ARMS Review- Greatness Within ARMS Reach.
System: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E
Release Date: June 16th
MRSP: $59.99
Thank You Nintendo America for providing a review copy of this game.
ARMS is the latest IP from Nintendo and it seems as though they are trying to recapture the “Splatoon effect,” but with a fighting game this time. In this game, you go head to head against foes fighting with weapons known as ARMS in a arena style battle similar to the Dragon Ball and JoJo fighting games. So how does Nintendo fare for this first time into this fray? Well, all I can say is that this game will not leave you up in ARMS.
The Nonary Games Review – Ambidex Edition
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Publisher: Aksys Games
ESRB Rating: M
Platforms: PS4, PSVITA, PC
MRSP: $39.99
“The Nonary Games” is an excellent way to jump into the Zero Escape franchise as it contains the best version of “999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors” and a good port of “Virtue’s Last Reward.” It’s thanks to the dedicated fans that the third Zero Escape entry was released, and that we received this excellent collection, all due to a renewed interest in development. This review is spoiler free and focused on the PC version.
The story of 999 takes place on a sinking ship where Zero, the main antagonist, kidnapped a group of nine people and is forcing them to play the Nonary game. The characters have watches locked to their arms with a number. The cast has to split into two groups, with the player having control of where the main character, Junpei, goes. The cast can only be in groups of three to five people and their watches have to result in a digital root matching a numbered door. After going through the numbered door there will be a puzzle room or two for the player to complete. Every puzzle room gives various hints towards future plot points, and alludes to Zero’s identity. It’s a wonderfully written story with laugh out loud dialogue and a genuine sense of mystery.
Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 Review Let’s Rock!
Developer: Arc System Works
Publisher: Aksys Games
ESRB Rating: Teen
Platforms: PS4, PS3, PC
MRSP: $39.99 USD Retail ($19.99 Upgrade on all platforms)
(Review Copy Y/N) A review copy was provided by Aksys for the PS4 and we are grateful for the opportunity given to us.
We’ll be tackling a powerhouse in the world of fighting games today with “Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2.” Created and developed by Daisuke Ishiwatari and his team at Arc System Works, and published by Aksys Games; as of now Rev 2 is the 17th entry in the Guilty Gear series. From the previous entry, Revelator, to Rev 2, the game has received numerous changes and new additions to boot which will be gone over along with the mechanics. So with this short introduction out of the way, will we see Rev 2 exceed expectations as an enhancement, or will it succumb to being an unnecessary coat of paint over an already exceptional game? Only the Heavens and Hell will decide, so without further adieu…
Utawarerumono Mask of Deception review – This Is (Not) A Game
Developer: Aquaplus
Publisher: Atlus USA
Platform: Playstation 4/Playstation Vita
ESRB Rating: M
Release Date: May 23rd 2017
Thank you Atlus USA for providing a review copy for this game.
Life is strange. Just a couple weeks ago, I was having a blast playing Disgaea 5 Switch, while at the same time, I was also having a blast playing “Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception” on my Vita. Despite both being SRPGs, and are fun to play, both provide extremely different experiences for completely different reasons.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth Comes to the West September 5th
Today Atlus USA has officially announced that Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth will be heading to the West on September 5th.
The adventure is ending because Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth will be available in Americas and Europe on Sept. 5! The game is the sequel to the upcoming Mask of Deception and takes place right after the dramatic events of the previous game.Chaos has taken hold of the land in Mask of Truth as a conniving general has unlawfully seized the throne of the mighty Yamato Empire. The only ones that stand in his way are a couple of familiar faces who must rally different kingdoms together and fight against the powerful Imperial army. An 80+ hours long visual novel/SRPG experience awaits as you’ll get close with a new cast of colorful characters, fight in numerous exciting engagements with an enhanced battle system, explore intriguing new lands, and more.Utawarerumono:Mask of Truth will be released in the Americas on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in both physical and digital formats on Sept. 5. The European PS4 version will have a physical release, but the PS Vita version will be digital-only. It will be priced at $49.99 for the PS4 and $39.99 for the PS Vita (with commensurate European pricing). The game, originally published/developed by AQUAPLUS, will have its original Japanese audio–PR
Pre-orders and limited launch editions of the game will come with a collector’s slip case box and pillowcase bonus items (only available in the Americas). The double-sided pillowcase features the mysterious Yamato priestesses Uruuru and Saraana, and will fit on most standard pillows. Negotiating alliances, battling enemies, and juggling relationships is a lot of work, so we encourage you to lay down and rest your head on the adorable bonus item to stay fresh for the journey ahead. Full press release, asset download links, and super cute glamshot below!-PR
Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle Coming to Nintendo Switch September 5th
Today NIS America has announced that Tohou Kobuto V: Burst Battle will be heading to the Nintendo Switch along side the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita release.
NIS America is pleased to announce that Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle will also be arriving on the Nintendo Switch™ in addition to the PlayStation®4 (physical and digital) and PlayStation®Vita (digital-only). Due to this, we regret to inform our fans that the title’s new release date will be September 5 in North America and September 8 in Europe to accommodate launching on the additional platform. Engage in exhilarating battles on the Nintendo Switch™ wherever you go! The PlayStation®4 version of the game will also be compatible with PlayStation®VR for the ultimate immersive experience!
-PR
It’s good to see that NIS is bringing more games to the Nintendo Switch in wake of the early pre-order numbers for Disgaea 5 being over one hundred thousand! It is also interesting to see that NIS America is going as far to delay the game in the US and Europe for PlayStation 4 and Vita so that all three versions can have a simultaneous release.
If you haven’t done so already check out our review of Disgaea 5 Complete for the Nintendo Switch here.
Disgaea 5: Complete Review – Football Manager 5
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software America
Platform: Nintendo Switch
ESRB Rating: M
Release Date: May 23rd 2017
Thank you NISA for providing a review copy for this game.
It’s been a long time since Disgaea has last appeared on a Nintendo platform, as the last entry was a port of the original game on the DS. Almost a decade later, the second Disgaea game to reach Nintendo fans is the latest entry in the franchise, “Disgaea 5” on the Nintendo Switch. This version of the game comes will all of the DLC which you can access from the get-go. This means the extra classes, recruits, and scenarios are yours to play around with. That said, normally, when Disgaea is ported to a different platform (typically it’s been Sony’s portable devices) they’d get extra content on top of the DLC content. Sadly, that’s not the case here. Here, it’s just the DLC.
Strafe Review – Welcome to Die.
Developer: Pixel Titans
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: PlayStation 4, PC*
ESRB Rating: M
Release Date: May 9th 2017
MRSP: $19.96
*The PC Version was used to review this game
A retail copy was purchased by the reviewer for this review.
“Strafe” is what some would call an ode to the FPS games of the early to late 90s. It tries to create a procedurally generated roguelike game with the gunplay of such games as “Wolfenstein” or “Quake.” After being kickstarted years ago and being delayed earlier this year we finally have our hands on this unique game. Does it manage to deliver a polished experience to the fans of old school FPS? Let’s dive in and find out.
Birthdays the Beginning Review A New Beginning
Developer: Arc Systems
Publisher: NIS America
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4
ESRB Rating: E
Release Date: May 9th, 2017
MRSP: $39.99
“Birthdays the Beginning” is the latest brain child of Story of Seasons (formerly known as Harvest Moon) creator Yasuhiro Wada. Instead of living life on a farm, raising your own crops and trying to start a family, you are now tasked by an unknown deity to create entire ecosystems of life (on a cube,) in hopes of being able to return home. Quite the drastic turn, I know. That said, I think the stark departure from what he is known for was quite the interesting idea.
Atlus Gives a Heartwarming Thanks to Fans for Persona 5 in the West
This morning the Persona series director Katsura Hashino came out today to thank all western fans for the love and support of Persona 5. The message is as follows:
As a developer, I’m very happy to hear that Persona 5 is being played by so many people overseas. To be honest, it’s really hard to gauge its popularity in the West when our team’s in Japan; we’re not able to see everyone’s comments and discussions. It’d be great to interact with the fans abroad, but sadly, I’m stuck in the development room slurping instant ramen (laugh). Persona 5 is a very “Japanese” story with some political aspects to it, so I couldn’t imagine how Western players would react to it. I did know, however, that Persona 5 was highly anticipated by gamers overseas even back when we were developing the game, so I was curious to see how its story would be received.
I’m going off on a tangent here, but I think that traditional Japanese superhero stories tend to be about fighting off invaders from outside their society, while Western ones focus on fighting against villains and misfits that come from within it. There’s a sense of society being responsible for creating this evil, and such a setting lets the audience’s imagination run wild, like “it could’ve been me.” For instance, doesn’t the Joker from Batman make some valid points that resonate with you?
Persona 5 is also a superhero story in which you fight villains that are born from within society, so I thought that it might be received differently than the previous entries. Of course, it could’ve missed the mark completely and been criticized for it, so my anticipation and anxiety were split half and half. Since the game just launched in the West, I’d like to look back on it at a later time, once I receive feedback from the Western audience—how their gameplay experiences were, what kind of things they felt, etc. I hope that the tale of Persona 5 will leave a lasting impression on everyone who plays it. No matter what kind of project I take on going forward, I love creating RPGs that are both moving and relatable regardless of cultural differences—in fact, I’m most interested in strengthening those aspects right now.
Last year, with the milestone of the Persona series’ 20th anniversary, I handed off the series development to my successors and announced the start of my new RPG project that takes place in a fantasy world. Be it a game set in modern day, like the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series, or a game set in a new fantasy world, I aim to create games that provide an invaluable experience of reflecting on oneself through a journey, while roleplaying as characters that players can deeply relate to.
These efforts are only made possible thanks to the positive reception we receive from fans—not just in Japan, but worldwide—of the Persona series and Atlus RPGs in general. I appreciate all your support for the newest entry in the Persona series, and I hope that everyone will enjoy the new Atlus RPGs to come.
Persona 5 has been a smash hit outside of Japan, and the game deserves every ounce of sales it gets. I am glad to see all of their hard work paid off. To see our review of Persona 5 you can check out our video one (written still pending):
The Gaming Gamma 