Oteresk
This was my first experience with my Dragon Quest series, and it definitely reeled me in. From an outside perspective, it may seem like this game has a basic premise and standard gameplay, but it's got so much character and liveliness to it. The option of 2D and 3D is also a nice touch, so you can experience the game in various ways. As per the norm with JRPGs, this game is jam packed full of content that you can spend several hours sinking into.
As a long time Dragon Ball Z fan, it's interesting to see how each game tackles the same setting and scenarios every time. The story seems very "Dragon Ball Z", to say the least. Character customization is neat, but the hub world and battles is actually quite dull after a while. The gameplay emulates a similar feeling as the Raging Blast games, but it's nothing special or distinct.
2013
Hilarious parody of the fighting game genre, proving there can be depth at even the most minimal of fighting games. Worth a try if you are into the FGC, however it can seem repetitive and dry for those who aren't familiar
1999
Enjoyable, barebones Dead or Alive experience. My first experience with the series, however it doesn't offer much outside of the arcade mode due to the lack of community.
A definite improvement over the first installment, this game returns to the same formula of trapping students and pitting them against each other for freedom. Absurdism is toned down compared to the original, characters are less focused on being stereotypical archetypes, and it just feels more fleshed out. At its core, it's still the same gameplay with some slight improvements. Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot more than the first, however the original is necessary to help understand quite a bit of the ending.
While I'm a huge fan of the Ace Attorney series, where this game finds inspiration from, I think this game is just alright. Each character is pretty hit or miss in terms of likability, but they're all based on very stereotypical archetypes. The game tries to draw you in with the shock of each death, however it grows less enticing. It lacks a sort of depth that you'd find in a visual novel. In terms of the cases, they're quite memorable, but I'd say about half of them are good. In an attempt to lean into absurdism, I feel like it tends to go overboard at times.
1999
Incredibly fun arcade title that has tons of extras added in the home versions. Fun to play in bursts, but when you play it's great fun to pass the time.
1987
Probably one of my favorite NES games. Though it's famous for its difficulty, it's not incredibly hard. Visually, this game is phenomenal for an NES title. Enjoyable if you have a second player for co-op.
1999
Very cutesy puzzle game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot during my childhood, and it still holds up today.
2011
While this game is the definitive experience for most people (and rightfully so), I have some personal gripes with this particular version of the game. While the details are entirely unclear, there have been various controversies surrounding Nicalis, the publisher, and their relationship with the original developer, Pixel. It's quite an interesting read, however there is no clear cut evidence.
Despite this gripe, the game at its core is incredibly good. While very short, the compact game holds airtight gameplay, wonderful music, and a memorable experience overall. I just can't put the experience into many words, but this game is a must play. Please consider the original freeware version of this game.
Despite this gripe, the game at its core is incredibly good. While very short, the compact game holds airtight gameplay, wonderful music, and a memorable experience overall. I just can't put the experience into many words, but this game is a must play. Please consider the original freeware version of this game.
2004
The original freeware version of the game, this is a must play. While very short, the compact game holds airtight gameplay, wonderful music, and a memorable experience overall. I just can't put the experience into many words, but this game is a must play.
Very enjoyable fighting game that still has an active, albeit small, community. Provides a little bit of everything for fans of Street Fighter and SNK games due to the character variety and "grooves" (different styles of play based on various games). Also the game has a bangin' soundtrack.
2009
Honestly, this game isn't very good, but it has you laughing at so many different aspects of it. I'm pretty alright with hack and slash, but this game is a bit repetitive until it for some reason turns into a real time strategy tower defense game, which is extremely offputting compared to the rest of the game.
2019
I enjoyed the introduced mechanics, however it's hard for me to bring myself to play this game over Borderlands 2. The writing tries to emulate the second game (and fails), despite the fact that the head writers for Borderlands 2 had left Gearbox. I also wasn't a fan of the subtle changes to the UI, however that's just me being nitpicky. It's still more enjoyable than the Pre-Sequel, but to me it just feels like "another Borderlands".
This is one of the more "okay" entries in the franchise. I didn't feel as much of a connection to the environment, characters, or weapons in the game. It's frankly very short, and the inclusive of the oxygen mechanic feels "whatever". If you enjoy Borderlands 2 and you want a little extra, it's an okay playthrough, but get it on sale if you can.