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An excellent, forgotten mobile JRPG from a half decade ago has been resurrected

March 24, 2021

News/Nintendo Switch/PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5

News by Matt S. Don’t worry if you don’t remember Zodiac: Orcanon Odyssey from 2015. It was a mobile JRPG with some incredible production values, and was quite the decent game to boot. Indeed, we loved it at launch. But it didn’t make much of a splash at all, and…

Games and Literature: Why are so few games based on great books?

March 24, 2021

Uncategorized

Video by Matt S. I’m playing a game based on Phantom of the Opera right now, and while it’s not a great game, it has reminded me of a question I often ask myself: why are there more games based on Tom Clancy than Shakespeare, and what are the implications…

Review: Neo Geo Pocket Color Collection Vol. 1 (Nintendo Switch)

March 24, 2021

Neo Geo/Nintendo Switch/Retro/Reviews/snk/Switch Review

Review by Harvard L. Sometimes the most unexpected gifts are the most welcome. I hadn’t heard anything about a Neo Geo Pocket Color compilation coming to Switch, but I’m happy to get it all the same. I love that the Switch is rapidly becoming a hub for retro compilations, with…

sunshine-manor-looks-like-quirky-take

March 23, 2021

Horror/Indie/News/Nintendo Switch/PC/PlayStation 5/satire/trailer/Trailers/Xbox One

News by Matt S. If you’re going to be doing something inspired by the horror of the 80’s, you do need to go into it with a balance of humour and the grotesque. Those films are simply not there to be taken seriously as horror artefacts now (I would argue…

Review: Monster Hunter Rise (Nintendo Switch)

March 23, 2021

action game/Capcom/hard game/Monster Hunter/Nintendo Switch/Reviews/Switch Review

Review by Matt S. It’s not often you’ll find a game (or series) that you’re absolutely terrible at, but can still appreciate and enjoy. I do have one such series. Monster Hunter. I’ve always struggled to wrap my head around Capcom’s epic boss battle simulation, but I’ve also always appreciated…

Review: Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town (Nintendo Switch)

March 23, 2021

casual game/Harvest Moon/Nintendo Switch/Reviews/simulation/Story of Seasons/Switch Review

Review by Matt S. Among all entertainment art forms, video games rely heavily on violence and bloodletting. I realise that as a game critic I spend more time with these things than most people (and what is healthy for a “hobby”), but it really does become exhausting when the default…

Gadget review: Anbernic RG351V – the best emulaton handheld yet

March 23, 2021

Anbernic/emulation/emulation console/Gadget/Gadget Review/Hardware/Hardware Review/Retro

The big news today is that Sony is going to be shutting down its PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3, Vita and PSP, meaning that you’ll no longer be able to purchase nor download games on those platforms. What does this have to do with the Anbernic RG351V? Simple. Given…

Review: Root Film (Nintendo Switch)

March 22, 2021

Kadokawa Games/mystery/Nintendo Switch/PQube/Reviews/Root Film/Root Letter/Switch Review/visual novel

Review by Matt S. Root Film’s only meaningful link to its predecessor, Root Letter, is that both visual novels are mystery titles set in Shimane prefecture, a lesser-known destination with Japan but, like every other corner of the country, a place with its own deep, rich history and heritage. Where…

Interesting games on itch.io: March 22

March 22, 2021

Art Game/Indie/itch.io/list/Top 10/top 5

List by Matt S. I’m a big fan of itch.io for the freedom and open platform that it allows for developers to be creative, experimental, and directly canvas the audience for feedback for games that are not yet ready for primetime on Steam and its ilk. In addition, itch.io allows…

dark-arms-beast-buster-harvard-plays

March 22, 2021

Neo Geo/Retro/Video/Video review

Video by Harvard L. Last week SNK released a collection of classic Neo Geo Pocket Color titles to the Nintendo Switch. While the console was best known for being the first to make portable fighting games excellent, it had a couple of titles from other genres too, including the action…

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