Tempest20

Before I start, I need to explain where I’m coming from. Nioh 2 is my favorite Souls-like game ever. Not necessarily the best in the genre, but personally? It’s number one for me. I put 200+ hours into it, played every DLC, experimented with builds, and basically squeezed everything that game had to offer. So when Nioh 3 was announced, I was hyped. Especially because there was a point where people thought the series was done after Xbox bought team ninja. When this game was revealed, it instantly became my most anticipated game of the year. And honestly? …I’m disappointed. Enemy Variety (Biggest Problem) The biggest issue for me is how many enemies feel like they were pulled straight from Nioh 2. Yes, there are some new ones, and I appreciate that. But overall, it often feels like you’re fighting the same enemies you’ve already spent hundreds of hours fighting before. Because of that, the game sometimes feels less like a true sequel and more like an expansion for Nioh 2. For longtime fans, that’s frustrating. Gameplay Changes To give credit where it’s due, the gameplay is still very good. The core combat is still classic Nioh — fast, technical, and satisfying. One of the major new ideas is the style switching system, where you can shift between different combat styles like Samurai and Ninja. Each style has different weapons, equipment, accessories, and approaches to combat. I see what they were going for. But personally? I’m not really a fan of it. In Nioh 2, I liked focusing on one weapon and mastering it. Here it feels like the game is constantly nudging you toward juggling multiple styles instead of committing to one. Some players will probably love the added variety, but for me it diluted the focus. That said, the weapon variety is still great, and mechanically the combat remains one of the best in the genre. Story I’m going to be honest here: Nobody plays Nioh for the story. The story is fine. It exists. It’s serviceable. But it’s not winning any awards, and it’s definitely not the reason people buy this game. Difficulty Another thing that surprised me: the game isn’t that hard. Compared to earlier entries, I didn’t find myself struggling much. There are spikes here and there, but overall the difficulty felt lower than I expected — especially as someone who played through the entire game solo with no summons. Personally, that’s how I think Souls-likes should be played anyway: You beat it yourself first. Graphics On the positive side, the graphics look great. The environments and visual effects are strong, and the game definitely looks like a modern upgrade. DLC Concerns I actually pre-ordered the game, but I almost bought the full version with the season pass included. Now I’m honestly glad I didn’t. Maybe the DLC will add: new Yokai new weapons But the base game right now feels like it’s missing that “wow” factor. Final Thoughts If Nioh 2 was one of your favorite games then I dont know how you can really enjoy this game as it is. However if you never played nioh series before then 100% pick up Nioh 3 you will love it. It’s not a bad game. Not even close. The combat is still strong, the visuals are good, and fans of the formula will still enjoy it. But it feels too familiar. And in a year where gamers have limited time and tons of competition — from big releases like Resident Evil entries and other upcoming titles — I expected Nioh 3 to dominate my playtime. Instead, I find myself feeling like I’m forcing myself to keep playing. Maybe it’s because I’m older. Or maybe it’s just because Nioh 3 reminds me so much of Nioh 2… that I’d almost rather just replay Nioh 2. It’s still a good game. But coming from the high bar set by its predecessor, it ends up feeling just… alright. Im gonna update this later....

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I’ll be upfront: I’m not deeply versed in the Digimon universe. Growing up, I liked Digimon — but Pokémon absolutely eclipsed it. If you grew up in the early ’90s, you already know what I mean. Pokémon wasn’t just popular — it was everywhere. TV, toys, stores, even QVC selling cards. Digimon always felt like the quieter, more mature cousin. And honestly? That perception still holds. Digimon has always felt more complicated, more “anime,” more willing to lean into darker themes and systems. With Digimon Time Stranger, that identity really shines. At its core, the gameplay will feel familiar if you’ve ever played Pokémon: Capture creatures Train them Battle with them Level them up Evolve them If you understand that loop, you’ll understand this game immediately. The big difference? Execution. The game looks great. The Digimon models are clean, expressive, and animated well. The attack animations in particular stood out — flashy without being annoying, and genuinely fun to watch. That said, there is some reuse in enemy design. You’ll notice things like: An ice wizard Digimon A regular wizard Digimon Same model, different color palette. It didn’t bother me much, but I can see how some people might not love that. The controls are exactly what you’d want from a turn-based RPG — smooth, responsive, nothing clunky. The sound design is solid, and I really appreciated that the game includes overworld encounters where your Digimon can engage enemies without constantly forcing full battles. Huge quality-of-life win. The story started off slow. I wasn’t hooked right away. But it does pick up and when it does there are legitimate twists and turns that caught me off guard. It ends up being far more engaging than I expected, especially for a monster-collecting RPG. By the time I was deep into it, I was genuinely invested. I can’t avoid the Pokémon comparison — and honestly, I don’t want to. If we’re talking modern Pokémon games (as of 2026) Digimon Time Stranger is miles ahead. To me, Pokémon has become watered-down, overly easy, and borderline soulless. There’s little replayability, almost no challenge, and the designs lately just feel lazy. Keys. Swords. Tree stumps. Garbage bags. It often feels like anything they can put face on becomes Pokémon. Digimon isn’t perfect — there are absolutely some weird designs (toy Digimon, questionable concepts, etc.) — but it at least tries to be interesting. That said, Digimon has its own barrier to entry. The biggest downside is if you like me and only really know few of generation 1 Digimon then yeah — you’re going to be lost with a huge chunk of the roster. Let’s talk about Digimon evolution for a second. It makes absolutely no sense. Im not sure if that’s intentional or just tradition at this point, but the memes exist for a reason. One Digimon turns into something completely unrelated, and you just kind of have to accept it lol Its ok. If you can pick up for $30-$40 give it shot.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Outside of games made by FromSoftware, Nioh 2 is easily one of my favorite Souls-like experiences ever. If FromSoftware is the undisputed king of brutally challenging action RPGs, then Team Ninja is right behind them — and Nioh 2 is the proof. This game is all about the gameplay loop, and that loop is addicting as hell. The combat is deep, fast, technical, and endlessly rewarding. Stances, weapon types, yokai abilities, builds — there’s always something to master, something to optimize, something to grind for. And that grind? I loved every second of it. Chasing better loot, refining builds, squeezing every ounce of power out of your character — this game feeds that part of your brain. The multiplayer deserves special praise. Playing online with other people, running missions together, experimenting with builds, helping each other through brutal encounters — it added hundreds of hours to my experience. This is the kind of game where co-op doesn’t just exist, it enhances everything. The story? Honestly… it’s better than people give it credit for. You’re obviously not here for some deep, cinematic narrative — this isn’t that kind of game — but for what it is, the story works. It gives the world context, flavor, and just enough motivation to keep things moving. It never got in the way, and at times, it genuinely surprised me. I put hundreds of hours into Nioh 2. Played every DLC. Got the platinum trophy. And I didn’t stop because I got bored — not even close. If I had to guess, it was probably another game dropping, or just real life doing what real life does: work, kids, responsibilities. That’s the only reason I stepped away. If you haven’t played Nioh 2 yet? It’s still an excellent game. Full stop. I can’t really speak on how active the servers are in 2026 lol, but even solo, the experience holds up. And with Nioh 3 weeks away if you able to just pick that up instead. My expectations are sky-high. If Nioh 3 is even remotely close to Nioh 2 in quality, then we’re talking about another absolute banger. So here’s the honest take: Nioh 2 WAS a must-buy It’s still a fantastic game today Nioh 2 stands tall as one of the best non-FromSoftware Souls-likes ever made — andO cant wait for Nioh 3

If you’ve read my other reviews, you already know the context: Persona 5 Royal is my favorite game of all time. So when Atlus announced Metaphor: ReFantazio, I went in with an open mind — not expecting Persona, but expecting quality. And let’s get this out of the way immediately: Atlus does not miss when it comes to gameplay. Ever. The combat? 10/10. Tight, satisfying, strategic, and polished — the kind of turn-based system Atlus has perfected over decades. If you like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei–style mechanics, this game absolutely delivers there. The systems are solid, the flow feels good, and moment-to-moment gameplay is genuinely fun. The world? The art? The color palette? Objectively impressive. Creative. Well-designed. …but personally? Not my cup of tea. I’m more into the flashy, bold, high-contrast style of Persona — the pop, the attitude, the visual swagger. Metaphor goes for something more subdued, more painterly, more traditional fantasy. And while I can absolutely respect how good it looks, it just didn’t grab me the same way. Voice acting is solid across the board, but here’s where personal taste really kicks in: the accents just didn’t land for me. That’s not a knock on quality — it’s just one of those subjective things. Some people will love it. I didn’t connect with it. And that leads to the biggest reason this landed at a 5/10 for me: The Story. As a massive fan of Persona — and Atlus storytelling in general — I went in expecting narrative twists, emotional hooks, and layered themes. Instead, I found myself figuring out where the story was going very early on. Nothing surprised me. Nothing really stuck with me. It wasn’t bad — it just didn’t pull me in. That’s the recurring theme here: This is not a bad game. It’s a good JRPG with great mechanics, strong production values, and clear artistic vision. But for me, it doesn’t touch: Any Persona game Any Shin Megami Tensei game Which makes it hard for me to understand the higher scores it’s getting personally, especially when you’ve already experienced Atlus at their absolute peak. If you love turn-based JRPGs… If you like Atlus gameplay systems… If you’re looking for a beautifully crafted fantasy world… This game might click for you. If you’re coming in chasing that Persona itch? It won’t fully satisfy it — but it might scratch it a little. For me? It just made one thing very clear: …I really can’t wait for Persona 6.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]