve always felt that when a game is set in a crumbling society, it’s better to involve the player in that world falling apart rather than in the aftermath–it gives the player a greater stake in events to see them unfolding, rather than having them read reams of text. In the absence of anyone for Jonah to interact with, the game provides a backdrop of ideologically-motivated violence decorated with bloody corpses and decaying rubble in the hopes that players will be satisfied with this minimal effort.

With the exception of a few brief detours that lead to dead ends or collectibles, the game follows a restrictive linear path. Rather than being encouraged to explore, graffiti and hastily scribbled arrows direct players in the direction they should follow to reach the next chapter. The only rewards obtained by deviating from this path are more notes to read.

This linearity was disappointing because there might be potential in a more open setting. During my playthrough I came across various doors that had some obstruction, usually padlocks or debris creating a blockade. If I’d had the opportunity to find ways past these obstacles, to access regions long barred off and holding secrets that were mine alone to know, I would have been thrilled. There were even tools scattered about in several rooms which could have been used to break through the locks, but I couldn’t interact with any of them.

As I went on, the matter of Jonah’s “broken mind” diminished in importance. It became clear that the world he inhabited wasn’t brought on by psychosis; other people had clearly lived and died there. The only evidence that he was suffering from mental issues were sporadic hallucinations, mostly consisting of surreal images and ominous chanting. It’s hardly enough to create an eerie atmosphere. He also frequently fell into pits, awakening with no harm to his body. These could have been more mirages suggesting he was always doomed to plummet, or that it was nothing more than a dream, but I didn’t worry about the answer because barely halfway through the game, I stopped caring.

There’s also a much greater problem that plagues The Old City–it presents itself as having more depth than it actually does. Aside from Jonah who believes himself to be living in the belly of a great sea creature, other mentioned characters carry Biblical names like Solomon and Moses. The three factions differ in which of the great beasts they worship: Ziz, Behemoth or Leviathan. One of the groups has drawn depictions of their symbol across the island, possibly referencing the all-seeing Eye of Providence. These things seem chosen not for any significance, but simply because they sound meaningful.

One of my greatest frustrations with The Old City was its lack of closure. I don’t mind a bit of ambiguity when reaching the end of a story if it helps maintain some sense of fascination, but I needed some idea of what happened in the big picture. Consider Amnesia, Bastion, Braid and Fragile Dreams; all four present ontological mysteries with clues that unfold as the player progresses, eventually delivering a grand revelation that puts everything into perspective. In contrast, The Old City ends with an anti-climactic resolution that left me feeling cheated.

There is some meatier backstory which can be gleaned through seven hidden notes with a combined wordcount around 30,000 (really!), but seeking these letters out isn’t really worth the effort. So much of it is spent on pointless tangents, shallow existentialism, and clichéd cynical drivel about how humanity is blind to the truth which only the author is enlightened enough to see. Trying to get through all of these notes is almost as excruciating as reading John Galt’s seemingly endless filibuster.

The longer I played The Old City, the more I kept hoping that it would end sooner than it did. While each chapter can be completed in about ten minutes or less, the lack of involving content and Jonah’s unbearable droning made it all feel much longer. There was potential for a good story, but the pretentious writing suggests that the creators think they’re more intelligent than their audience, except what they have to say ends up having no intellectual merit. Rating: 4.0 out of 10

Disclaimer: This game was obtained via a review code provided by the developer. Approximately 2 hours of play were devoted to the game, which was completed, with an additional hour spent reading Solomon’s notes. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: This game has yet to receive an ESRB rating. Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rates The Old City as appropriate for players 12 and older. There is occasional swearing heard both from Jonah and in several notes. Occasionally players will stumble upon bloody or dismembered corpses.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Subtitles are available in English. The game does not rely on audio cues to progress.

The post The Old City: Leviathan Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH: Successfully reaching the top of the ice giant’s body.

LOW: Several cheap deaths in the second half.

WTF: The chattering of the Little People make them sound like minions from Despicable Me.

Native American folklore is grossly underrepresented in pop culture. There are countless tales from the tribes that populate the United States, each offering their own interpretation of creation stories, legendary heroes and epic battles, yet they’re ignored by a mass media which prefers to oversimplify these rich cultures. There’s more to the First Nations besides solemn characters respecting the environment, or seeing a Skinwalker or Wendigo as the monster of the week in a supernatural series.

Currently, the best hope of seeing accurate depictions of indigenous culture in the media is to see it presented by creators who are Native American and have thorough knowledge of the material. While they have been denied a voice for decades, recent years have provided them with a greater opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Upper One Games, most of whose staff is of Iñupiat heritage, recently released Never Alone, the first title in their “World Games” series intended to create rich experiences based on the legends of indigenous people from various countries. While this 2D puzzle-platformer is unpolished in some areas, it more than succeeds in bringing their vision to life.

Never Alone adapts Robert (Nasruk) Cleveland’s retelling of Kunuuksaayuka, a centuries-old Iñupiat myth intended to teach humility. For all of humanity’s knowledge and accomplishments, there are forces in nature that cannot be easily understood or conquered. There is always something bigger or more dangerous that can pose a significant threat. Usually in such stories, one of the more humble members of the tribe is responsible for overcoming the dangers and restoring order to their community.

Several changes were made to better translate Kunuuksaayuka to an interactive format. One of the greatest differences between the game and the story is the gender of the protagonist. Kunuuksaayuka was originally a young man, while the game’s star is Nuna, a young woman. This change wasn’t influenced by social pressure or a desire to be seen as progressive, as some cynics might claim. Writer Ishmael (Angaluuk) Hope explained that in Iñupiat lore, whether the hero is male or female is irrelevant; what’s important are the lessons they learn.

Another significant alteration is that while Kunuuksaayuka traveled alone, Nuna is aided by several spirits, one of them taking the form of an Arctic Fox to serve as her constant companion. The presence of the spirits represents the connection between the people of the tribe and the natural world. The Fox specifically was chosen as Nuna’s partner because Iñupiat culture portrays foxes as tricksters that will help people in trouble.

While there’s never any spoken dialogue between the girl and the fox (aside from occasional narration), it’s clear that there is a strong bond between the two. Whenever one character dies, the other will let out an anguished cry of sorrow at the loss of their friend. It’s a very effective method of conveying emotion without words.

Interestingly, the developers have create puzzle-platforming mechanics that feel true to the setting because many obstacles are based on actual hazards found in the Alaskan wilderness. The effort put into recapturing these conditions makes it feel as though the game truly is set in the harsher regions of the Arctic rather than another generic ice level–fierce winds will frequently push the player back. Ice floes will shift as Nuna moves across them, and of course, icy surfaces have reduced friction, necessitating careful maneuvering if players don’t want to slide off a ledge after jumping.

Much like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Never Alone allows players to control both Nuna and the Fox in utilizing their individual strengths to move forward. A second player is required to use both characters simultaneously, while single players must alternate between the two.

Nuna, being larger, is able to move certain objects in order to open new paths. She also has a bola which serves to destroy obstacles such as fragile ice walls or tree branches. The Fox is much more nimble, capable of jumping higher and holding onto ledges before falling. With its smaller build it can pass through narrow passages Nuna can’t to find something that will help her progress, like lowering a rope so she can climb up to a higher ledge.

While this is a solid design, there are some issues with the controls. When preparing to throw the bola, there’s no reticle or cursor to indicate its trajectory, which resulted in several instances when I missed a target even though it seemed like I had the right angle. Also, AI characters have a tendency to randomly move when they’re not being controlled, leading to some frustrating situations and annoying setbacks that soured my experience.

Unpredictable NPC movements are problematic, but they’re not the biggest flaw. During the second half there are segments which require trial and error repetition to avoid dying. The most egregious example is when Nuna travels through a damp forest. Players need to stand on the branches as the trees move, then jump off when they’re close to land. However, the positions of the next safe platforms aren’t revealed until just a few seconds before it’s too late, meaning that success comes more through memorization than skill.

In terms of story criticism, the only change made to the tale that felt unnecessary was the presence of the Manslayer. In lore, this figure signifies a chaotic presence that threatens the stability of a tribe, yet his appearance in the game didn’t serve any purpose. He destroys Nuna’s village and appears to lead its people away, but his motivation is never revealed. It felt like the only reason the Manslayer was included was to have a more conventional video game antagonist that could be fought and overcome, even though there was already a strong conflict against nature. It didn’t hurt the story, but it didn’t improve it either.

Despite my frustrations with some unfair aspects of the gameplay, I found Never Alone to be incredibly compelling. I hope that Upper One continue their plan of bringing lesser-known tales to a greater audience, refining their design while expanding cultural horizons–and I hope more studios will take notice and follow their example. Rating: 7 out of 10

Disclaimer: This game was obtained via a review code provided by the publisher and played on the Playstation 4. Approximately 4 hours of play were devoted to the game, and it was completed. There is an option for a second player to control the Fox with an additional controller.

Parents: The ESRB rates this game as T for containing violence. There are some segments which depict cruelty against animals, including murder, which may upset certain players. One antagonist dies, but the scene does not contain any blood or excessive gore.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing: Subtitles are available in multiple languages. The game does not rely on audio cues to progress.

The post Never Alone Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Bringing down a German zeppelin on the roof of a bombed-out cathedral.

LOW An anticlimactic escape from a P.O.W. camp.

WTF Emile’s fate.

War is profitable for the video game industry. The Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises earn hundreds of millions in sales each year, inspiring others to replicate this success with their own “realistic” warfare games. Many of these titles, however, do not justify the commercial success they’ve garnered.  The majority fail in their narratives, and studios aren’t interested in examining the grievances that drive people to take up arms against another nation, the trauma endured by soldiers in brutal conditions, or the reality of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. Ubisoft Montpellier is the rare studio that approaches war in a mature, serious manner with Valiant Hearts. It’s a game which not only focuses on a period few others touch, but conveys the horror, heartache and hope of that time in a way few others could.

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Yugoslav nationalist. This murder was the event that began World War I, and millions of lives were torn apart. Valiant Hearts is set during this real-world period and features four individuals brought together in the wake of the chaos. Emile is a French farmer called into service. His German son-in-law Karl is forcibly deported to fight for the other side. Freddie is an American expatriate who joined the French Foreign Legion, and Anna is a Belgian medic. As their paths are connected by fate, their strength and sanity will be pushed to the limit as they fight for survival.

Interestingly, none of the characters take up arms against others. The team at Ubisoft Montpellier felt that if players could kill, it would sever the bond between them and the protagonists, as well as conflict with their intended message. So, rather than becoming another fast-paced shooter, Valiant Hearts is instead a side-scrolling adventure game.

Much of the gameplay involves locating a specific object necessary to complete a task or move to the next link in a chain of events (obtaining every part of a superior officer’s uniform, bringing water to an injured soldier, etc.) Characters can only carry one object at any given time, so tracking down all the items needed to progress can involve going back and forth between some areas repeatedly, but since the levels are all fairly small it never becomes a chore. The majority of the puzzles fit into the environments organically, and suit the time period and current situation rather than simply being arbitrary tests of abstract logic.

Since the player characters are prohibited from killing others and they die after only one hit, the action in Valiant Hearts is based around survival. Dodging enemy fire, escaping from burning buildings before the smoke becomes deadly, and using a mortar cannon to destroy tanks are just a few of the trials players will endure as they fight to stay alive. These sequences aren’t incredibly challenging, but they do require quick reaction times and accuracy, which can be difficult to pull off in some of the more demanding situations. I found this out in a section where I had to toss grenades through the wreckage of a building, angling them so they bounced off walls and landed on a tank during the moments when its hatches were open. There are also some auto-scrolling segments where players constantly run or drive while dodging gunfire, shells, and land mines. They’re short and simple, but they create tension incredibly well.

The gameplay I’ve described satisfies, but it’s really the narrative that makes Valiant Hearts stand out.

Aside from occasional expository narration, there’s no spoken dialogue. Instead, the game relies on its locations and non-verbal interactions to convey the intended emotions, and it succeeds.  Neither the Allied or Central powers are portrayed as completely monstrous or noble. The characters aren’t invulnerable killing machines powered by patriotism, but ordinary people drawn into the war by forces beyond their control. The player sees how combat affects them first hand–their disgust at the brutality seen on a daily basis, living with a constant fear that they will die on the front line, holding out hope that they will survive so they can return to their old lives and loved ones. It brings a sense of realism that most other military games marketed as “realistic” never come close to achieving.

Joyful and somber moments are effectively balanced by shifting between the perspectives of each central character as necessary. During the introduction I watched as Karl was forced by the gendarmes to leave France while his family tearfully looked on as he departed.  When Emile is drafted, the tone is romanticized; the soldiers are so confident they’ll triumph against the Germans that they drink and cavort. Once on the field, however, the unit is all but wiped out by an endless rain of bullets and mortars.

Admittedly there are a few clichés that have their emotional impact diminished due to overuse–most notably cliffhangers which suggest a character was killed only to have them show up alive and well later. Other events are predictable because they were the simplest way to achieve dramatic irony, as seen when it transpires that Karl was present at the battle where his father-in-law was taken prisoner.

Another quality that makes Valiant Hearts so rare among military-themed games is how it doesn’t shy away from depicting the horrors of war that both soldiers and civilians are subjected to. Battlefields are littered with mounds of corpses, and medics carry off the dying in droves. Families grieve in the aftermath of a bombing, mourning their loved ones crushed under rubble. Chapter segments are introduced with a brusque declaration of the atrocities currently taking place–such as the first use of chemical weapons–and are accompanied by a still image or brief animation. Without context this narration would be nothing more than a bridge between sections of gameplay, but instead it reinforces the weight and severity of the action on screen.

For all the death and destruction, and the display of humanity at its most brutal, there is still a sense of hope. The protagonists aren’t killers; they’re ordinary people sickened by the suffering around them and desperate for the war to end. Until that day comes, though, they’re willing to fight death rather than cause more. It’s truly inspiring. I desperately wanted each of the characters to survive to the end simply because they deserved peace and happiness after all they endured.

Valiant Hearts is the very antithesis of the generic, mindless, testosterone-laden military games that dominate the market.   While it can be completed in less than six hours, it perfectly explores themes and concepts that triple-A titles still have difficulty grasping: gray morality, a poignant, thought-provoking storyline, and appealing gameplay that isn’t based on killing everything in sight. There’s no denying it has some flaws that keep it from being greater, but it’s still one of the best downloadable games of 2014. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys puzzles, is interested in the history of World War I, or is simply looking for a game that knows how to be truly mature without wallowing in sex and violence. Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game was obtained via paid download and reviewed on the PS4. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game contains violence, blood, and use of alcohol and tobacco. Soldiers are seen getting shot, stabbed, and caught in explosions. Their pained expressions make it clear that they’re dying in agony. Seeing corpses piling up on the battlefield drives the point home even more. Even with the cartoonish art style, this isn’t a game for kids or the squeamish.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing: Subtitles are provided, and any potential dangers are accompanied by both visual and audio cues, so players who are deaf or hard of hearing won’t have any problems completing the game.

The post Valiant Hearts: The Great War Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

If I Could Turn Back Time

HIGH The real-time combat and Spellstone system provide satisfying loops of tactical decisions.

LOW Major story battles often boil down to frustrating trial-and-error.

WTF The handling of female characters is frequently problematic.

When Mike Bracken mentioned how hard it was to discount the feeling of nostalgia surrounding Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time in his main review, I found myself nodding silently in agreement.

Just by looking at the collection on my shelf, I can remember a time when Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) seemed exotic to me–they were produced in limited numbers with embossed-cover boxes, richly-produced art and instruction booklets, soundtracks, and notes from the developers and localizers. Growlanser was no different back in those days, and now, nearly ten years later, a remake of 2003's Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time lands on North American store shelves.

In his review, Mike positions Wayfarer of Time as an enjoyable, but flawed, trip down memory lane. Even though we clearly share nostalgia and love of the material, I'm not quite as convinced that this is a trip that everyone should take.

Beginning with the common ground, it's hard to disagree with Mike's endorsement of the outstanding combat which has been a staple of the series from the beginning. Growlanser's on-field encounters prompt the player with a menu tree composed of the typical JRPG combat directives (Fight, Magic, Item, etc.) but instead of playing out these actions in turn-based fashion, these commands resolve on a real-time battlefield where timing and character location are paramount. On top of that, every action incurs a period of time before its activation and this extended time window gives combatants an opportunity to delay or possibly even stun other characters that are charging up.

Characters gain skills and spells through a "Spellstone" system which uses equippable gemstones. Like Materia in Final Fantasy VII, these Spellstones can come in many different varieties and colors, dictating how they can be slotted into the character's equipment. Unlike Materia, characters can level skills individually and retain them after the gem has been unequipped, providing players with numerous opportunities for long-term character customization.

This element of progression is important, as mastery provides the player with additional capabilities to adapt these skills: players can quick-cast a lower-level version of a spell to outrace an opposing mage, slowplay that spell into a high-level blast intended to resolve after another attack, or pair it with another friendly spell to form a titanic combination that impacts the entire battlefield.

This rich domain of tactical choices leads to a satisfying and, at times, frantic combat experience, but the player isn't left astray. Wayfarer of Time provides the ability to pause the action at any time, allowing calm reassessment and redirection of the party in response. As a result, Wayfarer of Time gives its players ample opportunity to consider character positioning, distance and timing during threat assessment, imbuing every encounter with a hint of tension.

Unfortunately, Mike and I part company from here–while Mike sees the major story encounters as Wayfarer of Time's shining moment, I see them as one of the game's most glaring weaknesses.

The flip side to providing such a fertile tactical playground is that it makes it incredibly hard for the game to adequately raise the stakes for these larger-scale fights; there's no room for these boss battles to grow. Sure, these encounters are more difficult, but they often get there by applying a convoluted approach that ties all of the game's mechanics together into a single, constrictive winning strategy.

It's not enough, for example, to have the player simply fight a nigh-invincible demigod that they've chased throughout the game; no, Wayfarer of Time forces the player to send characters sprinting in front of the demigod to block it from escaping from the battlefield and create an opening for a non-player character (NPC) to use an item that makes the demigod vulnerable and coordinate attacks during that period of vulnerability to finally take the demigod down, all in the same battle.

By narrowing the possibility space so dramatically, Wayfarer of Time ends up overcooking these critical encounters, forcing the player to ricochet between hard fail states before finally stumbling upon the secret handshake of actions that unlocks victory. It's an unfortunate dynamic that not only leads to a lot of irritating "old school" difficulty spikes, but also betrays the broader vocabulary of tactics that is continually reinforced by its smaller-scale encounters.

These misfires at major story events wouldn't sting as much if the rest of Wayfarer of Time's plotline could pick up the slack but, as Mike's review suggests, the game's story never truly distinguishes itself.

As the mercenary Crevanille, the player navigates a ragtag band of heroes through a muddled storyline that oscillates wildly between a Suikoden-esque military-political conflict and a sweeping epic of global peril, complete with mysterious pasts and a search for technology from a lost civilization. The end result is a destructive compromise that reduces far too much of the storyline into a tired Good vs. Evil pursuit.

Furthermore, Wayfarer of Time's delivery is clumsy and inconsistent, often stifling itself with hollow player agency, oblique plot triggers, and an abundance of shallow dialogue trees. A handful of moments call back to the real-time nature of the combat by applying an active timer to the player as they run through a town or dungeon, but there's always more than enough time for the player, undermining any possibility for tension.

Wayfarer of Time frequently seems to be building towards something, but continually retreats before it gets there. This feeling crystalizes when a companion throws themselves in front of Crevanille to save him from an assassination attempt. If the player did not find a pair of special items and bring them to an NPC to strengthen that companion beforehand, the companion dies…and then, literally minutes later, the player is provided a replacement that is a head-to-toe identical clone of the departed character.

Wayfarer of Time's unwillingness to follow through on this outcome turns a potentially meaningful moment into an awkward, punchless detour, further highlighting the game's tendency to fall back on the "FAQ fuel" of hidden items and quests as its primary narrative thrust.

Additionally, the less said about the game's presentation of female characters, the better. Female characters, including the alarmingly servile Familiar characters, are typically drawn in full-on "fan service" mode with copious amounts of cleavage and the introductory cut-scene of the game even opens with a gratuitous butt shot of a cat girl character. These portrayals by long-time Growlanser artist Satoshi Urushihara shouldn't be surprising if you consider his track record, but that doesn't make them any less problematic.

In the end, Wayfarer of Time touches upon interesting elements from some of the most beloved RPGs of the past, paying tribute to a line of games that is as diverse as it impressive. Unfortunately, some archaic tendencies from those classic games still hang around, dragging down the production with thematic baggage from an age gone by.

If I could turn back time and see Wayfarer of Time with the same eyes that gazed upon Growlanser Generations ten years ago, then I would dive into its combat and simply let the rest of its impurities wash over me. But, despite a valiant effort from Atlus, time doesn't heal all of Growlanser's wounds; it just brings them into sharper relief. Rating: 6.0 out of 10.

–by Steve Gillham

Disclosures: This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PSP (PSN). Approximately 62 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

The post Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time Second Opinion appeared first on Gamecritics.com.