Josh Tolentino's Reviews
Stellar Blade is a substantial and gorgeous-looking action RPG with exciting combat, but its narrative is undermined by flat characterization and frequently lifeless storytelling.
A massive game that synthesizes two distinct eras of blockbuster game design, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth feels fresh and familiar simultaneously, while forging a new path for Cloud and the crew.
The three games of the Apollo Justice "trilogy" are well worth the read, even if they aren't an ideal starting point for the series.
Fate/Samurai Remnant takes advantage of a new, grounded setting, a fresh cast of characters, and a gripping narrative to serve as both an approachable gateway to Fate for newbies and a potent fan service vehicle for veterans.
Despite its unique weapon system and generally friendlier structuring, Lies of P hews a little too closely to its inspirations to rise above feeling like something of an also-ran. But even also-rans can be polished, attractive, and exciting experiences in their own right.
Really more of a guardian angel, if you think about it.
Alice Gear Aegis CS is a solid, if simple, arena fighter with great mecha musume characters. But its thin storytelling doesn't endear players to a world that's largely been Japan-exclusive until now.
Redemption Reapers tries to evoke a sense of desperate, skin-of-your-teeth battle, but succeeds more in adding tension to its combat than its narrative.
Wild Hearts is a distinctive and entertaining take on the familiar monster-hunting formula, one that sets itself apart with gadget-focused building elements.
Forspoken impresses with its movement and central narrative, but is sold short by annoying banter and open-world meandering.
Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters feels like a return to form for the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise, though undermined by boring level design.
Front Mission 1st: Remake is a faithful and pretty recreation of a game that hasn't aged very gracefully. It's worth playing all the same.
River City Girls 2 expands on the solid foundations of the previous game to deliver a broad, rollicking feast of an brawler-RPG.
Fans of Utawarerumono should still consider giving the game a shot, as the strength of its story and characterization makes the trip worthwhile. Everyone else, though, would be better served by playing the previous games first before they take the plunge.
Rise up as Beyond the Grave, an undead super soldier bent on destroying the nefarious Raven Clan. Take your revenge by shooting your way through Southeast Asia's toughest crime dens. PS5 version reviewed.
Take to the stage with the Stratford-Upon-Avon High Drama Society to put on plays and cross dimensions saving the world of Shakespeare's canon from chaotic incursions.
All the same, despite iffy monetization choices and the general feeling that the game might not last long enough to become a permanent part of your rotation, Dragon Ball: The Breakers is a frantic and fast-paced interpretation of a genre otherwise saturated in horror movie tropes.
Explore the mean streets of Skopp City as Ann Flores, a lone-wolf combat specialist on a mission to find her missing brother. Sample the cyberpunk city life in 2D/3D exploration segments and fight off threats in an agile side-scrolling combat areas. Switch version reviewed.
Just as the “Yurukill” in the title Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is a portmanteau of the Japanese “Yurusu” (to pardon or forgive) and the English “Kill,” the game itself is a combo of two seemingly incompatible genres. It is a puzzle-solving adventure and a flashy scrolling shooter. The result works far better than one might think at first.
So it goes with Metal Max Xeno Reborn, where yesteryear’s vehicles of war and destruction are the future-present’s platforms of hope. One could also say the same for the game itself, salvaged over the course of years and redeveloped into something quite different — and much better – than before.