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5 (39) 4 (51) 3 (12) 2 (0) 1 (1) 4.2 starsAverage score of 103 user reviews
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While not without its charms, its a very shallow experience 0
A young vampire prince is the hero in The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, an action RPG sequel to the Japan-only PC-Engine platformer Makai Prince Dorabocchan (1990). In this game, the young vampire prince Spike McFang is joined by his friend Camelia to rescue their parents from Rudy's father, the evil Von Hessler, who threatens to take over the land of Vladamasco.GameplayLike most action RPGs of the 16-bit era, the game takes place from an overhead perspective. Spike can move in eight directions...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
It ain't pretty, but it’s one of the better 3D action RPGs on the PlayStation 0
Alundra 2 ditches the 2D visuals and dark subject matter of the original in favor of 3D graphics and a comical adventure story. However, the action RPG game play of the original is largely kept intact, including Alundra's heavy focus on platforming. In this game, a pirate hunter named Flint becomes embroiled in a conspiracy masterminded by Baron Diaz, who is attempting to usurp the throne a neighboring kingdom and steal its legendary treasures.Game PlayGone are the various sub-weapons and most o...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
One of the best action RPGs that isn't named Zelda 0
The Saturn wasn’t the most popular game console during the mid-to-late ’90s, overshadowed by the PlayStation and N64, but there were a number of great games made for it that I wanted to sink my teeth into. Imagine my surprise when during the first few minutes that I demoed the game I wasn’t all that impressed. The graphics looked fairly 16-bit (though clearly on the higher spectrum of 16-bit), the control was responsive but seemed simple, and the admittedly stale introduction d...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Frequently becomes more frustrating than fun to play 0
On the surface Alundra looks like a garden-variety Zelda clone, but at heart it shares more in common with Landstalker (SEGA Genesis), featuring challenging jumping puzzles not found in the Zelda franchise. That’s no surprise as many of Alundra’s development team came from Climax Entertainment, the company behind Landstalker and several other classic 16-bit RPGs. It’s known for its above-average difficulty and its beautiful 2D graphics.StoryAlundra, an adventurer with the abili...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
It's only 5 hours long...! 0
CyberConnect’s Tail Concerto is a cute little 3D action platformer for the original PlayStation starring anthropomorphic dogs and cats designed by Nobuteru Yuki (probably most famous for his character designs in the television series Escaflowne). It’s the first game in the company’s imaginative Little Tail Bronx series, set in a steampunk world of floating islands.Story & Game PlayThe Black Cats Gang is causing havok amongst the floating island cities of Prairie, so police-...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Metroid on PlayStation 0
A hunted race of advanced A.I. beings leaves Earth in search of a new home in The Divide: Enemies Within. After your mothership releases probes on an alien world, the local wildlife goes berserk and you and your partner are attacked. After thawing from a deep freeze you awaken to find your partner is gone, and you set out in your Terragator mech to find what out what happened. Released almost 20 years ago, The Divide has remained almost completely unknown, despite the fact it is one of the earli...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Clever and addictive puzzle game worth a look 0
Mole Mania is a clever and addictive puzzle game that was originally created for the black and white GameBoy. A wily farmer named Jinbe kidnaps Muddy Mole’s wife and seven children, so Muddy sets off to reclaim them through mazes filled with devious puzzle rooms. Considering Mole Mania was designed by legendary Nintendo game creator Shigeru Miyamoto it’s a rather obscure title, but one that’s been given a second shot with its release as a downloadable game on the Nintendo 3DS eShop.Similar to cl...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
One of the better Wario Ware titles 0
The Wario Ware series turned a new leaf with Twisted!, featuring a built-in gyro sensor that detected the orientation of the cartridge. You play most of the included 200 micro games by tilting the GameBoy Advance, and in some cases you’ll have to fully rotate the system in your hands to win. The cartridge also comes with a rumble feature, which gives you satisfying tactile feedback for every degree you tilt the system. The gyro sensor calibrates when the game is turned on (and after each micro g...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Better than Portrait of Ruin 0
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is the third and final installment in the Castlevania series on the Nintendo DS, following Dawn of Sorrow (2005) and Portrait of Ruin (2006). This time the secretive Order of Ecclesia, unconnected to the Belmont clan, is attempting to prevent Dracula’s centennial resurrection by collecting the fragments of his scattered soul. These glyphs can only be controlled by Shanoa, a raven haired beauty who has sacrificed her memory to serve as an empty vessel for their powe...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
More of that punk style and dice-em-up action 0
Travis Touchdown returns to the seedy town of Santa Destroy after his friend, the owner of a local video store, is brutally murdered. Little did he know that there would be a laundry list of twisted assassins itching for a chance to match swords with him. When he left three years earlier Travis was the top-ranked assassin in the United Assassins Association (UAA), but in his absence dropped all the way down to #51. He’ll have to climb his way back to the top on a mountain of corpses if he wants ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
A bit overly-ambitious but still very good 0
Fittingly, The Last Story is one of the last Wii titles to come out and one of the few role-playing games made for the console. Designed and directed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, it’s a fairly traditional role-playing game but features some progressive ideas.StoryThe majority of the game takes place on Lazulis Island, where Zael and his mercenary friends dream of moving up in society. They’re hired to do odd jobs around the city, and eventually get a gig to guard the castle durin...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Unique take on the point-and-click adventure formula 0
Capcom gets its fair share of criticism for milking its franchises to death, so when it takes a chance on something different it’s usually worth a look. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective certainly qualifies: it’s a totally original IP that puts a unique spin on the adventure genre, which has sorely needed some innovative ideas.The player takes on the role of a ghost who’s spirit can interact with nearby objects, like a poltergeist playing tricks on unsuspecting victims. You’ll have to use whatever ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Another solid installment, introduces new ideas 0
Nintendo returns to the Legend of Zelda series once again with Skyward Sword, and like every second game in the series this one does away with the usual antagonist and setting. Nintendo has managed to create a fairly unique world for the game, with childhood friends Link and Zelda living in the floating island town called Skyloft. The game begins as Link is about to compete in an annual competition to see who will become the town’s next knight.Thankfully there are fewer tutorials to work through...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
A basic Action-RPG with a unique twist 0
Mistwalker, led by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, tried to bring something new to the action-RPG genre with Away: Shuffle Dungeon. A mysterious force known as the Away has been kidnapping the villagers for the past 100 years, and our hero must rescue them from the many portals that appear in town. The game’s primary gimmick uses both screens on the Nintendo DS to show two rooms, which alternately shuffle like a deck of cards every few seconds. What starts off as a simple adventure end...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Very inventive, cute, and fun 0
Kirby, Nintendo’s lovable pink puffball, stars in a game unlike any of his usual adventures in Kirby’s Epic Yarn. His trademarked ability to inhale enemies and steal their powers disappears when an evil magician transforms him into a string of yarn. It turns out this affliction isn’t without it’s perks, and Kirby is quick to take advantage during his stay in Patch Land.A second player can join Kirby for some cooperative fun as the newcomer Prince Fluff. You won’t need to worry about health, live...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Mostly light-hearted stories and fun tactical battles 0
(www.plasticpals.com) Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is another installment in Square-Enix’s turn-based strategy role-playing franchise. As expected it shares more in common with its GBA predecessor than the PlayStation game (now available on the PSP and iPhone). It’s one of the best examples of its genre, but each game in the series requires a big time commitment.Taking a page from The Neverending Story, a young boy named Luso is transported to the fantasy world of Ivalice when,...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Get it for Monster World IV 0
SEGA has finally published an English version of Monster World IV, the final entry in the Wonder Boy series (originally released for the Genesis / Megadrive in 1994). In this game the titular hero Wonder Boy has been replaced by a gypsy girl named Asha (which explains why Wonder Boy isn’t in the title), but it otherwise retains the action-adventure flavor the series is known for.Game PlaySimilar in style to other 2D adventure games (such as Zelda 2, the Dragon Slayer series, and the sidescrollin...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A fun, if unspectacular little game 0
SEGA has finally published an English version of Monster World IV, the final entry in the Wonder Boy series (originally released for the Genesis / Megadrive in 1994). In this game the titular hero Wonder Boy has been replaced by a gypsy girl named Asha (which explains why Wonder Boy isn’t in the title), but it otherwise retains the action-adventure flavor the series is known for.It is now available as a download for the Wii’s Virtual Console (900 Wii points or $9) and the PlayStation 3 and Xbox ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Solid, strategic, and well written 0
On its surface Radiant Historia looks like a typical Japanese RPG: the world is in peril, rival kingdoms battle over remaining territory, and you’re stuck in the middle of the conflict. Looks can be deceiving though, and this (one of the last RPGs made for the Nintendo DS) has a number of pleasant surprises. There are no random monsters, strategy and planning play a major role in battle, and the story is less linear than it initially appears. Most importantly Radiant Historia deals with the effe...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Another fun investigation for fans of Layton's formula 0
Professor Layton & The Last Specter is the fourth chapter in the series, and the final installment on the Nintendo DS. Like the previous installments players can solve around 150 puzzles, all while uncovering a central mystery. This time a monstrous phantom is attacking the town of Misthallery, and Layton is summoned by an old friend to get to the bottom of things.StoryThe far-fetched plot of The Last Specter should come as no surprise to those who have played Layton’s previous adventures. A...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Not as bad as the meta scores suggest 1
Dawn of Mana is the last game in Squaresoft’s tree-hugging action-RPG franchise. It’s the most ambitious of four titles released under the World of Mana umbrella, an initiative intended to boost the franchise into mainstream popularity. Despite being universally panned by the press, it had quite a lot going for it. It made the transition from 2D to 3D for the first time, and introduced several new ideas to keep things fresh. The series has had its ups and downs over the years, and this game is c...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Mediocre but not without some charm 0
Nostalgia is a project dreamed up by Naoki Morita (the creator of the Sakura Taisen series) as early as 1996, but wasn’t realized until more than a decade later. It stars a young British boy named Edward who wants to become an adventurer like his father, who has recently gone missing. It takes place in an alternate 19th century Earth, and includes famous cities such as London, New York, Cairo, and Tokyo. In his search for his Indiana Jones-ish dad, Edward discovers that a secret organization kno...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
A simple but satisfying RTS 0
GrimGrimoire is a real-time strategy game that takes place in a magic school. You play the role of Lillet Blan, a new student who arrives just five days before everyone is massacred. Saved by a mysterious power, Lillet is sent back in time and has to prevent the same course of events from playing out. With characters like the wise old wizard Gammel Dore and suspicious teachers, the general feel owes much to the Harry Potter universe, but the game itself is fairly unique.StrategyUnlike traditiona...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
One Of The Last Great DS Games 0
Solatorobo (lit. Sky and Robot) is said to be a dream project for the developers, who had been fleshing out various aspects of the game’s world for many years. It is the spiritual sequel to their breakout title Tail Concerto (originally released in 1998 for the PlayStation). The series is known for its anthropomorphic animal people who pilot robots and airships between floating island cities.As a bounty hunter, Red takes on odd jobs for cash and along the way becomes entangled in a plot to unle...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Boring, braindead, and joyless 0
I couldn't bring myself to finish Legendary Starfy. It was developed by TOSE, which had worked on the surprisingly competent Super Princess Peach, and it sort of reminded me of Kirby, so I thought it might be good. Despite several Starfy games on the GBA that never saw release outside of Japan, we finally got a remake on DS, but it seems this is one that was better left overseas.PresentationThe graphics are nice and colorful, and are easily the game's best asset, even if they lack imagination. A...
2 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Deceptively cute appearance hides annoying issues 0
Tokobot Plus: Mysteries of the Karakuri is an odd little puzzle-platform game where you play as Bolt, a young treasure master. You’ll explore ancient ruins in the search for rare treasure and adventure. You’re always accompanied by a throng of up to eight robot helpers (the Tokobots) which can link together in different formations to serve various functions. It’s a cute little game that offers something unique, but it falls short in key areas.Game PlayPlayers can change between different Tokobot...
2 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
It's the best of the PS2 RPGs 0
Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King follows the trail of an evil jester named Dhoulmagus who has cursed the inhabitants of the kingdom of Trodain. The hero is the only person in the castle who manages to resist the evil magic, so the king (who has been transformed into an imp) enlists his help. Together they’ll make many friends and some enemies on a grand old quest for king and country. It closely follows series’ tradition, but also pushes the series forward with its more modern p...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A decent time waster, if nothing more 0
Dragon Quest Swords is a spin-off of the popular role-playing franchise that simplifies the standard formula in favor of action-oriented battles. It gets its name from its primary gimmick: players swing the Wii remote like a sword during battle to slay monsters. It retains some of the standard design elements of more sophisticated role-playing games (such as character building and item management), but limits the player to a small handful of areas to conquer. Game Play Dragon Quest Swo...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Some of it works, some of it doesn't 0
Like the other games in the Crystal Chronicles line-up, The Crystal Bearers is an action-oriented spin-off to the popular Final Fantasy role-playing games. This one is a bit of a deviation from the previous chapters, because the story is given more attention, and it’s strictly single player. You play as a human Crystal Bearer, mutant outcasts that are generally untrusted because of their magical powers. The story takes a few hours to get going, but once it does it’s pretty good and deve...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Well worth checking out if you own a Wii 0
A Boy and his Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia is one of those classic puzzle platform games from the 8-bit era that was long overdue for a remake on modern consoles. An alien Blob from another planet crash lands on Earth, and befriends a young boy. It turns out the Blob loves jellybeans, and will transform into any number of different tools depending on what beans it consumes. The boy has to ration his jelly beans as he and the Blob overcome obstacles on their adventure. It’s a strong pre...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Hudson's last hurrah 0
Lost in Shadow is one of the last hurrahs of veteran Japanese game developer Hudson Soft before being absorbed by Konami, and one of the company’s most original offerings. Hudson Soft had survived through the past decade by rehashing its classic game franchises like Bomberman, which probably didn’t help keep the company solvent. It’s a shame they didn’t make more games like Lost in Shadow, an original 2.5D puzzle-platform game that succeeds in being one of the Wii’s better titles. The m...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Didn't finish... didn't want to finish 0
Sands of Destruction looked like a great game, thanks in no small part to its list of supremely talented creators. Masato Kato (the director), Kunihiko Tanaka (the character designer), and Yasunori Mitsuda (the music composer), all played key roles in the making of the classic PlayStation RPG Xenogears. Their latest work looked to recapture some of the former’s magic, with 32-bit style presentation and combo-driven battles. Unfortunately, something went horribly wrong during productio...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Modern conveniences rob the player of a true oldschool Mario game 0
In what could be described as a re-imagining of the original 8-bit sensation, Nintendo returns to its roots with a traditional 2D side-scrolling Mario game. It has all the hallmarks of Mario’s first adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom, but ditches the frustrations with a more modern approach. It’s an ode to the oldschool game play that made the Italian plumber famous, but a game that can be beaten in a single sitting will leave many fans feeling a little short-changed. Presentation Alth...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Fun & Unique But Your Mileage May Vary 0
Electroplankton is undoubtedly one of the most original creations on the Nintendo DS. Designed by Toshio Iwai (the creator of the electronic step-sequencer called the Tenori-On), Electroplankton is more of a musical toy than a video game. Besides his love of video games and music, Iwai’s primary inspiration came from his childhood memories looking through a microscope. When playing, the top screen shows an enlarged view of the cartoony plankton floating around on the bottom screen. ...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
You Won't Hate Tingle After This Game 0
Tingle, The Legend of Zelda‘s most controversial character, stars in his own off-the-wall adventure in Freshy-Picked: Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland. Tingle first appeared in Zelda: Majora’s Mask on the N64, and quickly garnered the hatred of many Zelda fans for sticking out like a sore thumb in the Zelda universe. The negative response to an online poll squashed the game’s chances of being released in North America. This is actually something of a travesty since it was already translated int...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Better than most DS platformers 0
The Mario franchise has spawned countless entries in the hop-n-bop platformer genre, but surprisingly Nintendo hasn’t made a game specifically starring the series’ archetypal damsel in distress until now. She most notably appeared as one of the four selectable characters in the 8-bit Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), and regularly participates in various sports games, but you’d think Nintendo would have made a game like this sooner given their large female demographic. It has taken more than 2...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Time travel back to the Glory Days 0
There’s a fun television show from Japan called Game Center CX, where a comedian named Shinya Arino tries his hand at popular video games. Fans can wax nostalgic as the host plays popular titles, particularly those from the original 8-bit Nintendo, which were usually pretty tough. In Retro Game Challenge, the tables are turned when Arino sends the player back to the ’80s to play a variety of games lovingly based on classics from that era. Although the games themselves are ...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
The Graphical Showpiece For The Nintendo DS 0
Camelot Software Planning’s role-playing roots stretch back to games like Shining Force, and their Golden Sun series carries that tradition forward. Beginning life on the GameBoy Advance in 2001 and followed by a direct sequel in 2003, the series has had a 7 year hiatus. It makes the transition to the Nintendo DS in the platform’s last remaining months, amidst a fairly crowded line-up of similar games. Can its reputation for strong graphics and smart puzzle design outshine the competiti...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Finally! 0
Dragon Quest’s Zenithian Trilogy finally wraps up with the long-awaited release of Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. It’s a remake of the beloved Japan-only Super Famicom role-playing game from 1995, and marks the first time it is available in English. The 16-bit original is now 16 years old, and like the remakes of its siblings Dragon Quest IV and V, the new version has been dusted off by updated graphics, music, and some online features. It’s a straight-forward JRPG that, unli...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Solid Mario RPG fun 0
Mario first jumped into the RPG genre with Squaresoft’s classic Super Mario RPG: Legend of the 7 Stars for the Super Nintendo. Many of the developers that worked on that title, including its director Yoshihiko Maekawa, formed the company AlphaDream, and they’ve retooled the general formula with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. This was the first game to allow direct control of both Mario and Luigi simultaneously. It would prove popular enough to warrant a pair of sequels on the Nin...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful.
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