Hmmm, the Eroge award. We told our Chinese sponsors that this award was a demand from our audience and they relented. Looks like they don`t mind it as long as it showcases the filthy Japanese degeneracy. Without further ado:

After 28 years of blood, lore, and semen, Alicesoft brings Rance to a climax. Rance X returns to grand strategy, but with the series’ highest stakes right from the start. Choices and replayability are king, and tons of secret content will keep you coming. By La Way, even though this is the “final” game timeline-wise, Rance IV may still get a Zero Four remake, so odds are the Hyper Weapon will get at least one more chance to shine again. Until then, enjoy the ride.

A wacky, simple, and satisfying western arcade shooter that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The soundtrack, weapon handling, and humorous elements add to its fast-paced, balls-to-the-wall nature. At the same time, the different upgrade paths add just enough variety to warrant an extra couple of playthroughs down the line. While the story is far from groundbreaking, it offers a unique little tale with some cheeky narrative devices afforded to it by the nature in which it’s told. Don’t expect anything too serious though, as it doesn’t shy away from poking fun at common tropes in Wild West media. It’s only around 4-5 hours, but I would say it’s well worth the purchase.

An absolutely novel game with a fantastic setting. This game is in my mind the perfect blend of goofy and gruesome, set against the backdrop of a middle-America mall. Truly the perfect zombie sandbox concept.

Of course, while not every interactable is made equally, there are so many delightfully pedestrian AND devilishly bizarre items, clothing, sights, and weapons to interact with in the various outlets that the game practically has a built-in replayability factor. Not to mention the multiple endings. The bosses are no exception to being exceptional either, as the “psychopaths” come in varieties of silly, hilarious, and terrifying, as well as all of the above at once. Despite this the tone still feels consistent because it never dwells on or overloads on the absurdity of the situation.

Now being the first game in the series, Dead Rising also sets a number of precedents such as using a real-time countdown system, along with a photography mechanic to expose the goings-on of the mall and its ilk. Personally, I find both to be welcome features, allowing for fast-paced momentum in addition to rewarding the player for mindful exploration. On top of that, the protagonist Frank West is a refreshing mix of a witty yet still oblivious journalist who really gives life to the story, while still making you root for him as an everyman.

Granted, the game is a bit antiquated in some areas. Like in the annoying manual save system, old-school aiming, and bad follower AI. The poor AI in particular feels like it discourages pushing your limits in rescuing as many survivors as possible by making it super tedious. Still, with some patience it’s doable. Nevertheless, Dead Rising’s highest highs are far more numerous than its lowest lows, making it a triumph for anyone who desires a fresh take on zombie games.

Shadow of Mordor is a fantastical hack and slash in the LOTR-verse. From a LOTR outsider’s perspective the story felt as creatively safe as possible. I’m sure someone else could speak more intelligently on it, but really it’s a revenge story when you get down to brass tacks. And that easily digestible setup, along with the viscerally brutal combat were enough to keep me invested for the full ride.

Speaking of, the combat takes full inspiration from Rocksteady’s Batman games, with an added lethal brutality that Batman could never get away with. Your main weapons are your sword for outright fights, your bow for ranged takedowns, and your dagger for stealth encounters. Each weapon can be modified by acquiring runes, which grant special abilities based on the rarity and description of the rune. These modifiers, along with the ability trees, work wonderfully to make you feel like you’re becoming a bigger badass as the game goes on. No ability feels shoe-horned in for the sake of providing filler content. Most actually build upon the foundation of previous moves instead of providing a new move only usable in niche situations.

Make no mistake though, the prize pig of the game is the Nemesis System. A feature that allows for unique experiences with enemies in which they will remember previous interactions with you, possess unique weaknesses and strengths, be promotable, brandable (essentially making them work for you), and able to be assassinated and threatened. Keep in mind too the hierarchy of rank can change in real time and entirely separate from the player’s involvement. All things considered it’s a superbly neat spin on the typical organization of enemy hordes.

As for my lamentation, it is one of overinvestment. The combat features are swell, but they only go so far for so long before they too become repetitive. I wish there was more to see and do in the world. While the story demands you play on an Uruk wasteland, it can feel excessively barren in a way I don't think was intended. Perhaps some sort of outpost liberation mechanic or dynamic world changes would have given it more life.

The Bat is back and broodier than ever in this upscaled addition to the Rocksteady canon. Naturally, this means doubling down on the combat, gadgets, side-missions, and the world itself. Before I go into detail, does Arkham City prove itself a worthy sequel to the legacy of Arkham Asylum? 100%, and in many ways surpasses it.

The story is grand, engaging, and packed full of iconic Batman rogues, all underlit by an absolutely chilling operatic theme. Without spoiling too much, it does a marvelous job at elevating the stakes and action, with multiple factions vying for control of the isolated Arkham City. With the exception of Hugo Strange, Catwoman, and Robin being underutilized, it was a fantastic story that really expanded on the Batman mythos. Speaking of, Batman himself is definitely more moody this time around, but beside the fact that he’s the Dark Knight, there’s a good reason for his grumpiness here.

In Arkham City, you’re working with a much bigger playground than before, which feels like the perfect size. Landmarks are clear and gliding has been made more involved and practical for travel, making it a blast to coast around the city. What’s more, the various side missions are short, sweet treats that put the spotlight on the lesser featured villains. Sure, some missions are a bit less deep than I’d like, but it was cool to see so many new and returning faces.

Most noticeable of all, the combat has been greatly expanded, both for and against you. But don’t be mistaken, the game is still heavily in your favor. The special moves and gadgets make going through this entry a relative breeze. Like Arkham Asylum, City is easy if you know what you’re doing. To me, the draw of Rocksteady combat (beside the animations) has always been trying to build the biggest combo using the largest variety of special moves. And with challenge mode being back and bigger than ever, allowing you to now play Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing, there’s no shortage of opportunities to lay the hurt on some unsuspecting mooks. This extends to the breakout boss fights like Mr. Freeze as well, which really emphasizes thinking outside the box.

A paragon in atmosphere and sound design, Dead Space is a game that punches far above the AAA weight class in nearly all categories. Its unique integration of a sci-fi horror shooter experience is seamless, and its streamlined inventory system, unobtrusive UI, and infallible navigation system serve as the sprinkles atop this touchstone of gaming horror.

In the year 2508 you follow Isaac Clarke, a systems specialist sent to repair the USG Ishimura, a mining vessel that’s long since lost contact with the outside world. Given the name of the game, you can guess that things go to hell real quick with monstrously macabre creatures prowling the whole ship. Speaking of, the vessel itself is almost as alive as the surviving crew. The hum-dum of the mechanical ship ambience and unending growls of the beasts just beyond your vision works wonders alongside Isaac’s breathing and heartbeat in heaping on the dread. My only complaint in that department is how Isaac never talks, making it a bit harder to humanize him.

In terms of items Dead Space has no filler. Every object has its use, whether you’re selling it for money or using it to save your life against monsters. To complement that the game possesses a very concise, easily distinct organization of chapters that makes for a natural conclusion to a session, with some light backtracking being the only negative aspect to come with it.

Each store and waystation are spaced out fairly liberally, so you should never really find yourself in trouble when without them. As for actually defending yourself, be assured that the game doesn’t waste its setting. Beside your repurposed planet-mining tools like the plasma cutter and line gun, you've also got a stasis module to slow down enemies and a telekinetic gauntlet to throw objects, a fact that serves as a real joy in allowing you to creatively dispatch your enemies. The likes of which you can’t help but be in grotesque awe of. Collectively, these potent ingredients make Dead Space a thrilling adventure not easily surpassed.

A lukewarm co-op game whose major pitfall is being woefully uninspired. A Way Out does grant some decent enjoyment, but not from what it offers at face value. The voice acting is subpar, the writing fit for Wattpad, and the main story is comically generic. Where it does shine is in the moment to moment skits that come with playing the game with a good co-op partner. The throwaway mini-games, derpiness of the presentation and dialogue, and general absurdity makes the game charming despite its flaws. And it does so in a way that makes A Way Out an unintentionally excellent comedy.

A good example is when one player is left to goof around and throw darts while the other is having what should be a serious conversation with a family member, made even funnier by the unflinchingly straight way the game is presented. Yet, even those moments are too fleeting to carry the rest of the game. Don’t get me wrong, the split-screen approach is a fun throwback and the commitment to cooperative actions is admirable, but in practically every sense A Way Out is more novelty than novel.