MiracSpectac

A remake so poor it somehow managed to go back in time and ruin the game it was supposed to improve. That's dedication, about all it is.

Truly a return to form for the Legend of Zelda series. It perfectly blends the feeling of the original LoZ title with modern gameplay mechanics in a 3D environment. Though the thin story content doesn't nearly live up to the previous titles, it makes up for it by building a better world. There's so much to do, you just get lost. I'm the kind of player who usually follows the main story quest, unlikely to veer into side quests, but this game makes you want to explore and go on an adventure.

Though I can imagine not everyone would be captivated by Life is Strange's story, it's unquestionably moving. Upon completing the game, I found myself lost in emotion for days. This is certainly one you have to play for yourself.

PUBG is an undeniably unique experience that is plagued by poor development and early acclaim. For a game now out of early access, its offerings are horribly underwhelming. Having limited customization, maps, modes, really any sort of content, it's amazing how this game could ever get out of beta. Not to mention it serves as one of the most poorly optimized games on the market today. To call this a bad game would be an injustice to the amazing experience it provides, but to say it's anything but "good" in its current state would be spitting in the face of its predecessors.

V3 is an unfortunate stain on what is otherwise a brilliant series. Virtually nothing about this game improves on the previous entries. From the characters to the cases, it's all a big step down. I didn't care when most people died, I even figured out some of the cases well before their trial, both reasonably new experiences for me as a Danganronpa player. It's still a compelling game, definitely worth playing, but it doesn't live up to the legacy.

Having read so many conflicting things about this game before release, I was really apprehensive to pick it up. However, I'm glad I did. Being a fan of both Nier and Bayonetta, I really appreciated the "middle of the road" approach to combat in this game. It's really simple enough to feel uninhibited but makes every fight somehow feel like some epic challenge. This is really where the game shines, but everything else is just OK, nothing too special here. The story is fairly uninteresting beyond some fun characters and the features of the game, like customization and upgrades, are pretty bare bones. This definitely could've benefitted from some more time in the cooker, but it's still a fun game that will hopefully see an even better sequel.

Resident Evil VII is a very fun and greatly compelling game. It creates a solid atmosphere and really pushes the series into exciting new directions. However, I feel much of what makes survival horror games so amazing is missing here. Everything feels kinda scripted, there are few moments that I felt in danger of anything. Nothing even resembling a normal enemy shows up until you're almost finished with the game, and that makes things kinda dull beyond the greatly telegraphed appearances of The Family. Compare that to the original Resident Evil or Silent Hill games where danger lurks beyond nearly every corner, there's just no comparison in my mind. I don't mind a change, this game is great mechanically, but gutting these elements is a mistake for such an established franchise.

As someone who despised what Bungie did with the first Destiny, I must say that its sequel was a pleasant surprise. It feels like an improvement in every possible way from the story to the multiplayer. It's still not perfect and has a lot of the same problems that plagued the original, but it's hard to knock such an improvement.

As someone who was quite skeptical of the first Splatoon, this sequel has done a great job improving on the base mechanics and alleviating my doubts about the concept. It's fast, quirky and fun with a great soundtrack to boot. But while it does do a great job improving on the original, I feel it doesn't do nearly enough. I believe the original displayed an interesting concept that didn't work whereas Splatoon 2 improves these mechanics showing that it can work, though the lack of compelling modes doesn't really create a game that begs to be played. I still believe it's a great game, but after a couple entries the series is still rough around the edges.

Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 is yet another expansion of an already vast and diverse fighter. Though there are a lot of mechanical difficulties to overcome, the game itself does a wonderful job of teaching new players the complexities of the game. However, due to these complexities, it does make for what I would consider to be an often overcomplicated fighter. If that's your thing, you'll love this, but some obstacles feel unnecessary.

Even though we've had another season of content since release, I'm reviewing based on the release date content. There's a lot to love with SFV. I personally hated SFIV and I'm glad this game is a return to form, bringing back a lot of the magic some of the original games had. Unfortunately, the lack of content, the questionable artistic choice and the instability of the netcode puts a huge damper on this otherwise improved entry. I still believe it's a good fighter, but it definitely needs improvement.

As a longtime fan of Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, this game is delightful. Even putting those biases aside, it's a very fun games that's bound to **** up hours upon hours of your time. Only gripe would be that the actual content feels pretty thin at times, but what more could you expect from a $15 title?

Having never owned the original Mario Kart 8, I see Deluxe as a game filled to the brim with interesting racing content that is sure to bring fun times with friends. However, as with many of the recent installments of the Mario Kart series, it tries to do too much. With plenty of items and kart choices, it makes an absolute mess of the genre. It feels as though item exploitation, along with a little luck, is more than often what wins the race. All in all, this makes Mario Kart 8 feel like another step back rather than a significant improvement over predecessors.

Having been one of the unfortunate saps who preordered this game, I thought I would go back and express my discontent. This game is/was horrible. Practically nothing beyond basic gunplay was done even remotely well. I started and stopped playing within a couple weeks of release, and I certainly regretted buying it.

Injustice 2 certainly isn't a bad fighter, but I definitely wouldn't consider it one of the best. The overall presentation is pretty good, and new additions like the gear system are fun & welcoming for casual players. However, the story does not live up to the original and the fighting mechanics are still odd/clunky. It's the kind of experience that casual players will be quick to forget and serious players will be apprehensive to adopt.

Nier: Automata is an absolutely stunning experience. The music and atmosphere will instantly hook you as the deep and compelling story keeps you going. Although the overall narrative could've used a bit more direction, that doesn't take away from how otherwise magnificent this game is.

For me, Tekken 7 is the best entry in the series since 3. It offers a very solid base with great visuals and a punchy soundtrack. I feel like there's not a lot to hate here beyond the questionable rage art system, just a solid Tekken game.

A fun and exciting return for Ratchet & Clank. Though it doesn't really offer anything too unique in the realm of 3D platformers, it does everything very well.

Having no intentions of getting the game prior to a couple weeks before release, I took a chance with Horizon Zero Dawn and ended up falling in love. The game creates a world you can really sink your teeth into with very natural side quests and a wide variety of enemies to encounter. This is very complimentary to the main story, which draws you in with it's mystery and promise of new areas to explore. My biggest complaint with this aspect is that the places you explore start to feel a little monotonous, but it keeps it fresh enough by the time its campaign ends.

Though having been surrounded by friends who love Persona and even owning Persona 4 myself, I never felt compelled by the series. I love RPGs and the aesthetic was very unique, but there was always something preventing me from putting in the 80+ hours it takes to beat one. Well, Persona 5 is the first entry that actively makes me desire to play it. That's not a mark against the previous games, this one just seems to appeal to a wider audience. The dynamic music, the snappy combat, the intense environments, it all makes for a fantastic game that is sure to be remembered for some time.

Without a doubt the second biggest disappointment of my time in gaming. Beyond basic gunplay, which has been developed over a decade, this game does virtually nothing right. It still boggles my mind that people fervently defend this game when it seems so indefensible. The world, the loot, the quests, the story, the multiplayer, it's all so bare bones and uninspiring. Truly an example for the ages of how not to build this kind of FPS.

Fire Emblem Warriors is a generally fun title with a lot of cool little gameplay mechanics, though it's greatly held back by the Musou formula. What might otherwise be a fantastic title is just an OK one because of this unfortunate fact.

Having never played Danganronpa before, this collection was mind-blowing for me. I found myself completely engulfed in the two games for about a week and couldn't seem to pull myself away. The games are a story of great intrigue and mystery, the likes of which I haven't experienced in similar investigation-style games. It's an absolute gem of a series, and I often recommend it to everyone I can.

As a follow-up to the awesome return of Wolfenstein, this installment is nothing short of a disappointment. Though unquestionably fun at times, the story is half-baked and the levels are generally uninspiring. I would say that the short length of this full price title would be a relief after a comment like that, but it's just another disappointment. The only redeeming quality is the combat, which makes for a thrilling experience.

Super Mario Odyssey is unquestionably the greatest Mario adventure since Super Mario Sunshine. With charm and content abound, it's simply a good time from start to finish (and beyond). My only serious complaint would be with the moon system; there are simply too many. You collect moons so often throughout the initial play-through that it hardly warrants any response. It's almost like breathing, and it makes for a rather uninspiring quest. However, if you just look towards the adventure itself, it's still an experience deserving of the highest praise.