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A relatively beautiful underrated gem with a few scuffs and knicks due to the years of neglect. The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, is the third and final installment of the reboot series that started back in 2006 with the aim to deliver a more lore heavy, Tolkien-esque fantasy. We see the climax of this tale begin years after the events of "The Eternal Night", when Spyro (played by Elijah Wood), utilized the remainder of his borrowed time stopping powers to encase himself and his friends in a stasis crystal in a desperate bid to save them from the crumbling structure around them. Rudely forced awake by the minions of Malefor, an evil Dragon freshly resurrected and now on the path of total global annihilation, Spyro and Cynder become chained together by a magical tether and were doomed to serve as unwilling servants until the end. That was until Hunter, a Cheetah from the Valley of Avalar, swoops in to release them from their bonds and help get them reacquainted with their dragon powers. And thus there journey to stop Malefor's omnicidal plan commences as lessons of trust, forgiveness, and heartache are learned while they fight back the end of the world. Gameplay for Dawn of the Dragon springboards off of the first two titles, playing as a beat-em-up, but takes much more advantage of the core gameplay while exemplifying the joys of playing as a dragon (or in this case, two dragons) with a variety of breath weapons and relative free flight (limited by jetstreams and wind ceilings to keep players from going way too far off course). Unlike the first two games, the combat in Dawn of the Dragon takes examples from games like God of War and allows itself to have more depth in attack and defense, Light, heavy, grapple, block, and dodge-roll are all standards finely met by this game, but combined with eight different elements (four for each of the two dragons), which has a primary and secondary fire AND that combat CAN be performed while flying allows for much more experimentation and creativity than the standard God of War clone. Further, as mentioned before, the game follows the journey of TWO dragons; Spyro and Cynder. In most action titles, you would have to play each character one at a time or they would be relegated to certain stages/missions/levels. Dawn of the Dragon opts for a different approach and allows players to swap between the two on the fly, or have a friend join to play both simultaneously. Regardless of whether there's one player or two, both Dragons will be present, using tooth, claw, wing, tail, and deadly elements to smack around the various hoards under Malefor's control and solve a variety of platform, environmental, or tether puzzles that are present in each chapter. The story is, while not always the best acted in regards to the secondary characters, decent enough and has a fair few emotional high points that were being built up since the beginning of the reboot trilogy. The music accompanying you, Spyro, and Cynder, is equal parts elegant as it is intensely orchestral. Sound effects are a bit hit or miss (mostly prominent with combat impact sounds), but never enough to deter immersion or the mood of the game very much. The atmosphere the game exudes tends to feel like it was some sort of storybook adventure, hearkening back to the style and tone of the original Insomniac trilogy, almost as if the developers were paying loving respect to the source material. The main story run-through can be somewhat short, but there is quite a bit of side content, such as armor collectables, optional mini-boss fights, and upgrades that are available to pick up. Further, achieving in-game milestones in the game unlocks extra bonus material such as concept art. Players even have access to a chapter select menu right from the get go in the pause menu, which is useful if you're trying to get everything in the game. The game isn't without it's flaws, however. Sometimes the framerate (which tends to be at 60 most of the time), can dip and chug when too much is going on at once. Elite enemy trials can be annoying when trying to damage their weakness, as you can run out of mana rather quickly when doing so, especially since they're invulnerable until they lose their mask. Even after they become vulnerable, they tend to be some of the toughest foes in the game with the fact they can chew through your health in seconds if you aren't careful. The camera moves slow, which can be a problem if it's dragged through geometry while flying or shoved into a wall while wandering/fighting. There is no lock-on in combat, so keeping track of enemies can be a small issue sometimes. All in all, however, these are just minor nitpicks over what is fundamentally a great, fun game that treats its origins and source material with great reverence and respect, and sends the reboot trilogy off with love and hope for a new dawn.

A flawed, albeit fun classic. No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise sees the journey of Travis Touchdown, a geeky loser with nothing going on in his life (and no money) who gets roped into the UAA's competition to decide who is the greatest Assassin in the world. With the promise of money and women dangled before him, he heartily accepts his fate and dives head first into the Garden of Madness. NMH: Heroes Paradise is a port of the original Wii classic that comes with a few extra features, including bonus bosses (ripped right from NMH2) and extra quality of life changes that make bouncing between jobs and contracts while gathering the cash needed to follow this absurd task at hand. The game plays decently and responds well, though it normally hits sub 30fps in normal play, and the game tends to have a problem when slaying multiple enemies at once (causing heavy slow down). Furthermore, do be aware that, since the game runs sub 30, the game can sometimes register rapid button pressing as holding down the button, which would cause a charge attack (sometimes in inopportune moments). Keep this in mind when fighting groups of foes, and be patient with your attacks. Otherwise, the gameplay is quite fun, and with the inclusion of NMH2 bosses, leads to quite the roster of boss battles throughout the game (and compiled nice and neatly in the Extra Menu's "Score Attack" mode post game), which, let's face it, is the real reason you'd play the game. The game itself does look rather nice, especially with character looks, though don't expect a dusty, grungy town like Santa Destroy to ever impress in the visual department. Everything in the sound department, from the clash of weapons, massive explosions, and the horrific dismemberment and decapitation of foes feels quite punchy. The battle music is catchy and helps set the very video-gamey tone it's trying to sell, even if it may feel a bit repetitive after longer sessions. All in all, if you still have a PS3 and have never played No More Heroes in any form, this isn't a bad game to check out. It could have been polished better, but its extras really put this above the original release in terms of content and quality.

This was a massive surprise to me, as I had only ever dreamed about a game like this when I was reaching adolescence. To call this the perfect Sonic game would be a bit hyperbolic, however what we have here is the perfect foundation for what could later be the perfect Sonic game. The Good. The standard Sonic fare, which are called the Cyberspace stages, are short, sweet, to the point, and well constructed. Even the dreaded 1-2 is an impeccable ride of speed and obstacles. Getting an S in that is no joke. Very well paced, extremely trimmed with little filler, and just enough style and pop in the presentation to make each stage feel like a spectacle, rather than just look like one. The more experimental Sonic style and open world zones, which we've seen ever since his Dreamcast debut, while rougher around the edges than it could be, manages to have a mirror polish to go with the size and freedom of exploration that was attempted (and failed) in 06. Fighting, while not nearly as deep mechanically as other extreme action games, still have a sense of creativity in the flow of combat that makes fights as exciting as they are fast. Exploring (especially while running) is exceptionally fun and diverse, with all the Sonic staple obstacles and devices littered about to let you get around faster/more stylishly, and the little mini games and things to do add a little extra spice where it's needed. Characters sound great, sound effects have the right amount of impact during gameplay, and the story and acting is pretty decent (for a Sonic game), but the absolute gem in the sound department has to be the music. Sonic games always had a great music (even in the bad games), but the tracks used in this game, from ambient music in the open zones to the thumping beats of the Cyberspace runs right to to the heavy action tracks when facing massive foes, really shine brilliantly and stand out quite a bit, even against other brilliant Sonic OSTs. Also, can we appreciate how damn beautiful a lot of the environments and backdrops look? I mean, Sega has a habit of making the crispest looking skies (hearkening back to how eye-popping their arcade games always looked), but the actual scenery that you get to run around in looks jaw-dropping (most of the time). Oh, and a fully customizable HUD. More games need that option. And this game can let you customize Sonic's own movement speed options. Absolutely brilliant idea. Even on the PS4, loading times are pretty decent outside transitioning between Open Zone and Cyberspace. Replaying a run post score screen or re-starting a run upon making a mistake is near instant, allowing for run retries as quickly and unintrusively as possible. Oh, and an optional Training session during longer loading times allows for some quick practice with Sonic's movepool before jumping back into the game. The Not-So-Good. Sometimes certain enemies (like the wheel/top robots) are a bit too hard to read, physics objects have a habit of "scatmanning" or glitching out for a second before settling, or even fall at half the framerate of the rest of the game, and the pop-in can be a little bit intrusive when you're paying attention to the scenery. Transitioning between Open Zone and Cyberspace stages (and vice versa) can take a bit longer than wanted, but the optional Training mode in between the transitional loading can help alleviate that a little. Framerate is capped at 30, with no way to swap between performance mode or visual mode. I've heard this isn't an issue on the PS5 (which is capped at 60), so it could just be a hardware limitation. Conclusion. Sonic Frontiers was a welcome pace change and absolute shocker, despite my trepidation as an old Sonic fan, and has (along with the movies) reignited my love for this silly blue rodent and his friends and enemies. I look forward to the planned updates for this game, and the future of the Sonic franchise as it finally (and hopefully for good this time) escapes it's 3D curse it has had post Heroes.

I had my eye on this game ever since it started it's life as a fangame for the series "Friendship is Magic" (fittingly named "Fighting is Magic"), however I had mostly kept out of touch with it for two reasons: 1. it was originally PC only, and 2. I'm not much of a fighting game fan. Cut to years later, rumors about it getting Console ports start surfacing and more people and youtubers start taking an interest in the game (such as WoolieVS), where its small but very well built roster is showcased, its modes are introduced, and its online community shows its strength. Then, the Console port is announced, with physical copies becoming available earlier this fall. I gotta say, getting my hands on this game is as surreal as it is satisfying. It's not the same project as it was many years ago, but the heart and soul of the fangame is still there but with decidedly better direction and more power behind it than ever before. Each character (the few there are) feels great to play as and is a joy to just watch and listen to through their animations, attacks, and recoils. The Story Mode, which I didn't think much of at first, ended up being much more charming and extensive than I had originally considered and ended up becoming a highlight for me. The online modes are awesome, and I never thought I'd find myself wanting to mine for salt and consequently become the saltiest. My only real complaint is just a small nitpick that happens in the story mode, when there are more than 2 enemies in the background waiting to jump in after you defeat the one on your stage. That, and the platforming can be annoying... until you figure out that using the d-pad for precise movement and the stick for jumping, making it much more manageable. All in all, an excellent game that has this no-fighter hooked.

Been a while since I visited this site, but I wanted to talk about this game. FromSoft's latest masterpiece doesn't really need very much introduction, especially since it had become THE most popular game in the "SoulsBorne" series of games that they've produced. Everyone knows (and probably expects) that it's a challenging, yet rewarding, experience that will last from when you first pick up the controller to the final time you put it down (which could very will be a long time away). You will explore, fight, die, and triumph over the odds, meeting interesting (and sometimes shady) characters that have their own agendas that may go with or against your own, as you have previously in other games under FromSoft's banner. However, what sets this apart from other games in the series is the big genre addition it was given; Open-World. While previous titles did have exploration as part of the ethos (as finding gear and items will GREATLY increase your chances of survival), the games have always been structured as mostly semi-linear designs (with Demon's Souls being the closest to a linear style game). Many of them have been described to be akin to a Metroidvania (which I've recently began to disagree with, due to the many points of no return without teleporting), but it's very clear that despite the large area a player could see across the horizon, said player would likely only be able to explore a portion of it, with the rest being entirely out of bounds/blocked off/impossible to get to. General locations obviously could be seen and later explored, but restrictions are still placed that aren't immediately noticed (due to how well those games were structured, masking the linearity of the design). Elden Ring, however, removes those borders. If you can see it, be a general location or a specific one, you can go there. The only borders that ever seem to be present are shore-lines at coasts around the country sides. The vast lakes, plains, mountains, valleys, beaches, hills, and plateaus that once served as background dressing that the player would only ever set foot on for a fraction of what was shown is now entirely open, explorable, and populated with a variety of creatures, items, materials, and points of interest, all of which are rarely shown on the map until you've physically come across it or **** it down yourself. Even repeated sites, such as shacks, caves, crypts, ruins, or camps almost always feel different with different enemies, set ups, items, and significance to your journey. You'll never run into a location in this game and deal with it the exact same way, unlike most other open world games. Furthermore, due to how the game-world is structured, it's no longer impossible to be entirely stuck when hitting a "brick wall" (a challenge too high compared to your skills/stats), because now you can just... go literally any other direction, and find something else to do. That said, this also comes at the cost of meandering quite a bit around the vast landscapes of the "Lands Between", sometimes getting lost in over-leveled areas, or even indulging too much on exploration and resource gathering that you end up overpowering yourself and steam-rolling over anything in your path, which all can create a wildly inconsistent difficulty structure. Then again, because of the way it's built, it just means it really is up to you on how far and how often you want to go off the beaten path, how much you want to avoid progressing the story, and how much you want to challenge/unchallenge yourself. Personally, it's one of my absolute favorite things about the game. I haven't felt this joyful, cautious, terrified, curious, anxious, awestruck, or anything else in between in an open world type game in a long time, entirely satisfying my desire to explore every nook and cranny I can find, no matter how mundane. This isn't to say they've done away with the tight, inter-connectivity they had in previous games. Major points of interest (for example; Stormveil Castle), and smaller dungeons such as caves and crypts, are still very tightly and deliberately designed in the same style any SoulsBorne vet would be used to; semi-linear, interwoven and interconnected corridors and rooms, with secrets and alternate paths very carefully placed, with an attention to give hints to the player on how to get somewhere without any hand=holding. Honestly, the only real major criticism I could give the game would have to be the heavy pop-in after you respawn/teleport to a resting place, as well as the frame-rate stutter when there's too much going on at once (seems to be less present in the PS5 version, but I'm not 100% sure on that). However, it doesn't quite detract from the gameplay, and the over all look of the game, even when just journeying from one end of the massive world map to the other, is absolutely incredible. It will be a long time before I let this game lay down to rest. Happy Hunting, potential Elden Lords.

10 Years have passed, and the Queen of Extreme Action has returned to consoles outside Nintendo. What a long and rocky decade it's been, especially for Platinum Games. Getting their first big break with Bayonetta (despite the botched PS3 port), struggling in various other projects, having the sequel being funded by Nintendo to be completed, having mixed success on that platform for various reasons, doing various side projects through other publishers, seeing their second big break through Nier Automata, and now they've finally become an independent, self publishing company, with their first real venture in this new territory by porting Wonderful 101 to current systems. Whew! And it seems Sega has noticed the success at last, as they released both this classic and the corresponding hidden gem **** in a double pack for the XBOX/S and the PS4/Pro, both running at a delicious 60FPS (a first for the Sony version of the game) with little to no hiccups. How does it hold up after all of these years? Really well, all things considered. The game is still campy action at its deliciously cheesiest, it looks stylish as all hell, it NEVER takes it self seriously, and the combat is bloody, meaty, and full of little nuances. If it weren't for DMC5, this game would probably still be fighting DMC4 for the title of Best Action Game Ever. However, like the aforementioned predecessor DMC4, it isn't without its flaws. Quick Time Events are still here, still annoying, and can really hurt gameflow at the worst of times (including a pinchfull of cheap deaths). Weapons still run along nigh-identical combo trees which make it hard to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of weapons. There are still one too many "dominant" strategies in normal gameplay (Million Missile Glitch still works, and Shuraba is still the most OP regular weapon in the game). And, normal attacks still feel relatively weak with little feedback leaving finishers being the only attacks with any oomph to them. This isn't even getting into some of the "shake ups" in gameplay, where you do something completely different that changes the entire dynamic of gameplay, for better or worse (the two "Space Harrier/Afterburner" stages being probably the game's best, while protecting Little Cereza being one of the worst offenders). All in all, I'd personally give it a generous 9, with it's lowest being an 8.5. If your a fan of action games but ever gave Bayonetta a shot, I'd strongly recommend this game, especially if you are a DMC fan. If you've played Bayonetta before on a previous console (like the Xbox 360, Wii U, or Switch), It's a bit debatable, because it's basically the same game in presentation and content (with the exception of some Nintendo exclusive costumes). If you've played the PS3 version at all and were scorned (like myself), this is quite the apology letter, and is worth that second chance. It may have taken 10 years, but better late than never. Here's hoping Platinum will be able to make the rest of their library (except Star Fox) multi-platform, so we can enjoy more of their pedigree to a much higher degree.

Should have done this a long time ago, but oh well. A good way to end off the year. MediEvil. What a special game, and a curious decade for it to be around. A decade in which gaming has taken a sharp turn into "cinematic" approaches for better or worse, often times forgetting that games are also supposed to be fun, weird, and interesting. A decade when the best and the worst of modern gaming has graced our consoles and PCs. A decade or many, MANY reboots, remakes, and re-releases. I'll be fair, MediEvil for the PS4 is pretty much a ground up remake, but it's retained many of the charms its original counterpart had... more or less. Gameplay is loosened up and fined tuned to be a bit more frantic, giving enemies with familliar patterns new tricks along with the old, and Dan himself a better combat personality that more suites his character (such as swinging a sword wildly like he has no idea what he's doing if you continuously hammer the attack button). Platforming is made MUCH easier so insta-death pitfalls aren't so frequent, and weapons themselves have been tweaked to have more pronounced strengths and weaknesses. A welcome change is the inclusion of weapon switching the Medievil 2 introduced, adding alot more playtime and decreasing menu time, and fixing a certain irritation that the original PS1 games had for a very specific weapons. The camera is alright. A bit better from the original. Visuals are... jaw dropping (lol). While it lost a little bit of its angular, Tim Burton-esque flair that the first game touted with pride, locations in the remake are absolutely gorgeous and give the game its own distinct dark fantasy vibe. Forests are lush, towns are hauntingly amiss and derelict, graveyards stink with necromancy and rot... the whole game just looks exactly like it absolutely should. Dan himself looks delightfully goofy, Zarok looks and behaves menacing, and the Gargoyles are out and out perfect in their new designs with their bright eyes and sarcastic smirks. Audio is perfect. The original composers return to deliver the game's score with the best way possible, while also re-introducing some previous songs for specific situations for a spice of variety. Actions sound like they have punch and weight to them. Voice acting is lifted directly from the original game and given an HD upgrade (with some surprise exceptions). Also, the narrator is a joy, and delightfully sarcastic in all the right places. It has a little bit of endgame content, which can be hit or miss depending on the player, but the last secret the game has after fully completing a certain side-quest is one hell of a treat for longtime fans. The downside is that, aside from the new side-quest and it's reward, and a few new tricks enemies have and certain upgrades to the game overall, there aren't many other changes. No previously deleted levels remade to be played for the curious as side-stages or DLC. No new enemies or bosses to fight. No secrets that aren't already available in the original game. You're more or less getting the Spyro treatment here, except it's just one game rather than three. Also, the camera, while improved, has its issues... All in all, a very fun remake, and one i'm glad I picked up when I did. I'm proud to have this game in my collection, and hope to play it for years to come just like I have the previous games. Here's hoping for a MediEvil 2 remake, or perhaps... MediEvil 3?

What a curious game this is. Coming from the creators of the Monster Hunter rival known as "God Eater", the developers of SHIFT decided to take a stab at the subgenre that FromSOFT had cultivated through their "Souls/Bourne" games. The results are a tad messy, but no-less enjoyable. However, let's address the elephant in the room. IE, the fanservice... It's there. That's all really. If you've played other SHIFT titles, this isn't the first time you've seen it this blatant. My only real complaint is that the majority of said fanservice tends to lean on the garish side, but that's the artist in me rather than a complaint about the sexualization. Gameplay obviously borrows heavily from FromSOFT's aforementioned "series", complete with gear allocation, basic combat flow, lore distribution, and an emphasis on cautious navigation and heavy exploration in tightly squeezed pathways and areas. But, that's kinda where the similarities end, as the game introduces Blood Codes and Blood Veils to act as the meat of the game. Blood Veils, plain and simple, are special armor/coats that act as a combination of a tertiary charge attack that steals Ichor (your "skill/magic" pts) from enemies, adds additional attack and defense parameters to your overall stats, grants certain resistances and buffs, and change your parry animation and attack. Some can be used any time, while others may require certain Blood Codes to be in effect. Which brings us to the Blood Codes themselves. These are effectively "classes", but with a few interesting twists. The first of which is that you can swap them out at any time. They alter base stats, health, resistances, stamina, and even effect the use of weapons and Blood Veils. The crux of their existence, however, is granting skills under the two catagories: passive and active. Active skills are effectively spells and techniques your character uses outside of their weapons (or sometimes, in conjunction with them) in order to buff, debuff, attack, defend, or even lay temporary traps, each of which require a cost of Ichor. Passive skills are exactly what they imply; skills that remain active as long as they are equipped, that require no Ichor cost. The second twist is how skills work. All skills normally are available only to their respective Blood Code, but utilizing a Blood Code long enough with the skills present allows the skills to become available to all Blood Codes, allowing you to use them freely with your preferred blood code. This can allow for a huge diversity of different combinations in terms of skills and Blood Code set ups that can work in a variety of different situations, or fine tune a specific favorite code to suite your playstyle. It's not as easy as just using whatever codes you find however. At the start of the game, effectively during the tutorial area, you will receive four different Blood Codes that can be used and added to by purchasing "gifts" (Ie, the skills). They are all complete, and only require the player to gain the skills from a save point and utilize the Code long enough. Later Blood Codes, however, will come in fragments, and will require the player to find the missing pieces and put them back together, before they are able to access the more powerful skills. These two gameplay mechanics alone warrant at least a try from any action-RPG enthusiast, as it grants a huge amount of customization options. The game on its own merits is actually quite competently made and quite fun, but there are a few issues and nitpicks one might encounter. The first is that, during certain areas that are action intense or scenery intense, the framerate can begin to chug for a moment or two. Another issue tends to be with texture pop-in, which is thankfully seldom. A small gripe can be said about a distinct lack of variety in locals and detailing (with some few exceptions), and most places the player will explore may feel repetitive. Sound, while decently made, may have the music loud enough to drown out conversation. Finally, if you dislike character chatter constantly, it may be best to avoid playing the game with an AI partner (which, due to the unfortunate fact that they are both competent and easily act as a second life bar if you're in trouble, may not be recommended) The story itself is a complicated mess that doesn't like to share many details upfront, but if you're willing to seek out Blood Code fragments and re-complete them, talk to the large variety of (garish) NPCs that populate the home base and the game's stomping grounds, and do a few side quests, you'll learn just a little bit more about just what the hell is going on. All-in-all, it's a fun vampiric romp through a post-apocalyptic warzone filled with mutant ash monsters, loaded with customization options, has some neat gameplay mechanics that set itself apart from other "souls-like" games, and has fanservice enough that may cause the easily offended to shy away.

Woof. What do I SAY about this game!? Maybe a preface first... I'm not a die-hard, super purest, extra particular fan of Castlevania, nor am I a casual "I'll take anything named Castlevania" fan either. I don't have too many games in my collection under the IP, but I can safely say that Symphony of the Night is what made me fall in love. Unfortunately, it wasn't the PS1 version of the game way back in the late 90s. It was the bonus unlockable updated version that was predominantly featured in the Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP. I had to earn the right to play the game, and when I did, holy hell was it one of the more satisfying games I've ever gotten into (hence the fact it made me fall in love with the series) Skip ahead the ups and downs (and near murder of the series at large), and in comes Igarashi being a straight up BOSS, saying he wants to bring the magic of those "IGAvania" games back to the forefront, and releasing a Kickstarter trailer to prove it. I dunk in my pledge, hoping I'd get another magical journey like Symphony, and four years later... This game, while not my game of the year, or my favorite of all time (both titles belong to DMC5 for me), is one HELL ****! Gameplay is tight, responsive, slick, and rewarding to explore and experiment as you slide kick, jump, backdash, slash, bash, whip, inflame, freeze, electrify, and whatever else it takes to outsmart and obliterate countless Goetian demons in a haunted, messed up gothic castle filled with more than just references and callbacks to previous IGA Castlevanias. Even messing around with one of the more boring features (crafting) was slick, simple, and made me feel like I was making/improving something worthwhile. While it is a tad easier than SotN, I didn't mind as the game itself played so good that I just wanted more (leading to sinking in a fair amount of time on the first day playing) The story makes its mark by taking the route of "complex story told simply" with the surface, upfront story being very straightforward, while the background story, character interactions, and lore add extra spice and flavor to the world, characters and even some of the monsters. Voice acting is solid, and all of the characters (as far as I've seen, at least) were interesting and likable. I originally thought Miriam would have been kind of boring from initial impressions during the early stages of development (even though I loved the design), but she seemed to be just an absolute gem (heh, get it?) in the full game. Headstrong, kindly, and responsible, but not afraid to be just a bit childish and sassy when the moment calls for it. The music, while not as memorable or interesting as SotN, it comes SUPER close, and has its own flair and flavor that makes it well done and unique, and at the very least stands shoulder to shoulder with it's precursor, even if it's an inch shorter. The designs, from characters to monsters to the castle's bizarre interior are expertly well done. I was a little worried at first midway through development, but the updated visuals really showed off the vision that IGA wanted to capture since day one. The only downside are the few, small glitches in the game that can be found post patch (such as this annoying little swimming glitch I found when I slide kicked into the water to get out of a very tight crevice, only to find I couldn't jump out of the water at all. Taking enemy damage seems to get you out, but if no enemies are there, you're stuck. Or a glitch where a falling item bag gets stuck in the area geometry, and stays suspended in the air and unable to be collected. Glitches like that are peppered in random points, but don't harm the over all experience. I'd recommend you keep a few Waystones with you, though, just in case you get stuck somewhere weird. That'll get you out for free without needing to reload a save. What else can I say about this game, really? It's amazing, and I think this is the beginning of a beautiful new IP. If you have any love for Castlevania, or any metroidvania games, it's a must play. If you just love a fun, action platformer game, this is also a game for you! Hell, if you just love games in general, play it! Just play this game! It's amazing!

Allow me to preface this by saying I've played this game on an old ass CRT TV with a standard PS4 (so no PS4 PRO enhancements). With that out of the way, on to the review! Wow, has it ever been a long time coming for the mainline entry of the series to finally grace the fans with its presence. True, we've all had a fair few supplementary games in between (some good, some not as good), but seldom did they scratch that Kingdom Hearts itch that's been present since the end of the official second entry, when players all around the world reached the ending cinematic, treated to a gorgeous CG cutscene with "Sanctuary" (Passion, if you're a Japanese player) by Utada playing as the ending/credits song. A long enough time that a fair bit has happened in-universe to the KH series and in the gaming industry. A long enough time that the game had swapped engines and console generations (even added a new console under the series banner) to accommodate for the time circumstances and climate (among other things). And, so, how did it fair? Gameplay: Maybe with a few exceptions here and there, the gameplay itself is probably the best the series has ever been. Elements from every major game in the series plays a definite part in the game. Combat and exploration is fast, fluid varied, and exciting with KH2's gold standard basic combat meshing together with some of the unique features that BBS and DDD brought to the table. Secret/collectable hunting is fun and expansive with the huge worlds, high level of detail, and the sheer verticality adding a layer of depth that previous games (even DDD) just didn't have. Side gameplay bits, such as the Classic Kingdom minigames, 100 Acre Wood puzzle challenges, and the sidequests that you can partake in for a few bonus rewards also add a bit of breathing room to help players take a break from their adventures through the Disney universe. The Gummi Ship makes a full-force return, now with perhaps the most robust and balanced out experience you could ever get out of the system, taking elements from KH1 and 2, while also taking some Ps and Qs from it's own main game and making it a bit more open and exploration focused. With all of that said, combat did seem a bit over powered (especially with the Attraction Flow attacks), which made even more glaring considering the highest difficulty setting available (Proud Mode) is perhaps the easiest it's been. The Worlds, while expansive and lengthy, still felt like there were a few worlds missing, with one of the fan favorites that managed to make a return (Twilight Town) being cut in half significantly (made more obvious by the seemingly abandoned storyline said world had). The minigames are a good distraction, but a tad on the monotonous side, and the side quests available are few and far between. Finally, while the Gummi System is the best it's ever been, it is a little slower and less exciting than what was done in KH2. Story: Let me just get this out of the way. To newcomers, the majority of the plot is almost impenetrable, and can only be deciphered by said newcomers that either utilize a Wiki and pay as close attention as possible, or take it upon themselves to play through the majority of the previous games (if you have a PS4, getting the "Story Thus Far" collection would be a good idea...). It is NOT recommended that, if you ARE a newcomer, you make this game your first in the series. Why do I say this? It has MGS4 Syndrome. Kingdom Hearts is a long series with a complicated story, and this game was made to finish the "Seeker of Darkness Saga", going to great lengths to tie up loose ends on that front. It will have A LOT of exposition and reminders to fans. A fan of the series on the regular will be required to pay attention at a bare minimum just to understand (just like MGS4). With this said, as a fan, I thought the ending, barring a few questions, was satisfying to me, with the final encounter being excellently executed. Visuals: Considering what kind of set up I've had while playing, the game still looked absolutely beautiful, and still ran at a near solid 60fps. It was smooth to play and smooth to watch. The fact that just about everything was voice acted was a big bonus, and the "flat cardboard" faces that showed up in previous games for certain cutscenes/moments are nowhere to be seen is even more impressive. To say this would look great on a PS4 PRO and a proper HD TV would then be the most understated understatments... Final: Barring a few issues (the feeling of the lack of worlds, overpowered Attraction Attacks, extremely convoluted story that didn't answer EVERY question, and somewhat monotonous minigames) this is probably one of the better ways to end the saga. While I WISH there was more in the game, what I got was a extremely satisfying dance across the universe with Sora the Heartfelt Dunce, Goofy the Observant, and Donald the Uselessly Overpowered, with the return of a lovable side-cast and rogues gallery.

Oh, holy crap. I've been wishing for this game for some time, and like Joker's analogy about a dog managing to catch the bumper of a truck that they were chasing, I didn't know what to do except dive in and go CRAZY. This is perhaps my favorite game, PERIOD. Maybe me being a fan gave me bias towards this, maybe nostalgia, or maybe the long wait since DMC4 back in 2008 (which, thankfully, was alleviated nicely by the 2016 re-release via the Special Edition) is the factor. Maybe all three. But one thing is for certain, this is a nigh flawless game strictly in the gameplay department! The gameplay itself is as stylish as ever, with a plethora of options, multiplied by the three characters you can play as over the course of story: Nero, the gadget gear gambling brawler, V, the mysterious chessmaster with his three valuable pieces, and Dante, the jack of all trades stylemaster. Each play VASTLY different to each other, with their own strengths and weaknesses, and better yet, Nero no longer feels like some expy of Dante like he did in DMC4 (regardless of your thoughts on Nero in that game, this is still good to realize). Enemies fight hard and hit hard, with a variety of powers and attacks, and your own combat is fast and loose without ever being uncontrollable and still being relatively grounded with the proper amount of weight behind attacks. Boss battles (major or minor) are varied up, providing over 14 unique encounters, being the largest DMC boss roster to date. Finding secrets and hidden items has been streamlined to only include Blue and Purple Orb fragments along with secret missions expertly disguised among the scenery, requiring a keen eye and camera trickery to uncover them. While the story itself it just shy from being as good as DMC3's story, it's a great one with alot of character development for Nero in his own pursuits and motivations, interactions between veteran characters and newcomers, nods and references to previous games with grace and dignity, and ultimately a satisfying book end to the slight forgone conclusions that DMC1, 3, and 4 had carried to varying degrees. Voice acting is superb, with character emotions and intentions leaking through every word uttered and unsaid, and cutscenes act more as a well deserved break and treat between the action rather than an annoying interruption. The entire game oozes with personality, from characters like the southern bell Nico's eccentric attitude, Nero's sass and sarcasm, Dante's confident goofiness, V's flamboyant gothic nerdiness, to the settings being beautifully haunting or disgustingly hellish. Even objects ooze with personality, obviously lovingly crafted by designers that knew what they wanted, including the ever so memorable Devil May Cry mobile van that will show up in the most ridiculous fashion any time it's summoned for assistance. While I love this game near to death for such a variety of reasons, there are a few gripes I have with it (mostly minor, but none-the-less important enough to talk about). Wasn't exactly the biggest fan of the electronica remixes of some tracks (though, they were nice little nods to DMC1 veterans), nor the penultimate boss fight track, despite enjoying 75% of the rest of the game's soundtrack. Subhuman still ****, but not as much as it did in it's first incarnation (at least you can replace battle tracks if you have the Deluxe Edition, or purchased the ability via DLC). I honestly wish there was a way to turn off the "slow-mo zoom in" post major fights (as I can't help but only see character model clipping and low frame-rate special effects more often than I'd like), as it seems like it can be canceled by hitting the Options button when it shows up. And, there are a few, very specific, still rather hard to pull off boundry glitches that can be done to exploit or even break the game (which, hopefully are going to get patched). Lastly, the character/boss banter that happens during a boss fight feels just a LITTLE bit too scripted (as in, it happens at VERY specific points during the fight). If there were a bit more random chance to what could be said in the set, it wouldn't even be a minor issue. Much like Bloodborne (my second favorite game of all time), it's not a perfect game, but it's so good and hits all the right notes that I can't help it but give it a score I honestly think it deserves. To me, this is Capcom's absolute best game ever made, finally toppling RE4's long standing reign in my eyes, especially with all the love, care, respect, and dedication the development team gave it for the sake of the fans that desired it for so long. God speed, you crazy devil hunters!

This one is a long time coming, a very unnecessary review, and probably incredibly biased. But, whatever, I can't help it... Let's start off by saying that I only ever got to play this game a year and some change after its release. I never had a PS4 around its launch, and everyone was talking about this new Sony exclusive that came from the minds behind Demon's Souls and Dark Souls 1 (two games I have a very high respect and love for, with the latter formerly taking up the number 2 spot on my favorite games list of all time.). So, the anticipation for this grungy, gothic, action-RPG adventure with an emphasis on horror was nigh unbearable. And once I finally did play it, oh wow... Gameplay: If anyone's a fan of the "Souls" style of gameplay, then this has it as a standard, but there are a few twists and changes that expertly transform it into an aggressive fight for survival. Weapons, though limited in quantity, are unique, varied, relatively swift to utilize, and always have the ability to transform into something brutal, setting up for impressive combos in a way that hasn't really been attempted in the FromSOFT Souls series before or since. Sidearms have a satisfying kick to them, and all have their pros and cons, but all demand a try to see if they suite your playstyle. Enemies are varied and vicious from the mundane to the grotesque. Bosses are monumental events of pure terror (aside from maybe one boss battle). And even after you've scoured and picked clean the main game and the DLC, there's still the randomly generated Chalice Dungeons if you want a little extra challenge and bang for your buck. This isn't even talking about the still very much alive multiplayer scene. Hell, even if you can't get a session started with a random, you can always call up your buddies, set up a password system, and go from there! Bloodborne has its variety in such a simple and rock solid way. Story: Like all FromSOFT "Souls" games, the basic story is simple, but the devil is in the details. You are a sick outsider, trying to find a cure for an unknown illness you have, finding your way to Yharnam, a "city of healing". However, in order to get into the city and even have a chance to be cured, you must join "The Hunt". Once given a blood transfusion as your initiation, the nightmare begins, and it's your task to solve the city's secrets, and survive. From the visual aspects of the game, to NPC chatter, right to item descriptions, you'll be learning far more about this land of terror than you'd ever want to know. Visuals: The whole world is this beautiful symphony of Victorian Gothic and Lovecraftian horror, highly and disgustingly detailed with all sorts of nuances that paints a very vivid and very disturbing picture of a city with a miracle cure gone wrong. It will all seem relatively classic and tame at first, but the further you dive in, the more twisted and maddening the world becomes, and every local will hit you with some unexpected and recognizable (and sometimes strangely beautiful) design inspired by various subgenres to horror, and keep you immersed even as your slaying bloodsoaked monsters. If you aren't a fan of horror, then this may just steer you away from the get go... With all this said, there are a few visual bugs that attempt to pull you from the immersion, but they are few and far between and not THAT big of an issue. Final: Dark Souls 1 was my second favorite game of all time, for its open ended story telling, satisfying gameplay, and interesting locals. However, from the moment I played this game to the time I put it down for a short time, Bloodborne has long since taken that spot, blowing it away in nearly every category, and injected itself into my life and the lives of millions of players around the world. It is one HELL ****, and perhaps the best survival horror action RPG you'll ever play (as if there are many that would even attempt and successfully execute such a tricky balance). Oh, and if you're an old school gamer and loved Nightmare Creatures back in the N64/PS1 era, this game is also for you.

A fun, if flawed, game. Behold one of the more anticipated attempts at breathing life into a long dead and forgotten franchise. Did it succeed? Well, aside from it's sales, it entirely depends on your taste. If you were the kind of fan who honestly believed that the Splatterhouse series was more of a survival horror game, you'll be sorely disappointed. Those who saw it as a throwback to cheesy "gore"ror movies like Evil Dead would be pleased with this. You play as Rick Taylor, your average dorky collage student who struck it lucky by falling in love with Jenny Willis, a girl WAY out of his league. Rick and her are on their way to the "West Mansion" to get an interview with Dr. West about necrobiology. Rick believes this is the perfect time to propose, but before he can bring out the ring, they are ambushed by monsters, mortally wounding Rick and kidnapping Jenny. With his dying breath, Rick reaches out to an evil looking Terror Mask (which promises him a way to save Jenny), and puts it on. This is where the nitty gritty of the game starts. It's your job to kill. A lot. Blood is your currency, and your foes have it. Either pummel monsters to death with your bare fists, smack them around with an assortment of blunt instruments, cut them up with chipped and worn meat cleavers, or rip them apart with your Berserker Mode. And while the combat can be very VERY fun and satisfying, the lack in variety of enemies, the repeated combat scenarios, and the limited grabs can make the game seem a little more shallow than it is. Not to mention the final "event" in the game (in place of a real boss battle) is rather disappointing. This game is a bit of a niche title, so if you aren't into beat-em-ups in a horror environment, then this really isn't for you. The downsides are that the camera can be a and a half, and there are a few glitches in the game (mostly texture glitches, but nothing really gamebreaking). The story is shallow, but interesting. It's not just a "save the princess/world" plot. Every now and then (just enough to be relevant), it goes into a bit of a psychological delve into both Rick and Dr. West. With Rick, while he acts like an upstanding guy, he eventually quickly enjoys the power that he's given, and even confesses a few of his personal demons (such as cheating on Jennifer with a guy... no, I'm serious. Rick is Bi, which I think hasn't been done before in a linear story like this) to the evil spirit that was goading him into giving into his darker desires (all in the name of vengeance, of course). Meanwhile, Dr. West is a madman that really didn't start out that way. He was an honest scientist that wanted to explore the benefits of necrology and black magic, for the good of humanity, but the forces of evil, circumstance, and the easily frightened townsfolk of his hometown (Arkham) changed his view, and started him on his path to release a genocidal evil all in the attempt to try to bring back his lost love. The only downside is it's sequel hook for a sequel that will, regrettably, will never come. If you are a fan of metal, you may like the soundtrack to this game. A fair list of artists came to input their music into this game, and it fit's with it's over the top "gory monster fest" tone... It definitely feels like a casual game. You'll most likely knock a full playthrough in 7 hours, more or less. To more advanced players, i suggest playing on the hardest available difficulty to get a bit more of a challange, especially out of the faster and bigger enemies, as well as the bosses. HOWEVER, if you're feeling up to it, beating certain parts of the game unlocks the original 3 Splatterhouse games (one at a time). They ARE difficult, and they ARE a good 4-6 hours of gameplay EACH, for first timers, at least... maybe even longer (due to deaths and retries). For someone looking for a violent and cheesy good time, that pokes fun at itself more often than not and that has various references to horror titles of yesteryear. it's worth a buy, especially now considering the likely drop in price. To fans of Splatterhouse, it's also worth a buy. Most other people should give it a rent/borrow/ buy it used for $10 or something, and anyone looking for a serious game should probably go looking somewhere else.

I'm probably going to be very biased here. This is a great game if you are a long time Playstation fan. No, i'm not talking about being a fan since the mid PS2 era. I mean a LOOOONG time Playstation fan. Back when the PS1 was fairly big and competing with the N64. This is not to say that people who grew up at a later era, or are just getting into the console can't enjoy this game either. This game, much like Smash, is simply a celebration of the history of systems universe, the memories it made for us as kids, and a great way to show off the oldies to the new generation. Though, the selection of characters is a tad disappointing (for both good and bad reasons), and will leaving you asking "Where's Spyro?" or the like. The gameplay is solid, taking it's Ps and Qs directly from Smash, but adding their own twists. It's a real pick up and play game, but it's difficulty leaves something to be desired (one could clear nearly all of the challenges and stories on All-Star mode (Hard mode)) The stages are interesting, but the amount of things going on at once can strain the eyes a bit. Pulling off supers at the right moment is a tad repettitive, but can be wicked fun if you know what you're doing. The story mode is a little bland, leaving only still images with voice overs narrating over it at the start and end, one interesting cutscene when you face off against your "rival character", and the rest of it is a bunch of battles against random characters. No real rhyme or reason. Customization of characters via their taunts, intros, outros and even their victory music is a nice touch, but it's too bad they couldn't take it a step further and have more customization options for the character itself. Online used to be a bit of a hassle, but since the patch, things seem to be working fine right now. The multi-player vs matches have only a few select modes, which is a little disappointing, but it's possible the developers may create new modes later on. For what it is, the dedication the development team has to keep pumping in content after it's release, and the fact that it is a decently solid 1st entry to the world of 2.5D fighters, you can't entirely go wrong with this little gem. Go and be an All-Star.

Let me just make this perfectly clear. I rarely ever play games online anymore. Not with all the **** that's been happening with online passes, server glitches, and account hacks (yeah, i'm looking at you Sony >: | ), and with the fact that most online games are bloody shooters, but i have been slowly getting back into interacting with other players with the games that are out. And, in the case of Anarchy Reigns, i can safely say this is one game that delivers with no strings attached (no online passes, and so far, no server glitches). The game itself is very simple in concept. 16 characters, all have a similar move set, but their pros and cons shine through their animations, their strengths, their flaws, and their kill strikes. Every character is deliciously over the top. Even the no-nonsense characters seem so campy that you can hardly take anything they say seriously. And with the tone of the game, that's just fine. The single player campaign, however has a few let downs. It is, as it stands, very repetitive, and actually quite short if you sit down and play it for a while. And the story is even less than weak. Play as Jack (from Madworld), or Leo (this games version of MGS2 Raiden), fight a bunch of dudes, fight characters as bosses, progress to the next stage. Sometimes a big-ass boss enemy kaiju or robot comes in to wreck your good day of won-ton destruction, but they end up being more of a speed bump rather than a "HOLY **** challenge. You might like the music if you're into Rap. I'm not, but the tone of the game and the way it's built seems to have the rap music fit nicely with it, so i can let it slide (much like how i can let slide the jazz/lounge music in Bayonetta) The setting is an average "post-aPUNKalyptic" hell hole filled with trash, fires, and broken roads, teeming with mutants and cyborgs galore. Seeing that can get repetitive after a while... though the Asian stage was rather neat, even though it couldn't decide on either being Chinese or Japanese. The real meat and potatoes come from the Multiplayer, though. Have you ever wanted to play a classic CTF game that WASN'T just in another shooter? How about a football clone? Massive 16 player brawls? Yes, yes, and more yes. Killing each other with the same number of players as an average Halo slayer match in more ways than just pointing a gun or bashing hammers is just awesome. Sometimes, the colors can seem a bit over-saturated, and can cause eye strain in the more chaotic battles, but that's kinda the price to pay when the chaos of it all is kind of the point. All in all, if you like online gaming, but are sick of shooters (even just a little), you'd have alot of fun with this, I assure you. And the best part? IT'S CHEAP TO BUY! You can pick it up new for $30, and that's not because it's been tossed in the bargain bin. It's because Sega did the smart thing and lowered the price of this game, passing the savings onto us. Pick it up, and have some fun. Let Anarchy Reign!

Bloody 5000 character cap... So I guess I'm going to keep this short. Let's just get one thing straight, though. If this weren't connected to DMC in any way, shape or form (which wouldn't be much, considering all one would have to do is change the name of the game and the characters), this could be an average hack n slash. There is SOME fun in the gameplay to be had. But that's the thing. This IS a DMC game, and it should be treated as such. And reviewed as such. The Gameplay, while it allows you to switch all weapons on the fly, simply doesn't have the same depth and fluidity of the previous games (even DMC3 and 4). Controls are convoluted (two dodge buttons, people, and neading to hold one of 2 buttons just to have a certain "stance), but the game is surprisingly easy (even on the hardest difficulty out of the box). Enemies are slow reacting idiots with pathetically easy to telegraph attacks, and only (marginally) pose a challenge when they are enemy types that HAVE to be killed off through specific weapons, forcing you to change your attack pattern against your leisure (this wasn't the case in previous games, as you could fight what you wanted, with whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted). Combos are relatively shallow, and half of the moves presented can be made entirely useless with a few select moves that can skyrocket the style meter (that will NEVER DROP unless you take a hit) while dealing maximum damage. Bosses are no better, and most of them can be beaten through set patterns, which would also deal maximum damage and skyrocket the style meter. Any difficulty the game has is through fake difficulty of fighting the free-form camera and through the "kill enemy X with specific weapon type" system they have in place, and not through intelligent and aggressive foes. Let's not even talk about the various glitches in the game, and the obvious graphical and framerate issues due to the over-done and poorly used Unreal Engine 3... Platforming segments are interesting, but can get boring really fast, especially considering the only "threat" you will face in these segments is missing a jump to a bottomless pit (which only takes away a small portion of your health, hardly punishing to the player). The "Run segments" have a false sense of urgency and only really operate through animation triggers (timed and tripped), and also have the problem of being to lenient if you "fail" (which is nigh-impossible to do). Environments CAN be pretty, but the art direction of the game to make it grungy and dirty kind of ruins the appeal to the more ethereal look to some of the stages. The game, in of itself, is VERY manipulative and hardly offers the player the room to be creative, instead opting to string the player along very linear segments most of the time, while also placing previously mentioned enemies that can only be killed via certain weapons and methods. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but when you advertise a game that is SUPPOSED to endorse player creativity in game, it becomes a direct contradiction. While SOME fun can be had in the game, as mentioned before, it's repetitive and manipulative nature can in turn make things become alot more dull. Speaking of which, rewards for accomplishing usually more difficult tasks becomes painstakingly underwhelming when you (very quickly) figure out the nuances of the game. SSS ranks become easy, finding keys to secret doors becomes a chore, secret missions are generally easy, getting 100% completion in every mission (after acquiring certain weapons and skills to open certain doors and passages in previous levels that were initially impossible to pass) becomes more busywork for achievements/trophies than any real satisfaction. Let's talk about the story and dialog that Ninja Theory has been praised for in Heavenly Sword or Enslaved. If you liked the stories in those games, you will be SORELY disappointed with this one. The dialog stinks of a 13 year old mindset that just discovered cuss words and vulgarity, and when it's not being as raunchy as possible, it feels stilted and rather bland. The story itself, due to poorly written character interactions and the ludicrous amount of plot holes in this game alone, is a fest of cliches and cultural references that are supposed to be taken seriously. Top that off with the constant vulgarity, and you have this piss poor story. You can argue that DMC games never had great stories to begin with, but when one of the developers strong suits is SUPPOSED to be the story, and it ends up like it is, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong. Over all, if you are a self-respecting DMC fan, don't buy this game new. I'd suggest not to play it at all, but morbid curiosity get's the best of all of us. As for newcomers, DMC4 is available at bargain prices, and is a good place to start in the series for gameplay and lore alone. If you are a general fan of hack n slash, borrow, rent, or get it used at your own discretion.