GameCritics was recently invited to a preview event in LA to sit down with both the singleplayer and multiplayer content of Granblue Fantasy: Relink (GBF:R). I was not disappointed.

Disclosure: Accommodations for the trip were paid for by Granblue PR.

A new action-RPG from Cygames, GBF:R feels like a mix between a story-rich JRPG and Platinum action
titles — which isn’t surprising since the director, Tetsuya Fukuhara, has worked on
several other Platinum games. The fast-paced (yet tactical) combat kept me on the edge of my seat and was perfectly intermixed with a story that I was sad to put down when we ran out of the time allotted for singleplayer story content.

GBF:R is divided into two parts.

The first is the singleplayer story content. The demo slice picked up in the middle of what felt like a new adventure with the main character and their airship crew. I was happy that I could choose between a male and female protagonist who I was able to rename.

Incidentally, these choices are from the original mobile game Granblue Fantasy — GBF:R is a continuation of its story. While the mobile game isn’t available in the US, there is an anime adaptation. Those looking to jump in may want to track it down to become familiar with the characters and their motivations.

Things picked up quickly, and I was able to get a grasp of what was going on without too much effort, thanks in part due to the handy glossary that was available with a button press. After a short tutorial in the form of a monster attack on the airship, GBF:R pivoted into a grand summoning of Bahamut, which then went awry and damaged our airship.

After this prologue I was introduced to new characters, a primary town, and what seems to be the initial plot of the game, as “Primals” (creatures of power similar to the summons in Final Fantasy) are going berserk. Before the preview was over, I was able to defeat one of these in a boss battle which left
me wishing I could see what happened next.

Gameplay itself consisted of linear stages, like many RPGs and action games. That doesn’t
mean the game itself is linear, however. Just in the first town alone, there were a good deal of
side missions and quests which were reminiscent of multiplayer content like online hunts in Capcom’s Monster Hunter, or raids in Final Fantasy XIV. Up to four players can engage in a boss
fight taking place in an arena-like area that seemed to be a location taken from the singleplayer campaign. The game’s AI can take control of up to three supporting characters to help keep
them balanced, though for an extra challenge it is possible to play with less than four. (The devs said there are no bonus rewards for doing so, however.)

Combat in both the main story and multiplayer is real-time, with a focus on dodging, combos, and high mobility. As characters level up, they gain additional skills, up to four equipped at a time, and each are on
cooldowns. Party members also have a kind of ultimate ability that builds as they attack and is the unleashed to deal even more damage via exciting and flashy animations.

In addition to the player’s character, at least 20 recruitable characters have been announced so far, with more on the way, each with their own style and flavor.

Finally, I have to respect to the visual style in Granblue Fantasy: Relink. A beautiful feast for the eyes, the
game uses a cell-shaded, watercolor-esque palette that stands out for the franchise in both character and world design terms — from the kinetic combat animation to the gorgeous clouds and islands in the sky, every frame was interesting and engaging.

While every moment I spent with GBF:R had me wanting more, I did create a short mental wishlist before my time with it was up — things like the ability to play in split-screen co-op, and possibly a full recap of the story for those of us who haven’t been able to play the prior game or see the anime.

That said, I look forward to exploring the full game in more detail once I get my hands on it early next
year. Until then, I stand poised to start my journey!

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is developed by Cygames, PlatinumGames Inc., and published by Cygames and XSEED Games. It will be available on PS4/5 and PC on January 29th, 2024.

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HIGH New characters and new storylines, more combination options.

LOW More of the same, if that’s a bad thing.

WTF SPOOKY! Alien dating problems continue?

The first Coffee Talk took a laid-back, character-focused approach to visual novel storytelling. It was set in a fictional coffee shop in a fantasy version of modern-day Seattle, complete with orcs, elves, succubi, cat people, and more. When I discovered that a sequel was being produced, I eagerly jumped on and was not disappointed.

Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly serves up what I loved in the original — and more of it.

In the first, there was a focus on experimenting with menu-based drink combinations, and nailing a customer’s order rewarded the player with more of their story. It’s a simple matter of combining up to three ingredients in an attempt to match whatever flavor profile they’ve asked for. Black coffee would be coffe+coffee+coffee, while a sweet latte might be coffee+milk+honey, and so forth.

Coffee Talk 2 has similar mechanics, but now has more options on the menu and an additional item system (of sorts) where customers might give me an item (or accidentally leave one), and it must be given to the correct person at a later date. For example, returning a cop’s forgotten lighter might reveal a bit of the script that would otherwise be missed.

I forgot about this new mechanic the first time it came up (and honestly, it’s easy to forget!) but it was a simple matter to reload a save and perform the task to see how it turned out. It’s a welcome addition to the formula without changing too much of the make-a-drink/hear-some-story core gameplay loop.

The new characters I was introduced to in Hibiscus & Butterfly were intriguing, such as an aspiring opera singer banshee and a satyr influencer. More aliens and an evolution of the alien character from the prior game were also present, in addition to others.

One thing on my mind was that the previous Coffee Talk felt like it tied up many of its storylines and conflicts, so I was curious what we were going to get this time around — I was glad to see that Coffee Talk 2 found natural continuations to some of those stories. While it’s an urban fantasy version of Seattle, the characters often struggle with social issues (racism, prejudice, etc.) that mirror what we face in our own world, only through a funhouse lens. The writing is strong here, and the chats feel like relatable, down-to-earth anxieties and tribulations whether the person has horns or not.

One story that stood out to me was about the Banshee who had been hurt following her dreams of becoming an opera star, only to settle for work as an Uber-like driver. She talks over her issues, what holds her back, and she gets help along the way. Likewise, it was great to check in on tales that continue from the first installment, such as the game designer girlfriends who not only need to work on their relationship communication, but to also become more confident in tackling obstacles together.

Like the first Coffee Talk, Hibiscus & Buterfly delivers a delicious cup in the form of new stories, characters, and a lil’ shot of revised gameplay mechanics, and these elements all blend into a delicious mix that I love to cuddle up on the couch with.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Toge Productions and co-published by Toge Productions, Serenity Forge and Chorus Worldwide Games Limited. It is currently available on XBO/X/S,PS4/5,Switch, PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC (Steam Deck). Approximately 6.5 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode. The game was finished. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T and contains: Alcohol Reference, Use of Tobacco, Mild Suggestive Themes, and Language.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. (See examples above.) There are no voiced lines in the game, it’s all text. There are no audio cues. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. The thumb stick selects different items, X will bring up the phone menu to see different social media content in the game’s world, as well as drink recipes. A is select, B back. Etc.

The post Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

The first Coffee Talk was a game with a laid back, character-focused approach to visual novel storytelling. It reminded me of Persona’s Le Blanc or Lo Fi Beats, only instead it simulated running a niche coffee shop in a fantasy version of modern-day Seattle complete with orcs, elves, succubi, cat people, and more. When I discovered that a sequel was being produced, I was eager to pick it up — and from the 90-minute preview build this article is based on, I was not disappointed.

So far, Coffee Talk 2 Hibiscus & Butterfly serves up more of what I loved in the original, now offering not only two new “base tea” options to serve up in bespoke drink requests for customers, but new characters, customers drawn to the shop.

In the original there was a focus on being able to experiment with drink combinations and nailing these request rewarded me with more of each character’s story. Coffee Talk 2 offers similar mechanics, only it also throws in an item system of sorts where customers gave me items (or left an item) and I needed to give it to the appropriate person later.

I forgot this mechanic the first time it came up because it was so easy to slip back into the normal flow of making drinks and talking to folks — without a reminder, it was easy to forget about the items. Thankfully, it’s a simple matter to reload the day and fast-forward to where the action needs to happen. My forgetting aside, the item system is a welcome addition that spices up the formula without changing too much of the core gameplay loop.

The new characters introduced in Hibiscus & Butterfly were intriguing, and I was pleased to see the devs add some neat special effects with the introduction of a banshee who was an aspiring opera singer, and again with a satyr influencer. More aliens and an evolution of the alien character from the first game were other faces I was able to see a little of before my preview ended. Since further developments in prior narratives interested me, I was glad to see that Coffee Talk 2 has found natural continuations of some of these plotlines, especially since they were often struggling with social issues that mirrored what we face in our world, only shown through a fantasy-themed lens of racism and prejudice.

So far, their struggles continue to feel like relatable, down to earth anxieties and tribulations.

This preview is promising, but only the full version will reveal whether Hibiscus & Butterfly lives up to the original. It may not deliver tons of new gameplay mechanics, but the addition of the item system, new tea combinations, and new characters is all I need, and I’m looking forward to another piping hot cup of cozy character stories that Coffee Talk 2 will surely deliver.

*

Coffee talk 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is developed by Toge Productions and published by Chorus Worldwide. The full game is expected to be released in XXXXX.

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HIGH Compelling stories. A variety of body types, genders, sexualities, and representation.

LOW Feels a bit light in overall depth.

WTF AI and Tron-level sci-fi.

Very few games have as much positive representation of queer folks and gamer culture as Arcade Spirits, so when its sequel came across my radar, I was excited to see where they would take it.

Like the first game, Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers (I’ll use TNC for short) is a visual novel dating sim. Although it might add more to the experience, one does not need to have played the original to enjoy this indirect sequel.

TNC‘s new protagonist is an esports gamer looking to make a name for themselves. Along the way they’ll be forced to make choices about how they direct their team, choosing sponsors, how to handle cheating and revenge — and of course since this is still a dating sim, they’ll choose which characters to spend more time with and grow closer to. The core gameplay largely remains the same as the original and adheres to a traditional visual novel style.

When starting, I was pleased to find that one of my previous complaints had been addressed – this time there were a wider variety of body types, clothing, and color options to customize the player character. The options even extended into a somewhat extensive list of pronouns — even neo pronouns — that I wasn’t expecting. I would have still liked a few more choices in clothing and body types, but it was still a range of options that I appreciated. TNC even let me do the same to create a rival who appeared throughout the story.

Once into the game, TNC’s characters appear on-screen with a static background and text below narrates the action and dialogue. Sometimes the player is given conversation options that coincide with personality traits. These include being kind and caring, balanced and thoughtful, boisterous and lively, and more. Each trait is marked with a symbol such as a heart, scales, or explosion.

Also similar to the first Arcade Spirits, some important choices only let the player select from one or two options that align most closely to how they’ve acted up until that point. For example, consistently kind and caring players won’t be able to choose any ‘boisterous’ or ‘hot headed’ options. These indicators helped me shape my personality, but sometimes I didn’t want to think about which ‘type’ of action I was taking, though there is an option to disable the indicators.

TNC offers a diverse cast of characters that let players pursue everything from friendship, dating, and even polyamorous dating in a consensual non-creepy way — yes, I’m looking at you Persona series!. Each character has a different insight and input on the story, giving a high level of replayability. That said, some of the characters were a bit too extreme in their ‘wacky’ personalities to ever be real people. These characters felt a bit unrelatable, like the Robin Hood-ish man dressed in green and speaking as if he was a ren faire cosplayer. Perhaps it’s cool in some regard, but for me it felt a little heavy handed and on-the-nose.

The extremes like this one were, thankfully, limited to only a couple of the main cast and side characters. The rest felt more grounded, if still a bit eccentric. However, it’s not all laughs. Some characters do have serious issues like a man struggling with depression and a woman coming to terms with being unable to achieve her dream. TNC wasn’t afraid to talk about these and other topics like going to therapy, self-harm, and isolation. These character interactions were the high point of my time with the game and I believe were handled in a tactful and thoughtful manner that felt relatable to my own life.

What’s maybe not so relatable were some sci-fi elements that the previous Arcade Spirits alluded to, only now they’re amped up to the level of classic ‘80s movies like Tron or Wargames.

For me, the sci-fi focus detracted slightly from the human elements of the story that drew me in, although I will say that these sections were ultimately used to better illustrate the internal conflicts and struggles of the main character, the antagonists, and well as my main love interest. However, these aspects also served to detract from the internal conflict for me, and I wasn’t sure how to entirely feel about them by the end.

Sci-fi elements aside, the overall story of TNC was almost as engaging as the characters themselves, as it largely focused on the main character’s desire for eSports success and their relationship to self-actualization, and it was gratifying to see my choices reflected so extensively in how the game’s characters interacted with me as it progressed, and the same applies to the endings of the various characters, all due to my interactions and choices.

In terms of criticisms, the “Fist of Discomfort 2” minigame that the characters play is essentially a form of rock/paper/scissors, and predicting my opponent’s moves without hints felt random. However, TNC allows players to skip the minigame and choose the result instead of playing it. (The option to rematch is also there if the player loses.)

The biggest issue I ran into with TNC was a technical one — the game crashed several times and the lack of an autosave or resume feature meant I was forced to save manually and frequently just in case the game decided to crash again.

All in all, I found Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers to be an engaging follow-up to the original. It delivers a fresh, diverse cast while highlighting real struggles that people face in the world, even if we don’t live in a future arcade gamer tech dystopia. Fiction Factory Games have created a well-crafted sequel here, and I look forward to whatever they come up with next!

Disclosures: This game is developed by Fiction Factory Games and published by PQube. It is currently available on XBO, XBX/S, PS4/5, Switch and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch. Approximately 8 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 is rated T and contains Suggestive Themes and Use of Alcohol. All swearing is censored, however, there is a bunch of it appearing as @$*(%! etc. There is also use of alcohol, talk of self harm, murder, and attempted suicide.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. (See examples above.) The subtitles can be altered and/or resized. No sound is needed to play this game. All dialogue and descriptions are in text and clearly formatted. No audio cues are required for any gameplay elements. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. This game does not offer a controller map diagram, but to advance text and select is the A button and + is both to start and the menu options. Y is to track standing with characters and personality gauges.

The post Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Tactical, dynamic combat with cool demons.

LOW Level grinding is required for all but the easiest difficulty.

WTF Mara. Always Mara.

Shin Megami Tensei V (henceforth SMTV) is everything that I expected it to be. As a third-person demon-summoning JRPG that sticks to its grindy, turn-based roots as a long-running series, it made me work for each battle and my time spent with its cast made me think about a rigid sort of morality. For some, this will be an amazing adventure. However, those looking for a more traditional sort of JRPG might not get past the sparse story and repetitive grind.

Ironically, SMT has much in common with another successful, long-running Japanese staple, Pokémon. Like Nintendo’s juggernaut, the SMT games have largely remained the same in terms of gameplay for many years. The core of the experiences both revolve around a turn-based combat system where the player has control of their own character and a party of minions — Pokémon there, demons here. Both titles also focus on tactical use of abilities to strike enemy weaknesses. For example, striking a demon weak to ice with an ice attack does more damage and in SMT‘s case, this can also lead to the player receiving extra turns.

Also like Pokémon, a huge part of the experience is recruiting new minions. However, instead of tossing pokeballs, SMT relies on a demon ‘negotiation’ system, where the player can talk to prospective additions and convince them to join the player. Winning them over often depends on being able to suss out a demon’s personality, which can be quite interesting when dealing with the stranger, less human creatures.

SMT also differentiates itself by offering a ‘fusion’ system that allows the player to combine two (or more) demons together to create a new one that’s more powerful. These new, fused types can sometimes be recruited as well, but fusion generally creates stronger variants and makes them earlier to the player than they would be encountered in the wild.

The method of leveling, like most JRPGs, revolves around combat. The more battles won, the more EXP is obtained. While striking enemies with the right abilities is key, I found that the most effective method of play was to grind to the point I could fuse a demon at or above the level of the enemies I was encountering. I often had to seek out mobs of enemies for a while before my level would be high enough to challenge the next boss, but doing so ensured that battles would go much more smoothly.

Luckily, if grinding isn’t something the player enjoys, lower difficulty settings are available at nearly any time. Doing so will mean that the player will not be able to re-engage a harder difficulty later once they find their feet, however. For me, playing on Easy alleviated some of the grind fatigue I was having, and while fights were still challenging, I was glad to not have to grind levels for an hour before each new boss battle.

The world’s setting is a future, post-apocalyptic Japan. No spoilers here, so I’ll just say that much of the first area, for instance, is a Tokyo filled with nothing but ruins and sand. A war between demons has raged, and as usual, the script focuses on the themes of morality that the SMT series is famous for — here things are not black and white, but instead, broken more into disciplines of law and chaos, freedom or control.

These are interesting themes to me, but while the the cast of characters largely get the job done, there were many instances where I felt as though both the cast and the overall story didn’t live up to their potential. For example, there are moments when players must choose between a ‘good’ and ‘evil’ faction — it seems like there might be more to their motivations, but after simple resolutions, this doesn’t go anywhere. Similarly, characters show up but they never reveal much or grow in a detailed way. This somewhat distanced approach is a hallmark of the SMT series and it’s a bit deeper here in SMTV, but it could have gone further.

While not altogether much different from most of the previous SMT games, SMTV’s visual presentation is clear and easy to use, and features some of the Switch’s best graphics. I did encounter some occasional slowdown or lag, but overall it ran fine and I had few performance complaints. Even so, there is room to improve in future updates.

Like Pokémon, SMTV doesn’t do much to change its formula. Newcomers might want a greater emphasis on story or less grind to the gameplay, but those who are keen for this sort of content will find what might well be the best in the Shin Megami Tensei series thanks to its stylish graphics and engaging tactical gameplay.

Disclosures: This game is developed by Atlus and published by Atlus, Nintendo and Sega. It is currently available on Switch. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch. Approximately 10 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, and Violence. The official description reads as follows: This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a high-school student traversing a nether realm in Tokyo. Players explore the environment, interact with characters, and battle demonic creatures in turn-based combat. Players select weapon and magic attacks/demonic abilities to kill enemies; battles are accompanied by light effects, impact sounds, and screams of pain. Some attacks result in blood-splatter effects, while pools of blood are seen in some areas. Cutscenes depict additional acts of violence: a character impaled through the chest; a character impaling a woman with a sword. The game depicts several female monsters with partially exposed breasts and buttocks; one creature appears with a phallic-shaped head and torso. A handful of demons (e.g., Succubus, Incubus) are described with sexual characteristics (e.g., “They are known to visit men/women in their sleep and have sex with them”; “…said to engage in intercourse with human women….”). The words “f**k” and “sh*t” appear in the game.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. Sometimes demons will make sounds when they are aggro’d them on the world map, but they are also given bright visual indicators to signal this. I found that there are no audio cues needed for successful play, and I would call this a fully accessible experience. in fact there are no sound reliant aspects in this game, very easy to play without any sound.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. There is no control diagram. The left stick is used for movement and the right stick for the camera. The A button is to select, and B is to cancel. Option menus are on face buttons, and players can run by holding the trigger.

The post Shin Megami Tensei V Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Compelling setting and world.

LOW Constant random battles.

WTF The DLC isn’t included for a game this old?!?

After almost twenty years, 2003’s Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (SMT Nocturne) makes its way back to modern consoles with a remaster that updates several aspects up to modern standards, but falls short in key ways that would otherwise have solidified its place as a must-play for the current generation.

Nocturne‘s world has been destroyed, and play begins as it’s in the process of being remade. While this is occurring, the only ones left to witness it are hordes of demons and a few human survivors seeking to shape the still-forming world according to their own desires and morality. This is where Nocturne truly shines. While the narrative isn’t as in-depth as some other SMT titles (see: Persona) it tells a far darker and grittier tale which forces the player to confront different themes relating to the human condition.

Combat is a standard JRPG-style affair, with fights happening randomly before proceeding in turn-based combat with each side getting a certain number of actions. Fights have the goal of unbalancing the enemy team by taking advantage of their weaknesses. However, missing with an attack can cost the player double the number of actions, while smart moves will earn the player more. It’s an intricate system that might make those unfamiliar with this structure feel totally lost, but those who’ve played any of the recent Persona titles will grasp it without too much difficulty.

These battles led me to one of my biggest frustrations about Nocturne — not the difficulty, but the frequency of random battles. Cropping up as often as every five steps, these near-constant encounters slowed the pace of play considerably. Even in areas that were supposedly “safe” or “peaceful”, most had battles that were frequent to the point that I couldn’t even walk from one item shop to the next without fighting at least one battle. This new remaster does add the ability to turn the battles off, but I did need the XP to fight the very difficult bosses. While I found this frequency to be a negative feature, I believe that some players might enjoy a combat-heavy grind such as this.

As I have had experience in playing a little of the original SMT Nocturne back when it was released, as well as several others in the SMT and Persona titles, I knew (to a certain extent) what to expect jumping back into it apart from the prevalent fights. The adventure is famously punishing, and throws the player in the deep end right off the bat. Even for an experienced JRPG and SMT veteran like myself, I found this to be somewhat frustrating when it came to things like how it handled core systems such as talking and negotiating with demons — things as key as this shouldn’t be hidden in menus, yet they are.

In terms of what’s specifically new to this remaster, there are some notable improvements that stand out. First, the graphics have had a slight update, and while it definitely looks like a PS2 game, the visuals are cohesive overall and definitely won’t be much of an issue if someone is playing on a lower spec system like the Switch. Another feature is the recast and re-recorded voice acting, which now sounds consistently well-done and professional across the board.

As far as the rest goes, the player can now suspend their game or change the difficulty at any time. Otherwise, everything else is pretty much as it was in the original release except for one confusing choice — the original Nocturne DLC is not included in with the core game. Instead, players are asked to buy it separately, and for a game this old, such a move is inexcusable. Considering that for nearly the same price it’s possible to get a remaster such as the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition containing all of the available DLC and three complete games, this seems like a misstep.

In contrast to the lighter, peppier Persona titles that Atlus has been putting out lately, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a more hardcore experience delivering a tactical, in-depth RPG with a unique setting and a presentation that’s been brushed off around the edges for modern players.

Disclosures: This game is developed by Atlus and published by Atlus. It is currently available on PS4, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch. Approximately 10 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language and Violence. The official ESRB description reads as follows: This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a student transformed into a half-demon in Tokyo. From a third-person perspective, players explore Tokyo, interact with demons, and engage in turn-based battles with enemy creatures. Players use melee attacks, magic spells, and demons’ abilities to kill enemies. Battles are sometimes frenetic, accompanied by screen-shaking effects, bursts of lights, and impact sounds. Some sequences depict additional acts of violence and blood: a bloodied man snapping a character’s neck; characters lying in corridors, stained with streaks of blood; a character wearing the skinned faces of his victims. The game contains some sexual material: topless female demons; a demonic creature with a phallic-shaped head and torso; demons with suggestive traits referenced in text (e.g., “Succubus”; “They visit women in their sleep and have sexual intercourse with them”; “Like their mother, they have sex with men at night”; “The victims won’t wake up during sex…”). The word “f**k” is heard in the game.                                                      

 Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. There is no issue playing without sound. All dialogue has subtitles and no sound effects are used without a text or graphical representation. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. This game does not offer a controller map diagram, but movement is on the left stick. Camera is the right stick. Interacting with things and menus is A and B is back on menus. D-pad is also used to navigate menus. X is the map and Y is the status menu.

The post Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The story and characters.

LOW Damage sponge enemies.

WTF Is this an action game or a cooking and travel show?

Persona 5 Strikers (P5S) might seem like a standard musou action game in the 1-vs-1000 Dynasty Warriors style, but in a surprise move it’s essentially a full-on sequel to Persona 5.

While P5 was a true JRPG in the sense that it offered turn-based combat and tactical thinking much like the earlier Persona and Shin Megami Tensei titles that inspired it, P5S does away with that formula and replaces it with realtime action. It also sacrifices a few other series staples to better match this new style of play, but overall it’s a short – yet sweet – continuation of the Phantom Thieves story.

For those thinking of jumping into P5S without playing P5 first, my sense is that they’ll undoubtedly be lost. Strikers picks up roughly a year after the events of P5 and does nothing to explain the world, the characters, or the events that came before.

For those already familiar with P5, they’ll know that its action took place inside Palaces, but Strikers introduces new levels called “Jails”. These Jails are all custom-crafted (not randomized) and have challenges to overcome, most of which revolve around engaging waves of Shadows inside combat arenas.

Once in the thick of it, the player most often controls Joker, but I would often switch between party members to control the flow of combos and to hit enemies’ weak points. This was mostly entertaining, although to be honest, I did miss the turn-based combat — heroes versus large numbers of opponents feels far less tactical and overly hectic at times.

Also, some fights would devolve into long slugfests where I would successfully launch combos and target weaknesses, yet a brawl would still drag on to the point that it felt excessive. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case for every opponent, but it cropped up enough to dampen the core gameplay loop.

Once players get a handle on this new combat, they’ll notice that everything else advances in typical Persona fashion by slowly building up the story and characters. Outside of Jails, Persona 5 lets the player explore the city, go shopping, speak to party members, cook and take care of inventory management. These segments are much-needed breaks from the action. This is also a great time to equip and level Personas, as well as combine them into new ones. This series hallmark is simplified here, but the alteration fits the more streamlined approach of P5S.

Another aspect that’s been trimmed is the Social Link system, now replaced with a group “Bond” stat where the player gains points to spend on a board of abilities and stat boosts that benefit the entire party. While I missed the rich sidestories that shone in P5 and other Persona games, the Bond system makes sense as the campaign unfolds into a road trip across Japan. That said, I did wish for a few more personal character moments.

As a way of compensating for the lack of Social Links, P5S includes “Requests” — arbitrary Achievement-like tasks that ask the player to return to prior Jails. The few that stood out were those regarding my own companions, but the scenes that act as a reward only come in the form of dialogue. It’s disappointing, as doing these is often necessary to increase Bonds, which in turn increases combat effectiveness.  

With the knowledge that P5S makes several large changes to the traditional Persona experience, I will say that Strikers absolutely delivers as a sequel in terms of narrative. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, who was behind what plot, and to delve deeper into the psyche and trauma of the new cast. Much of the game also highlights discovering and enjoying food together throughout the country – entertaining, and a viable way to get some of the best items!

While not for first-time Persona players, Persona 5 Strikers absolutely delivers an unexpected sequel to P5 by offering an engrossing story and more time with these charming characters. Also, at roughly thirty to forty hours, it’s certainly a faster ride than its nearly two hundred hour predecessor — not a bad thing, since it left me hungry for another adventure with this crew.

Disclosures: This game is developed by Atlus, Omega Force and P Studio, and published by Atlus and Sega. It is currently available on Switch, PS4 and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS4. Approximately 30 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 is rated M and contains Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, and Violence. The official ESRB description reads as follows: This is an action role-playing game in which players follow high-school students operating as Phantom Thieves in two different worlds. As players explore dungeon-like areas, they engage in battles against fantastical creatures (e.g., demons, evil spirits, shadow creatures). Characters use blades, guns, and Personas (i.e., creatures with magical powers/attacks) to defeat enemies. Combat can be frenetic, highlighted by impact sounds, occasional gunfire, and cries of pain. One dungeon contains several large bloodstains on the floor/walls; characters occasionally rip masks off their faces, resulting in splashes of blood. Several female monsters/demons/Personas are depicted with partially exposed breasts, and one creature has a phallic-shaped head and torso. Various Personas (e.g., Succubus) have sexual characteristics described in text (e.g., “A demon who tempts sleeping men…”; “They visit sleeping men and have sexual intercourse with them.”). The words “f**k” and “sh*t” appear in the dialogue.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. Subtitles are large and easy to read on the default setting, and they can be resized. The game uses visual cues for all information, and audio cues have visual tags. During combat, dialogue text appears on the top-right side of the screen and can be difficult to read while fighting.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. This game does not offer a controller map diagram, but movement is on the left stick. Camera is the right stick. Jumping is X. Selecting items on menus is also X. Combat controls use all buttons on various combinations of the face and shoulder buttons to cast Personas and move combinations.

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Getting right down to business, Nikki Waln foregoes any preamble and drops her top ten!

1 – Cyberpunk 2077

I realize this game is somewhat controversial, but by no means is it the only controversial pick on my list. When I first booted it up on PS4 I thought it was flawed and buggy. I even had a few crashes as I played over the first week or so, but I began to slowly fall in love with it. Perhaps it’s the setting, the world, the story, or the characters, but something gripped me. Getting in on PC made it even more so, as I’ve now completed it with four different endings and played characters for every life path with different builds. I keep coming back to it over and over, with over 100 hours in and no sign of stopping. Development issues aside, this is truly an amazing game with great storytelling, amazing action, and an engrossing world.

2 – Hades

Until Cyberpunk gripped me in the way it did, this was my Game of the Year — and depending on how you decide the cutoff point for 2020 releases, it still is. While I’m not normally a fan of roguelikes, Hades has a compelling cast of characters, an exciting premise, and weaves a compelling story into its narrative. I’ve never been more excited (outside of a Souls game) to die over and over again.

3 – The Last of Us Part II

This was a very personal game for me — so much so that I wrote a piece entirely about it. Aside from how I related to its story and characters, TLOU2 had amazing graphics and gameplay, but most of all it told a compelling story that tore my heart out and crushed it into pieces (for the most part) in a compelling and engaging way. I had a couple of gripes with pacing that prevents it from taking the throne from Hades and it doesn’t have the replayability of something like Cyberpunk for me, but it’s still an amazing game.

4 – Ghost of Tsushima

I’ve been wanting a samurai open-world game for years now, well before Assassin’s Creed came out. I’ve always wondered why no one made one, but now that one is here, it blew me away with amazing graphics — perhaps the best we’ll ever see on the PS4 generation — and a compelling story with gameplay that avoids much of the busywork and leveling issues I have with current AC titles. Now with the included multiplayer mode, there are reasons to return to it. While I would have liked more character customization and not to be stuck in a pre-set character, it hardly diminished my enjoyment.

5 – Persona 5 Royal (International Release)

Technically an updated version of the original (and even more technically, the Japanese edition was released in 2019) this is included on my list since it was released in 2020 internationally. The Persona franchise, despite some glaring problems, is one of my favorites and P5R nearly takes the cake. Having spent almost 200 hours on this, it was one of the few I’ve bothered to platinum on PS4. I can’t stress enough how the stylish visuals, entertaining gameplay, and engrossing story pull me in over and over.

6 – Arcade Hearts

I reviewed this game for GameCritics and loved it to death. While it didn’t have the most amazing story in the world and the character customization was a bit lacking, it still had heart, charm, and style, all of which I loved.

7 – Star Wars Squadrons

I’m a huge fan of the older X-Wing and Tie-Fighter games. I played all of Tie-Fighter back in the day, completing everything I possibly could. The Rogue Squadron titles came close, but never quite grasped the level of immersion I felt with those older titles. This year’s Squadrons, however, did. Of course, VR helps but even without it, the game filled the notable gap left by the absence of an immersive Star Wars combat sim. While I’ve fallen off playing it due to limited time, it’s one I definitely want to return to again.

8 – Yes, Your Grace

Though in some ways deceptively linear, I found Yes, Your Grace to be a charming and engrossing tale, and one which still holds a strong place in my memory. Though it’s just simple pixel art, I cared about all the characters and thought often about holding court and deciding the fate of the nation. It’s a quick playth, but one well worth experiencing.

9 – Valorant

I don’t normally get into multiplayer games as I gravitate to stories, but I found Valorant gripped me more than I expected it to. Overwatch and Apex, (both similar games that I’ve enjoyed for their characters) have done similar things, but having now spent some time with Valorant, I do find it to be one of the best out there. Its biggest problem are people who quit out mid-match, dooming your team to a slow defeat and hours of wasted time. Once this improves, it would perhaps be one of my favorite multiplayer games, and not just the best multiplayer released in 2020.

10 – Doom Eternal

This would have been higher on the list if it wasn’t for the platforming. I’m not great at platformers at the best of times, and its inclusion here just threw me, broke up the action in a tedious way, and limited my enjoyment of the game as a whole. That said, it still made my list because I really enjoyed my time with it overall. It had a more interesting story compared to the last installment, and its frenetic gameplay was a welcome change of pace from the likes of Animal Crossing (which I also loved, but it didn’t quite make this list!)

…And finally, a few games that I’ve only scratched the service of like Nioh 2, Resident Evil 3 Remake, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Genshin Impact would likely have been honorable mentions along with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but I didn’t get enough playtime with them — I purchased them all at the end of the year, or they’ve been sitting on my hardware for a while!

*

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HIGH Engaging choices and story.

LOW The first act is too short.

WTF Who’s talking to me?

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Heart Of The Forest (WtA:HotF).

I’ve played both the World of Darkness (WoD) tabletop games and Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines, I’m familiar with the general lore and the setting of the IP, but I was going in to Werewolf blind. However, I’m happy to report that after just a few minutes, I was pulled by a strong narrative and world.

WtA:HotF is a visual novel where almost all the gameplay involves reading prose text on the left side of the screen and making choices that branch out and define the player’s character – Maia, a werewolf girl returning to her ancestral home in Poland after being drawn there by dreams of a dark forest.

The main conflict is inspired by real-life events in the Polish forest of Bialowieza. The forest was being logged, and the work sparked massive protests. I hesitate to reveal too much of the plot since much of WtA:HotF’s appeal is how it reveals information to the player, but I can say that it’s a gripping tale.

As I made choices as Maia, her character developed. For instance, I tended to analyze problems and find solutions that made my ‘analytical’ stat increase. This later translated to my werewolf stats by making me more cautious. Similar choices continue and develop as the story progresses.

Further in, I was given branching options between places to go and people to speak to. While I could go back to some locations and conversations, some were cut off after I making another choice.

Another aspect of WtA:HotF’s are the Rage, Willpower, and Health statistics. These are key stats that are always at the top of the screen, and they act like a currency. If they were zeroed out, it meant that I would be unable to make certain choices.

For example, Rage is tied to the essence of being a werewolf and governs whether Maia is able to make rational choices. It can also act as a boldness that inspires action (like being able to fight off attackers) when the rating is high. However, this can also lead to overly-hostile actions including murder. Willpower enables Maia to make scary or difficult choices, and Health handles whether Maia is ‘impaired’ or not.

In addition, Maia’s shifts from human to werewolf are an exciting narrative element.After her first shift, the game will have her transform back and forth at key points. Again, I don’t wish to spoil the story, but the stats based on my previous choices and a choice of wolf forms vary the experience and give options in narrative situations. Does Maia handle something as a human, or as a total killing machine?

Unfortunately, just as these gameplay elements are fully introduced and the story gained momentum, the game ended. In some ways it’s a testament to how engaging the experience was, but less than an hour after major revelations, the story was over.

Another disappointment was the art. While WtA:HotF’s visuals are striking and unique thanks to an almost abstract style featuring dark shadows and bold colors, it’s so abstract that I was left uncertain of what characters looked like and who was who.

As text is in a prose format on the left side of the screen (including dialogue) the end result was more akin to reading a book with abstract illustrations than it was a traditional visual novel. This didn’t ruin the experience, but once my character became a werewolf, the cast shifted to their wolf sides and I found it even harder to track who was who, and who was saying what.

Ultimately, the climax of the story was driven by the choices I had made along the way, and each stacked upon the other — by the end, I felt happy with where Maia landed, though I could see how other choices could have made a differences. The ending, like the game itself, felt short, but I found its worth replaying and it left me with strong emotions.

Disclosures: This game is developed by Different Tales and published by Walkabout Different Tales. It is currently available on PC and macOS. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 3 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: There is no ESRB rating, however, there is quite a lot of described violence and some disturbing images rendered in an abstract style — heads and limbs get ripped off. There is also some additional language and light sexual content, but nothing I encountered was as explicit as the violence.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available in the options.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are music and sound effects, but all text and important sound effects are described in prose on the left hand side. There is no spoken dialogue.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. This game does not offer a controller map diagram, but all gameplay is done by selecting options with a mouse or hovering over highlighted text for information, all point and click text.

The post Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart Of The Forest Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Classic turn-based tactical gameplay.

LOW Weak Story.

WTF French people speaking Chinese.

The very first thing I noticed when booting up Banner of the Maid was how similar it felt was to classic turn-based tactics titles like Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics. From the beautiful 2D isometric battle maps to the way combat is divided into phases, to characters that ooze gorgeous design, it’s clear that Banner is drawing from the genre’s best as inspiration.

Banner starts right off in an alternate reality where magic is real. Those who wield it are called witches or “maids”, and they can help influence others. The player is Pauline, the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte – a real historical figure, although in real life she was not involved in war. This alt-universe take on the French Revolution is a fascinating one that had me interacting with many famous figures like Robespierre and Marie Antoinette — and thankfully, it’s far less bloody than the real one was.

I enjoy turn-based gameplay in both RPG and tactics flavors, and the mechanics in Banner are top notch. While it’s based on a traditional rock/paper/scissors model where one type of weapon trumps another, Banner offers a lot of depth with eventual class upgrades, skills, items, and more. This isn’t necessarily anything new for the genre, but it delivers the staples well.

In terms of difficulty, Banner is challenging, but not insanely or unfairly so. I had to repeat and load many times, and victory came when I thought tactically and planned out each turn (and sometimes several) ahead to win. While sometimes punishing, it was ultimately a rewarding experience that gave me an immense feeling of accomplishment when I pulled off tight victories. Thankfully, Banner does not use ‘permadeath’ mechanics, as I lost at least a unit or two in nearly every battle.

Outside of the combat, the story advances like a visual novel with limited interactions that can influence the story, as well as the player’s standing with various factions such as the Royalists, or the people of France. The higher one’s standing, the better items that are available to buy and the more sidequests that are unlocked. I quite enjoyed this aspect, and was relieved to find that my decisions to support one faction over another never decreased my standing with the ones I didn’t choose.

While the standing mechanics are solid, the story is a bit dry. Pauline’s band fights for France and steadily get embroiled with different factions. Sadly, it’s not particularly compelling. The characters’ personalities are bland and they’re essentially one-note stereotypes such as the ‘nerdy’ character, the ‘grizzled veteran’, the ‘go getter’ and so on. However, their visual designs were amazing — each one has a distinctive style. Some of the female characters could stand to be slightly less sexualized, but I was a fan.

In essence, Banner of the Maid is a great tactical RPG that hits some of the best high points (mechanically) of the genre, but when I compare it to classics like Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics, I can’t help but feel like the genre has improved so much since then, especially when it comes to player amenities like time rewinds, quicksaves, easy inventory management, and so forth — all things that Banner is lacking.

While Banner of the Maid nails the core mechanics and captures the essence of the genre, it’s hard to ignore the lackluster story and lack of modern features that are found in much of the competition. Its tactical RPG side shines and remains a solid choice for fans of the genre who appreciate the classic formula, but a little more polish wouldn’t hurt.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Azure Flame Studio and published by Beijing Zhongdian Boya Technology Co., Ltd. and CE-Asia Co., Ltd. It is currently available on Switch, PS4, XBO, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T and contains Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes. Soldiers shoot each other in combat, however the graphics are very small and cartoonish. The character designs can be very suggestive and sexualized.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available in the options.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Everything is presented via text and there are no audio contextual cues. There is no way to resize or alter the subtitles. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. There is no controller diagram. To select menus and units with the left stick. A is to select and B is back. The + button on switch will bring up the menu to save, load, skip turn, etc in combat.

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