TheRavingTimes

Let me get this out of the way, but I've been a huge fan of the Fire Emblem series ever since I played Shadow Dragon. However, I'd argue that Fire Emblem Gaiden is one of the worst games in the franchise due to terrible map designs, gameplay choices and a plot that barely makes sense. Thankfully Echoes tries its best to resolve these issues to the best of its abilities. Realistically, there's no way to work around the poor map design that forced players to spend 10-20 turns moving their units to the enemies front-lines. Thankfully, the poor gameplay mechanics from Gaiden have been altered to add a little more depth ranging from skills that can activate during battle at the cost of HP, the ability to arrange your units before non-dungeon battles and supports to give your units a small boost in battle. However, compared to Awakening and Fates there is a LOT of content that remained absent ranging from the ability to pair units, carry more than one item/weapon, the weapon triangle, equipable skills and A LOT more. Thankfully the battles are more fast-paced and the inclusion of full-voice acting during in-game dialogue. The dungeons you can explore are a nice addition, though controlling Alm/Celica in these dungeons feel stiff and sometimes I'm ambushed by a bandit or a terror due to these poor controls. The music is also amazing, though it easily pales in comparison to Fates OST. A majority of the characters in this game are fairly interesting, though it feels like they either fit the category of offering relevance to the plot (like Lukas, Clive and both protagonists) or exist for the comedic value (like Gray, Tobin, Mae and Boey) Overall I enjoyed Fire Emblem Echoes, though I feel like that the attempts to retain some of Gaiden's unique gameplay mechanics damaged the experience for me. If you're a newcomer to the series, you should stick to Awakening or Fates Birthright version. But you're a veteran to the series, you may want to check this game out when you have a chance.

After playing this game for a while, I initially enjoyed this game until I hit a certain point when I was faced with waiting several days before I could buy one powerful piece of equipment, unlock a new level or save my apples for something better. However, after looking up the amount of content this game has to offer, I can conclude that unless you're a truly dedicated Kirby fan you should avoid spending your money on this game's microtransaction. Team Kirby Clash Deluxe has a lot of nice throwbacks to the series, but the repetition that becomes evident due to your option between only 4 abilities may deem this game as a low point for the series, even when compared to titles like Amazing Mirror and Squeak Squad. Unless this game gets a massive update in the near future, I'd advise you to give this game a shot, though be prepared to spend a few days before you can access new battles and gear.

After spending countless hours with Fire Emblem Heroes I find myself praising Intelligent System for the vast amount of fan-service for long-time fans, while criticizing them for several areas where they underperformed. The overall gameplay is a compressed version of any typical Fire Emblem game, which may look incredibly simplistic, there's a lot of customization features included for units such as weapons, skills and a special attack to replace critical hits and skills activated during battle. However, the 16X12 grid with a 4 unit limit does yield smaller scaled battles which are good in small doses, though it's nowhere as deep as even the earliest entries in the series. The worst part about this game is summoning heroes where by using orbs obtained from battles you'll be able to generate a randomly selected hero with his or her stats also being randomly generated. The only problem though is that fan favorites like Roy and Lucina can only be obtained through sheer luck and even if you do get them their stats could be poor and unless you're willing to put some money into orbs via micro-transaction you won't be able to get your favorite characters. Overall, the amount of content in this game is staggering, especially with the likelihood of updates being inevitable I'd highly recommend this game, though it's not the best entry in the series by far.

Super Mario Run is an interesting concept that has some moderate success in its execution. The game revolves around taking the elements of modern 2D Mario game and implements it into another runner game where the player can only run in a single direction. The parkour elements turns this basic game into a more fast-paced game, though it still the game experience with additional features. Thankfully there's different coin challenges, multiple playable characters and Toad Rally to compete for the highest score, though the lack of content could dwindle interest in the game after a span of a month, especially for a game with a price-tag of $10 using a format that $2 games have used in the past. I recommend you try the demo at first before you consider a final purchase, since the game is enticing enough for a strong recommendation.

Pac-Man 256 is pretty much everything you love about the 1980 classic, but with a unique twist that forces gamers to adapt to a completely brand new game. Include some brand new features and you've got an amazing classic revived, but with the free-to-play restrictions associated with it.

Look, Mighty Gunvolt is an amazing and well worth the price, but the game isn't perfect. I've only played about 15 minutes into the game as Beck, but there are some questionable mechanics and cheap deaths at times. However, this collaboration between Inafune's non-Capcom titles is worth the $5 I spent and is probably the closest thing we'll ever get to a Megaman title nowadays (aside from Megaman VS Street Fighters).

Though considered at the time to be a great game in the 1990s, it does't hold up well in today's standards. One of the game's biggest ordeals is derived from large confusing map layouts which are only worsened by frequent random encounters and a lack of concise instructions on how to proceed through the game. I'd recommend it for those who want to experience the nostalgia or fans of the series, though even they may find some complication just trying to get through the game.

Bravely Default is a game that can be praised for taking the elements of a classic Final Fantasy title and install a brand new twist. The plot and characters feel like something straight from the SNES Final Fantasy titles with a more modern atmosphere and more fleshed out characters. Possibly one of the biggest selling point of this game is the gameplay which incorporates a simple yet innovated idea with bravely to allow characters to use multiple actions (so you can revive a character and then use cure to heal them all in one turn) and default which allows the characters to defend and stock up on BP (so you can use bravery without losing any turns). The music is another selling point though to be fair, Final Fantasy is known for its amazing music ever since its NES days and Bravely Default's music is nothing short to the greatness of past Final Fantasy titles. The game falls apart when voice acting and graphics comes into play. Though most of the main characters are good, some of the voice acting and dialogue for some of the characters are just unbearable or their voice feels mangled in some way. The graphics though charming feels weak compared to other 3DS titles. Despite its faults, I'd recommend Bravery Default to any RPG fan. Though Final Fantasy X is coming out on the Vita, the originality of Bravery Default, charms, and use of classic elements that were once common in the Final Fantasy series hold more value then the HD remake.

The Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds combines the nostalgia and timeless gameplay from A Link to the Past with up to date visuals, new gameplay mechanics, and a whole new world. The gameplay will advocate to Zelda fans both old and new and the timeless features of a run of the mill Zelda title like amazing music are still there. Possibly the best addition would be the ability to run through dungeons without being confined to a specific order which prompts an increase in difficulty. Though it's graphically not the best due to cut-backs for the overhead gameplay and I really can't say too much about the characters and plot from where I'm currently at, A Link Between Worlds is a promising title for all 3DS owners.

I'll be honest here, when I first heard about Layton Brothers I wasn't too enthusiastic about it compared to my excitement I found with the Professor Layton series. Though I may have hardly scratched the surface of this game, Layton Brothers has proved to be a unique spin on the point and click genre which the Ace Attorney series had established. Though compared the Professor Layton series it seems to have lost it class and to some extent borrows heavily from the Ace Attorney series. Another mild complaint I found is that there doesn't seem to be a heavy penalty for any mistakes which though beneficial it makes the game a lot more easies and accessible for those who refuse to use critical thinking. Even so, you're still in for a great game though I would assume that longtime Layton fans might not be satisfied. For those who are eagerly waiting for the Ace Attorney and Professor Layton crossover might want to give this title a go.

Project X Zone is simply a straight forward Tactical-RPG with emphasis on a Capcom styled fight sequence for each of it's battles. Though it can seem immersive at times, the gameplay can feel a little shallow considering that combos can be easily pulled off easily and one of the main strategies for clearing each stage revolves around keeping your units together and either clearing out the weaker units before sending them on an all-out assault. Roster wise, it's amazing to see Megaman X gain recognition after Megaman's horrendous appearance in Street Fighter X Tekken and each and every character have some amazing voice acting followed up. Though I can understand why a majority of characters are Japanese anime stereotypes, but I find it questionable why Sega excluded characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Nights, Ryo Hakazuki, and not a single character to Skies of Arcadia. The story can prove to be another weak point since most of the characters seem to be easily swallowed up into the plot due to the large cast of characters. Though I've only register a few hours, Project X Zone is an amazing title, though it could have had some additional gameplay elements. If you're a huge fan of any of the four developers who helped out with this game or simply need a RPG for the summer then look no further.

An amazing game with fast paced combat, Zelda-like explorations, and much more. The combat may suffer from annoying camera angles and a lack of characters which makes the characters repetitive in some sense. The story makes the game feel like a side-story in some way. The bond between Aeron and Elena does bring out the game's potential, especially since the game features 6 separate endings, each one settling with a completely different outcome. Possibly the strongest point of this game would have to be a the Zelda-like structure which combine with a unique gameplay style makes for an amazing experience. Possibly some of the game's best moments are the boss battles which feels like Zelda and Shadow of the Colossus combined. Even after the boss battle I keep on forgetting "this is not a Zelda title, so stop looking around for the heart container and portal out of this dungeon/tower."