Reviews
Review: TowerFall Ascension (PC)
Over the years, I’ve bemoaned the disappearance of local multiplayer in video games. Most of this was due to the fact that my household only had one Xbox 360, but two heavy gamers. This resulted in either one person sitting to the side for a indeterminate period of time, or both people playing from a limited library of entertaining local multiplayer titles. Last year, at IndieCade, I had an ...[Read More]
Review: Final Fantasy X-X2 HD Remaster (PS3)
At exactly what point does a good game franchise start to decline? For plenty of fans of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series, it probably started with the tenth entry, and over a decade later, the debate among fans has been whether that game and its sequel are actually among the best or worse entries in the franchise. So, now that it’s been re-released in HD, how does it hold up?
Review: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U)
Our scene opens on a majestic fortress, perched on a tower that seems to reach impossible heights above the leafy canopy of trees. It stands as stoic sentiment to the lush and fertile land below it, and the materials and design lead us, the viewers, to believe that it is an ancestral home and that whatever family inhabits it has done so for countless generations. Inside, the family gathered around...[Read More]
Review: VVVVVV (3DS)
One thing I’ve never really been shy talking about is how old I am. Being 32 years young means I am older than the average gamer, but also too young to remember when home video game systems were really getting off their feet. The first console my family owned was a Nintendo Entertainment System, but that doesn’t mean the charms of its predecessor’s games are lost on me. I do have...[Read More]
Review: ZAGGsparq 6000
Nearly three years ago, I provided a review for the wonderful ZAGGsparq 2.0. It still works beautifully, and it has proven its worth time and time again over the years. Last summer, ZAGG released the new ZAGGsparq lineup, featuring a redesign and a variety of power options and price points. The new ZAGGsparq comes in three flavors, each named after the capacity mAh (milliamp hours, or the total am...[Read More]
Review: Knack (PS4)
With the release of the PS4, a new IP is introduced. That new IP is Knack. With its simplistic gameplay, Knack makes it easy for any player to learn the game’s core mechanic. At the same time its difficult keeps the player entertained and attentive. While Knack does show off the graphical and processing power of the PS4, its story has an uneven tone and a plot that might leave gamers wonderi...[Read More]
Review: Rayman Legends (XBO)
Before Rayman Origins was released, it had been a long time since I had enjoyed, or been even remotely excited by, a Rayman game. As soon as I saw those opening trailers, though, I knew I was going to be hooked; and hooked I was. I ended up with the game on three different platforms (360, Vita, PC), simply because it was that good. Then, rumors started swirling about a sequel, with multiple fantas...[Read More]
Review: Yoshi’s New Island (3DS)
The winter freeze is sticking around MUCH longer than we’d like it to. It is this time of year that I spend the most time thinking about a magical tropical getaway. Unfortunately, tropical islands are filled with terrible things: mosquitoes, smoke monsters, sea food and those itchy coconut bras that never seem to fit me right. Imagine hitting the beach with your favorite electronic book read...[Read More]
Review: Toukiden: Age of Demons
I recently picked up a PS Vita and I gotta say that it’s fantastic. I already have a decent sized library of great games to fit any gaming situation I should find myself in. One such situation I find myself in is wanting to play Monster Hunter on the thing. I could download the PSP version and play that or I could play Toukiden: Age of Demons, which is Tecmo Koei’s attempt at a “Monster Hunt...[Read More]
Review: Magus (PS3)
Doing a brand new IP in gaming is often a risky business. It can sometimes be safer to stick to well-known brands, but some new IPs can take off like lightning. Is Magus the next new brand?
Review: Blue Exorcist (Manga)
Blue Exorcist has an interesting story about a boy, Rin Okumura, who discovers that he is the son of Satan. This is a pretty intense series that is heavily based on dark themes. I haven’t read a story like this and, I must say, it’s really good. The manga series is by Kazue Kato and there are 11 total volumes so far. It started back in 2009 and it’s still ongoing. The Japanese version is published...[Read More]
Review: Bravely Default (3DS)
In an expansive temple, a young woman bows her head in prayer before an enormous hovering crystal, which appears to be the only source of light in the room. Within moments, an inky blackness wraps its misty tendrils around the crystal and stains it dark. It is in that same instant that a giant chasm opens up in the earth and swallows a nearby village whole, leaving but one survivor. That is where ...[Read More]